Garchomp / Altaria (New Player)

[Neorecon19]

I started playing the TCG about a year ago, but still consider myself to be a beginner to the game. My local league is having its first sanctioned premier event soon, which also happens to be my first event as well. I've been playing a Garchomp/Altaria deck for the last couple of months, but would like to build something that can hold up a bit better competitively. Unfortunately, I lack both the money and resources to build some of the more popular competitive decks in the format. Is there a way I can improve my current deck or build a deck that is fairly wallet-friendly?

Here is a list of the deck I currently do play:
*EDIT* Here is the decklist that was used in my first Premiers (1-2-0 record):
Pokemon

• 4 Garchomp
• 3 Gabite
• 4 Gible
• 3 Swablu
• 3 Altaria
• 1 Mr. Mime

Trainers/Supporters/Stadiums

• 4 Level Ball
• 2 Rare Candy
• 3 Silver Bangle
• 1 Pokemon Catcher
• 3 Switch
• 2 Super Rod
• 2 Hypnotoxic Laser
• 1 Bicycle
• 1 Computer Search
• 3 Professor Juniper
• 3 N
• 1 Bianca
• 2 Colress
• 1 Tool Scrapper
• 1 Escape Rope

Energy

• 7 Fighting Energy
• 3 Blend Energy WLFM
• 2 Water Energy

I took the liberty to move your thread to the proper forum, as this is more of a deck help thread other than a new player help thread. I also edited it to coincide with the standards set in the rules. Thanks! ~Kecleon

 

[meepster123]

RE: A beginner looking to play more competitively

-2 gabite, 1 is enough
-1 pokemon catcher, new rule change doesnt make it help much
-1 bicycle, meh i dont think you need it
-1 laser, does laser run well in this deck? im not sure but...
-1 level ball, i know you want to set up quick but...
6 spots
I think
+1 Emolga, set up quick
+2 candy
+1 Juniper
+1 N
+1 Cheren

I am not sure about any of this, as i have not observed this deck, but i hope this helps you out!

EDIT: add 2 more water energy somehow

 

[Mora]

RE: Garchomp/Altaria (New Player)

I say just play a 4-4-4 Garchomp with Silver Bangle. You don't need Altaria because with Bangle, your hitting for 90, and 90 is a really the perfect number to be hitting for (except for 180). The point being that you 2HKO EX's while they'll typically have to 2HKO Garchomp, a non EX. You basically win the prize trade that way. And taking out the Altarias will give you some extra space for more consistency.

You definitely need four Gabites (or at least three) so that you can pull out your Garchomps and stream them more quickly. It allows you to rely on Level Ball since you can almost always search Garchomp indirectly with i by getting Gabite for Dragon Call.

 

[Neorecon19]

RE: A beginner looking to play more competitively

-2 gabite, 1 is enough
-1 pokemon catcher, new rule change doesnt make it help much
-1 bicycle, meh i dont think you need it
-1 laser, does laser run well in this deck? im not sure but...
-1 level ball, i know you want to set up quick but...
6 spots
i think
+1 emolga, set up quick
+2 candy
+1 Juniper
+1 N
+1 Cheren

I am not sure about any of this, as i have not observed this deck, but i hope this helps you out!

EDIT: add 2 more water energy somehow

The reason I've added two lasers to the deck is that with two Altaria and a Bangled Garchomp in the active, it allows for a OTK on EXs like Darkrai and Landorus if I play the laser.

 

[zavtac]

RE: Garchomp/Altaria (New Player)

It can become competitive the way it is, you just need to know the strategy to play it and add a few cards. The strategy is to quickly get a Gabite in play to use dragon call to get pretty much all your Pokemon you need. A 4-3-4 line is fine, but I suggest two rare candies. This deck focuses on OHKO's on everything. This requires 3 Altaria dragonblade bangle. This KO's any Pokemon in the format. But the thing is to have continuous Garchomp one after the other. Now you understand the idea, I can help with the list. Take out the Mewtwo. The other Pokemon are ok. For trainers have 3 bangles, 4 Juniper and N, no Cheren, 2 Colress, one Bianca, no catchers and finally one laser 2 bicycle. You have the energy part right though. I hope this helped make your deck better!

 

[Mora]

RE: Garchomp/Altaria (New Player)

That set up sounds nice, but it requires three Altaria on the Bench. That only leaves one spot for Mr. Mime and two spots for Garchomp. That means you can only set up another Garchomp when ykur opponent knocks out your Active Garchomp. It will be difficult to keep streaming Garchomps later into the game when you're N'd into two or three, especially if they are able to land a OHKO on Garchomp. That was one of the issues I had when I first started testing with Altaria. It would be much easier if you could set all your Garchomps up at once. Plus, I would like to point that if at any point you don't OHKO with the Altaria (if one of them is prized, if one of them gets knocked out, etc.), then the Altaria is basically dead weight because you could still have 2HKO'd with just Bangle and had two to five extra spaces for consistency/techs.

I'll give the Altaria version one thing, and it's that it seems to better against non meta decks that don't run EX's such as Empoleon. With just Bangle, that match up is really in their favor, but Altaria can swing that match up. If your meta has a lot of non EX's, that would be the only reason I would play around with Altaria.

 

[zavtac]

I understand where you are coming from, but it is called a garchomp altaria deck for a reason you do need to play at least a 3-3 line of altaria in this deck. It works with the bangle get you the crucial extra damage in this deck when you need it. There are many different ways this deck can be played, and it all depends on the meta you are in. And realy its all about finding a deck that suits you. (two altaria bangle ohko most ex's)

 

[Neorecon19]

Would Escape Ropes be a good Trainer to add to the deck as it counts as both a Switch and somewhat of a Catcher?

 

[zavtac]

Would Escape Ropes be a good Trainer to add to the deck as it counts as both a Switch and somewhat of a Catcher?

The answer would be maybe. It can be a very good tech to play though. Try deck testing it and seeing if it works for you!

 

[helti]

Would Escape Ropes be a good Trainer to add to the deck as it counts as both a Switch and somewhat of a Catcher?

Yes, and no, but it's not nearly as powerful as switch or the old catcher.
The problem with it is that you don't get to use it often(because you should never use it when your opponent has 2 or more choices on the bench that are cheap to switch, or can tank your damage), and when you do, you have to have a guaranteed KO on all of their benched Pokemon, or else your opponent just got a free switch or has done a smarter move than you have by even having the rope in your deck!
I've encountered problems with this item so many times, for myself and the opponent, it just ends up being discard fodder!
However when it is good, you can trickster your way out of a situation where you would've been screwed, You can for example save yourself from death by switching out, or even attack with an attacker that is loaded, but then again, you could've run switch for that.
this card is also the very most terrible one to change out for switch or catcher if you are playing Virbank lazer.

However, in low energy cost decks, Escape rope can be pretty good, but your opponent gets to choose which Pokemon that goes out, which is where the card looses half it's point.