Discussion Staples in a Fighting Deck

Articuno_Aria

Articuno_Aria

Articuno is UNO for a reason
Member
I'm planning to build a Zygarde GX/Buzzwole GX deck when Forbidden light is released. This will be the first Fighting deck I've played, and I want it to stand up to other competitive Fighting decks out there (Buzzroc, Zororoc, Buzzgarb, etc). I'm working on a temporary decklist, and I've been running into some issues, mainly how much of "x" card to run, which items/supporters are more necessary than others. I'll be posting my specific questions below. Hopefully I'll have a better idea how to create this deck after some feedback, thanks in advance! :)

-Energy ratio (basic fighting/dce/strong)
-How many Zygarde GX and Buzzwole GX would you run? (I was thinking 3 of each, or 4 Zygarde 3 Buzz)
-Why run a 2-2 Octillery line? I've asked other players and so far no one's given me a straight answer
- Is Carbink/Carbink BREAK a viable option?
-Would you rather run Choice Band or Fighting Fury Belt?
-Brigette vs. Brooklet Hill
 
Assuming you are relying mostly on Octodad for draw, you run 2-2 to reduce the likelihood of prizing both of the basics or both the stage 1. Also it doesn't draw fire the way a Zoroark GX will.
 
Personally i fell the concept of Zygarde-GX is a bit harsh considering it needs 4 energy in the first place and for you to play bonnie every turn to keep using the GX attack constantly. However, 2-2 Octillery is in similiar lists due to it drawing cards. Sure Zoroark-GX does the same thing but it is an engine which changes the whole dynamic of the deck whereas Octillery doesn't.
Looking at William Azevedos Lucario/Lycanroc from Buenos Aires gives a good idea that 5 Fighting/4 Strong/3 DCE feels right for something like Zygarde-GX. I would even suggest maybe not focusing on Buzzwole as the secondary attacker but Lycanroc-GX GRI instead as Bloodthirsty Eyes is an amazing ability and if you're running DCE anyway then why not?
Carbink/Carbink BREAK isn't a bad idea but maybe only as a possible 1-1 line? Zygarde attachs to himself from the discard for a DCE so i don't really see the need for it too much but it could be a good tech option, you'd have to test that to see if its really worth it.
With something like Zygarde-GX doing only 150 with the GX attack Choice Band has some merit as it doesn't require a Strong energy + Fury Belt to get the extra 30 damage and overall just hits better numbers, with Field Blower in format as well i feel Fury Belt has lost a bit of its flare due to if you have 200 damage on you and it gets Field Blowered away thats a free 2 prizes for your opponent. Again testing will help you figure what works best for you.
But definitely Brooklet Hill over Brigette these fighting decks aren't looking to set up multiple evolution cards like Zoroark, Gardevoir, Bulu etc. They're mostly big basic decks and being able to just plop down a Zygarde-GX for free each turn is way more valuable than Brigette as it's your supporter for the turn in those scenarios etc.

Let us know when you come up with a good idea with what you feel your decklist will look like and maybe we can discuss things further! :)
 
SupahGassy said:
Personally i fell the concept of Zygarde-GX is a bit harsh considering it needs 4 energy in the first place and for you to play bonnie every turn to keep using the GX attack constantly. However, 2-2 Octillery is in similiar lists due to it drawing cards. Sure Zoroark-GX does the same thing but it is an engine which changes the whole dynamic of the deck whereas Octillery doesn't.
Looking at William Azevedos Lucario/Lycanroc from Buenos Aires gives a good idea that 5 Fighting/4 Strong/3 DCE feels right for something like Zygarde-GX. I would even suggest maybe not focusing on Buzzwole as the secondary attacker but Lycanroc-GX GRI instead as Bloodthirsty Eyes is an amazing ability and if you're running DCE anyway then why not?
Carbink/Carbink BREAK isn't a bad idea but maybe only as a possible 1-1 line? Zygarde attachs to himself from the discard for a DCE so i don't really see the need for it too much but it could be a good tech option, you'd have to test that to see if its really worth it.
With something like Zygarde-GX doing only 150 with the GX attack Choice Band has some merit as it doesn't require a Strong energy + Fury Belt to get the extra 30 damage and overall just hits better numbers, with Field Blower in format as well i feel Fury Belt has lost a bit of its flare due to if you have 200 damage on you and it gets Field Blowered away thats a free 2 prizes for your opponent. Again testing will help you figure what works best for you.
But definitely Brooklet Hill over Brigette these fighting decks aren't looking to set up multiple evolution cards like Zoroark, Gardevoir, Bulu etc. They're mostly big basic decks and being able to just plop down a Zygarde-GX for free each turn is way more valuable than Brigette as it's your supporter for the turn in those scenarios etc.

Let us know when you come up with a good idea with what you feel your decklist will look like and maybe we can discuss things further! :)
Click to expand...

Thanks! After thinking about it, I don't think Zygarde will be a viable option anymore :/
It's kinda clunky and having to hit Bonnie every turn or every other turn is risky. I'm actually going to be working on Buzzwole/Lucario GX :)
Still going to use the tips you gave me! When I come up with a decklist I'll post it
 
Articuno_Aria said:
Thanks! After thinking about it, I don't think Zygarde will be a viable option anymore :/
It's kinda clunky and having to hit Bonnie every turn or every other turn is risky. I'm actually going to be working on Buzzwole/Lucario GX :)
Still going to use the tips you gave me! When I come up with a decklist I'll post it
Click to expand...
buzzroc is really good. however, i am now concidering buzzgarb instead as it helps you with all your tough matchups. garde and bulu are two of the HARDEST matchups to play against ( from my testing anyway) so if you are forsure going for the buzzwole i would suggest buzzgarb
 
I too have been a Fighting deck player for a long time. And my initial Standard deck list usually consist of the following staples:

9 card-draw Supporters (e.g., 2 Cynthia, 2 Lillie, 2 N and 3 Professor Sycamore) - after selecting the Poké you are building your deck around, these particular Supporters are the next critical group to consider;

I chose not to use Octillery ever since it's more of an easy prize liability, non-critical bench occupant, and potentially requires card(s) to get it out of the active position when opponents Guzma it. If supplemental card-draw support is needed, I prefer Oranguru; however, in most cases, I just rely upon card-draw Supporters.

Cabrink, to me, is similar to Octillery: another easy prize opportunity and not critical (Special Charge could be used to recover and recycle Special energy);

2 Acerola - to get unwanted/unneeded, wounded Pokémon off the field;

3 Guzma - needed for "gust/switch" purposes (may also run 1 Acerola and 4 Guzma);

2-3 Fighting Fury Belt - specifically for my "big" Basic main attackers, or

2-3 Choice Band - specifically for my Stage 1/2 main attackers;

2-3 Float Stone when Garbodor (Garbotoxin) is used;

1 Max Potion - fantastic Item when using 1-energy card attachment attackers like Buzzwole GX and Zoroark GX;

2-3 Tapu Lele GX - Supporter card-draw support and supplemental attacker, if needed (especially if running DCE);

4 Strong energy - definitely, no need not to max this count out; and

7-8 Fighting energy.​

Depending upon which Pokémon you use, deck strategy, your meta, your play-style etc., counts will vary; but, this is my usual set of staples I start with before refining the deck after lots of play-testing.
 
For the record, nobody mentioned that Remoraid is a Brooklet Hill target, which plays into a huge part why it's played. If you do end up playing BuzzGarb, then I'm your guy. Once the March TCGO tourney results are posted, you can use my list as a basis for that deck. Or Andrew Mahone's Buzzgarb. We're both playing 2 different variants of the same deck, but mine is more straight forward and consistent, although I don't play Carbink or Fury Belt which is a turnoff for some players.

For the most part, I agree with Tuxedo black, but I would play the 4th Sycamore over a second Lillie. There's no reason to play 2 when it's only better than Sycamore on the first turn. Fighting as a type is so aggressive that you generally prefer draw power over resource management, but if you do need to not Sycamore you still do have N and Cynthia in the deck.
Buzzwole Lucario is something I've been meaning to test, but haven't got around to yet. Quick question: would this be Buzzwole based with Elixirs and a 2-2/3-2 Lucario line? Or Lucario based with 2 Buzzwole and a 4-3 Lucario line?
 
Is it justifiable to play Hala in BuzzGarb? I feel like the intention behind the deck is to absorption GX turn 2/3 which makes me think Hala would be good, but I don't really see anyone play it either.
 
OppositeAttract said:
Is it justifiable to play Hala in BuzzGarb? I feel like the intention behind the deck is to absorption GX turn 2/3 which makes me think Hala would be good, but I don't really see anyone play it either.
Click to expand...
If a buzzwole deck runs lycanroc your gx move can be a bit harder to use then simply using absortion also N,Sycamore, and Cynthia is allot of draw already
 
AuraJackle said:
If a buzzwole deck runs lycanroc your gx move can be a bit harder to use then simply using absortion also N,Sycamore, and Cynthia is allot of draw already
Click to expand...
I am aware that if you run Lycanroc you may not use your GX move immediately, that's why I specified my question by asking about Buzz/Garb which from all accounts I have seen doesn't play Lycanroc, because you wouldn't be getting use out of its ability. Fair point, that we already have draw supporters, but if you are using your GX early (which I think is the intention behind) Buzz/Garb specifically isn't it better to rotate ones numbers of Sycamore/N/Cynthia to allow Hala into the rotation since it gives better draw support most of the time, or is it just not consistent enough. Just asking mainly because I feel like Hala gets played more often after rotation.
 
Well, Hala isn't played because you basically HAVE to use the GX in order to make the one copy better than Cynthia, plus it is an abysmal starting supporter, which is something you need to take into account to minimize dead drawing.
 
gumball51321 said:
For the record, nobody mentioned that Remoraid is a Brooklet Hill target, which plays into a huge part why it's played. If you do end up playing BuzzGarb, then I'm your guy. Once the March TCGO tourney results are posted, you can use my list as a basis for that deck. Or Andrew Mahone's Buzzgarb. We're both playing 2 different variants of the same deck, but mine is more straight forward and consistent, although I don't play Carbink or Fury Belt which is a turnoff for some players.

For the most part, I agree with Tuxedo black, but I would play the 4th Sycamore over a second Lillie. There's no reason to play 2 when it's only better than Sycamore on the first turn. Fighting as a type is so aggressive that you generally prefer draw power over resource management, but if you do need to not Sycamore you still do have N and Cynthia in the deck.
Buzzwole Lucario is something I've been meaning to test, but haven't got around to yet. Quick question: would this be Buzzwole based with Elixirs and a 2-2/3-2 Lucario line? Or Lucario based with 2 Buzzwole and a 4-3 Lucario line?
Click to expand...

I was planning to run 3 Buzzwole and a 2-2 Lucario line with Elixirs
 
PokemonLover17 said:
buzzroc is really good. however, i am now concidering buzzgarb instead as it helps you with all your tough matchups. garde and bulu are two of the HARDEST matchups to play against ( from my testing anyway) so if you are forsure going for the buzzwole i would suggest buzzgarb
Click to expand...
woah, slow down there. when youre playing buzzroc gadie should be a highly favorable matchup, as long as you get a strong energy and a regirock :p
VikaBulu should be pretty easy too, just kill the grubbins before the have the chance to evolve, this shouldnt be so hard as you have so many Guzma-like effects in the deck with 4 guzma and 2 Lycanroc GX
I'd say the hardest matchup would be goli/garb

FacepalmMaster said:
woah, slow down there. when youre playing buzzroc gadie should be a highly favorable matchup, as long as you get a strong energy and a regirock out fast :p
VikaBulu should be pretty easy too, just kill the grubbins before the have the chance to evolve, this shouldnt be so hard as you have so many Guzma-like effects in the deck with 4 guzma and 2 Lycanroc GX
I'd say the hardest matchup would be goli/garb
Click to expand...
 
Last edited by a moderator:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top