“The Manectric Slide” — Three Ways to Play Manectric for States!
Hello everyone! My name is Matt Price, and I’m from Northeastern Ohio. In this article I’ll be discussing three different ways to play [card name=”Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”23″ c=”name”][/card] for States; but first, I’d like to give you some information about myself. I’ve been playing the Pokemon TCG on and off ever since I was a child, starting back when Delta Species came out. I began playing competitively in 2012, and qualified for my first World Championships on December 31st, 2015. Often times, in past seasons, I was unable to play frequently which kept me from obtaining my World’s invite.
I was able to place second at Fort Wayne Regionals this past Fall with [card name=”Seismitoad-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”20″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] and 38th at Lancaster Regionals a few weeks prior with [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card]. I also scored two first place finishes during the City Championships with Seismitoad / Giratina and [card name=”Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”23″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Crobat” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”33″ c=”name”][/card], as well as a second place finish with Seismitoad / Manectric / Crobat. I have decided to take some time away from big tournaments for monetary reasons, so I will only be playing in one more State Championship, Nationals, and Worlds in the immediate future. Regardless, I’m very excited to be able to compete in San Francisco in August!
[cardimg name=”Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”113″ align=”right” c=”custom”]The Main Man[/cardimg]
When it comes to choosing a deck to play, I’ve always hated the “if you can’t beat them, join them” ideology. The idea of playing what other people are playing because it’s good or because it has good matchups isn’t a bad mentality to have. In fact, it’s a very intelligent and safe way to play Pokemon. That being said, it’s also the most dull and unfulfilling way to play the game. While there is merit to the “go with the flow” attitude, it only creates a stunt to the creativity involved with playing the game. Hardly anything original or groundbreaking comes from doing the same thing everybody else is doing. Fortunately, not everyone shares this same mentality. For this reason, the Pokemon TCG involves a great amount of variation and surprise when it comes to deck building and creating under-the-radar concepts.
Rogue decks can shock and surprise players because they use new or previously overlooked strategies. Some decks can even begin to thrive simply because they were written off after a poor performance during a tournament series. For these reasons alone, it’s worth mentioning that there are often decks that may not be popular, but serve as a viable option in a specific metagame. Manectric-EX variants are currently among these underplayed decks, and they show a lot of potential for States. Many people have been talking about Manectric-EX variants; however, most were automatically counted out based on a few likely matchups players would face. It can struggle against some things, such as Night March, but it’s not as difficult as you may think to find a build that can hold its own against these potential threats.
I will discuss several card combinations, techs, and deck lists with Manectric-EX and explain how it can become a driving force during the State Championships. I will also explain how to defeat the specific decks that Manectric-EX struggles against. To help you understand what variant to use in a particular meta, I will cover the pros and cons of each deck, as well as how viable each one is in the current format.
I think it’s only fitting to start with my personal favorite version: Manectric-EX / Crobat.
Manectric-EX / Crobat
What I love most about this deck is its simplicity. You use [card name=”Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”113″ c=”name”][/card]’s Overrun attack for most of the game while dealing extra damage with [card name=”Golbat” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”32″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Crobat” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”33″ c=”name”][/card]’s Sneaky Bite and Surprise Bite Abilities, respectively. Then, you can finish off your opponent’s Pokemon with Assault Laser. There are also multiple options when it comes to spreading damage or finishing off a specific target. Being able to place that extra damage on whichever of your opponent’s Pokemon you like is what makes Manectric-EX good on its own. I’ve managed to win one Cities this year with the deck, as well as a second place finish with a combination of Manectric-EX and [card name=”Seismitoad-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”20″ c=”name”][/card].
Going into the first weekend of States, I was unsure as to what I was going to play. I ended up switching to this deck the night before the tournament began. Ultimately, I finished at 4-1-2 and placed 18th at the end of Swiss, after having tied my first two rounds. Before I dive into my States matchups, here is the list I used:
[decklist name=”Manectric / Crobat” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”23″][pokemon amt=”17″]4x [card name=”Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”23″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Crobat” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”33″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]4x [card name=”Golbat” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”32″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Zubat” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”31″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”36″]4x [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”XY” no=”122″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Professor Birch’s Observations” set=”Primal Clash” no=”134″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Judge” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”143″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”90″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”AZ” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”91″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”93″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”109″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Trainers’ Mail” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Super Scoop Up” set=”Majestic Dawn” no=”87″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Level Ball” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”76″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Head Ringer” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”97″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Fighting Fury Belt” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”99″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Muscle Band” set=”XY” no=”121″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Startling Megaphone” set=”Flashfire” no=”97″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Super Rod” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”149″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Parallel City” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”145″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”7″]4x [card name=”Lightning Energy” set=”XY” no=”135″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Flash Energy” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”83″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card][/energy][/decklist]
As you can see, there is nothing crazy about this list. The flashiest thing in the deck is the [card name=”Parallel City” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”145″ c=”name”][/card], and even then, it is a common card in the meta right now. Above all else, this specific deck relies heavily on consistency. Without it, the deck won’t run properly and can often let you down. Fortunately, this list provides a high degree of consistency, and therefore has pretty good matchups all across the board.
The results of my matchups during Michigan States:
R1: vs. [card name=”Durant” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”9″ c=”name”][/card] L-W-DNF (T)
R2: vs. [card name=”Entei” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”15″ c=”name”][/card] W-L-DNF (T)
R3: vs. Night March / [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] W-W (W)
R4: vs. [card name=”Yveltal” set=”XY” no=”78″ c=”name”][/card] W-W (W)
R5: vs. [card name=”Yveltal” set=”XY” no=”78″ c=”name”][/card] W-W (W)
R6: vs. [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card] L-W-L (L)
R7: vs. Night March / [card name=”Milotic” set=”Primal Clash” no=”44″ c=”name”][/card] W-W (W)
I was able to perform well against the most popular decks in the format. I was, however, unlucky when it came to my Vileplume matchup. I have outs designed specifically for this matchup, but none were attainable during this particular match. My two ties were only a turn or two away from being able to win. Regardless, I’m still satisfied with both my performance and the deck list. I definitely consider it a top contender.
Key Cards
4x Manectric-EX
Playing four [card name=”Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”23″ c=”name”][/card] is crucial in not only this version, but in most Manectric-EX-based decks in the current format. In this deck, it is your main attacker and the ideal starter. Having to leave a lone [card name=”Zubat” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”31″ c=”name”][/card] stranded in the Active spot on your first turn can be detrimental, especially if you lost the coin flip and have to go second. You don’t want to have to waste a [card name=”Super Scoop Up” set=”Diamond and Pearl” no=”115″ c=”name”][/card] or an [card name=”AZ” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”91″ c=”name”][/card] just to attack. The only time you don’t necessarily want to start with a Manectric in the Active is if you’re going first against a Night March deck, but even then, if you can get a [card name=”Fighting Fury Belt” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card] on your Manectric-EX on the first turn, your opponent is unlikely to OHKO the Manectric-EX.
4-4-3 Crobat[cardimg name=”Crobat” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”33″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]
I couldn’t imagine playing any less than this many Bats in any [card name=”Crobat” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”33″ c=”name”][/card]-based deck. Being able to swarm your opponent’s field with [card name=”Golbat” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”32″ c=”name”][/card] and Crobat is one of the main reasons why this deck is a great contender in the current metagame. This Evolution line also allows you to be less conservative with the use of [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”102″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”XY” no=”122″ c=”name”][/card] because you will almost always have more Bats in the deck that you can draw into, as well as a [card name=”Super Rod” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”149″ c=”name”][/card] to retrieve them from the discard. With the inclusion of the two [card name=”Level Ball” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card], there are many resources available to get Golbat and [card name=”Zubat” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”31″ c=”name”][/card] onto your Bench as quickly as possible. Anything less than a 4-4-3 Bat line will make this crucial Evolution chain much less consistent.
2x Fighting Fury Belt / 1x Muscle Band
The first list I had for this deck played three [card name=”Fighting Fury Belt” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card] so I always had one to attach to [card name=”Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”113″ c=”name”][/card] in the case that I played against Night March. However, I quickly changed to two Fighting Fury Belt and one [card name=”Muscle Band” set=”XY” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card] because Muscle Band is needed to hit certain numbers with Manectric-EX’s Assault Laser, or even Overrun. Also, [card name=”Crobat” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”33″ c=”name”][/card] cannot utilize Fighting Fury Belt, whereas Muscle Band is often very helpful, especially when you need to KO [card name=”Gallade” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”84″ c=”name”][/card].
All throughout Michigan States, I had no issues with my choice of two Fighting Fury Belt. However, I did wish that I had another Muscle Band throughout the entire day, so I may consider finding space for another one.
Matchups — Strategies Used to Win
Night March
Overall, this matchup is straightforward and can be won relatively easily. Even if the opponent plays [card name=”Fighting Fury Belt” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card] themselves, Night March still suffers from swarms of Bats combined with Manectric-EX’s Overrun attack. [card name=”Startling Megaphone” set=”Flashfire” no=”97″ c=”name”][/card] helps you get rid of their Fighting Fury Belts so you don’t have to deal out as much damage to take a KO. Plus, with a Fighting Fury Belt attached to your own Manectric-EX, it becomes difficult for your opponent to OHKO you without sacrificing resources to get another marcher ready to attack.
Even if the opponent plays a variant with [card name=”Milotic” set=”Primal Clash” no=”44″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Puzzle of Time” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”109″ c=”name”][/card], they will still have a hard time taking out your Bats. I’ve had a lot of turns in which I’d taken two or three Prizes off of Night Marchers on only the second or third turn of the game. You are able to setup multiple KOs at once with the proper use off Golbat’s Swoop Across attack. By managing to overwhelm the opponent’s Bench, the win becomes easy. Just be careful about how many [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] you bench early on; they can become an easy two Prizes for any Night Marcher.
Night March / Vespiquen
The same principles apply, more or less, to that of defeating a straight Night March deck, but [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] is a little harder to KO and can more easily KO your [card name=”Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”113″ c=”name”][/card]. However, the opponent doesn’t have nearly as many tech cards as a regular Night March deck, and yet their strategy remains the same. It is another easy win as long as you are able to take care of all the [card name=”Combee” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”9″ c=”name”][/card] as they are put onto the field.
Yveltal / Gallade
This matchup can be particularly tricky if you’re unable to keep [card name=”Flash Energy” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”83″ c=”name”][/card] on your [card name=”Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”113″ c=”name”][/card] and if your opponent is able to stream [card name=”Gallade” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”84″ c=”name”][/card] consistently. If you can prevent your opponent from using Gallade to get OHKOs, however, you will have an easy time with this matchup. After sniping the Gallade for 50 damage, you can one-shot it with [card name=”Crobat” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”33″ c=”name”][/card] and a [card name=”Muscle Band” set=”XY” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card] thanks to Gallade’s Weakness to Psychic. Alternatively, if the Gallade has a Muscle Band attached, you can use Assault Laser and Crobat’s Surprise Bite Ability to take it down as well.
The other thing that you have to watch out for is how many Pokemon are on your Bench at one time. If you leave too many on the field, a Manectric-EX (without a [card name=”Fighting Fury Belt” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card] attached to it) can become an easy KO for [card name=”Zoroark” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”91″ c=”name”][/card]. The main strategy against this deck is to snipe the [card name=”Zorua” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”90″ c=”name”][/card] before they have a chance to evolve and KO Gallade as soon as possible. Otherwise, you can use your [card name=”Parallel City” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”145″ c=”name”][/card] to remove Pokemon from the Bench, making if more difficult for [card name=”Zoroark” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”91″ c=”name”][/card] to take out your Manectric-EX. [card name=”Yveltal” set=”XY” no=”78″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY” no=”79″ c=”name”][/card] both have a Weakness to Lightning, so they are all easy targets to KO if they are put onto the field.
M Manectric-EX / Raikou
Here is the first “bad matchup” for [card name=”Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”113″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Crobat” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”33″ c=”name”][/card]. This can be a tricky one, especially if your opponent can get a Jolteon-EX out quickly. Jolteon-EX proves to be a difficult Pokemon to deal with for this deck because you only attack with Basic Pokemon for most of the game, and Crobat doesn’t have the damage output to really deal with Jolteon at all. Your best bet is to quickly put a [card name=”Head Ringer” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”97″ c=”name”][/card] on the Jolteon-EX and Assault Laser to KO it with the help of [card name=”Golbat” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”32″ c=”name”][/card] and Crobat. If you can keep up this strategy, you can pull off the win.
The other major problem this matchup has is dealing with Rough Seas. Most [card name=”M Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”24″ c=”name”][/card] decks are playing [card name=”Rough Seas” set=”Primal Clash” no=”137″ c=”name”][/card] as a Stadium. This can cause a lot of problems when you need to place damage with Sneaky Bite and Suprise Bite. If you are careless, the opponent will be able to take off most of that extra damage and prevent you from scoring KOs. Plus, M Manectric-EX can keep accelerating attackers which makes it even more difficult for you to focus on one Pokemon to KO. The main strategy is to get a Head Ringer on your opponent’s Manectric-EX and Jolteon-EX as soon as possible and take OHKOs on any [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] that may be on the Bench. You also need to properly time Golbat and Crobat’s Abilities in order to you take KOs; otherwise, they may just go to waste thanks to Rough Seas.
M Manectric-EX / Ho-Oh-EX
This is possibly one of my favorite decks to come out of the BREAKpoint release, and it may have a better matchups than the regular [card name=”M Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”24″ c=”name”][/card] variant above. That being said, this matchup is easier for Manectric-EX / [card name=”Crobat” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”33″ c=”name”][/card] than it is for [card name=”M Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”24″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Raikou” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”55″ c=”name”][/card]. Even if the opponent plays Jolteon-EX, this version is not as streamlined as a straight Mega Manectric deck. It is generally a bit slower, but has a lot more tricks that it can pull off. Regardless, if the opponent does play a Jolteon-EX, the previous strategy still applies. Most variants that I have seen of the Ho-Oh deck do not run Rough Seas because it just isn’t as useful as in a regular Mega Manectric variant. This means that you can more safely use your Bats to deal damage and keep damage on the board. [card name=”Ho-Oh-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] can be annoying to deal with, especially if it has a Fighting Fury Belt attached to it, but a well-timed [card name=”Startling Megaphone” set=”Flashfire” no=”97″ c=”name”][/card] will really help you out.
M Rayquaza-EX
This is, by far, your worst matchup. Unlike a lot of other decks where you have a chance in the early game, against [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card], you simply have to hope they have a terrible first turn, otherwise you’re going to lose very quickly. The [card name=”Parallel City” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”145″ c=”name”][/card] only helps for about a turn and it is not difficult for the Rayquaza player to recover from it. I’ve also tried using [card name=”Jirachi” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY67 ” c=”name”][/card] as a counter, but it wasn’t enough to help.
Greninja
[card name=”Greninja” set=”XY” no=”41″ c=”name”][/card] is also a bad matchup for this deck. [card name=”Greninja” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card]’s Shadow Stitching attack will constantly turn off [card name=”Golbat” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”32″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Crobat” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”33″ c=”name”][/card]’s Abilities, making Greninja difficult to KO. It’s even harder if Greninja gets the chance to BREAK evolve. In either case, your best defense is Hex Maniac, but unless you can stream it every turn, you may be out of luck.
Going first is, once again, a huge advantage. If you can get a lot of [card name=”Zubat” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”31″ c=”name”][/card] on the field on your first turn, then you may be able to keep [card name=”Froakie” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”38″ c=”name”][/card] off of the field long enough to come out with a win. This matchup depends almost solely on who sets up better and quicker. Fortunately, Greninja decks sometimes start off slowly.
Vileplume / Vespiquen
[cardimg name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ align=”right” c=”custom”]The Bees Knees[/cardimg]
[card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card] can be a difficult deck to play against because of how quickly and easily it can get the turn one Item lock. The consistency and speed of its lock, as well as how hard it is capable of hitting, make it one of the best Item lock decks in the format. However, like all lock-based decks, it is possible for it to miss the lock on the first turn and it does have enough matchups where it struggles for victory. For this reason, it may appear as less of a threat than [card name=”Seismitoad-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”20″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Trevenant” set=”XY” no=”55″ c=”name”][/card].
To be honest, I don’t expect to see many Vileplume decks at States, but it is something that shouldn’t be overlooked. When I played against this deck at States, I didn’t know what I was going up against. Game one, I went first against his lone [card name=”Combee” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”9″ c=”name”][/card] and expected it to be a [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] / Night March deck rather than the Vileplume version. As a result, I played too conservatively and was locked out of the game on turn two. During the second game I was able to lock a [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”106″ c=”name”][/card] with a [card name=”Head Ringer” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”97″ c=”name”][/card] in the Active and sniped his Bench with [card name=”Crobat” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”33″ c=”name”][/card] for a quick win. The third game, he was able to get the lock on turn one, and my Sycamore didn’t get the [card name=”Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”23″ c=”name”][/card] I was hoping to get. I was then locked out of the game once again. The only way to win this matchup is to hope that they whiff the lock early on so you can get set up.
Getting a [card name=”Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”113″ c=”name”][/card] and a couple [card name=”Zubat” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”31″ c=”name”][/card]s on the first turn is crucial to winning this matchup.
Trevenant
Defeating [card name=”Trevenant” set=”XY” no=”55″ c=”name”][/card] is done practically the same way as defeating [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card]. If you don’t play several copies of [card name=”Rough Seas” set=”Primal Clash” no=”137″ c=”name”][/card], you’re going to struggle against this deck. It is also important to burn through as much of your deck as possible on the first turn because you won’t have long before you are under Item lock.
Thoughts
I still believe that [card name=”Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”113″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Crobat” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”33″ c=”name”][/card] is the best Manectric variant in the Standard format right now. It has the most consistency and positive matchups against the top decks in the meta right now. However, if you believe that your local meta will have a lot of Vileplume and/or [card name=”Trevenant” set=”XY” no=”55″ c=”name”][/card], then I would stay clear of playing this deck for States.
[premium]
M Manectric-EX / Ho-Oh-EX
The second variant of Manectric I want to talk about is the [card name=”Ho-Oh-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] version, which I have tested extensively. This was one of my top picks for the first weekend of States, and I was happy to see it do well across several of the week one State Championships.
My favorite part about the deck is its versatility in terms of attackers. Since Ho-Oh requires a Water, Grass, and Electric energy in order to attack, there are a lot of options when it comes to backup attackers. Today I’ll be sharing two versions of this deck and explain their differences and matchups! Let’s start with the most common version that I’ve seen.
M Manectric-EX / Ho-Oh-EX / Techs
[decklist name=”M Manectric / Ho-Oh” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Ho-Oh-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”92″][pokemon amt=”14″]3x [card name=”Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”23″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”M Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”24″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Ho-Oh-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x Jolteon-EX (GEN #28)1x [card name=”Articuno” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”17″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Smeargle” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”123″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Sudowoodo” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”67″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”35″]4x [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”XY” no=”122″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]1x [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”90″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Judge” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”143″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”AZ” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”91″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Skyla” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”148″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”93″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”109″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Trainers’ Mail” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Manectric Spirit Link” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”100″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Max Elixir” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”102″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Battle Compressor” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Fighting Fury Belt” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”99″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Muscle Band” set=”XY” no=”121″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Float Stone” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”137″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Switch” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”91″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Startling Megaphone” set=”Flashfire” no=”97″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”11″]4x [card name=”Lightning Energy” set=”XY” no=”135″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Water Energy” set=”XY” no=”134″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Grass Energy” set=”XY” no=”132″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Fire Energy” set=”XY” no=”133″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Fighting Energy” set=”Call of Legends” no=”93″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/energy][/decklist]
3-3 M Manectric-EX
First off, I play a 3-3 Mega Manectric line. In this specific build, a 4-3 line isn’t necessary because there are several choices for an attacker. Jolteon-EX, [card name=”Articuno” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”17″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”Ho-Oh-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] are going to be your main Pokemon getting powered up via Mega Manectric’s Turbo Bolt. Most of the time you should prepare backup attackers on the Bench with [card name=”M Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”24″ c=”name”][/card].
You may only need two Mega Manectrics over the course of the entire game. However, adding a fourth Manectric-EX may be a good idea just to have a better chance to start with it.
1x Sudowoodo
[cardimg name=”Sudowoodo” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”67″ align=”right” c=”custom”]Fake Wood[/cardimg]
This is definitely the strangest card out of the entire list. At first glance, it may seem like a card that is unnecessary, or even bad. [card name=”Sudowoodo” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”67″ c=”name”][/card] isn’t known to be one of the best Pokemon in the TCG, but this one is extremely useful. For the cost of one Fighting and one Colorless Energy, Sudowoodo can copy the last attack your opponent used with its Watch and Learn attack. This means that if your opponent used Turbo Bolt with their own [card name=”M Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”24″ c=”name”][/card] during their last turn, you get to use Turbo Bolt with Sudowoodo. This is especially helpful in the mirror to easily OHKO Mega Manectric while simultaneously attaching Energy from the discard. If your opponent used Jolteon-EX‘s attack last turn, you can use [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”90″ c=”name”][/card] and KO a Mega Manectric that way, forcing the opponent to attack with another Mega Manectric due to Flash Ray.
The best part about the card is that it only gives up one Prize, so you’ll always be ahead in the Prize exchange. When a [card name=”Fighting Fury Belt” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card] is attached, it becomes difficult for a Mega Manectric to return KO Sudowoodo, allowing it to be used again the following turn. The attack cost can be a bit awkward, but with [card name=”Smeargle” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”123″ c=”name”][/card], it becomes easier to satisfy the Energy cost.
2x Fighting Fury Belt / 1 Muscle Band
One of the main concerns with this deck is [card name=”Gallade” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”84″ c=”name”][/card]; there is no reliable way to OHKO it when it’s Active. Your best bet is to snipe it for 30 damage with [card name=”Ho-Oh-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card]’s attack and then attack with Ho-Oh again to get the KO. However, this method is inefficient and unreliable to say the least, so I added one copy of [card name=”Muscle Band” set=”XY” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card] to ensure that Ho-Oh always get the KO on Gallade without wasting an extra turn.
The two [card name=”Fighting Fury Belt” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card] are a must-have in this deck. It significantly increases your odds of beating Night March by boosting Ho-Oh’s HP to a beefy 220.
1x Fire Energy
The purpose of the Fire Energy is for [card name=”Ho-Oh-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card]’s Ability, to increase its longevity; although, I’m not entirely sold on the Fire Energy in the deck and would cut it before anything else in order to make room for another card.
For the most part, this deck is able to draw through itself fairly easily, as long as you have a decent start. However, it does have a tendency to draw poor opening hands where you will be unable to set up. The lack of a decent draw Supporter outside of [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”XY” no=”122″ c=”name”][/card] makes it difficult to play at times and has kept me away from the deck. I don’t like [card name=”Professor Birch’s Observations” set=”Primal Clash” no=”134″ c=”name”][/card] and will stay away from it as needed. However, the addition of [card name=”Skyla” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”134″ c=”name”][/card] has helped a lot to get key cards from the deck in the early and late game.
The cards I would consider adding would be a [card name=”Hoopa-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”36″ c=”name”][/card] or a third [card name=”Battle Compressor” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card]. They add to the needed consistency that this deck fails to deliver on occasion. I’m a firm believer in consistency above all else, and changes such as these will give the deck a much needed boost in speed as well.
M Manectric-EX / Ho-Oh-EX / Giratina-EX
[decklist name=”M Manectric / Ho-Oh / Giratina” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″][pokemon amt=”14″]3x [card name=”M Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”24″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”23″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Ho-Oh-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1 x [card name=”Hoopa-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”36″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1 “][/card]1x [card name=”Manaphy-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”32″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”33″]4x [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”XY” no=”122″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”90″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Judge” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”143″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”AZ” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”91″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Skyla” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”148″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”93″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”109″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Trainers’ Mail” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Max Elixir” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”102″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Battle Compressor” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Fighting Fury Belt” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”99″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Muscle Band” set=”XY” no=”121″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Float Stone” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”137″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”13″]5x [card name=”Lightning Energy” set=”XY” no=”135″ c=”deck2″ amt=”5″][/card]4x [card name=”Water Energy” set=”XY” no=”134″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Grass Energy” set=”XY” no=”132″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Psychic Energy” set=”XY” no=”136″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card][/energy][/decklist]
As you can see, this deck takes a whole different approach to its secondary attackers, yet maintains the same core fundamentals. This version can deal with Night March a bit better than the first list just because of [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card]. While the first [card name=”Ho-Oh-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] list has a few ways of beating Night March, this one has a more straightforward approach: attack with Giratina on turn two.
Giratina-EX
[card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] is well suited to be in this version of the deck since [card name=”Ho-Oh-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] and Giratina both rely on Grass Energy to attack. Although, now a Psychic Energy must also be utilized in order to use Chaos Wheel, which adds yet another basic Energy type into this deck. Giratina needs a lot of Energy to attack, but it’s all worth it to practically shut down Night March entirely. Furthermore, it’s a good backup attacker in general. Its Ability will help against the mirror and Chaos Wheel is strong against [card name=”Seismitoad-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”20″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] decks, and it’s pretty bulky with a good Weakness and high HP.
Manaphy-EX
You may have noticed that there is only one Float Stone in this deck, with a lot of two to three Retreat Cost Pokemon. The reason is because of the inclusion of [card name=”Manaphy-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”32″ c=”name”][/card]. Manaphy helps to alleviate the pain of retreating as well as gives a reliable way to move your Pokemon without using Items. Its low HP could be a problem if someone were to snipe it for their last few Prizes, but there is always the option of using [card name=”AZ” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”91″ c=”name”][/card] to pick it up before that happens. Overall, it’s a worthy addition to the deck and a useful utility card.
2x Lysandre
I would personally love to have two [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”90″ c=”name”][/card] in every deck I play, but a lot of the time there is simply no room. For this iteration of the deck, having two Lysandre is necessary because you need to be able to KO the Night Marcher with a [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”HeartGold and SoulSilver” no=”103″ c=”name”][/card] attached with [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] as soon as possible. This helps to ensure that you can keep a steady lock going and maximizes your chances of winning against Night March.
Matchups for Both Variants
Night March
This matchup should go in your favor if you play the [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”93″ c=”name”][/card] variant of this deck. From my testing, you are able to get a Giratina out in 70-80% of your games. The two copies of [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”78″ c=”name”][/card] allow you to more consistently KO any of your opponent’s Pokemon with a [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”XY” no=”130″ c=”name”][/card] attached. As long as you can keep up the lock, you can pull out a victory. Powering up a [card name=”Ho-Oh-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card] on the Bench will help you take those extra Prizes with another beefy attacker.
The non-Giratina version has a harder time against Night March. Ideally, you should be able to take three Prizes in one turn by KO’ing a [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] and a [card name=”Joltik” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”26″ c=”name”][/card] on the Bench. If you can do that twice, you can win on the second or third turn on the game. However, it can become tricky when the opponent has enough Night March Pokemon in the discard to OHKO your [card name=”M Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”24″ c=”name”][/card] or Ho-Oh-EX, even with a [card name=”Fighting Fury Belt” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card] attached. The opponent may also use [card name=”Startling Megaphone” set=”Flashfire” no=”97″ c=”name”][/card] to help KO your Pokemon.
Night March / Vespiquen
This version of Night March is pretty much the same for both versions. However, the straight [card name=”Ho-Oh-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] version may have a harder time winning this matchup because Vespiquen can more easily KO Mega Manectric and Ho-Oh, even with a Fighting Fury Belt. Your opponent can avoid benching Joltik as well, making it harder to pull off multiple-Prize turns.
Yveltal / Gallade
[cardimg name=”Gallade” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”84″ align=”right” c=”custom”]So Sensitive[/cardimg]
The Prize trade between you and your opponent is lopsided into your favor. You can easily KO opposing [card name=”Yveltal” set=”XY” no=”78″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Yveltal” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”94″ c=”name”][/card] BKT, [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY” no=”79″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”Zoroark” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”91″ c=”name”][/card] with [card name=”M Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”24″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Ho-Oh-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card]. Even if the opponent is able to get multiple [card name=”Gallade” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”84″ c=”name”][/card] into play, you can OHKO them using Ho-Oh and a [card name=”Muscle Band” set=”XY” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card], or set up a Knock Out by placing damage on a Gallade with either Ho-Oh’s Elemental Feather or [card name=”Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”23″ c=”name”][/card]’s Overrun.
Yveltal players don’t have a solid way to OHKO a Ho-Oh, especially if it has a [card name=”Fighting Fury Belt” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card] attached. It would take a four-Energy Yveltal-EX to take down a Ho-Oh from full HP.
You will run into problems if your opponent can stream a few Gallade and keep using Lysandre to KO Manectric or [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] on your Bench. It’s best to keep a small Bench and prioritize KOs on Gallade whenever possible. However, you also need to watch out for Yveltal BKT in the first few turns; it turns off your Spirit Links and makes it more difficult to get Mega Manectric into play.
M Manectric-EX / Raikou
[card name=”Ho-Oh-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] supplies this deck with an overall better damage output, which makes the matchup favorable for you. [card name=”M Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”24″ c=”name”][/card] can make quick work on Jolteon-EX as well. It’s important for you to be the first one to Turbo Bolt, as it will put you ahead of your opponent in terms of damage output and Energy acceleration.
If you’re playing a [card name=”Sudowoodo” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”67″ c=”name”][/card] in your build, the matchup becomes much more favorable for you; it hits for Weakness on all of your opponent’s attackers, unless the opponent has a [card name=”Flash Energy” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”83″ c=”name”][/card] attached, in which case you are still able to [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”78″ c=”name”][/card] the Bench and take KOs from there.
If [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”93″ c=”name”][/card] is in your list, you have a way to block your opponent’s Mega Manectric from doing any damage unless they Lysandre around it. Either way, Ho-Oh’s superior damage output makes this a good matchup for any variant that includes it.
M Manectric-EX / Ho-Oh-EX
The mirror match is straightforward. Whoever uses Turbo Bolt first or hits more [card name=”Max Elixir” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”102″ c=”name”][/card]s will be in a better position throughout the course of the game. [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”93″ c=”name”][/card] doesn’t help a lot in the mirror, as [card name=”Ho-Oh-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] has a much higher damage output than Jolteon-EX and is a lot beefier with a [card name=”Fighting Fury Belt” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card] attached. Like any mirror match, it’s important to know how your deck works and what its weaknesses are. If you can clearly identify your deck’s faults, you can use them against your opponent and find a path to victory. Just be careful not to fall into those pitfalls yourself!
M Rayquaza-EX
[cardimg name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]
[card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card] is, once again, going to cause trouble for you even with bulky 210-220 HP Pokemon. Unless you choose to play multiple counter Stadiums, Mega Rayquaza will be able to out-speed you and make quick work of all your Pokemon-EX. [card name=”Max Elixir” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”102″ c=”name”][/card] can help get a quick [card name=”Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”23″ c=”name”][/card] into play so you can KO [card name=”Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card] as they are put onto the board, but if you fall behind on the Prize trade, you will quickly find yourself overwhelmed.
The plus side is that Mega Rayquaza requires three Energy to attack. Even with [card name=”Mega Turbo” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”86″ c=”name”][/card], your opponent may have trouble streaming attackers. Playing multiple counter Stadiums will help make the matchup a positive one. If you play [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”93″ c=”name”][/card] and pull off a quick Chaos Wheel to lock them out of Double Colorless, your odds of winning are greatly increased. Giratina’s Renegade Pulse Ability could be useful to block Mega Rayquaza as well. However, with cards like [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Escape Rope” set=”Primal Clash” no=”127″ c=”name”][/card], Mega Rayquaza will probably be able to find a way around Giratina.
Greninja
The [card name=”Greninja” set=”XY” no=”41″ c=”name”][/card] matchup is not a great one for [card name=”Ho-Oh-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card]. For starters, Ho-Oh’s Water Weakness makes it an easy KO for Greninja. [card name=”Greninja” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card] is also a beefy Pokemon when it BREAK evolves. You don’t have a reliable way to KO their Pokemon, while they can take care of yours with just a few attacks and Giant Water Shurikens. If you can stream KOs before too many Greninja get on the field you could find yourself in a winning position, but it becomes a hard battle to win once multiple Greninja hit the field.
Vespiquen / Vileplume
This is a good matchup for [card name=”M Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”24″ c=”name”][/card] as long as you can get one of the Electric Canine into play. With 210 HP and the ability to accelerate Energy under Item lock, it becomes easy to overpower [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] and maintain an advantage in Prizes. This is made easier if you go first or your opponent is unable to get a [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card] into play on the first turn. If you can set up enough attackers to take care of oncoming Vespiquen, you should be set to take down your opponent. Likewise, if you are able to get a [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”93″ c=”name”][/card] out quickly and Chaos Wheel, you can lock your opponent out of the game since they only play Special Energy. However, if you can’t get a Mega Manectric into play, you may have trouble creating a favorable Prize exchange.
Trevenant
This is an easy matchup. All you have to do is get a [card name=”M Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”24″ c=”name”][/card] out and you’ll be able to OHKO every [card name=”Trevenant” set=”XY” no=”55″ c=”name”][/card] that comes into play. Additionally, you can set up other attackers with Turbo Bolt. Mega Manectric’s high HP makes it extremely difficult for Trevenant to KO. As long as you can get one Mega out, you should have an easy time winning.
Thoughts
Whether you choose the [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”93″ c=”name”][/card] or straight [card name=”Ho-Oh-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] version of the deck, there is a lot of potential for either deck to do well in the current Standard format. There is plenty of room to put in useful techs and more options that let you adapt to any given metagame. Its versatility and power combined with a consistent engine make Ho-Oh a serious threat during States.
M Manectric-EX / Raikou
This deck is similar in concept to the last deck I had discussed, but has a few differences that make it unique. The main strategy is to get multiple attackers ready while attaching as many Energy as possible. This is probably the most straightforward way to play [card name=”M Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”24″ c=”name”][/card] because of its simplicity and lack of techs.
There aren’t a lot of options when it comes to choosing what attacker to use in this list. It doesn’t necessarily make this deck a bad option; in fact, it is probably the most consistent version of this deck out there. Although this deck has a lot of potential in the current Standard format, it may not be the best option for the coming weekends due to the metagame. It is still a viable option to consider and test against, though.
[decklist name=”M Manectric / Raikou” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Raikou” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”55″][pokemon amt=”14″]4x [card name=”Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”23″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”M Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”24″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Raikou” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”55″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x Jolteon-EX (GEN #28)2x [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Hoopa-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”36″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Pikachu-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY84 ” c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”37″]4x [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”XY” no=”122″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”90″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Judge” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”143″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Xerosic” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”110″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”AZ” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”91″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”93″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”109″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Manectric Spirit Link” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”100″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Trainers’ Mail” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Max Elixir” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”102″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Battle Compressor” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Muscle Band” set=”XY” no=”121″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Float Stone” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”137″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Startling Megaphone” set=”Flashfire” no=”97″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]2x [card name=”Rough Seas” set=”Primal Clash” no=”137″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Parallel City” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”145″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”9″]7x [card name=”Lightning Energy” set=”XY” no=”135″ c=”deck2″ amt=”7″][/card]2x [card name=”Flash Energy” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”83″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card][/energy][/decklist]
Key Cards
1x Pikachu-EX
I decided to include one [card name=”Pikachu-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY84 ” c=”name”][/card] for the sole reason of being able to deal more damage when it’s necessary. The one downfall of this deck is that its damage output can be lackluster. [card name=”Raikou” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”55″ c=”name”][/card] can deal some serious damage if it gets enough Energy on it, but it isn’t always enough. The Pikachu allows for a burst of high damage output that can help you get the last KO on a Pokemon that you normally wouldn’t be able to get with just a [card name=”M Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”24″ c=”name”][/card] or Raikou. With that said, it is frail and should only be used to get those quick KOs on big Pokemon.
1x Xerosic
[cardimg name=”Xerosic” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”110″ align=”right” c=”custom”]What a guy.[/cardimg]
With the higher prevalence of Item lock decks popping up during States, [card name=”Xerosic” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”110″ c=”name”][/card] is a great choice to slow down decks like [card name=”Seismitoad-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”20″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card]. It can also help out against decks like Night March to force them into a situation where they have no [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”Next Destinies” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] on the field, and it’s useful to get rid of annoying Tool cards like [card name=”Head Ringer” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”97″ c=”name”][/card].
3x Max Elixir
The three [card name=”Max Elixir” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”102″ c=”name”][/card]s may not be essential, but will help you get the extra speed you need to compete with the explosive decks in Standard, such as Night March, [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY08″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”105″ c=”name”][/card]. This extra Energy acceleration also increases your chances of getting a turn two Turbo Bolt.
2x Rough Seas / 1x Parallel City
This is a prime example of a deck that can utilize [card name=”Rough Seas” set=”Primal Clash” no=”137″ c=”name”][/card] as a means to help keep your Pokemon alive. Almost all of your Pokemon can take advantage of it, surviving potentially one or two more turns because of it.
The [card name=”Parallel City” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”145″ c=”name”][/card] is mainly used to keep your Bench in check and to get rid of any unwanted or damaged Pokemon; however, it may also be utilized as a counter Stadium.
Matchups
Night March
Since this deck list does not include [card name=”Ho-Oh-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card], the matchup is more difficult. However, losing the ability to take multiple KOs at once with Ho-Oh is not the end of the world. [card name=”Raikou” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”55″ c=”name”][/card] is only a one-Prize attacker which will make the Prize exchange more favorable for you, and there are counter Stadiums to get rid of the opponent’s [card name=”Dimension Valley” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”93″ c=”name”][/card].
Between [card name=”Parallel City” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”145″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”AZ” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”91″ c=”name”][/card], you should be able to downsize your Bench easily to force the opponent to take KOs on what you want them to, rather than on easy targets. It is important to keep EX Pokemon like [card name=”Hoopa-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”36″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”106″ c=”name”][/card] off of your Bench so that the matchup will remain in your favor.
[card name=”M Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”24″ c=”name”][/card]’s 210 HP is nice because it is difficult for Night March to hit that number without burning through all of its attackers and resources. This usually results in a two-turn KO instead of a OHKO, making the matchup significantly more manageable. Jolteon-EX is also helpful, although Night March usually has one or two ways around it.
Night March / Vespiquen
This matchup is similar to that of regular Night March. The strategy remains the same, except that the matchup as a whole becomes less favorable since [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] can more easily hit 210 damage than the Night Marchers can. However, if you can keep your opponent from setting up multiple Vespiquen, there will be room to take those extra KOs, especially on Pokemon such as [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”106″ c=”name”][/card].
Yveltal / Gallade
[card name=”Gallade” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”84″ c=”name”][/card] can OHKO any of your Lightning-type Pokemon, which is obviously a huge problem on its own. The best counter is [card name=”Flash Energy” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”83″ c=”name”][/card] to prevent the Gallade from hitting for Weakness. There are only three copies, so be sure to play them whenever it’s appropriate and avoid discarding them too often, if at all possible.
[card name=”Raikou” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”55″ c=”name”][/card] needs a total of four Energy and a [card name=”Muscle Band” set=”XY” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card] to OHKO Gallade, which can usually be done with ease. Your other option is to use [card name=”Pikachu-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY84 ” c=”name”][/card]’s second attack to KO Gallade. However, you don’t have a way to easily repeat this attack back-to-back, so having another attacker ready to take down a Gallade is a necesity.
The true problem for this deck, much like any Manectric-based deck, arises when your opponent gets multiple Gallade onto the field at once. They can stream Sensitive Blade and take multiple EX KOs in a row.
M Manectric-EX / Raikou
Like all mirrors, this matchup is tricky; it all comes down to who sets up better and who can get their [card name=”M Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”24″ c=”name”][/card] out first. That’s why a consistent list is extremely important in this matchup. [card name=”Rough Seas” set=”Primal Clash” no=”137″ c=”name”][/card] is going to be both a blessing and a curse. You and your opponent both will be able to heal damage, making it harder to take KOs on both sides. This is where Pikachu becomes most important to take those last few KOs on big EXs to help you win the game.
M Manectric-EX / Ho-Oh
[cardimg name=”Ho-Oh-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”121″ align=”left” c=”custom”]Ho-NO![/cardimg]
[card name=”Ho-Oh-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] is a threat solely due to how massive its HP gets when a [card name=”Fighting Fury Belt” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card] is attached; combine that with its high damage output, and it becomes a serious problem. There is no reasonable way to OHKO it, forcing you to have to two-shot it a great majority of the time.
The most efficient way of eliminating this threat is to utilize [card name=”Rough Seas” set=”Primal Clash” no=”137″ c=”name”][/card] to clear off damage while attacking with [card name=”Raikou” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”55″ c=”name”][/card]. Raikou is an important attacker because the opponent only takes one Prize upon defeating it, so whenever possible, avoid attacking with EXs. Its uncapped damage output also allow it to easily two-shot any of your opponent’s Pokemon. The edge goes to you in the end, but setting up quickly is key for a win.
M Rayquaza-EX
[card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”105″ c=”name”][/card] can be handled a tad better than [card name=”Ho-Oh-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] because you play enough counter Stadiums to make it difficult for Mega Rayquaza to OHKO your Pokemon. [card name=”Parallel City” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”145″ c=”name”][/card] in particular helps the most since it will force the opponent to discard the most Pokemon from their Bench. Playing a [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card] early on also helps impede the opponent’s setup and gives you an edge on taking some early KOs. The key to this matchup is to be conservative with your counter Stadiums whenever possible. Using Raikou as a main attacker helps keep the Prize trade favorable. If you aren’t careful though, Mega Rayquaza will quickly overwhelm you, so make sure to keep track of all your resources.
Greninja
[card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Raikou” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”55″ c=”name”][/card] are your best friends against [card name=”Greninja” set=”XY” no=”41″ c=”name”][/card]. Being able to get off a Hex or two in a row is tremendously helpful and will gain you an advantage against [card name=”Greninja” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card]. Raikou should, once again, be your main attacker because it can OHKO both Greninja and [card name=”Greninja BREAK” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”41″ c=”name”][/card] with ease. The only other attacker able to do so is Pikachu, but it is a frail EX so it is best to only use it as a last resort.
Speed is also key to ensure that you stay one step ahead of the slower Greninja deck. Similar to many other decks, the key to beating Greninja is to out-speed it and try to lock it down as much as possible. Its power comes from being able to place a lot of damage on the board at once, so keeping their Abilities in check will increase the chances of pulling out a victory.
Vespiquen / Vileplume
The strategy used in this matchup is pretty much the same as the [card name=”Ho-Oh-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] version; work to get a [card name=”M Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”24″ c=”name”][/card] into play and everything else should fall into place. [card name=”Xerosic” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”110″ c=”name”][/card] will help to keep opponent’s precious [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”111″ c=”name”][/card] off of [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card], and the two copies of [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”90″ c=”name”][/card] will let you pick off [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] that are left on the Bench.
Trevenant
Once again, get a Mega out and you’ll be able to OHKO every [card name=”Trevenant” set=”XY” no=”55″ c=”name”][/card] that comes into the Active spot. Even if the opponent BREAK evolves, there aren’t too many issues involved with taking the victory. Like most matchups, it is crucial to setup in a timely manner. After all, it won’t be long before you are under Item lock.
Thoughts
[cardimg name=”Raikou” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”55″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]
This is a solid deck choice that is both consistent and a great contender when pit against most decks in the current Standard format. It has some issues, especially against Night March, but if you get going quikly enough, there will be a chance to win in every matchup.
Conclusion
I know that was a lot to cover in one article, but Manectric is so diverse that I wanted to take my time covering the three most common decks that the card is featured in. All of the decks have their strengths and weaknesses, and I hope that I’ve given you a bit more insight into how each of them functions. Remember that all of these lists are tailored to my play style; there may be some things you would like to change. If you have any questions or comments about my content, feel free to post them below and I will get back to you as soon as possible! Also, feel free to check out the Subscriber’s Secret Hideout! You can ask specific questions, talk to other players, and get direct feedback from the experts about decks and other Pokemon TCG topics.
Thanks a lot for reading. Until next time!
-Matt Price
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