XY11 Infernape Deck

[Jexulus]

So, I'm a really new player in the scene. As in, I only started to actually understand how everything worked within the past week. I understand the basics of what makes good and bad cards and the importance of maintaining your hand of cards and your discard pile according to what kind of deck you're playing. I get the concepts, but my execution isn't great.

I saw the Infernape coming in the next set and I became excited immediately. I know what I want to accomplish as well: set up Infernape as my primary attacker while efficiently balancing discarding Fire Energy and card draw. I'm putting this deck up from my other topic in the Help and Advice Thread, just to get some further feedback. This conversation is a thing, if something is fishy.

Pokemon:
3 Infernape (primary attacker)
3 Monferno (evolution)
4 Chimchar (evolution)
2 Miltank FLF (support attacker)
1 Entei AOR (support attacker)

Trainer:
3 Professor Sycamore (card draw/discard)
2 Lysandre (KO support)
1 Wally (evolution support)
1 N (back-up card draw)
2 Blacksmiths (emergency energy set-up)
4 Vs. Seekers (Support Retrieval)
2 Rare Candies (Evolution Support)
3 Ultra Balls (Pokemon draw/energy discard)
4 Battle Compressors (energy/general discard)
3 Scorching Earth (stadium to draw/discard)
3 Acro Bike (card draw/discard)
1 Sacred Ash (To retrieve discarded Infernapes and the such)
2 Fiery Torches (card draw/energy discard)
2 Float Stones (Free retreat)

Energy:
14 Basic Fire Energy

Total Cards: 60

Steam Siege Infernape Line

Spoiler

Chimchar – Fire – HP60
Basic Pokemon

[C] Scratch: 10 damage.

[R][C] Ember: 30 damage. Flip a coin. If tails, discard a Fire Energy attached to this Pokemon.

Weakness: Water (x2)
Resistance: none
Retreat: 1

Monferno – Fire – HP80
Stage 1 – Evolves from Chimchar

[C] Scratch: 20 damage.

[R][C] Flare: 30 damage.

Weakness: Water (x2)
Resistance: none
Retreat: 1

Infernape – Fire – HP130
Stage 2 – Evolves from Monferno

[R][R] Flare Drive: 120 damage. Discard all [R] Energy attached to this Pokemon.

[R][R] Flare Up: 200 damage. You can only use this attack if your discard pile has 10 or more [R] Energy cards in it. Choose 10 [R] Energy in your discard pile and show them to your opponent. Shuffle them back into your deck.

Weakness: Water (x2)
Resistance: none
Retreat: 1

 

[Ivy_Profen]

You may not want burning energy. It doesn't add to the 10 fire energy in the discard. As it only acts as fire energy while one a fire pokemon.

Fiery torch is also not super great. It takes 2 cards to draw 2. Trainers mail could be a good substitute.

I think 1 more blacksmith would be a good idea. Incase 1 is prized.

 

[bbninjas]

Fiery torch is also not super great. It takes 2 cards to draw 2.

When your hand is normally going to be clunked up with Fire Energy, I'd say that Fiery Torch would be more useful than Trainer's Mail. Trainer's Mail also is far less likely to work due to the amount of Energy in the deck. I can't really think of many good replacements, because there really isn't that many options for discarding Energy stuck in your hand.

Anyways, I'm still all for:

-2 Burning Energy
+1 Basic Fire Energy
+1 Blacksmith (Consistency)

But I do know your preferences.

 

[Turtleatlaw]

Maybe run two of each of Miltank and Entei? They would help with consistency and get you your supporting attackers should you need it.

 

[Jexulus]

You may not want burning energy. It doesn't add to the 10 fire energy in the discard. As it only acts as fire energy while one a fire pokemon.

Fiery torch is also not super great. It takes 2 cards to draw 2. Trainers mail could be a good substitute.

I think 1 more blacksmith would be a good idea. Incase 1 is prized.

All noted. I am aware of Burning Energy's disadvantages, so they're really just a tech choice. They're in case I can only get one Infernape on the board, since Flare Drive discards two energy at once. Given that my hands are energy heavy, I might not have the resources in hand to retrieve the Pokemon I need.

Maybe run two of each of Miltank and Entei? They would help with consistency and get you your supporting attackers should you need it.

This might even eliminate any use for Burning Energies, actually. Consistently having one of these on the bench means there's very little set-up, and the reason I wanted Burning Energies was for fast set-up without slowing down my energy discard rate (read: Blacksmith). Having these support Pokemon makes that a non-issue, at least I think.

But what to get rid of? 'Cuz I'm already going to replace the Burning Energies with their Basic counterparts. I was thinking an Acro Bike and a Sycamore, but I'd like some input before I make the change.

 

[bbninjas]

Your list is really tight at this point, so finding space for Miltank and Entei would be difficult. I don't really think Entei is that good, so I think that just swapping a Burning Energy for a Miltank would be good. I would not remove any more Sycamores since 3 is bare minimum (usually). I guess an Acro Bike could go, but I wouldn't advise it.

 

[Jexulus]

Took bbninjas' suggestion and removed a Burning Energy and placed an extra Miltank in there. The remaining Burning Energy is now a Blacksmith, keeping my total to 14. Yeesh, that's a lot of energy.

Is there anything else I should do? I don't think there's room for another Entei, considering it only brings 100 damage in a perfect world, and often less than that.

EDIT: Added the translations for the Infernape line in the OP for reference.

 

[Obi Wan Kennedy]

I know your deck list is tight, but why not add Volcanion-EX? The ability discards a Fire Energy and brings your damage up by 30, meaning you can score a 150 or a 230 (or 170/250 with Muscle Band). Plus you can run multiple of them at the same time, but you might not want to burn energy so quick. Plus, it's easy Lysandre bait and has a hefty Retreat Cost. I'd carry two at most, since 180 is a neat enough number to round off most Pokemon EX, but go for three if you're concerned about anything with more HP that's out of Muscle Band's range.

 

[bbninjas]

I know your deck list is tight, but why not add Volcanion-EX? The ability discards a Fire Energy and brings your damage up by 30, meaning you can score a 150 or a 230 (or 170/250 with Muscle Band). Plus you can run multiple of them at the same time, but you might not want to burn energy so quick. Plus, it's easy Lysandre bait and has a hefty Retreat Cost. I'd carry two at most, since 180 is a neat enough number to round off most Pokemon EX, but go for three if you're concerned about anything with more HP that's out of Muscle Band's range.

Volcanion-EX will only add damage to basic [R] Pokemon, so it's not a really a good option here. :/