Lightning-Type Treasure Trove — Pikachu & Zekrom-GX in Expanded

By: Caleb Gedemer · Posted Posted onMar 5, 2019 at 8:27 AM · 0 Comments

[cardimg name=”Pikachu and Zekrom-GX” set=”Team Up” no=”33″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

Forget [card name=”Rayquaza-GX” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”109″ c=”name”][/card], Expanded has a new [card name=”Max Elixir” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”102″ c=”name”][/card] target in town. [card name=”Pikachu and Zekrom-GX” set=”Team Up” no=”33″ c=”name”][/card] has seem its fair share of success in Standard already, so there’s little reason to believe that wouldn’t translate over to Expanded where it gains a variety of new tools to work with. Here are the new tricks:

  • [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card]
  • [card name=”Battle Compressor” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card]
  • [card name=”Colress” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”118″ c=”name”][/card]
  • [card name=”Fighting Fury Belt” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card]
  • [card name=”Max Elixir” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”102″ c=”name”][/card]
  • [card name=”N” set=”Noble Victories” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card]
  • [card name=”Parallel City” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”145″ c=”name”][/card]
  • [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”XY” no=”122″ c=”name”][/card]
  • [card name=”Scramble Switch” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”129″ c=”name”][/card]
  • [card name=”Silent Lab” set=”Primal Clash” no=”140″ c=”name”][/card]
  • [card name=”Trainers’ Mail” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card]
  • [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”109″ c=”name”][/card]
  • [card name=”Flash Energy” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”83″ c=”name”][/card]

That’s a lot. Many of these cards are extremely influential in the deck, like Scramble Switch and Flash Energy, specifically.

In Expanded, this deck has the potential to draw through most of its deck on the first turn. The newcomers to the deck assist it with that, particularly Trainers’ Mail. Your late game is also significantly improved with the likes of Scramble Switch and better Supporter cards to keep the heat coming and in avoiding Knock Outs. A pair of Stadium cards, Parallel City and Silent Lab, both have uses in the deck that allow you to counter counters to the deck. Here’s my list:

[decklist name=”.” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Marshadow” set=”Shining Legends” no=”45″][pokemon amt=”10″]4x [card name=”Pikachu and Zekrom-GX” set=”Team Up” no=”33″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]1x [card name=”Zeraora-GX” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”86″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Tapu Lele-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”60″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Tapu Koko Prism Star” set=”Team Up” no=”51″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Sudowoodo” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”66″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Marshadow” set=”Shining Legends” no=”45″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”36″]1x [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”107″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”N” set=”Fates Collide” no=”105″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Guzma” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”115″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Colress” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”118″ 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=”Shining Legends” no=”68″ 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]4x [card name=”Electropower” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”172″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Switch” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”147″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Nest Ball” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”123″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Battle Compressor” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Fighting Fury Belt” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”99″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Choice Band” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”121″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Scramble Switch” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”129″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Thunder Mountain Prism Star” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”191″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Silent Lab” set=”Primal Clash” no=”140″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Parallel City” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”145″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”14″]12x [card name=”Lightning Energy” set=”Evolutions” no=”94″ c=”deck2″ amt=”12″][/card]2x [card name=”Flash Energy” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”83″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card][/energy][/decklist] 

This list is nice and simple with proper techs as needed. It’s quite fast and can get the first or second turn Full Blitz often, just as it can in Standard, but even more consistently.

Explanations

Four Pikachu & Zekrom-GX

Your main attacker. Having four ensures that you get one on your Bench quickly to Max Elixir to. When you’re only playing three, you might land one in your Prizes, have difficulty finding both, and be unable to effectively use Max Elixir. You’re never going to use all four in a game, but having four is great insurance to get a strong start each game.

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One Sudowoodo

Countering [card name=”Zoroark-GX” set=”Shining Legends” no=”53″ c=”name”][/card] is incredibly important in Expanded and for this deck that’s no different. While Pikachu & Zekrom-GX does have 240 HP, out of range for Riotous Beating, you can still be toyed around with if your opponent has access to a complete Bench of eight Pokemon. Many other decks like some opposing Pikachu & Zekrom-GX lists as well as Rayquaza-GX also use [card name=”Sky Field” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”89″ c=”name”][/card], so having [card name=”Sudowoodo” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”66″ c=”name”][/card] as an option helps you do better against those decks also.

Two Switch

[card name=”Switch” set=”Shining Legends” no=”67″ c=”name”][/card] is better than [card name=”Energy Switch” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”117″ c=”name”][/card] in this deck because it can be played at any time, doesn’t make you think extra hard about where to put your Energy for the turn, and sets up easier Max Elixir plays. So you might be thinking that Energy Switch is better, but if you go that route than you always have to opt to attach your Energy to your Active Pokemon. You might not hit an Energy Switch to move it back to where you want it and then you not only burned your Energy for the turn but your chance of putting yourself in a good Max Elixir situation. Against Silent Lab or when you have it in play yourself, you’ll want this option to be able to move things around without relying on [card name=”Zeraora-GX” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”86″ c=”name”][/card].

One Scramble Switch

[cardimg name=”Scramble Switch” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”129″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

This is the best card in the deck in my eyes — it’s so strong. Once you go for Tag Bolt GX, you usually strand a bunch of Energy in play that you don’t get much value out of again. Now, in Expanded, you can move some of those to a fresh Pikachu & Zekrom-GX to keep attacking while keeping another fully powered attacker at bay. You can also use it in the reverse to power up a Tag Bolt GX in one turn, or to switch from attacking with a damaged Pokemon to one that’s at less risk of being Knocked Out.

One Silent Lab

Just like in a [card name=”Blastoise” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”31″ c=”name”][/card] deck featuring [card name=”Magikarp and Wailord-GX” set=”Sun and Moon Black Star Promos” no=”SM166″ c=”name”][/card], you should be playing a Silent Lab to counter [card name=”Mr. Mime” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”47″ c=”name”][/card] to get some value out of Tag Bolt GX. Tag Bolt GX is truly the centerpiece of this deck and much of the reason it’s so strong, so having a way around a solid counter is very nice and can put you back on the map of taking enough Prizes to win. It’s also decent disruption in situations where you don’t need to use Zeraora-GX.

One Parallel City

Many Pokemon-GX decks outright lose to those that aren’t Pokemon-GX because of the way the Prize trade works out. [card name=”Parallel City” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”145″ c=”name”][/card] gives you an option to discard some of the unnecessary Pokemon from your Bench to not only clear space for other ones, but also to remove win conditions from your opponent. An example of this would be discarding a Shaymin-EX by limiting your own Bench.

Two Flash Energy

In the Standard format, some decks have begun teching [card name=”Buzzwole” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] or using Fighting decks in general to counter Pikachu & Zekrom-GX because it’s that popular. Flash Energy is a super nice way to get rid of Weakness and is better than something like Weakness Policy since it also has the effect of providing a Lighting Energy for your Pokemon to attack. Remember you can’t play it on your non-Lightning type Pokemon, you’ve been warned!

Playing the Deck

This deck aims to use Full Blitz on turn one, or turn two at the latest. In order to do this you need to do a few things properly.

  • GX Attack
    • Tag Bolt GX wins games, so I would avoid using any other GX attack. Zeraora-GX is only okay, you’ll likely regret using Full Voltage GX in the long game
  • [card name=”Tapu Koko Prism Star” set=”Team Up” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card] and Switch
    • Remember that Tapu Koko Prism Star can only power up Pokemon on your Bench
      • This deck without Energy Switch wants to ensure that those Pokemon you are powering up actually get some value out of Dance of the Ancients so use your Switch to get those Pikachu & Zekrom-GX on your Bench to power up
  • [card name=”Battle Compressor” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card]
    • Supporter cards are usually my favorite targets, although one to two Lightning Energy is alright too
      • Find a balance between discarding Lightning Energy and not, as you will reduce your Max Elixir odds by each one you discard; usually I would opt to just pitch one Lightning Energy, and leave the rest up to chance (you do have Ultra Ball to discard them as well)
  •  [card name=”Electropower” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”172″ c=”name”][/card]
    • You don’t have an unlimited supply, so I would only use them when the Knock Out you’re looking for eliminates an attacking threat or scores you necessary Prizes
      • It’ll haunt you in the late game if you don’t have any left and you can’t take a big Knock Out
  • Max Elixir and Trainers’ Mail
    • Play your Max Elixir first in the opening turns to give yourself a better shot of hitting it
      • The more non-Energy cards you remove from your deck, the better shot you have of connecting on your Max Elixir drops
  • Parallel City
    • Make sure you’re clearing off “enough” vulnerable targets to make it worth doing
      • If you’re not cleaning off something like Shaymin-EX you may want to wait a few turns to play Parallel City down to get better use out of it; you don’t want to draw into Shaymin-EX later, want to play it, and not have a way to clear it from your Bench
  • Silent Lab
    • Tag Bolt GX is important and that’s primarily why Silent Lab is in the deck
      • Sometimes you need to wait to play it down and play a different Supporter instead of Professor Sycamore to save it for later; get a read on which decks are running Mr. Mime and adjust your gameplay accordingly against those decks, also be ready to not have free Retreat Cost anymore, so have some Switch on hand and ready to go

Matchups

Blastoise: Even

Truly a battle of juggernauts, you’re going to need to Knock Out at least one [card name=”Magikarp and Wailord-GX” set=”Sun and Moon Black Star Promos” no=”SM166″ c=”name”][/card]. This is a tall task, so you shouldn’t rely on one-shotting it. You can, though, with three Electropower at once and [card name=”Choice Band” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card] or Fighting Fury Belt while using Tag Bolt GX. Blastoise builds very often must Bench at least one Shaymin-EX and/or [card name=”Tapu Lele-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”60″ c=”name”][/card], giving you easy pickings to finish up games. So there’s your gameplan, going for one big one-hit Knock Out on a Magikarp & Wailord-GX and a Shaymin-EX or Tapu Lele-GX, and from there you’ll only need to take one more Prize. I feel like Blastoise lists will start playing more ways to deal “unlimited” damage again like the new [card name=”Lapras” set=”Team Up” no=”31″ c=”name”][/card] or just [card name=”Keldeo-EX” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”49″ c=”name”][/card] like in the past. [card name=”Kingdra-GX” set=”Dragon Majesty” no=”18″ c=”name”][/card] can also one-shot a Pikachu & Zekrom-GX, that’s where the even-matched designation comes from; you won’t be taking Knock Outs unopposed. While Magikarp & Wailord-GX has 300 HP, the other options do not and are much easier to Knock Out. You can even target Blastoise, taking it out with Full Blitz. That move is solid on your first or second turn if you have a [card name=”Guzma” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”115″ c=”name”][/card], as your opponent won’t be able to get another Blastoise out and a Kingdra-GX in the same turn. You’ll have ample time to get ahead on Prizes if that opening presents itself. In any case, this is a winnable matchup but it varies list to list and level of how hot each player runs. I’m very close to ranking it more favorable, Tag Bolt GX is such a great advantage, but I’ll need to play some more games.

Buzzwole-GX: Slightly Favorable

[cardimg name=”Buzzwole-GX” set=”Crimson Invasion” no=”104″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

Favorable you say? You can play around Sledgehammer quite easily with Tag Bolt GX, and while you do have Weakness to Fighting types, you can play around that, too, with [card name=”Flash Energy” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”83″ c=”name”][/card]. Flash Energy won’t always be in play though and some lists might even be playing Enhanced Hammer, making this only slightly favorable. Tag Bolt GX is truly the key to this matchup. You can even play around [card name=”Beast Ring” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”102″ c=”name”][/card] altogether with it as well by taking a non-EX/GX Knock Out to begin, then a Tag Bolt GX Knock Out on both a Pokemon-EX/GX and a non-EX/GX. I try to play around Beast Ring completely if possible, but Sledgehammer is arguably more important. If you can play around Beast Ring completely you will almost certainly win but if you can’t play around Sledgehammer you will lose. Both are doable so try your hand at it a couple times and see how it goes. If there are bigger Pokemon included in your opponent’s [card name=”Buzzwole-GX” set=”Crimson Invasion” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] deck like [card name=”Lycanroc-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”74″ c=”name”][/card] you can finish things up with Electropower, but likewise, [card name=”Lucario-GX” set=”Sun and Moon Black Star Promos” no=”SM100″ c=”name”][/card] is harder to deal with. I lump Lucario-GX into a deck of its own, but if a Buzzwole-GX deck is running it, as long as there isn’t [card name=”Focus Sash” set=”Furious Fists” no=”91″ c=”name”][/card], you’ll still be favored to win.

Flareon / Vespiquen: Unfavorable

Non-EX/GX decks are difficult for Pikachu & Zekrom-GX to beat. This is specifically a difficult one, but if you’re worried about it you can play a [card name=”Karen” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY177″ c=”name”][/card] to lock the matchup up. Without access to [card name=”Gallade” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”84″ c=”name”][/card] anymore, [card name=”Flareon” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”12″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] can’t easily one-hit Knock Out big Fighting-weak Pokemon like [card name=”Pikachu and Zekrom-GX” set=”Team Up” no=”33″ c=”name”][/card] without burning tons of resources. As it stands though, it’s difficult to keep up to one-hit Knock Outs from one Prize attackers, even when you have Tag Bolt GX to take what is potentially two Prizes. Depending on your opponent’s Shaymin-EX and/or Tapu Lele-GX usage, you can take games in this matchup.

Garbodor / Drampa-GX: Slightly Unfavorable

You Item use in this deck is polarizing. You play 29 in total… The usual “conserve Items” goes without saying, but it’s not realistic with the way this deck is built. Your opponent should be prioritizing the finding of four [card name=”Trubbish” set=”Noble Victories” no=”48″ c=”name”][/card] and getting them all into play. I wouldn’t evolve into [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] with Garbotoxin in this matchup, but some players may. [card name=”Sigilyph-GX” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”98″ c=”name”][/card] is difficult to get past starting off and can get your opponent their first few Prizes. However, with Silent Lab, you can get around Mirror Counter. I would only try to play down Max Elixir for Items, [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”109″ c=”name”][/card] for shuffle-draw Supporters, and work as hard as possible to get three Knock Outs per Pikachu & Zekrom-GX. Tag Bolt GX can take out two [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card] at once and along with [card name=”N” set=”Noble Victories” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] you might be able to avoid a turn of your opponent using Trashalanche.

Lost March: Unfavorable

A miserable matchup, [card name=”Jumpluff” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”14″ c=”custom”]Lost March[/card]  can hit the numbers it wants in Expanded with relative ease. You don’t have any options to defend yourself against the matchup and I don’t think there’s much use in countering it. Tag Bolt GX can increase your chances of winning very slightly, but that’s about all the hope you have in the world. Hope you just run them down before they set up, I suppose.

Lucario-GX: Unfavorable

Aura Strike destroys a Pikachu & Zekrom-GX in one hit and with a Focus Sash attached it’s hard to deal with it. First you need to break a [card name=”Focus Sash” set=”Furious Fists” no=”91″ c=”name”][/card] or play a [card name=”Field Blower” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”125″ c=”name”][/card], then you can Parallel City, limit your opponent’s Bench, and Tag Bolt GX to ideally Knock Out the Active Lucario-GX and a [card name=”Riolu” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”66″ c=”name”][/card] on the Bench. That’s about the only play you can make, hope it works.

Pikachu & Zekrom-GX: Even

The mirror match is a quick battle of who sets up first. You can take all six Prizes at once by using Tag Bolt GX to Knock Out two Pikachu & Zekrom-GX at once after you hit into one earlier and Guzma the other, taking the now Active one out with a combination of Choice Band, Electropower, and Fighting Fury Belt. Look out for that play, or just try to trade Prizes. You can go for three two-Prize Knock Outs as well; lot of different ways to win.

Rayquaza-GX: Favorable

You’re a better deck in this matchup with a way to take multiple Prize cards at once — Tag Bolt GX. [card name=”Rayquaza-GX” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”109″ c=”name”][/card] takes a lot to get one-hit Knock Outs going — playing down Pokemon-EX/GX, including Ho-Oh-EX. The only problem in the matchup is [card name=”Shaymin Prism Star” set=”Team Up” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card], basically a non-EX/GX Rayquaza-GX. You can rush one two Prize Knock Out early, then you’re just a Tag Bolt GX away from taking the game if there are two two Prize Pokemon in play.

Sceptile-GX / Vileplume: Favorable

[cardimg name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

Item lock stinks for this deck, but you don’t need many Items once you get your first Full Blitz off in this matchup. You’re able to just attack at that point and take two-hit Knock Outs against [card name=”Sceptile-GX” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”22″ c=”name”][/card]. You don’t rely on Special Energy much, so Mach Cut won’t be doing much to you. Tag Bolt GX can even take [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card] out from the Bench, freeing up your Items again and giving you an even better chance. It’s pretty hard to lose this matchup unless you brick completely and don’t manage to get a Full Blitz off to power up another Pikachu & Zekrom-GX.

Trevenant BREAK: Favorable

Most decks that accelerate Energy out like there’s no tomorrow destroy [card name=”Trevenant BREAK” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”66″ c=”name”][/card]. That’s certainly true in this matchup and you even get a turn of Items guaranteed before Forest’s Curse. Then Full Blitz away, you’ll overwhelm your opponent and they won’t be able to keep up enough trees to keep going. You can even Tag Bolt GX to eliminate multiple Trevenant at once and take a commanding lead.

Zoroark-GX / Exeggcute / Garbodor / Sky Field: Slightly Favorable

If your opponent plays Garbodor with Trashalanche this matchup is harder, but otherwise it’s very doable. Sudowoodo will be critical, you should ensure that you get it into play to prevent your opponent from spamming Riotous Beating for full damage. [card name=”Bursting Balloon” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”97″ c=”name”][/card] is one way that your opponent can finish up Knock Outs, going for a Riotous Beating for 180 damage with a Bursting Balloon attached so that if you attack into it with a Pikachu & Zekrom-GX you’ll be Knocked Out in return. Garbotoxin matters little other than that it turns off Sudowoodo. The thing is that even when Roadblock is off that you still can’t be one-shotted, so you don’t have much to worry about. In a battle with a deck taking two-hit Knock Outs you will always come out on top as you have ways to take one-hit Knock Outs. Some Zoroark-GX lists have begun to play [card name=”Sudowoodo” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”67″ c=”name”][/card] to one-shot a Pikachu & Zekrom-GX. There’s not much way to predict that happening, so try to get a Flash Energy on your Active attacker to avoid that hurting you.

Zoroark-GX / Golisopod-GX: Favorable

This matchup is pretty similar to that of Garbodor, but Garbodor would have the potential to be playing Bursting Balloon while this deck likely won’t be, there’s not much reason for it. That means again it will be a match where you have the potential to take one-hit Knock Outs and your opponent’s deck just doesn’t. Armor Press makes [card name=”Golisopod-GX” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”17″ c=”name”][/card] have what is effectively 230 HP, but again, your Tag Bolt GX can still take a one-hit Knock Out with just one Electropower or a Choice Band. There’s lots of options here to win the game and you’re favored even more heavily than you are against the Garbodor version.

Conclusion

This deck is going to immediately make an impact in the Expanded format as it has all the tools necessary to push it into the first tier. It’s got a way to negate its Weakness, do more damage, and a variety of consistency boosts that make it use Full Blitz sooner than ever. I like it a lot and it’s certainly one of the decks I’ll be aiming to beat come tournament time. Thanks for reading, as always make sure you ask me anything you’re looking to know in the Subscribers’ Hideout.

Peace,

Caleb

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