Painting the Town Every Color: A Look at Rainbow Road
Hey there, everyone. I’m Sabaku. After weeks of playing around with the new Standard format and getting distracted by old video games, I’ve finally gotten the urge to write another article here. With Night March gone from the format, I feel like talking about another deck that could potentially be another OHKO monster: Rainbow Road (basically Rainbow Force [card name=”Xerneas” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”107″ c=”name”][/card] and friends). During this article, I’ll be talking about the basic components of this deck, some potential add-ons, and how the deck holds up against opposing decks.
The Primary Colors
[cardimg name=”Xerneas” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”107″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]
As great of an attack Rainbow Force is, Xerneas itself is still not very durable. While 120 HP with a resistance to Dark types is nothing to scoff at, there are still a lot of commonly seen Pokemon that can deal that much damage on a regular basis. Add on the fact that Rainbow Force requires three Energy, and Xerneas’ lack of bulk becomes a substantial problem. Without cards like Max Elixir to help it get more Energy, Xerneas will have a very hard time getting the Energy it needs to actually attack.
Below is a skeleton for a Rainbow Road deck
[decklist name=”Rainbow Road” amt=”50″ caption=”” cname=”Xerneas” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”107″][pokemon amt=”9″]4x [card name=”Xerneas” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”107″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Volcanion-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”26″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Carbink” set=”Fates Collide” no=”49″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”29″]4x [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”107″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”N” set=”Fates Collide” no=”105″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Teammates” set=”Primal Clash” no=”141″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”90″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”109″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Flashfire” no=”99″ 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]1x [card name=”Super Rod” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”149″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]2x [card name=”Float Stone” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”137″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Sky Field” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”89″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”12″]8x [card name=”Fairy Energy” set=”XY” no=”140″ c=”deck2″ amt=”8″][/card]4x [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”Generations” no=”74″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card][/energy][/decklist]
4 Xerneas
Xerneas is our main attacker, so want to maximize our odds of getting it onto the field.
2 Shaymin-EX
[card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] is good draw support. No way around that
2 Volcanion-EX
While [card name=”Volcanion-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”26″ c=”name”][/card] won’t be able to deal any direct damage by himself, it is our fastest means of adding more power to Rainbow Force. Just having one Volcanion-EX will add 60 more damage to Rainbow Force, so if it gets knocked out or Prized, that can be troublesome for Rainbow Road decks.
1 Carbink
[cardimg name=”Carbink” set=”Fates Collide” no=”49″ align=”left” c=”none”][/cardimg]
No, not the Safeguard [card name=”Carbink” set=”Fates Collide” no=”50″ c=”name”][/card], but the other [card name=”Carbink” set=”Fates Collide” no=”49″ c=”name”][/card]. While the Carbink we’re using still takes damage from EX Pokemon, Energy Keeper is still a very useful ability. It gives Rainbow Road decks a way to attach Energy without having to worry about disruptive cards such as [card name=”Crushing Hammer” set=”Generations” no=”60″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Team Flare Grunt” set=”XY” no=”129″ c=”name”][/card].
4 [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”109″ c=”name”][/card], 4 [card name=”Trainers’ Mail” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card], 4 [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Flashfire” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card], and 4 [card name=”Max Elixir” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”102″ c=”name”][/card]
These Trainer cards are pretty much a given for Rainbow Road. Xerneas needs Energy acceleration in order to be able to do its job reliably, so we run the maximum count of Max Elixir.
2 Float Stone
[card name=”Float Stone” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”137″ c=”name”][/card] is one of our only means of getting benchsitters such as [card name=”Volcanion-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”26″ c=”name”][/card] out of the active slot. [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] and some of our other benchsitters have more manageable retreat costs, but if Volcanion-EX is stuck in the active slot, you’re fighting an uphill battle.
4 Professor Sycamore, 2 N, 1 Lysandre, and 1 Teammates
4 [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”XY” no=”122″ c=”name”][/card] and 2 N provide us with reliable draw support. 1 [card name=”Teammates” set=”Primal Clash” no=”141″ c=”name”][/card] is included due to how squishy the Pokemon in Rainbow Road decks are sans Volcanion-EX. Only 1 [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”90″ c=”name”][/card] is included in the deck since Xerneas already deals enough damage to deal with most Pokemon.
2 Sky Field
I’ve only listed the Pokemon that are absolute requirements for now, but once we get into the side attackers and the different Pokemon in general that will be used to fuel Rainbow Force, [card name=”Sky Field” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”89″ c=”name”][/card] is going to be needed if we want to keep dealing high amounts of damage consistently. You may want to play multiple copies of key Pokemon onto your bench as a failsafe in case one of them gets Lysandre’d and knocked out, and Sky Field gives us the space to be able to do that while still meeting the type requirements for Rainbow Force. As a bonus, if Sky Field gets discarded, that’s an opportunity to remove any Shaymin-EX on the bench.
1 Super Rod
[card name=”Super Rod” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”149″ c=”name”][/card] is needed to keep our Xerneas and dual type Pokemon out of the discard pile and ready to be played. You could play more Xerneas to the bench and not discard them at all, but you’ll often want to be able to save the space for other uniquely typed Pokemon until you’re able to play [card name=”Sky Field” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”89″ c=”name”][/card].
8 [card name=”Fairy Energy” set=”XY” no=”140″ c=”name”][/card] and 4 [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”111″ c=”name”][/card]
These are the minimum Energy requirements for Rainbow Road decks. [card name=”Max Elixir” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”102″ c=”name”][/card] may be somewhat inconsistent with only 8 basic Fairy energy to look for, but it does the job well enough. If you can manage to hit at least one or two Max Elixirs, that could be enough to keep up your offensive momentum with Rainbow Force.
The Secondary Colors
Now that the more required cards are out of the way, it’s time to go over the more optional choices, and believe me, there’s a lot to go over here. I’ll start with what I consider the most optimal choices and work down from there
Galvantula
[cardimg name=”Galvantula” set=”Steam Siege” no=”42″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]
Steam Siege [card name=”Galvantula” set=”Steam Siege” no=”42″ c=”name”][/card] is a surprisingly effective tech for Rainbow Road to use. Its Double Thread attack allows it to deal 30 damage to two Bench Pokemon, and unlike most attacks that hit Bench Pokemon, it still factors in Weakness and Resistance. While the attack itself is lacking in raw power, it is perfect for softening up bulkier targets such as Mega Evolutions and pretty much anything substantial using [card name=”Fighting Fury Belt” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card]. Since there are also no existing means of removing Pokemon from the bench such as [card name=”Super Scoop Up” set=”Furious Fists” no=”100″ c=”name”][/card] in Standard yet, using it for the purpose of sniping your opponent’s benched Shaymin-EX is also a viable strategy that can potentially net you 4 PRIZE CARDS in two turns. If you’re not using it for Double Thread, then at the very least, it’s another dual type Pokemon that adds 60 more damage to Rainbow Force, and its pre-evolution, [card name=”Joltik” set=”Steam Siege” no=”41″ c=”name”][/card], has free retreat, so that’s a nice bonus in and of itself.
Fighting Fury Belt
With the absence of [card name=”Startling Megaphone” set=”Flashfire” no=”97″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Xerosic” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”110″ c=”name”][/card] in the Standard format, [card name=”Fighting Fury Belt” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card] is a reliable means of bolstering [card name=”Xerneas” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”107″ c=”name”][/card] somewhat lacking defenses. With the extra 10 damage it can deal thanks to the Pokemon Tool, Xerneas also has an easier time reaching damage benchmarks, needing only 5 unique types on the bench to OHKO less bulky EX Pokemon such as [card name=”Mewtwo-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”62″ c=”name”][/card] and 7 to OHKO [card name=”Zygarde-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY151″ c=”name”][/card] with a Fighting Fury Belt equipped.
Bisharp
[cardimg name=”Bisharp” set=”Steam Siege” no=”64″ align=”left” c=”none”][/cardimg]
Yet another Stage 1 dual type Pokemon that could see some usage later on. For a single energy of any kind, [card name=”Bisharp” set=”Steam Siege” no=”64″ c=”name”][/card] can use Retaliate to deal 30 damage plus 60 damage if one of your Pokemon was knocked out during your opponent’s previous turn. While Bisharp can’t be expected to deal obscene amounts of damage like Xerneas, being a part Steel dual type allows it to score revenge knockouts against opposing Rainbow Force Xerneas and other weakened Pokemon that managed to survive Rainbow Force.
Exp. Share
Once again, with reliable Pokemon Tool removal gone, tools such as [card name=”Exp. Share” set=”Next Destinies” no=”87″ c=”name”][/card] suddenly become more reliable. If you feel that Xerneas is too weak defensively in spite of holding a Fighting Fury Belt, you can always opt to switch to Exp. Share in place of it. Being able to move Basic Energy over to your other Benched Xerneas is pretty nifty since, after the Energy transfer, all it takes is a single Double Colorless Energy to attack with almost the full power of Rainbow Force immediately. Unlike [card name=”Fighting Fury Belt” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card], it also isn’t limited to Basic Pokemon, so if you’re using Pokemon such as [card name=”Galvantula” set=”Steam Siege” no=”42″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Bisharp” set=”Steam Siege” no=”64″ c=”name”][/card], you can have an easier time using your techs to attack without wasting Energy attachments.
Olympia or Escape Rope
With no cards in Standard right now that can remove your Pokemon directly from the field, being able to preserve your switching options becomes more important. With [card name=”Olympia” set=”Generations” no=”66″ c=”name”][/card], you have a reusable Supporter that can be used as another way to keep Pokemon such as [card name=”Volcanion-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”26″ c=”name”][/card] out of the active slot. It also heals your previous Active Pokemon, so that could be used as a method to power up Power Creation if you can’t use Rainbow Force for some reason or another. If you don’t want to waste your Supporter for the turn, though, you can always use [card name=”Escape Rope” set=”Primal Clash” no=”127″ c=”name”][/card] instead. It may not be recyclable, but it gives you at least one out if you’re worried about [card name=”Jolteon-EX” set=”Generations” no=”28″ c=”name”][/card] and its Flash Ray, although that’s not a substantial issue.
More Basic Energy
Having more Basic Fairy Energy means better chances at having a successful [card name=”Max Elixir” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”102″ c=”name”][/card], and that’s always nice. It also gives you more reason to use Super Rod on your Pokemon instead of your Basic Energy.
Mew or Mew-EX
They’re another unique type for the deck that can be used to fuel Rainbow Force, and while Fates Collide [card name=”Mew” set=”Fates Collide” no=”29″ c=”name”][/card] has free retreat and can use Rainbow Force at the cost of less bulk, [card name=”Mew-EX” set=”Dragons Exalted” no=”46″ c=”name”][/card] can use the attacks of more than just Xerneas and has a little more bulk, but needs one Energy to retreat and gives up two Prize Cards when knocked out.
Pokemon Ranger
[cardimg name=”Pokémon Ranger” set=”Steam Siege” no=”104″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]
Speaking of [card name=”Jolteon-EX” set=”Generations” no=”28″ c=”name”][/card], you also have the option of simply running [card name=”Pokémon Ranger” set=”Steam Siege” no=”104″ c=”name”][/card] instead. It’s recyclable thanks to [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”109″ c=”name”][/card], and it gives you a way to get around [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] and the effects of Chaos Wheel if you don’t have time to attach Basic Energy.
More Lysandre
Rainbow Force [card name=”Xerneas” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”107″ c=”name”][/card] already has the power to steamroll most opponents, but if your opponent is playing defensively or runs a lot of viable one-prize attackers, increasing your Lysandre count would be ideal since you can target more substantial threats on the field and drag in your opponent’s EX Pokemon.
Garbodor or Hex Maniac
If you’re really that scared of [card name=”Greninja BREAK” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”41″ c=”name”][/card] or Steam Siege [card name=”Yanmega” set=”Steam Siege” no=”7″ c=”name”][/card], you can use [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card] to shut down Giant Water Shuriken and Sonic Vision. They can also be used to hinder [card name=”Zoroark” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”91″ c=”name”][/card] and decks relying on [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card], but using either Garbodor or Hex Maniac also shuts down Carbink’s Energy Keeper ability and the abilities of both Mews, so it’s a double-edged sword that could work against you in the end.
Hoopa-EX and Friends
If you don’t feel like using any non-EX Pokemon to meet your Rainbow Force requirements, you can instead choose to use [card name=”Hoopa-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY71″ c=”name”][/card] and a myriad of other differently typed EX Pokemon to power up Rainbow Force; however, having so many two-prize benchwarmers can be more of a liability to Rainbow Road as a whole.
Xerneas BREAK
[card name=”Xerneas BREAK” set=”Steam Siege” no=”82″ c=”name”][/card] is another substitute for [card name=”Fighting Fury Belt” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card]. It provides a modest boost to Xerneas’ health, and since Xerneas BREAK isn’t a Basic Pokemon, it is not affected by Flash Ray; however, there are two downsides to using Xerneas BREAK over Fighting Fury Belt. First, it’s a BREAK evolution, so if you evolve from a regular Xerneas into it, any Basic Energy on it is no longer protected by Energy Keeper [card name=”Carbink” set=”Fates Collide” no=”49″ c=”name”][/card]. Second, Xerneas BREAK’s attack is overshadowed very easily by Rainbow Force, so if you’re going to use Xerneas BREAK for just the added bulk anyway, you might as well use Fighting Fury Belt or just outright switch to Geomancy [card name=”Xerneas” set=”Steam Siege” no=”81″ c=”name”][/card] so that you can get more use out of Life Stream.
[card name=”Town Map” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”150″ c=”name”][/card]
It’s a way to see what’s in your Prize Card pile, and any means to make searching for Double Colorless Energy and other dual type Pokemon easier is appreciated.
Threats to Face
Whether or not you go first depends on how lucky you think you are with your draws and Max Elixir. You could potentially get a first turn Rainbow Force, but you’ll usually want to go first anyway so that you have more time to set up your Stage 1 Pokemon if you’re using them.
vs. M Mewtwo-EX: Easier than you think
[card name=”M Mewtwo-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”64″ c=”name”][/card] takes some time to Mega Evolve, and that’s time that can be dedicated to setting up your field and powering up [card name=”Xerneas” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”107″ c=”name”][/card]. Xerneas only gives up one Prize card, and with a myriad of dual type Pokemon or differently typed EX Pokemon, it’s Night March all over again for M Mewtwo-EX. It is possible to fall short damage-wise, though, so if you can’t knock it out in one hit or get out a [card name=”Mew” set=”Fates Collide” no=”29″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Mew-EX” set=”Dragons Exalted” no=”46″ c=”name”][/card] to attack it, it’s best to focus on the benchwarmers or chip away at it with [card name=”Galvantula” set=”Steam Siege” no=”42″ c=”name”][/card] since Damage Change can possibly be used thanks to [card name=”Shrine of Memories” set=”Primal Clash” no=”139″ c=”name”][/card] to heal off any damage you deal.
vs. M Scizor-EX: Depends on their Garbodor, but usually not a fun time
[card name=”M Scizor-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] is a Metal type, so regardless of if you run [card name=”Fighting Fury Belt” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Xerneas BREAK” set=”Steam Siege” no=”82″ c=”name”][/card], Xerneas is going to get knocked out in one hit. Energy Keeper [card name=”Carbink” set=”Fates Collide” no=”49″ c=”name”][/card] protects you to an extent from Crushing Hammer, but if they get up Garbodor fast enough, it can be hard to get any momentum. [card name=”Parallel City” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”145″ c=”name”][/card] can also be used to minimize how much damage you’re doing with Rainbow Force, but if you’re running multiple dual types, it shouldn’t be as bad of a problem. [card name=”Exp. Share” set=”Next Destinies” no=”87″ c=”name”][/card] makes things easier by lightening the burden of getting another Xerneas ready to attack, but this is still a hard match-up to overcome.
vs. Darkrai-EX / Giratina-EX: Relatively easy
[card name=”Darkrai-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”74″ c=”name”][/card] will be faster than Rainbow Road, and it’s probably one of the most consistent attackers that are currently in existence, but between the raw power of Rainbow Force, Xerneas’ resistance to Dark, and [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] weakness to Fairy, you should have good odds of winning. Max Elixirs and Exp. Share will allow you to be able to keep up the momentum, and both cards give you outs against Chaos Wheel. Fighting Fury Belt also makes it harder for Darkrai-EX to do its job properly.
vs. M Rayquaza-EX: Depends on the bench
Both [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Xerneas” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”107″ c=”name”][/card] share a lot of similarities with one another. A lot of times, the match will come down to how both decks play. M Rayquaza-EX is faster and won’t have to worry about losing [card name=”Sky Field” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”89″ c=”name”][/card] if you’re running it as well, but Xerneas gives up fewer prizes and can potentially run other techs to turn the tide of battle. If you’re running [card name=”Galvantula” set=”Steam Siege” no=”42″ c=”name”][/card], your odds of winning are much better since you can target opposing Shaymin-EX and M Rayquaza-EX, but if not, it’s an uphill battle. EX-heavy builds of Rainbow Road also have a good chance at winning if the offensive momentum can be maintained.
vs. Rainbow Road: EX-heavy < not EX-heavy
If two Rainbow Road decks ever have to face each other, the one that’s more likely to win is usually the one that has fewer benchwarmers to worry about. The power isn’t as import as it is against EX-heavy decks, and techs such as [card name=”Bisharp” set=”Steam Siege” no=”64″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Galvantula” set=”Steam Siege” no=”42″ c=”name”][/card] allow Rainbow Road to approach the mirror match at multiple angles. If two Rainbow Road decks that focus more on non-EX techs were to face each other, the match becomes more tactical since Bisharp can deal with other Xerneas and Galvantula can snipe [card name=”Joltik” set=”Steam Siege” no=”41″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card].
vs. M Gardevoir-EX (Despair Ray): Better for you if you use Fighting Fury Belt
If you’re not using Fighting Fury Belt or have trouble finding them in your deck, [card name=”M Gardevoir-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”79″ c=”name”][/card] will have an easier time than most winning against you; however, if you’re able to accelerate properly with Exp. Share or Max Elixir, the match isn’t as scary. Fighting Fury Belt also buys you some extra time to attack with Rainbow Force since M Gardevoir-EX decks would need to discard an entire Bench in order to knock out Xerneas in one hit.
vs. A Swarm of one-prize Attackers: Another uphill battle
[cardimg name=”Yanmega” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY144″ align=”left” c=”none”][/cardimg]
Listing every viable one-prize attacker would take a while, but the main ones to think about would be [card name=”Zoroark” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”91″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”Yanmega” set=”Steam Siege” no=”7″ c=”name”][/card]. Xerneas doesn’t trade well with decks that focus on overwhelming the opponent with a myriad of one-prize attackers that need minimum Energy investment. You’ll be lucky if they need to play a lot of Shaymins to get any momentum, but it’s not something you should count on to win.
vs. Volcanion / Volcanion-EX
Fire decks utilizing [card name=”Volcanion-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”26″ c=”name”][/card] can have a fun time against Rainbow Road if they are allowed to continue using Steam Up and [card name=”Volcanion” set=”Steam Siege” no=”25″ c=”name”][/card]. Volcanion becomes a very reliable one-prize attacker with the power of Steam Up, and Volcanion-EX is capable of knocking out variants of Xerneas not using Fighting Fury Belt in one hit if it comes down to it. Running any sort of ability locking cards makes things much simpler, but if you can consistently attack Volcanion-EX, you should be fine.
Closing Thoughts
Rainbow Road is an archetype that has a lot of potential in a meta that focuses on Mega Evolutions and bulky EX attackers in general. It’s raw power supplemented by the multiple dual type Pokemon in existence and Max Elixir allow it deal high amounts of damage consistently, thus making this deck a decent enough substitute for people who miss being able to rampage with Night March decks. Rainbow Road can choose to either be straightforward by running multiple EX Pokemon to meet the requirements for Rainbow Force or be more technical by using other non-EX Pokemon such as Garbodor, Galvantula, and Fates Collide Mew. I do hope that everyone reading this article enjoyed it. If I missed anything or you just enjoy simply chatting with other people in general, please feel free to leave a comment below. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go somewhere and let myself get absorbed into old GBA and Gamecube games. See you guys later!