RE: Plasma (Thundurus EX / Deoxys EX with attackers and techs)
Baby_BI said:
I got my account working again!!!!
This is my current list, I like to focus on attacking with Lugia every turn 2 if my opponent leads of with an ex, just to put pressure on them:
Pokemon
4 deoxys ex
2 thundurus ex (only got 2)
2 kyurems
2 Lugia ex
1 snorlax
1 Tornadus ex
Trainers
2 virbank
1 frozen city (or what the name is)
4 lasers
3 plasma ball
4 catchers
3 switch
1 scramble switch
2 colress
4 colress machine
4 juniper
3 n
2 Bianca
Energies
4 dce
4 blend wlfm
3 prism
4 plasma
I pick switch over keldeo because of the chance of getting them ( getting 1 card is way easier then 2), the chance of having 1 prized, if I play float stone then tool scrapper can ruin everything, and because of the small amount of bench space.
A few comments:
1) Too much energy. You don't need 15 energy in this deck, you just end up drawing a hand full of energy and not much else. I'd run 13 max. Depending if you are going for a more donk style or a more consistent style, I would cut 2 Blend/2 DCE respectively. If you are trying to get out one of your colorless attackers quickly to just obliterate your enemy, you should go for Shadow Triads to re-use Colress Machine; if you are trying to play more standard and consistent you want less DCE's because Kyurems and Thundurus don't really appreciate too much colorless energy.
2) You use too many techs in your deck and not enough of your core Pokemon.
---Snorlax requires 5 energy to attack; in this current format energy denial is big with enhanced hammers and Cobalion EX's everywhere and you won't ever charge up your Snorlax. I don't recommend using it in this meta.
---If you are trying to use Tornadus to apply huge damage, you should opt for a more Tornadus-focused support line with Shadow Triads and such. It can devastate your opponent if you pull it off but I don't like the inconsistency. The 1 Tornadus is viable on its own, but as I said in this meta, high energy cost attackers don't do much. You would more be looking at using Tornadus for Windfall, which can help in getting out of sticky situations. It is however weak to Lightning and is an EX, so it doesn't fare well against the mirror. Thundurus on the opposing side could hit you 120 while you spent a turn doing no damage. It also has a problem with retreat cost; after it's done using Windfall getting it out of active spot requires resources that you might not want to spend.
---You don't need 2 Lugia. It's hard to charge them up, they lose 1 Plasma energy at least per attack (more if hammered), and you should not expect to be able to get more than 2 hits off a Lugia. And good luck charging up another one when you have your Plasma energy and Colress machine already in your discard pile. It's viable to have 1 in your deck as a comeback tech but I would not go for more than 1. (Frankly, I often just discard it instead of placing it down when I use Juniper.)
---Too few Kyurem. You need at the minimum 3 non-EX Pokemon to even stand a chance against Plasmaklang, and your Snorlax will never get enough energy because Cobalion discards your special energy for 1 energy and 30 damage. Some people like to add Absol here, as it can hit hard in the mirror match and other matches where the opponent requires a lot of benched Pokemon. I don't like it due to its low HP and incompatibility with Blend WLFM. Kyurem also hits 120 for 3 energy, which is the most efficient attacker you can have in Plasma.
---2 Thundurus EX can be fine. I generally find Thundurus weak for attacking; 4 for 90 isn't too good, considering that 4 for 120 is only just about acceptable if you can take 1 extra prize when you kill...Raiden Knuckle is good but it only does 30 damage, and you want better attackers as you get more energy onto your board. 3 is better just for starting with it, but I don't think you will go through 3 Thundurus in a game.
3) Your trainer line is a bit off.
---If you play the Switch version, you still need Float Stones. Kyurem can't attack after using its 120 attack, so you need to switch it out. Float Stone will help you get it back to active spot (by switching to a Pokemon with Float Stone). It also allows you to have Pokemon that you can push to active when your old active dies for free retreat. It also helps you get out of sticky early game situations without wasting a Switch that might be better used for getting out of sleep/poison. Also, with the catcher/laser heavy format nowadays you need more than 4 cards to get you out of trouble. Adding 2 Float Stones would go a long way.
---Do reconsider playing Keldeo. Although it doesn't save you deck space (I play Keldeo, 1 Switch, 1 Scramble Switch, 3 Float Stone because of Garbodors and Keldeo dying), it saves you having to dig out a Switch every time you use Kyurem's 120 attack. The bench space concern is real though, and you have to be more careful putting down Pokemon. The Keldeo version can run ok without actually placing the Keldeo on the bench too, so I see the merits of playing Switch over Keldeo. Just a thought.
---You need 4 Team Plasma ball. You want to get the Deoxys and your attackers out as quickly as possible and anything less means you become less consistent.
---4 Colress Machine is overkill if you are playing the standard Plasmabox. You have 4 Plasma energy in your deck. You often draw into Plasma energy manually. You won't be able to use Colress Machine 4 times and besides, with the Kyurem focus I suggest, Plasma energy isn't all too great to spam. 3 will do nicely.
---4 Catchers vs 3 Catchers is a stylistic thing, I don't use 4 because I don't have enough space. Run it if you find the space.
---You have 1 supporters and no Random Receiver. That is slightly too few. You want at the very least 12 supporters + Random Receivers to run the deck. I personally run 13. I recommend 2 Skyla for grabbing the crucial trainer you need in clutch moments. Also, I would not run Bianca when you don't use Ultra Ball. Cheren generally draws more in this deck as you aren't discarding your hand to get things done.
---Consider Max Potion. One of those can save your game and avoid the kill that would let your opponent win.
---Tool Scrapper. With everyone using Tools, you want to throw a wrench (that's what it is I guess) in your opponent's works. Particularly useful against Garbodor decks and against Dark Claws/Float Stones. It's ok if you really don't have the space but I would really squeeze it in.
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List after recommended changes
Pokemon (11)
4 deoxys ex
2 thundurus ex (only got 2)
3 kyurems
1 Lugia ex
1 Tornadus ex
Trainers (36)
2 virbank
1 frozen city (or what the name is)
4 lasers
4 Plasma ball
4 Catchers
3 Switch
2 Float Stone
1 Scramble switch
2 Colress
3 Colress Machine
4 Juniper
2 N
2 Cheren
2 Skyla
Energies (13)
1 dce
4 blend wlfm
4 prism
4 plasma
4th Catcher and the 1 DCE are optional, feel free to switch them over for Tool Scrapper or Max Potion.
