Fire and Lightning — A First Look at Reshiram & Zekrom-GX

Richmond, Portland, Daytona Beach, Paris SPE, the Latin American International Championships – there’s a lot of Pokemon coming up in November! I unfortunately won’t be attending either of the upcoming Expanded Regional Championships (Richmond and Virginia). Instead, I’ve taken to scouring through the cards of our newest set, looking toward the future Standard events. In addition to containing plenty of cards, Cosmic Eclipse brings with it plenty of potential. Despite this being our largest Pokemon set ever, there aren’t a ton of obvious archetypes that can break through in our Standard meta. This set has a lot of “it might be good” cards in it, but when compared to the powerhouse Standard decks of [card name=”Reshiram and Charizard-GX” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”20″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Mewtwo and Mew-GX” set=”Unified Minds” no=”71″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Pikachu and Zekrom-GX” set=”Team Up” no=”33″ c=”name”][/card] and others, Cosmic Eclipse‘s cards don’t automatically stand out as particularly exceptional. 

Introducing Reshiram and Zekrom-GX

[cardimg name=”Reshiram and Zekrom-GX” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”157″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

With that said, there is one Pokemon that does stand out above the rest, one which should become the centerpiece of a new Tier 1 deck: [card name=”Reshiram and Zekrom-GX” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”157″ c=”name”][/card]. As someone who sells a ton of cards everyday, I can tell you that this card is definitely on a lot of people’s radar – and it should be on yours, too. This card has the same explosiveness that I’ve come to expect from today’s Tag Team Pokemon-GX dominated meta, but to a higher degree. If there is one card from Cosmic Eclipse that I would bet on making an impact, it would have to be Reshiram and Zekrom-GX. This Pokemon has so much going for it: great damage output, ease of attacking, advantageous typing – that it almost seems destined to find success.

So, what makes this card so good? Its first attack, Fabled Flarebolts, in addition to being one of the coolest names of any Pokemon attack, has a damage output that is almost perfectly tuned to deal with the various attackers in our meta. At a maximum of 270 damage, Reshiram and Zekrom-GX can OHKO nearly every Tag Team Pokemon-GX, including Reshiram and Charizard-GX and Mewtwo and Mew-GX. That damage is adjustable, so that against non-Tag Team decks (such as [card name=”Blacephalon-GX” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”52″ c=”name”][/card]), a Reshiram and Zekrom-GX player has an easier time obtaining those KOs, thus offsetting somewhat the fewer Prizes obtained. Cross Break GX is a solid GX attack, giving the Reshiram and Zekrom-GX player an easy way to punish any opponent who benches [card name=”Dedenne-GX” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Oricorio-GX” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”95″ c=”name”][/card], or to disrupt any opposing deck that relies on benched Pokemon, such as [card name=”Malamar” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Naganadel” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”108″ c=”name”][/card], or [card name=”Quagsire” set=”Dragon Majesty” no=”26″ c=”name”][/card]. Thanks to [card name=”Mew” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card], I wouldn’t expect Cross Break GX to have an effect in most games, though the threat of it will ensure that your opponent has to devote resources to finding the Mew. If they don’t, then those aforementioned Pokemon-GX can turn into easy Prizes.

Tag Team Pokemon-GX decks have been dominant during the Unified Minds era, as they make up the majority of top-tier decks, and have obtained a majority of the finishes in the major events of this era. In Knoxville, 45 out of 78 Day 2 decks were Tag Team Pokemon-GX focused – and that’s the lowest percentage since the World Championships. Of note for LAIC players is that in the two Latin American SPE events, 14 out of 16 Top 8 decks were Tag Team Pokemon-GX focused. Sure, this meta might change heading forward, but if it remains close to the current makeup, then a card like Reshiram and Zekrom-GX should perform well. Reshiram and Zekrom-GX has a clear advantage in damage output, as it can easily and repeatedly OHKO opposing Tag Team Pokemon-GX without using its GX attack – a feat that none of the others can match. Ideally, this deck should be swinging for 270 damage a turn, every turn, beginning by turn 2 or 3 at the latest.

In addition to the strength of Reshiram and Zekrom-GX itself, the typing of its attack costs give it yet another advantage. The best decks right now might be focused on Tag Team Pokemon-GX, but most don’t rely on them exclusively. Instead, they tend to mix in other, non Tag Team Pokemon-GX attackers, so as to force the opponent to take more Prizes. Likewise, you don’t want to focus exclusively on Reshiram and Zekrom-GX, but since it naturally uses Fire and Lightning Energy anyway, there are plenty of quality options to add! Possibilities include [card name=”Zapdos” set=”Team Up” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Zeraora-GX” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”86″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Volcanion” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”25″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Heatran-GX” set=”Unified Minds” no=”25″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Victini Prism Star” set=”Dragon Majesty” no=”7″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”Turtonator” set=”Dragon Majesty” no=”50″ c=”name”][/card]. All of those are solid non-Tag Team attackers that you could easily include in a Reshiram and Zekrom-GX deck. On top of that, the Fire Energy requirement means that Reshiram and Zekrom-GX can take advantage of [card name=”Welder” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”189″ c=”name”][/card], as well as the new Supporter [card name=”N’s Resolve” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”200″ c=”name”][/card], providing it with plenty of built-in Energy acceleration. All in all, this card has a lot going for it!

[premium]

Deck Options

So, it’s one thing to be a good card, but it takes another step to have a good deck. With regards to Reshiram and Zekrom-GX, the card strength is there – so how can we turn it into a top-tier deck? 

Option 1: Straight Reshiram and Zekrom-GX

For my first Reshiram and Zekrom-GX concept, I decided to try out a “straight” build of it, using only Welder and N’s Resolve as Energy acceleration, as opposed to using Ability-based Energy recovery, or more niche Energy acceleration such as [card name=”Beast Ring” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”102″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Red and Blue” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”202″ c=”name”][/card]. I ended up modeling my initial build of this variant after existing Ability Reshiram and Charizard-GX decks. The idea here is that you want to be able to find your Energy acceleration Supporter cards quickly, so that you can start attacking as soon as possible. With [card name=”Jirachi” set=”Team Up” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card], multiple [card name=”Pokégear 3.0″ set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”182″ c=”name”][/card], and eight copies of Energy acceleration Supporter cards, you shouldn’t have any difficulty finding ways to get your Energy into play. The addition of [card name=”Rayquaza-GX” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”109″ c=”name”][/card] to this variant gives the deck another Energy acceleration option in a pinch. Here’s the list:

[decklist name=”Reshirom” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Tapu Koko Prism Star” set=”Team Up” no=”51″][pokemon amt=”16″]4x [card name=”Jirachi” set=”Team Up” no=”99″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Reshiram and Zekrom-GX” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”157″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Rayquaza-GX” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”109″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Dedenne-GX” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”57″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Mewtwo and Mew-GX” set=”Unified Minds” no=”71″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Heatran-GX” set=”Unified Minds” no=”25″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Zapdos” set=”Team Up” no=”40″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Zeraora-GX” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”86″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Tapu Koko Prism Star” set=”Team Up” no=”51″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”28″]4x [card name=”Welder” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”189″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”N’s Resolve” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”200″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Cherish Ball” set=”Unified Minds” no=”191″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Pokégear 3.0″ set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”182″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Acro Bike” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”123″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Pokémon Communication” set=”Team Up” no=”152″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Switch” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”147″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Great Catcher” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”192″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Escape Board” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”122″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Viridian Forest” set=”Team Up” no=”156″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”16″]8x [card name=”Fire Energy” set=”HeartGold and SoulSilver” no=”116″ c=”deck2″ amt=”8″][/card]8x [card name=”Lightning Energy” set=”HeartGold and SoulSilver” no=”118″ c=”deck2″ amt=”8″][/card][/energy][/decklist] 

I included Mewtwo and Mew-GX as an alternative to a fourth Reshiram and Zekrom-GX, so that the deck had another way around [card name=”Fairy Charm D” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”177″ c=”name”][/card]. Along with Heatran-GX, this makes it so that you have options if the Gardevoir and Sylveon-GX player manages to quickly attach their Fairy Charm Tools. For non Tag Team Pokemon-GX attackers, Heatran-GX and Zapdos went best with this playstyle; you can use Zeraora-GX too. 

[cardimg name=”N’s Resolve” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”200″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

For Supporter cards, this initial build is focused entirely on Welder and N’s Resolve. The idea being that every turn, you’ll want to use one of the two. You could easily add a pair of [card name=”Cynthia” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”119″ c=”name”][/card] as well, but the deck doesn’t have any difficulty setting up with only Welder and Dedenne-GX. The rest of the Trainer cards exist to facilitate the early attacks. Pokegear 3.0 helps you find those Energy acceleration Supporter cards, [card name=”Switch” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”147″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Escape Board” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”122″ c=”name”][/card] provides mobility, [card name=”Great Catcher” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”192″ c=”name”][/card] helps to ensure that you’re taking advantage of any Pokemon-GX or Tag Team Pokemon-GX that your opponent might have throw down, and [card name=”Acro Bike” set=”Primal Clash” no=”122″ c=”name”][/card] helps you dig through the deck to find your Supporter cards. Pokemon search can be a bit awkward in this deck; [card name=”Pokémon Communication” set=”Team Up” no=”152″ c=”name”][/card] isn’t a great option, given that you only play 16 Pokemon, but there aren’t any better Items to use. This is one deck that wishes [card name=”Nest Ball” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”123″ c=”name”][/card] was in Standard.

As for the Stadium cards, I’ve preferred [card name=”Viridian Forest” set=”Team Up” no=”156″ c=”name”][/card] over [card name=”Giant Hearth” set=”Unified Minds” no=”197″ c=”name”][/card], as there seem to be more situations in which you need to be able to find the Lightning Energy than those in which you would benefit from being able to grab a second Fire Energy. The [card name=”Heat Factory Prism Star” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”178″ c=”name”][/card] Stadium is another option for this deck, but since you don’t actually have great Energy recursion, using it can be tricky hence why it was cut from the above list.

The 16 Energy was the most I felt that I could fit in the deck, without making it too inconsistent. You want to have plenty of Energy for N’s Resolve and Rayquaza-GX, so the more, the better.

The major downside to this build is that it tends to be rather weak to [card name=”Reset Stamp” set=”Unified Minds” no=”206″ c=”name”][/card]. Since the Energy acceleration Supporter cards serve more to provide for the deck’s damage output (as opposed to powering up a secondary attacker) there can be some awkward transitions between the first and second Reshiram and Zekrom-GX. This transition difficulty limits the deck somewhat as far as being able to utilize its alternate attackers, such as the Zeraora-GX and Zapdos. Finally, this variant can run into issues with bad luck on a late-game N’s Resolve, especially if you aren’t as vigilant as you need to be with proper deck thinning. In many cases though, those issues don’t come into play, if the deck’s explosiveness can win the game before those late-game issues can materialize. 

Option 2: Reshiram and Zekrom-GX / Naganadel

If you aren’t a fan of the late-game issues and straightforward aggression of the above list, then you’ll probably enjoy this one a lot more. This variant of this deck uses [card name=”Naganadel” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”108″ c=”name”][/card] in conjunction with [card name=”Reshiram and Zekrom-GX” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”157″ c=”name”][/card]. In this build, the Energy acceleration Supporter cards are mostly for speeding up Reshiram and Zekrom-GX itself, as opposed to being a necessity for the deck’s damage output. Naganadel takes up that role and does so in a far more consistent way. Use Naganadel’s Charging Up Ability every turn and you’ve got Energy to discard! With this variant, you aren’t focused as much on the big explosive early game; instead, the goal here is to get to a point where you can easily sustain your massive damage output turn after turn. This version is right in line with other similar Bench-sitting Energy accelerator decks, like the old [card name=”Rayquaza-EX” set=”Dragons Exalted” no=”123″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Eelektrik” set=”Noble Victories” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Malamar” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Ultra Necrozma-GX” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”95″ c=”name”][/card], or current [card name=”Blacephalon-GX” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”52″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Naganadel” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”108″ c=”name”][/card] decks. Using [card name=”Welder” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”189″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”N’s Resolve” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”200″ c=”name”][/card] gives it the potential for an early game burst of damage, as well as some resiliency in scenarios where your Stage-1 Pokemon can’t be set up. 

Here’s my current list for Reshiram and Zekrom-GX / Naganadel:

[decklist name=”Reshirom” amt=”60″ caption=”undefined” cname=”Tapu Koko Prism Star” set=”Team Up” no=”51″][pokemon amt=”18″]4x [card name=”Naganadel” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”108″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Poipole” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”55″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Reshiram and Zekrom-GX” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”157″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Dedenne-GX” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”57″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Zeraora-GX” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”86″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Heatran-GX” set=”Unified Minds” no=”25″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Turtonator” set=”Dragon Majesty” no=”50″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Zapdos” set=”Team Up” no=”40″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Tapu Koko Prism Star” set=”Team Up” no=”51″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”28″]4x [card name=”Lillie” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”125″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Welder” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”189″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”N’s Resolve” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”200″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”2″][/card]4x [card name=”Cherish Ball” set=”Unified Minds” no=”191″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Mysterious Treasure” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”113″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Acro Bike” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”123″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Switch” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”147″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Great Catcher” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”192″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Reset Stamp” set=”Unified Minds” no=”206″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]2x [card name=”Viridian Forest” set=”Team Up” no=”156″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Heat Factory Prism Star” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”178″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”14″]7x [card name=”Fire Energy” set=”HeartGold and SoulSilver” no=”116″ c=”deck2″ amt=”7″][/card]7x [card name=”Lightning Energy” set=”HeartGold and SoulSilver” no=”118″ c=”deck2″ amt=”7″][/card][/energy][/decklist] 

For the Pokemon, I took out [card name=”Jirachi” set=”Team Up” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Rayquaza-GX” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”109″ c=”name”][/card] to make room for the Naganadel line. With Naganadel, Rayquaza-GX is no longer needed, since its Energy acceleration is effectively replaced by Charging Up. The main core of attackers is the same. We are using [card name=”Turtonator” set=”Dragon Majesty” no=”50″ c=”name”][/card] in this variant as it helps as both a non Pokemon-GX attacker, and as a counter to [card name=”Gardevoir and Sylveon-GX” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”205″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Keldeo-GX” set=”Unified Minds” no=”47″ c=”name”][/card] an excellent replacement for [card name=”Mewtwo and Mew-GX” set=”Unified Minds” no=”71″ c=”name”][/card].

The Supporter line is changed around as well, now to include four [card name=”Lillie” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”125″ c=”name”][/card]. Since we want to find [card name=”Poipole” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”55″ c=”name”][/card] quickly, we want to include a reliable early game Supporter – a role Lillie fills. We can easily cut down N’s Resolve, though I’ve opted to keep in two of them so that you can continue to threaten the Cross Break GX. Using [card name=”Mysterious Treasure” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”113″ c=”name”][/card] can get your Poipole, Naganadel, or Reshiram and Zekrom-GX, so I’ve added in those instead of [card name=”Pokémon Communication” set=”Team Up” no=”152″ c=”name”][/card]. I’ve added in [card name=”Heat Factory Prism Star” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”178″ c=”name”][/card], since you can now recover the Energy with Naganadel – something you couldn’t do in the non-Naganadel version. Because of Naganadel, and because this variant is less reliant on hits from N’s Resolve, you don’t need to play as many Energy as the non-Naganadel variant. So, I cut those down to 14 total to make space.

While this variant is more robust than the non-Naganadel variant, it doesn’t have the same explosive potential. However, this variant feels stronger thanks to its considerably higher consistency. The best part about this build is that it is adaptable to your draws; you’ll be okay if you miss your Poipole, since you can accelerate with Welder and N’s Resolve. Likewise, if you are having bad luck finding your Supporter cards, then you’ll be fine, since the Naganadel and [card name=”Tapu Koko Prism Star” set=”Team Up” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card] can power you up. If you have good luck on both fronts, this deck can seem nearly impossible to stop!

These early, unrefined versions have proven themselves to be capable of hanging with our existing top decks. So, while I’m certain that they could use further improvements, I hope that you can use them as a solid base to build off of.

Other Possibilities

While the above [card name=”Reshiram and Zekrom-GX” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”157″ c=”name”][/card] lists are pretty solid starts, there are a ton of other options that you could opt to play.

As far as other non Tag Team Pokemon-GX attackers go, [card name=”Victini Prism Star” set=”Dragon Majesty” no=”7″ c=”name”][/card] is probably the best option that I haven’t included in any of my lists. I admittedly haven’t actually tried out Victini Prism Star in the deck yet, but it could be yet another strong non Pokemon-GX option for the late-game, especially given its synergy with N’s Resolve. This would give the deck another way around Keldeo-GX, so that would be something to look at if it appears that Water decks will become popular.

There are a few other Energy acceleration options that you could use as well. I mentioned [card name=”Beast Ring” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”102″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Red and Blue” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”202″ c=”name”][/card] as potential niche options, and both could have potential. Since you’re already using Ultra Beasts, the Naganadel build could utilize those cards pretty well. I don’t think that the Energy acceleration there is necessary given that you would already have Naganadel in play, but it could be used well with [card name=”Energy Switch” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”129″ c=”name”][/card] if you wanted to have another burst option. Red and Blue is a bit more limited, but could be used with either [card name=”Naganadel-GX” set=”Unified Minds” no=”160″ c=”name”][/card], or with a small line of [card name=”Volcarona-GX” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”35″ c=”name”][/card] or the new [card name=”Silvally-GX” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”184″ c=”name”][/card].

Another solid option would be [card name=”Lysandre Prism Star” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”110″ c=”name”][/card], as it can get around [card name=”Latios-GX” set=”Unified Minds” no=”78″ c=”name”][/card] in [card name=”Mewtwo and Mew-GX” set=”Unified Minds” no=”71″ c=”name”][/card]. I’m not sure that the card has a ton of use outside of that matchup, so I think I would rather opt for more Turtonator if I was teching for that matchup in particular, but Lysandre Prism Star could be a different way to deal with the Latios-GX.

If this deck does indeed get big, you likely would want something to give you an edge in the mirror match. You could opt to include [card name=”Choice Helmet” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”169″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Island Challenge Amulet” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”194″ c=”name”][/card], to prevent the OHKO in the case of the former, or to reduce their Prizes in the case of the second.

In Other Decks

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

Rather than try and make Reshiram and Zekrom-GX into a stand-alone deck on it’s own, another option is to try and fit it into one of our existing top-tier archetypes. Lightning and Fire are both incredibly popular types right now, and for good reason. Decks like: [card name=”Reshiram and Charizard-GX” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”20″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Blacephalon-GX” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”52″ c=”name”][/card], Mewtwo and Mew-GX, and [card name=”Pikachu and Zekrom-GX” set=”Team Up” no=”33″ c=”name”][/card] are all reasonable options to try and fit it into. Of those, Pikachu and Zekrom-GX is the archetype that I think it fits into the best. The other decks don’t have much difficulty hitting high damage numbers, and tend to use their [card name=”Welder” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”189″ c=”name”][/card] Energy acceleration to cycle between attackers, as opposed to having a ton of extra Energy in play for the sake of it. In contrast, Pikachu and Zekrom-GX tends to have plenty of extra Energy in play thanks to Full Blitz. On top of that, the high counts of [card name=”Energy Switch” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”129″ c=”name”][/card] (and [card name=”Tag Switch” set=”Unified Minds” no=”209″ c=”name”][/card]) in Pikachu and Zekrom-GX decks lends itself perfectly to a surprise attack from Reshiram and Zekrom-GX. It isn’t terribly difficult to include either. For a simple way to try it, take your favorite Pikachu and Zekrom-GX variant, take out the four [card name=”Custom Catcher” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”171″ c=”name”][/card] and replace them with a Reshiram and Zekrom-GX, a Fire Energy, and two [card name=”Great Catcher” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”192″ c=”name”][/card]. 

This small addition gives Pikachu and Zekrom-GX yet another dangerous angle, particularly against opposing Tag Team Pokemon-GX decks. A Pikachu and Zekrom-GX player can plan to end the game with two attacks. First, a GX attack (plus an appropriate number of [card name=”Electropower” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”172″ c=”name”][/card]) from either [card name=”Raichu and Alolan Raichu-GX” set=”Unified Minds” no=”54″ c=”name”][/card] or Pikachu and Zekrom-GX can be used to take down the first Tag Team Pokemon-GX. Then, instead of aiming for a 2HKO on the next one, they can instead bench Reshiram and Zekrom-GX, attach the Fire Energy, use one of their many Energy Switch and then take advantage of their excess Energy in play to deal a 270 damage finishing blow with Fabled Flarebolts. This gives the deck another way around [card name=”Fairy Charm L” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”172″ c=”name”][/card], making the [card name=”Gardevoir and Sylveon-GX” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”130″ c=”name”][/card] matchup easier – especially if the Fabled Flarebolts comes as a late-game surprise.

Potential Meta Matchups

We don’t know how the metagame will shape up for the LAIC and beyond, but I would be willing to predict that it won’t change all that much early on. Mewtwo and Mew-GX, Reshiram and Charizard-GX, Pikachu and Zekrom-GX, Gardevoir and Sylveon-GX, Blacephalon-GX, [card name=”Malamar” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”Pidgeotto” set=”Team Up” no=”123″ c=”name”][/card] were the big decks of the Unified Minds era, and I expect all of them to see play. I’m not sure how many of these decks will remain in the metagame, but for now it’s good practice to consider all of them. I’m not going to delve too deep into specific matchup strategies here – a lot depends on your [card name=”Reshiram and Zekrom-GX” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”157″ c=”name”][/card] build and how the other meta decks adapt themselves to the new Cosmic Eclipse cards.

Tag Team Pokemon-GX

These matchups are where Reshiram and Zekrom-GX shines. As I’ve said above, Reshiram and Zekrom-GX’s speed and damage output is incredibly difficult to match, compared to Welder Tag Team Pokemon-GX decks. You can expect one trade thanks to a GX attack, but when it comes to getting the second Tag Team Pokemon-GX KO, Reshiram and Zekrom-GX has the clear advantage. Against Pikachu and Zekrom-GX, you’ll want to have a few [card name=”Switch” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”147″ c=”name”][/card] included to get around Raichu and Alolan Raichu-GX’s Tandem Shock. Mewtwo and Mew-GX’s biggest threat is [card name=”Latios-GX” set=”Unified Minds” no=”78″ c=”name”][/card]’s Tag Purge. You’ll want to use some hard-hitting alternate attackers such as [card name=”Turtonator” set=”Dragon Majesty” no=”50″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Heatran-GX” set=”Unified Minds” no=”25″ c=”name”][/card] for that scenario. Outside of that, there isn’t too much to worry about against Tag Team decks; Reshiram and Zekrom-GX will perform well if these three remain popular. 

Blacephalon-GX

The best part about facing [card name=”Blacephalon-GX” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”52″ c=”name”][/card] is that you only need to discard two Energy to get a KO; the worst part is that you only get two Prizes at a time. This matchup tends to come down to whether the Reshiram and Zekrom-GX player can get a KO early (think turn 2), before the Blacephalon-GX player is able to establish a hand with multiple [card name=”Beast Ring” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”102″ c=”name”][/card]. If the Blacephalon-GX player misses the return KO, the game will be over quickly in favor of Reshiram and Zekrom-GX. If they can get it, then they’ll need to find a way to get the six Energy needed for the next KO. If the Blacephalon-GX player has adequate time to set up, that won’t be too much trouble for them, but they’ll tend to miss instead if they are forced to find those Energy too early in the game. This matchup is one where the [card name=”Naganadel” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”108″ c=”name”][/card] build has a decisive advantage over the non-Naganadel build, since it isn’t as vulnerable to missing a turn of attacks thanks to [card name=”Reset Stamp” set=”Unified Minds” no=”206″ c=”name”][/card].

Gardevoir and Sylveon-GX

While it may be a Tag Team Pokemon-GX, [card name=”Gardevoir and Sylveon-GX” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”130″ c=”name”][/card] nonetheless represents one of the tougher matchups for Reshiram and Zekrom-GX. Thanks to Weakness, Gardevoir and Sylveon-GX can match OHKOs with either of its attacks, but with the added bonuses of defensive tools. Using [card name=”Choice Helmet” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”169″ c=”name”][/card] will prevent you from obtaining any OHKOs on Gardevoir and Sylveon-GX, while [card name=”Fairy Charm D” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”177″ c=”name”][/card] can prevent you from doing damage altogether. Regardless of your Reshiram and Zekrom-GX list, I would recommend including multiple ways to get around the Fairy Charm; otherwise, you won’t be able to win. Turtonator, Mewtwo and Mew-GX, and Heatran-GX are solid attackers that you can use. Alternatively, you can use [card name=”Lysandre Labs” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”111″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Faba” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”173″ c=”name”][/card] to get around their Tool cards. Reshiram and Zekrom-GX does have an advantage in terms of attack speed, but the matchup is tricky. 

Malamar

Malamar decks got a good number of tricks with this set. Cards like [card name=”Blacephalon” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”104″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Mimikyu” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”97″ c=”name”][/card] are both natural additions to Malamar, and the arrival of [card name=”Great Catcher” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”192″ c=”name”][/card] gives the deck a gust option that doesn’t require it to sacrifice much consistency. All in all, this matchup won’t feel much different than existing Tag Team Pokemon-GX vs Malamar matchups. A lot will depend on how effectively the Malamar player can set up their board. The faster you can attack them, and the more non Pokemon-GX attackers you can use here, the better. If they happen not to bench a [card name=”Mew” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card], then you can go for a Cross Break GX attack to KO multiple Malamar or [card name=”Inkay” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”50″ c=”name”][/card].

Arceus and Dialga and Palkia-GX

[cardimg name=”Arceus and Dialga and Palkia-GX” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”156″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

As far as new stuff is concerned, [card name=”Arceus and Dialga and Palkia-GX” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”156″ c=”name”][/card] is probably the other big “hype” card to come out of Cosmic Eclipse. This card has already seen a decent amount of success in Japan, both as an inclusion in other existing decks (such as [card name=”Quagsire” set=”Dragon Majesty” no=”26″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Naganadel” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”108″ c=”name”][/card]) and as a stand-alone concept (such as [card name=”Green’s Exploration” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”175″ c=”name”][/card] with Arceus and Dialga and Palkia-GX). Arceus and Dialga and Palkia-GX happens to be one of the few Tag Teams that can withstand a fully powered Fabled Flarebolts, as it is out of OHKO range thanks to its 280 HP. Cards like: [card name=”Shrine of Punishment” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”143″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Volcarona-GX” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”35″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Altaria” set=”Dragon Majesty” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”Dragon Talon” set=”Dragon Majesty” no=”59″ c=”name”][/card] are all potential ways to obtain that OHKO, but none of those cards are terribly impactful outside of this matchup.

Conclusion

We don’t know exactly how [card name=”Reshiram and Zekrom-GX” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”157″ c=”name”][/card] will play in a non-Japanese metagame, but it is worth being on the lookout for. Without knowing exactly what to expect, I would say that it’s a bit early to consider including any of the aforementioned tech cards. Against the Arceus and Dialga and Palkia-GX focused decks, my strategy without the techs has been to get one OHKO with either [card name=”Turtonator” set=”Dragon Majesty” no=”50″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Heatran-GX” set=”Unified Minds” no=”25″ c=”name”][/card], and the other via a 2HKO, often by using [card name=”Zapdos” set=”Team Up” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Zeraora-GX” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”86″ c=”name”][/card] to soften up the opposing Arceus and Dialga and Palkia-GX. Against Quagsire, you can try and take early Prizes against [card name=”Wooper” set=”Dragon Majesty” no=”25″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Poipole” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”55″ c=”name”][/card], then use Heatran-GX or Turtonator to KO the Arceus and Dialga and Palkia-GX if it comes into play. You’ll typically want to use Heatran-GX if you can, as you may end up needing the Turtonator to KO [card name=”Keldeo-GX” set=”Unified Minds” no=”47″ c=”name”][/card]. The Quagsire matchup is one where I’ve found Cross Break GX to be effective, as it can devastate your opponents board if they aren’t able to get Mew into play. 

Regardless of which way you choose to play it, I have no doubt that Reshiram and Zekrom-GX will end up having a tremendous impact on our Standard format. Heading into the LAIC and beyond, I would absolutely recommend focusing on Reshiram and Zekrom-GX in your playtesting, either as a preparation for your future tournament, or as a potential play for yourself. I hope that these lists can act as great starting points for your Cosmic Eclipse experience! If you’re going to be at either the LAIC or Daytona Beach Regionals, don’t hesitate to say hello! In any case, best of luck to those playing in any events this weekend, and beyond! As always, if you’ve got any questions, don’t hesitate to message me, or to ask all of our writers in our PTCG Subscriber’s Hideout!

Thanks for reading!

–Zak

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