Fire in the Sky — Ho-Oh-GX / Salazzle-GX in the New Standard Format
Hello! I’m Stéphane Ivanoff and you may know me as the winner of the 2018 North American International Championship. I’ve been playing the Pokemon TCG since 2010 and, although my most prestigious accomplishment was recent, I’ve had success in the European competitive scene for years, including two National Championship wins. I’ve spent a lot of time thinking and writing about the game, and I’m excited to share my expertise with an English-speaking audience for the first time.
As PokeBeach’s resident European, you might expect me to write about European decks, also known as [card name=”Zoroark-GX” set=”Shining Legends” no=”53″ c=”name”][/card] decks — seriously, almost every top European player has played a Zoroark deck at an International Championship or Worlds last year! And although I’m sure I’ll do so at some point, I’ve actually started the season by testing non-Zoroark decks. With the loss of [card name=”Brigette” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”134″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Puzzle of Time” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”109″ c=”name”][/card], Zoroark decks have lost a non-negligible amount of consistency, and I used that opportunity to explore other options.
Among these other options, the deck I’ve enjoyed the most so far is [card name=”Ho-Oh-GX” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”21″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Salazzle-GX” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”25″ c=”name”][/card], a deck I already found success with last season when I used it to reach Top 8 at Malmö Regionals.
I’d like to make it clear up front that this is not the secret BDIF that will dominate the game. Rather, it is a meta-dependent deck that can struggle with Energy acceleration decks like [card name=”Malamar” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card], but destroys [card name=”Metagross-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”85″ c=”name”][/card], is favored against Zoroark decks and deals pretty well with many rogue decks, such as Beast Box, [card name=”Solgaleo-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”89″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Silvally-GX” set=”Crimson Invasion” no=”90″ c=”name”][/card], etc. In the appropriate metagame, Ho-Oh / Salazzle could be your ticket to a League Cup win or a successful Regional run. As for me, it’s a deck I’m considering playing at Frankfurt Regionals (29-30 September) since I expect many top European players to bring a Zoroark variant. An underrated benefit of the deck in a best-of-three tournament is that because its games are so fast, you’ll mostly avoid ties.
In this article, I’d like to discuss what makes a deck good in the new format and explain what makes Ho-Oh worth playing. I’ll give a list, some tech options, explain all you need to know in order to play the deck to its best potential including how to approach various matchups, and even discuss the deck’s future. Sounds good? Let’s go.
Ho-Oh and the New Format
The new Sun & Moon-on format is upon us, and as I’m sure you’ve noticed, it brings a variety of changes. For the first time since 2011, we don’t have [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”107″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Professor Juniper” set=”Black and White” no=”101″ c=”name”][/card] in the format. We also lost [card name=”N” set=”Noble Victories” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card], which has stayed in Standard for almost as long; and Brigette, which was the main way Evolution decks such as Zoroark or [card name=”Malamar” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card] would set up. Despite that, Evolution decks seem to be thriving. [card name=”Vikavolt” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”52″ c=”name”][/card] and Metagross-GX seem to do well so far, as does Malamar, with other Stage 2 decks like [card name=”Magnezone” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”83″ c=”name”][/card] seeing some results as well. How is it possible that losing consistency cards would make Stage 2 decks, those whose consistency is the shakiest, better than they used to be? There are a few explanations:
First, Professor Sycamore wasn’t that beneficial to Stage 2 decks. Since 2011, discard-and-draw-seven Supporters have mostly enabled decks relying on Basic Pokemon to go even faster, while Evolution decks are at risk of having to discard key pieces. Plus, when you need key cards like [card name=”Rare Candy” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”129″ c=”name”][/card] on your turn two, drawing seven cards is not as good as just searching out what you need with a Supporter like [card name=”Skyla” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”148″ c=”name”][/card] or, in the new format, [card name=”Volkner” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”135″ c=”name”][/card].
Second, these decks have found new ways to set up. [card name=”Rayquaza-GX” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”109″ c=”name”][/card] / Vikavolt decks use Rayquaza’s Tempest GX attack to get a hand of ten new cards. Metagross-GX decks use Algorithm GX to search out exactly what it needs. Gardevoir decks, though not too successful because of the Metal Pokemon running around, use [card name=”Sylveon-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card]’s Magical Ribbon to similar effect. With N out of the format, it is much harder to disrupt the opponent’s hand, which means that these attacks tend to stick. This allows Evolution decks to have their Stage 2s ready and evolved by turn two or three, something that was much harder to achieve last season.
[cardimg name=”Ho-Oh-GX” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”21″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]
Finally, there are some other cards which rotated out that were a threat to Evolution decks: I’m talking about [card name=”Parallel City” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”145″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Max Elixir” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”102″ c=”name”][/card]. Parallel City’s Bench-reducing side was devastating to Stage 2 decks, which needed several Pokemon in play. Evolving Basics like [card name=”Ralts” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”91″ c=”name”][/card] would be quickly targeted by the opponent, so you would need extras in play in response, in addition to essential cards like [card name=”Remoraid” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”32″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Tapu Lele-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”60″ c=”name”][/card]. Oftentimes there wasn’t enough space for all these Pokemon with a Parallel City limiting your Bench. Max Elixir enabled fast, aggressive decks like [card name=”Buzzwole-GX” set=”Crimson Invasion” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Lycanroc-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”74″ c=”name”][/card] or Rayquaza-GX that could Knock Out Basic Pokemon faster than Evolution decks were able to set up. With it gone, Buzzwole-GX has taken a huge hit, and Rayquaza-GX finds itself relying on Vikavolt, a Stage 2 Pokemon, instead of pure speed.
Max Elixir is gone, but there is still one form of Trainer-based, turn one Energy acceleration in the format: [card name=”Kiawe” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”116″ c=”name”][/card]. This means that Ho-Oh-GX can take Buzzwole and Rayquaza’s place as the fast, aggressive deck of the format. Unlike them, Ho-Oh holds up fine after rotation. Max Elixir was a popular card to play, but in my opinion and experience, it was never necessary in the deck. N was more of an issue than an asset for such a fast deck. Now, of course, Ho-Oh mourns the loss of Professor Sycamore more than most decks; [card name=”Float Stone” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”137″ c=”name”][/card], in combination with [card name=”Dawn Wings Necrozma-GX” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”63″ c=”name”][/card], was an easy way to chain consecutive Phoenix Burns; [card name=”Volcanion-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”26″ c=”name”][/card] could boost Ho-Oh’s damage; and [card name=”Scorched Earth” set=”Primal Clash” no=”138″ c=”name”][/card] allowed the deck to draw more, especially to access the coveted turn-one Kiawe. But all these cards can be replaced and the deck still accomplishes its plan.
A Primer
[card name=”Ho-Oh-GX” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”21″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Salazzle-GX” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”25″ c=”name”][/card] first saw play at the 2017 World Championships in the hands of Japanese legend Takuya Yoneda and his teammates. Yoneda started 6-0 before being downpaired and losing twice, and bubbled out of top cut at ninth place. The deck is beautiful in its simplicity: the explosive Energy acceleration of Kiawe allows Ho-Oh to take Prizes easily in the early game, while Salazzle’s Diabolical Claws is the perfect attack to close the game by taking a KO on a Pokemon-GX such as [card name=”Tapu Lele-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”60″ c=”name”][/card]. Along the way, you can use [card name=”Turtonator-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”18″ c=”name”][/card]’s Nitro Tank GX attack to refuel your attackers. Ho-Oh / Salazzle is not the hardest deck to play, but in order to have the best results with it, you need to be able to plan your game in advance. If you do so, and if your draws cooperate, you can often put your opponent in a situation where they have no out.
Here’s an example of how a typical game might play out.
- You start with Ho-Oh-GX, and use Wonder Tag on turn one to grab Kiawe to accelerate Energy to Ho-Oh, while attaching for turn to your Tapu Lele-GX. Your opponent hits Ho-Oh with an attack but can’t KO it.
- On turn two, you use Phoenix Burn to KO a Pokemon-GX on your opponent’s Bench using [card name=”Guzma” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”115″ c=”name”][/card]; thanks to the Energy on your Tapu Lele, you can bring it Active with Guzma then retreat it. You also grab Turtonator-GX. Your opponent responds by Knocking Out Ho-Oh.
- On turn three, you attach an Energy to Turtonator-GX, bench another Ho-Oh, and Nitro Tank GX four Energy to your Ho-Oh-GX and one to Turtonator-GX.
- At this point, whatever your opponent does on their turn, you can take a KO on turn four on a Pokemon like Tapu Lele-GX, either with Phoenix Burn or Turtonator’s Bright Flame plus a [card name=”Choice Band” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card].
- You now have only two Prizes left, and even if your opponent dealt with both the threats, you can use Salazzle-GX (set up on turns four and dive) to win.
This scenario might seem highly specific, but it’s basically your blueprint. Most of the time, you’ll be trying to replicate it.
[cardimg name=”Tapu Koko” set=”Sun and Moon Black Star Promos” no=”SM30″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]
Of course, it’s not always that easy! For example, opponents may try to make you take KOs on non-GX Pokemon. It is often correct to try to Guzma around them in order to take two-Prize KOs, as trying to use Phoenix Burn for consecutive turns against non-GX foes can be clunky. However, [card name=”Tapu Koko” set=”Sun and Moon Black Star Promos” no=”SM30″ c=”name”][/card] is often a huge threat, especially with a Choice Band, as it 2HKOs Ho-Oh thanks to its Weakness, and it is preferable to deal with it before it can wreck your board. Your decision will depend on the board and your hand, and will probably come down to whether you can take all your Prizes quick enough before your opponent deals with all your attackers.
Basically, you have to map your turns in advance: what Pokemon are you attaching to each turn; can the opponent take a KO on your attacker, and if so, can you respond with another attacker or use Nitro Tank GX; at what point do you need to have a [card name=”Salandit” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”15″ c=”name”][/card] Benched with one Energy in order to threaten Diabolical Claws on the following turn, etc. If you’ve played Ho-Oh / Salazzle last season, be careful: without Professor Sycamore, it is harder to find the cards you need. Even on turns when you play Cynthia, you can’t guarantee that you’ll draw an Energy. That’s why you shouldn’t wait until the last moment to attach an Energy to Salandit. If you whiff the Energy, you could give your opponent an entire turn to win or come back instead of closing it with Salazzle.
Remember that your Energy acceleration is potent but not flexible; on the turns you’re not using Kiawe or Nitro Tank GX, you’ll only attach one Energy per turn. You have to make them count, but that doesn’t mean you should only attach them to attackers. It’s actually a bad idea, in most cases, to try to power up a Ho-Oh manually. Instead, you should try to have an Energy attached to a one-retreat Pokemon so you can use Guzma or [card name=”Tate & Liza” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”148″ c=”name”][/card] to reset Phoenix Burn; Salandit is ideal for that job, but Tapu Lele can threaten to attack in some cases. Try to have Turtonator-GX ready with one Energy on your Bench as soon as possible, and starting in the midgame, you should have one Energy on Salandit or Salazzle in order to give yourself the possibility of attacking with Salazzle-GX.
The Deck List
[premium]
[decklist name=”Ho-Oh / Salazzle” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Marshadow” set=”Shining Legends” no=”45″][pokemon amt=”13″]3x [card name=”Ho-Oh-GX” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”21″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]1x [card name=”Turtonator-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”18″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]2x [card name=”Salazzle-GX” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”25″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Salandit” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”25″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]3x [card name=”Tapu Lele-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”60″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Marshadow” set=”Shining Legends” no=”45″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”33″]4x [card name=”Cynthia” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”119″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Guzma” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”115″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Kiawe” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”116″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Tate & Liza” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”148″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”2″][/card]4x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”135″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Acro Bike” set=”Primal Clash” no=”122″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Choice Band” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”121″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Nest Ball” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”123″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Switch” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”132″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Mysterious Treasure” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”113″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]3x [card name=”Po Town” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”121″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”3″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”14″]14x [card name=”Fire Energy” set=”Evolutions” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”14″][/card][/energy][/decklist]
I have tested many variations of the above list, and I’m not totally settled on it, but I’m satisfied with it. I’d like to explain some of my choices, both for the cards that are in the list, and those who aren’t.
2-2 Salazzle-GX
[cardimg name=”Salazzle-GX” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”132″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]
In the past, some lists played only a 1-1 line, or excluded it altogether. Since the deck has limited draw and searching options, especially since there are often turns when you don’t use a draw Supporter, a 1-1 line doesn’t cut it anymore.
Two Marshadow
This little guy absolutely shines in this deck. It is a way to disrupt your opponent, which is important in a metagame where setup attacks like Tempest GX or Magical Ribbon are becoming increasingly common. It’s also a way to draw more cards without using your Supporter for the turn, so you can use Let Loose to fish for [card name=”Kiawe” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”116″ c=”name”][/card], or after a Guzma to search for the Energy you need, or even after a Cynthia if you whiffed on a card you need in order to take a KO. Plus, the only “support” Pokemon Ho-Oh uses is [card name=”Turtonator-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”18″ c=”name”][/card], so you have space on the Bench for [card name=”Marshadow” set=”Shining Legends” no=”45″ c=”name”][/card], a luxury that eludes other decks. You could get away with playing only one of it, but I like the second copy.
Two Tate & Liza
Another underrated card that seems made for [card name=”Ho-Oh-GX” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”21″ c=”name”][/card]. Playing four Cynthia is a given, but you need other draw Supporters, and [card name=”Tate & Liza” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”148″ c=”name”][/card] is a perfect fit. Drawing five cards is a bit underwhelming, but since you need less resources than other decks, it’s often good enough. However, the ability to use the card as a Switch is good in order to reset Ho-Oh’s Phoenix Burn. Often, after using Phoenix Burn, I find myself using [card name=”Tapu Lele-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”60″ c=”name”][/card] to grab Tate & Liza in order to retreat to a one-Retreat-Cost Pokemon and retreat it with my Energy attachment for turn so that I can Phoenix Burn again.
Four Acro Bike
I used to play [card name=”Scorched Earth” set=”Primal Clash” no=”138″ c=”name”][/card] in this deck, and [card name=”Acro Bike” set=”Primal Clash” no=”122″ c=”name”][/card] works well in its place. Basically, draw power that doesn’t use a Supporter helps get the turn-one Kiawe, and aggressive decks enjoy Item-based draw in general. Be careful — you don’t always want to play Acro Bike as soon as you have it, even against non-[card name=”Garbodor” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card] decks. For example, if I can get the turn-one Kiawe without using Acro Bike, I keep it for turn two. That way, the Fire Energy density in the deck is lower, so I have higher odds to hit a card I need.
Four Choice Band, Three Po Town
Phoenix Burn deals 180 damage, which is good, but not enough. Choice Band allows you to hit 210, which is enough to KO a bunch of key Pokemon such as [card name=”Zoroark-GX” set=”Shining Legends” no=”53″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Ultra Necrozma-GX” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”95″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Lycanroc-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”74″ c=”name”][/card], etc.
Po Town acts as an additional Choice Band of sorts against evolved Pokemon. You might think it is overkill if you already have four Choice Band, but if you can stick it early enough in the Zoroark matchup, every one of your opponent’s Zoroark-GX will be in range of a KO by Ho-Oh without a Choice Band. Not needing Choice Band means that you can play utility Supporters like [card name=”Guzma” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”115″ c=”name”][/card] more easily, rather than having to play Cynthia to draw it. This is particularly important against Zoroark since they will try to use tricks, like attacking with Tapu Koko, to overcome their unfavorable matchup; but it is useful against all sorts of Stage 1 Pokemon. Po Town can also be combined with Choice Band to KO foes that have more than 210 HP, such as [card name=”Gardevoir-GX” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”93″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Naganadel-GX” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”56″ c=”name”][/card] with the support of [card name=”Stakataka-GX” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”102″ c=”name”][/card]. Finally, you can use Po Town to remove unwanted opposing Stadiums, particularly [card name=”Shrine of Punishment” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”143″ c=”name”][/card].
Four Ultra Ball, Two Nest Ball, One Mysterious Treasure
[cardimg name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”161″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]
While I can’t guarantee that this is optimal, this is the split that has done best for me in testing. In order to get the ideal turn one, you need a Ho-Oh-GX and a Kiawe, which can be searched through Tapu Lele-GX. [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”135″ c=”name”][/card] can therefore get either part of the combo, so we must play four of it.
Then, there are more outs to Kiawe than to Ho-Oh (three Kiawe, three Tapu Lele, four Ultra Ball vs. three Ho-Oh, four Ultra Ball) so it makes sense to play two [card name=”Nest Ball” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”123″ c=”name”][/card] to increase our odds of getting Ho-Oh. It can also grab Turtonator and [card name=”Salandit” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”25″ c=”name”][/card].
[card name=”Mysterious Treasure” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”113″ c=”name”][/card] is still a better consistency card in the midgame where you can use it to grab a Tapu Lele or Marshadow, but a third Nest Ball might be worth it instead.
14 Fire Energy
I started with 16 Energy and progressively lowered the count to 14. I think this is the right number, thanks to [card name=”Switch” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”132″ c=”name”][/card] acting as an Energy in some cases. If you change cards around, consider adding a 15th Energy to make sure you can play one every turn even after accelerating Energy from the deck.
Cards I Excluded
Dawn Wings Necrozma-GX
This is definitely a solid consideration, even without [card name=”Float Stone” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”137″ c=”name”][/card]. You can’t use it to move your Pokemon around freely as you did before, but you can use it to chain Phoenix Burn on consecutive turns in combination with Guzma, Switch, or [card name=”Tate & Liza” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”148″ c=”name”][/card]. The issue with [card name=”Dawn Wings Necrozma-GX” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”63″ c=”name”][/card] is that it’s not that needed and takes up a valuable spot on the Bench, which could be used in the late game for a Tapu Lele-GX or Marshadow to grab the card you needed. Most of the time, all it does is save an Energy attachment. Also, its Weakness makes it unusable against Zoroark-GX decks.
Non-GX Attackers
As it is, the deck has an auto-loss to [card name=”Hoopa” set=”Shining Legends” no=”55″ c=”name”][/card]. This is acceptable in my opinion, since Hoopa doesn’t seem to be a huge part of the metagame. The most common place it appears is as a one-of in some Zoroark variants like Zoroark / Lycanroc or Zoroark / [card name=”Weavile” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”74″ c=”name”][/card] that run [card name=”Unit Energy FDY” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”118″ c=”name”][/card] or basic Darkness Energy, and even there it’s uncommon. If you expect Hoopa to be played, you’ll want a non-GX attacker to deal with it.
The two better ones are [card name=”Shining Lugia” set=”Sun and Moon Black Star Promos” no=”SM82″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Reshiram” set=”Shining Legends” no=”14″ c=”name”][/card]. Both can OHKO Hoopa for three Energy, which means that they can be set up manually. If you’re against Hoopa, they should be a priority target for Kiawe or Nitro Tank GX though. Against other Pokemon than Hoopa, both aren’t ideal. Reshiram is probably better because it’s able to deal 130 damage more easily, however Shining Lugia’s Fighting Resistance can be relevant.
I should also mention [card name=”Shining Ho-Oh” set=”Sun and Moon Black Star Promos” no=”SM70″ c=”name”][/card]. Its Ability is a great fit in the deck, which would make it a good addition. Unfortunately, it only deals 110 damage, which is not enough to KO Hoopa. Finally, [card name=”Oranguru” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”113″ c=”name”][/card] can OHKO a three-Energy Hoopa for three Energy as well, while bringing draw power to the table through its Ability. However, I think that Oranguru isn’t good in SM-on. It was never a viable draw engine, and its main use was protection against N. With hand disruption being much worse now, Instruct doesn’t do much. You’ll draw a card with it sometimes, but there are better Pokemon to play.
Wishful Baton
Saving Energy seems perfect for a [card name=”Ho-Oh-GX” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”21″ c=”name”][/card] deck. The issue with [card name=”Wishful Baton” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”128″ c=”name”][/card], apart from being useless if the opponent has a Field Blower, is that you can’t use it in combination with Choice Band. You’d need to play a split of the Tools, which is clunky; or rely entirely on Po Town for additional damage, which is unwise as you’d need to have it before your opponent evolves all of their Pokemon, made even harder by the fact that you’re not playing a draw Supporter on turn one.
Field Blower
For now, most decks don’t play Field Blower. I think it’s only a matter of time until someone abuses that fact to make a big break at a Regional with a Tool like [card name=”Weakness Policy” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”126″ c=”name”][/card], Wishful Baton or [card name=”Bodybuilding Dumbbells” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”113″ c=”name”][/card]. You may want to anticipate that and play [card name=”Field Blower” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”125″ c=”name”][/card] to avoid having to deal with a 250 HP Zoroark. On the other hand, Ho-Oh doesn’t need Field Blower by itself, so if nobody plays these kind of Tools, or if they’re countered by other people packing their own Field Blowers, it’ll be useless. That’s the paradox with tech cards.
Escape Rope
[card name=”Escape Rope” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”114″ c=”name”][/card]’s an alternative to Switch. It has benefits especially if the opponent only has one non-GX Pokemon in play, but it’s harder to use. I think the additional utility is not worth the situations you’ll run into where you just want to Switch to [card name=”Tapu Lele-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”60″ c=”name”][/card] and retreat again to Ho-Oh to take a KO.
Matchups
In this section, I’ll talk about the matchups. By default, as much as possible, you should aim for the blueprint scenario described in the primer. I won’t reiterate that you want to play [card name=”Kiawe” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”116″ c=”name”][/card] on turn one, etc. Instead, I’ll explain how games might differ from this ideal gameplan, and what to do differently.
Zoroark-GX Decks
[cardimg name=”Po Town” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”121″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]
This is a whole category of decks but the matchups play up fairly similarly. It’s a positive matchup for Ho-Oh / [card name=”Salazzle-GX” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”25″ c=”name”][/card]. You want [card name=”Po Town” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card] in play as soon as possible so that they have to take damage while evolving their first batch of Basics. [card name=”Choice Band” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card] will be important as well. If there are undamaged evolved Pokemon on the opponent’s board, Choice Band should go to Ho-Oh-GX, otherwise it’s good on [card name=”Turtonator-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”18″ c=”name”][/card] so it can OHKO Pokemon as well. In the end game, a Choice Band on Salazzle-GX can allow it to KO undamaged 210-HP Pokemon as well.
If you’re playing against [card name=”Zoroark-GX” set=”Shining Legends” no=”53″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Lycanroc-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”74″ c=”name”][/card] (or Zoroark / Weavile to a lesser extent), you’ll want to limit your Bench, which Ho-Oh can do painlessly. Remember that without [card name=”Strong Energy” set=”Fates Collide” no=”115″ c=”name”][/card], Dangerous Rogue GX can’t OHKO a Ho-Oh-GX if you have three Pokemon on your Bench, even with a [card name=”Diancie Prism Star” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”74″ c=”name”][/card], thanks to Ho-Oh’s Resistance. Zoroark / [card name=”Golisopod-GX” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”17″ c=”name”][/card] decks will use [card name=”Tapu Koko” set=”Sun and Moon Black Star Promos” no=”SM30″ c=”name”][/card] against you. You should deal with it in the early game as two turns of Flying Flip can put all your Pokemon in reach of a Riotous Beating KO. Salazzle-GX’s Heat Blast is well suited for that, but it’s not wrong to waste a Phoenix Burn on a Tapu Koko as well.
Metagross-GX
This is an auto-win. You should try to KO [card name=”Beldum” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”83″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Metang” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”84″ c=”name”][/card] before they evolve using Sacred Fire. Then, on the Algorithm GX turn, you can use Let Loose to shuffle the opponent’s hand back into their deck, while taking an easy two Prizes with Phoenix Burn. Something you can do as well — which also applies against other Pokemon that are weak to Fire, such as [card name=”Solgaleo-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”89″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Lurantis-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”15″ c=”name”][/card], etc. — is using Salazzle’s Heat Blast early in the game. With a Choice Band or Po Town damage, it OHKOs all these Pokemon for two Energy, which means you’re not even reliant on Kiawe.
Rayquaza-GX / Vikavolt
This can be a harder matchup, but your opponent is still using a 180-HP Pokemon-GX. Ho-Oh’s 190 HP can be a saving grace if the Rayquaza player doesn’t play [card name=”Devoured Field” set=”Crimson Invasion” no=”93″ c=”name”][/card]. Unless you can KO your opponent’s only [card name=”Grubbin” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”13″ c=”name”][/card] with Sacred Fire, you’ll have to KO the opposing attackers and hope they can’t keep up with you. If they have a turn-two [card name=”Vikavolt” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”52″ c=”name”][/card] and don’t miss Energy, there’s not much you can do. However, you can try to prevent that by using Marshadow, either on turn one or the turn after they use Tempest GX.
Malamar
Whether it is the Psychic or [card name=”Ultra Necrozma-GX” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”95″ c=”name”][/card] version, this matchup is unfavorable in my experience. The opponent can set up quickly and answer your first KO, then take the lead when you have to take a turn to use Nitro Tank GX or a second Kiawe. Your best bet is to only take KOs on GX attackers, using [card name=”Guzma” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”115″ c=”name”][/card] for Tapu Lele-GX if need be. After they KO your first Ho-Oh, bring up a [card name=”Marshadow” set=”Shining Legends” no=”45″ c=”name”][/card] in the Active spot and use a second Kiawe on a second Ho-Oh. If they don’t have the [card name=”Guzma” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”115″ c=”name”][/card], you can use another Phoenix Burn on the next turn, and you’ll probably need Salazzle-GX to close the game right after that. The issue is that you need to be lucky to hit what you need every turn, and that [card name=”Mimikyu” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”58″ c=”name”][/card], if they play it, can copy your attacks and OHKO you with a Choice Band.
Buzzwole-GX / Lycanroc-GX
I’m not sure how this deck ranks, but it has seen some play lately. It might be due for a comeback with all the Zoroark around. Ho-Oh’s Fighting Resistance is excellent here, as it doesn’t take much damage when in the Active spot. With no [card name=”Max Elixir” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”102″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Strong Energy” set=”Fates Collide” no=”115″ c=”name”][/card], Buzzwole-GX can’t take KOs as easily. As long as it only has one Energy on it, you’re safe.
If possible, use a second Kiawe to set up another Ho-Oh-GX so you can chain attacks. It is risky to try to refuel your attackers when you have four Prizes left. Instead, when you go into [card name=”Beast Ring” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”102″ c=”name”][/card] and Sledgehammer range, you should be as ready as possible to take two quick Prizes on the following turn. Try to use Let Loose before your attack in order to shuffle back any Beast Rings the opponent may be keeping.
Buzzwole / Garbodor / Shrine of Punishment
At first glance, since Ho-Oh is made to take Prizes quickly on Pokemon-GX, it seems bad against non-GX attackers. However, the matchup is actually good since they can’t do much to you. Keep [card name=”Po Town” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card] in hand to counter their [card name=”Shrine of Punishment” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”143″ c=”name”][/card] so you take minimal damage. Ho-Oh has Fighting Resistance and effectively deals with [card name=”Buzzwole” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card], outside of the Sledgehammer turn. More importantly, [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card] isn’t a big threat either; Ho-Oh / Salazzle can set up using only Supporters and maybe a few Item cards like [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Shining Legends” no=”68″ c=”name”][/card]. If you don’t play unneeded [card name=”Acro Bike” set=”Primal Clash” no=”122″ c=”name”][/card]s or Choice Bands, you can play the whole game with less than five Items in the discard pile, nullifying the threat of Trashalanche.
Dragon Majesty‘s Impact
Dragon Majesty hasn’t been released yet, so I haven’t playtested with it. However, those looking forward to Frankfurt Regionals or further tournaments may be worried or excited about what that new set will bring to the table for our favorite firebird.
Reshiram-GX is another Fire-type Pokemon that can deal heavy damage and accelerate Energy. However, due to how its GX attack works, the gameplan would change to using Kiawe on Reshiram-GX, and then using Reshiram-GX’s GX attack to attach more Energy to other attackers like Ho-Oh-GX. Since Reshiram-GX needs Energy in hand for its GX attack, you’d have to run the new Fiery Flint, changing the way the deck is built. I think this version would be worse than the current one. With Reshiram-GX instead of [card name=”Turtonator-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”18″ c=”name”][/card], the deck is much more inflexible (always a bad sign), requiring you to Kiawe to Reshiram-GX, then use Vermilion GX before attacking with [card name=”Ho-Oh-GX” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”21″ c=”name”][/card]. Plus, Reshiram-GX can only deal 180 damage once, so it’s not a persistent threat.
Blaine’s Last Stand is similarly underwhelming. Not only is its condition hard to meet, but the deck doesn’t even run that many Fire Pokemon. It’s rare that there are more than three Pokemon on the Bench, which means that Blaine makes you draw six cards at most, making it a worse [card name=”Lillie” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”122″ c=”name”][/card].
Victini Prism Star seems the most interesting. With a two-Energy attack that can deal high amounts of damage in the end game, it could replace, or at least be ran alongside, [card name=”Salazzle-GX” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”25″ c=”name”][/card]. The deck doesn’t always discard that much Energy during the game, and Turtonator-GX tends to bring them back, so Victini will not be a huge threat until late in the game. It might be worth playing a few more Energy cards in order to facilitate its attack. Shuffling the Energy back in the deck means that you can’t attack with Victini several turns in a row, so you realistically have one shot at taking Prizes with it. However, having a late-game attacker that only gives one Prize could be useful, and Victini is, on paper at least, the best way to deal with [card name=”Hoopa” set=”Shining Legends” no=”55″ c=”name”][/card]. It won’t beat a dedicated Hoopa deck, but against a Zoroark deck that runs one Hoopa, it has enough HP to survive one Super Psy Bolt and can easily KO it.
Conclusion
I don’t want to make predictions for the post-Dragon Majesty meta yet. However, I will see you again before Frankfurt Regionals with another article! By then, I’ll have had time to properly test these additions to Ho-Oh / Salazzle and many other decks, and I’ll be able to give you a more precise account of the format and my deck recommendations. Until then, best of luck in your games, and don’t hesitate to ask me questions via the Subscriber Secret Hideout forum.
~Stéphane
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