Standard Reshiram/Giratina

[Breeder Emmy]

I am fairly new to the game, and this is the first deck I have been working on. Any comments/advice would be appreciated:

Reshiram/Giratina

Pokemon:
4 Reshiram (ROS)
2 Hydreigon-EX (ROS)
2 Giratina-EX (AOR)
2 Shaymin-EX (ROS)

Supporters:
4 Professor Sycamore (BKP)
2 N (FCO)
2 Lysandre (AOR)
1 Hex Maniac (AOR)
1 Olympia (GEN)

Items:
4 VS Seeker (ROS)
4 Trainers' Mail (ROS)
4 Ultra Ball (FCO)
1 Heavy Ball (BKT)
3 Max Elixir (BKP)
1 Super Rod (BKT)
1 Special Charge (STS)

Tools:
3 Bursting Balloon (BKP)
2 Fighting Fury Belt (BKP)

Stadiums:
2 Parallel City (BKT)
1 Fairy Garden (FCO)

Energy:
10 Fire Energy (GEN)
4 Double Dragon Energy (ROS)

 

[double o squirtle]

Wow, this is pretty good for your first deck! Good job! I've got a few suggestions:

-1 Fairy Garden - Hydreigon give free retreat with a stadium so you don't need this.
-1 Heavy Ball - This is really only good for Giratina and then you can also add Hoopa.
-3 Bursting Balloon - With FFB you're already two shotting most EXs even with FFB attached, and Megas can't hurt Giratina so you don't really need the extra damage.
-1 Fire Energy - While useful, I think 10 might be too much.

+1 Fighting Fury Belt - Give your Pokemon an HP boost and your Giratinas that 10 damage needed to two shot EXs with FFB, M Ray and Mewtwo.
+1 Hoopa EX - Searches out EXs which make up the majority of your Pokemon.
+2 Skyfield - with having Giratina, Hydreigon, Reshiram and maybe the odd Shaymin or Hoopa in play, you'll need the space.
+1 Giratina - If you only have two you risk having one prized and one in your deck.
+1 Float Stone - You have Hydreigon, but you might get Hoopa or Shaymin stranded in the Active spot, so this is just for them.

Hope this helps!

 

[Breeder Emmy]

Wow, this is pretty good for your first deck! Good job! I've got a few suggestions:

-1 Fairy Garden - Hydreigon give free retreat with a stadium so you don't need this.
-1 Heavy Ball - This is really only good for Giratina and then you can also add Hoopa.
-3 Bursting Balloon - With FFB you're already two shotting most EXs even with FFB attached, and Megas can't hurt Giratina so you don't really need the extra damage.
-1 Fire Energy - While useful, I think 10 might be too much.

+1 Fighting Fury Belt - Give your Giratinas and Reshirams that 10 damage needed to two shot EXs with FFB, M Ray and Mewtwo.
+1 Hoopa EX - Searches out EXs which make up the majority of your Pokemon.
+2 Skyfield - with having Giratina, Hydreigon, Reshiram and maybe the odd Shaymin or Hoopa in play, you'll need the space.
+1 Giratina - If you only have two you risk having one prized and one in your deck.
+1 Float Stone - You have Hydreigon, but you might get Hoopa or Shaymin stranded in the Active spot, so this is just for them.

Hope this helps!

Interestingly I chose Heavy Ball with the intention to not play Hoopa EX because I could not fit in Float Stone with the Bursting Balloons and also didn't want to clog up the bench, but with your Skyfield suggestions I see how this can be mitigated.

Bursting Balloon, however I have been very impressed with especially against 160-170 (sometime 180 if I follow-up with a FFB on Reshiram) EXs and the awkward 130-170 non-EX pokemon. Which is why I included it, especially the non-EXs as they tend to setup on attack eg. talonflame, volcanion and yveltal. There are definitely games where it is not as useful and I have considered removing 1, but it helps so much in first turn situations against those non-EX pokemon especially when I played first. I will try it without them, and see how it does, and then mix and match with some of the cards you suggested.

With regards to the Energy, can you maybe give me more of an understanding of how you know it might be too much. I have been trying to figure out energy numbers, but could not find a good guide. I chose it by analogy looking at decks that played Max Elixer, but as pokemon is such a fast game with drawing and stuff, I can't really figure out how you would calculate a good number.

Thanks again, this is really helpful.

 

[double o squirtle]

With regards to the Energy, can you maybe give me more of an understanding of how you know it might be too much. I have been trying to figure out energy numbers, but could not find a good guide.

When I play decks I usually run 11/12 Energy in total. Although having the Energy to attack is always helpful, the more you have, the harder it is to draw the other cards needed to setup. Though, your deck is meant to accelerate Energy as fast as possible, so you probably could get away with running 10, but you also have to remember you're running four DDE, making your Energy take up nearly a quarter of your deck. It's a risky move, but could turn out beneficial.

I chose it by analogy looking at decks that played Max Elixer, but as pokemon is such a fast game with drawing and stuff, I can't really figure out how you would calculate a good number.

There isn't really an amount of Energy you need to run that's set in stone. You really just have to test a deck, until you get a feel for how many you need.