Lille and Beyond — Four Decks Before and After Lost Thunder

By: Stephane Ivanoff · Posted Posted onNov 1, 2018 at 9:56 PM · 0 Comments
Soon, my beloved crazy clown thing…

Hello, readers! With Lost Thunder coming out so soon, I assume many of you are already testing the new decks coming out in this set. I would love to play around with Alolan Ninetales-GX, Blacephalon-GX, Lost March, and all the other new cards too, but this weekend I’ll be competing in the Lille Special Event in France, our last major tournament before Lost Thunder. Since there are so few major events in Europe compared to North America, each of our Regionals and Special Events hold more relative importance. A great run at even one of those could mean a spot in the European Top 16 for the quarter, which means an invitation to an International Championship. For this reason, I’ve been focused on the pre-Lost Thunder format — I want to stay in the Top 4 to get a paid trip to the Oceania International Championship in February!

So should I talk about the format that I’ve been focusing on that’s not as exciting? Or the one that most people want to hear about with which I have less hands-on experience? The answer, obviously, is both. For those of you going to Lille or still looking for a deck for their last League Cups of the quarter, I’ll be talking about the four decks I’m considering playing this weekend. As usual, I’ll give lists, an analysis of some of the most important choices, and some other options. And for those who just don’t care about the current format anymore, I’ll also discuss how each of these decks will evolve after Lost Thunder. [card name=”Rayquaza-GX” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”109″ c=”name”][/card] fans in particular should rejoice, since I explain how the card will find its way into a new and better deck!

VikaRay

[card name=”Vikavolt” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”52″ c=”name”][/card] / Rayquaza-GX won Special Events in Australia and Chile — the first and the latest Standard major events of the season. It also made Top 8 at every Regional so far, except Santa Catarina where it placed ninth. It’s clear that VikaRay is a great deck that can hold its own despite the ebb and flow of the metagame. For this reason, it’s a safe choice and I expect a decent percentage of the field in Lille to default to it.

VikaRay has no awful matchup, and it’s even one of the best decks to deal with [card name=”Sylveon-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] and other stall decks, should they make another appearance after their success in Frankfurt. The deck’s flaws are well known, though: as a Stage 2 deck its consistency is shaky, and you will lose games through no fault of your own — sometimes, you just won’t find Vikavolt and [card name=”Rare Candy” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”142″ c=”name”][/card] in the same hand.

Although the deck is certainly not as modular as a [card name=”Zoroark-GX” set=”Shining Legends” no=”53″ c=”name”][/card] deck for example, we still saw it adapt to the evolution of the metagame. First, players started running [card name=”Dhelmise” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”22″ c=”name”][/card] and/or [card name=”Shining Lugia” set=”Sun and Moon Black Star Promos” no=”SM82″ c=”name”][/card] to deal with [card name=”Shrine of Punishment” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”143″ c=”name”][/card] decks; and, more recently, Bastian Silva won the Chile Special Event with two copies of [card name=”Lysandre Labs” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”111″ c=”name”][/card] in his deck, a card that can slow down [card name=”Malamar” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card] by shutting off [card name=”Escape Board” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”122″ c=”name”][/card]; since recent Malamar lists don’t run any Stadiums or [card name=”Field Blower” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”125″ c=”name”][/card], they have no recourse against it.

I think Bastian’s list is the reference going forward. Here it is below if you haven’t seen it yet:

[decklist name=”Bastian’s Ray” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Rayquaza-GX” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”109″][pokemon amt=”16″]4x [card name=”Rayquaza-GX” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”109″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Vikavolt” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”52″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Grubbin” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”13″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]1x [card name=”Dhelmise” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”22″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Shining Lugia” set=”Sun and Moon Black Star Promos” no=”SM82″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]2x [card name=”Tapu Lele-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”60″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Marshadow” set=”Shining Legends” no=”45″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Sudowoodo” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”66″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”30″]4x [card name=”Guzma” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”115″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Cynthia” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”119″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Volkner” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”135″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Lillie” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”125″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Pokémon Fan Club” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”133″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Steven’s Resolve” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”145″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”Rare Candy” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”142″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”135″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Nest Ball” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”123″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Mysterious Treasure” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”113″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Energy Recycler” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”123″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Rescue Stretcher” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”130″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Switch” set=”HeartGold and SoulSilver” no=”102″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]2x [card name=”Lysandre Labs” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”111″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”2″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”14″]7x [card name=”Grass Energy” set=”Evolutions” no=”91″ c=”deck2″ amt=”7″][/card]7x [card name=”Lightning Energy” set=”Evolutions” no=”94″ c=”deck2″ amt=”7″][/card][/energy][/decklist] 

Some cards I would consider playing include a second copy of [card name=”Switch” set=”EX Ruby and Sapphire” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] and a fourth [card name=”Grubbin” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”13″ c=”name”][/card]. Beyond its general utility, Switch is specifically used to get Rayquaza-GX into the Active spot on turn one or two in order to use Tempest-GX, so adding a Switch can improve the overall consistency of the deck. As for the fourth Grubbin, the idea is to increase the odds to hit one or two naturally on turn one so that you can use [card name=”Steven’s Resolve” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”145″ c=”name”][/card] to ensure a turn two Vikavolt.

A more ambitious change would be to add a thin line of [card name=”Sceptile” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card]. Sceptile can protect your attackers from [card name=”Buzzwole” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Buzzwole-GX” set=”Crimson Invasion” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] in Buzzwole / [card name=”Lycanroc-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”74″ c=”name”][/card] and Buzzwole / Shrine decks: these decks need a powerful Sledgehammer turn to compete with you, and Sceptile prevents them from getting it. Against Malamar decks, you can prevent your opponent from using Moon’s Eclipse GX to Knock Out your Rayquaza-GX, which is their main comeback mechanic. However, since VikaRay already has a hard time getting a Vikavolt into play, it is probably too optimistic to also get Sceptile early enough that it can have an effect on the game.

After Lost Thunder

Many have claimed that after Lost Thunder the metagame will be unfavorable for Rayquaza-GX. It’s true that Fairy Pokemon will get more popular — mainly Alolan Ninetales-GX, but Granbull has enjoyed some hype as well. What’s more, unlike the other Stage 2 Pokemon that I outlined last week, Vikavolt can’t make good use of Alolan Ninetales-GX itself: you can’t play any other Energy than basic Grass or Lightning, so you can’t use Ninetales’ attacks; and Grubbin and Rayquaza-GX have Retreat Costs greater than one, so you can’t easily retreat to [card name=”Alolan Vulpix” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”21″ c=”name”][/card] on your first turn to use Beacon.

However, Rayquaza-GX gets a new powerful ally in Zeraora-GX, which does three things for the deck:

  • Its Ability lets you switch easily between your Pokemon, eliminating any need for Switch.
  • Plasma Fists is a powerful enough attack. You still want to attack with Dragon Break most of the time, but against Granbull, for example, having an attacker that’s not weak to Fairy should be useful.
  • Most importantly, Full Voltage GX is amazing. Unlike [card name=”Turtonator-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”18″ c=”name”][/card]’s Nitro Tank GX which was limited to Fire Energy, you can bring back any type of basic Energy with it. It’s very possible, thanks to a combination of Stormy Winds, Shuckle, [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”135″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Mysterious Treasure” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”113″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Acro Bike” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”123″ c=”name”][/card], and Sightseer, to discard four to five Energy cards on turn one. You can then use Full Voltage GX to power up two Rayquaza-GX. Thanks to Thunder Mountain Prism Star, you can even use its attack for free! This setup is so powerful that it removes the need to run Vikavolt in the deck. After Lost Thunder, Rayquaza-GX lists can be built more like they were at Worlds.

[premium]

[decklist name=”LT Ray” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Rayquaza-GX” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”109″][pokemon amt=”12″]4x [card name=”Rayquaza-GX” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”109″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x Zeraora-GX (Lost Thunder)2x [card name=”Tapu Lele-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”60″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x Shuckle (Lost Thunder)1x [card name=”Latias Prism Star” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”107″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Tapu Koko-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”47″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/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=”Lillie” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”151″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x Sightseer (Lost Thunder)1x [card name=”Judge” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”143″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”135″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Acro Bike” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”123″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Mysterious Treasure” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”113″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Rescue Stretcher” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”130″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Choice Band” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”121″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Energy Switch” set=”EX Ruby and Sapphire” no=”82″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Field Blower” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”125″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x Thunder Mountain Prism Star (Lost Thunder)[/trainers][energy amt=”15″]10x [card name=”Lightning Energy” set=”XY” no=”135″ c=”deck2″ amt=”10″][/card]5x [card name=”Grass Energy” set=”XY” no=”132″ c=”deck2″ amt=”5″][/card][/energy][/decklist] 

Thanks to Zeraora-GX’s Ability, you have several ways to use Full Voltage GX on turn one even if you don’t start with it. You could get a Lightning Energy on your Active Pokemon, retreat to Zeraora-GX, then use [card name=”Energy Switch” set=”Black and White” no=”94″ c=”name”][/card]; or get a Lightning Energy on a Rayquaza-GX with Stormy Winds, Energy Switch it to your Active Pokemon, and retreat to Zeraora-GX. [card name=”Tapu Koko-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”47″ c=”name”][/card] can replace Energy Switch in that scenario as well.

I would consider including [card name=”Pal Pad” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”132″ c=”name”][/card] in order to recover Supporters — mainly [card name=”Guzma” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”115″ c=”name”][/card] — that could get discarded by Stormy Winds, Sightseer or Acro Bike. More [card name=”Rescue Stretcher” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”130″ c=”name”][/card] would also be good for the same reason.

Finally, I’ll discuss the more marginal choices. Some Japanese lists play a heavy count of [card name=”Wishful Baton” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”128″ c=”name”][/card] in order to save their Energy. The idea isn’t new, and I think it’s still weak. Decks playing either Zoroark-GX or Alolan Ninetales-GX can easily find their Field Blower to discard Wishful Baton before it can have any effect.

[card name=”Po Town” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card] could also work in the deck since Rayquaza-GX doesn’t need any Evolution Pokemon. If it sticks, it adds 30 damage, so it basically plays the role of an extra Energy in play. Of course, since it’s a Stadium, it can also bump opposing Stadiums like Heat Factory Prism Star.

I don’t know how Rayquaza-GX / Zeraora-GX will fare in the metagame yet, but as a deck that only plays Basic Pokemon, it should be the most aggressive deck of the format. Such decks are almost always viable, since even unfavorable matchups can be won through sheer speed. For this reason, I think Rayquaza-GX / Zeraora-GX should not be slept on for the Latin America International Championship.

Buzzwole / Lycanroc-GX

We’ve seen two kinds of Buzzwole / Lycanroc decks do well in the current Standard format.

[cardimg name=”Lycanroc-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”74″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

The first is the type that Pedro Eugenio Torres used in Frankfurt, which I discussed in detail here. This list is focused on non-GX attackers, using [card name=”Magcargo” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”24″ c=”name”][/card]’s Ability and its slower tempo to get a powerful Sledgehammer turn, then switching to Buzzwole-GX and Lycanroc-GX to take its last Prizes.

The second type is the one that’s focused more on [card name=”Buzzwole-GX” set=”Crimson Invasion” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Lycanroc-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”74″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”Tapu Lele-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”60″ c=”name”][/card]. The BuzzRoc lists that found success in Philadelphia were varied, but, for the most part, they fit the mold of this more Pokemon-GX-focused concept. Because of its reliance on Pokemon-GX, it’s worse at forcing the opponent into a Sledgehammer turn, since it’s always possible to Knock Out a non-GX then a GX, skipping from five to three remaining Prizes. In exchange, they will put more pressure on the opponent since Jet Punch is a more powerful attack in the early game. Some lists also played more [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”Evolutions” no=”90″ c=”name”][/card] so they could use Lycanroc-GX’s Claw Slash more reliably.

In my testing, the first style of list is better against [card name=”Rayquaza-GX” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”109″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Vikavolt” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”52″ c=”name”][/card], while the second is better against [card name=”Malamar” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card] decks.

Against VikaRay, getting a Sledgehammer power spike turn is crucial: with some combination of [card name=”Choice Band” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Beast Energy Prism Star” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”117″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Diancie Prism Star” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”74″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Professor Kukui” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”128″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Buzzwole” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] can OHKO a Rayquaza-GX, getting a big lead in the Prize race. This plan doesn’t work as well against Malamar decks because, as long as you don’t bench a Pokemon-GX, they won’t bench one either, meaning your Sledgehammer turn will not be as efficient. Eventually, you’ll run out of steam and won’t be able to deal with [card name=”Deoxys” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”67″ c=”name”][/card]. Of course, Buzzwole-GX is poor in that matchup because of its Psychic Weakness.

Therefore, the best attacker in the Malamar matchup is Lycanroc-GX. If the Malamar deck doesn’t run Choice Band, their only way to KO it is with [card name=”Necrozma-GX” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”63″ c=”name”][/card]’s Prismatic Burst and four Psychic Energy. However, a list with a Lycanroc-GX focus can target down Malamar with Claw Slash, cutting the deck’s Energy acceleration. Plus, if Malamar plays down a Pokemon-GX to deal with Lycanroc-GX, you can then take two Prizes on it with another attacker. Even Moon’s Eclipse GX can be played around by using Guzma and Bloodthirsty Eyes in the same turn to send [card name=”Dawn Wings Necrozma-GX” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”63″ c=”name”][/card] (or [card name=”Marshadow-GX” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”80″ c=”name”][/card]) to the Bench and then back to the Active spot.

The following list is an attempt to combine the two variants. It’s most similar to the Lycanroc focused, anti-Malamar lists, but there’s two Buzzwole-GX and four [card name=”Beast Ring” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”102″ c=”name”][/card] so we can switch to it more easily.

[decklist name=”Buzzwole/Lycanroc (Lille)” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Diancie Prism Star” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”74″][pokemon amt=”15″]3x [card name=”Buzzwole” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”77″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Buzzwole-GX” set=”Crimson Invasion” no=”57″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]3x [card name=”Lycanroc-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”74″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Rockruff” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”75″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Tapu Lele-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”60″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Zygarde-GX” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”73″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Diancie Prism Star” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”74″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”31″]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=”Lillie” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”125″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Professor Kukui” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”128″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Lisia” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”137″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Shining Legends” no=”68″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Beast Ring” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”102″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Choice Band” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”121″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Switch” set=”Evolutions” no=”88″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Nest Ball” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”123″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]3x [card name=”Brooklet Hill” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”120″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”3″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”14″]9x [card name=”Fighting Energy” set=”Evolutions” no=”96″ c=”deck2″ amt=”9″][/card]4x [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”Evolutions” no=”90″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]1x [card name=”Beast Energy Prism Star” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”117″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/energy][/decklist] 

In order to consistently pull off Claw Slash, we play four Double Colorless Energy. [card name=”Zygarde-GX” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”73″ c=”name”][/card], then, is a good option to have in the deck. With Diancie Prism Star in play, Cell Connector is an OHKO on [card name=”Inkay” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”50″ c=”name”][/card], and you can power up another attack for the following turn if you managed to discard some Energy. I wanted to focus a little more on Zygarde-GX, but it ended up being ineffective outside of the Malamar and Zoroark matchups.

I briefly touched on [card name=”Lisia” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”137″ c=”name”][/card] last week. In a Buzzwole variant that plays Tapu Lele-GX, this card is a powerful option for turn one. You can grab [card name=”Diancie Prism Star” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”74″ c=”name”][/card] and Beast Energy Prism Star in order to deal 80 damage with Sledgehammer or Jet Punch. This can mean a turn one KO on Basic Pokemon like [card name=”Rockruff” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Slugma” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”23″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Grubbin” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”13″ c=”name”][/card], and so on. Later in the game, Lisia is less powerful since you’ll most likely have Diancie in play already, but you can always use it to find your Beast Energy.

The one [card name=”Nest Ball” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”123″ c=”name”][/card] is just to give you better odds of having a powerful turn one. We could play a fourth [card name=”Brooklet Hill” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”120″ c=”name”][/card] instead, but the extra Stadiums have a tendency to get stuck in your hand.

Some other cards to consider are [card name=”Judge” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”143″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Acerola” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”112″ c=”name”][/card]. If you use Bloodthirsty Eyes on the same turn as Judge, you can disrupt both your opponent’s board by taking out a key Pokemon and their hand. This, in addition to the deck’s fast tempo, is why Judge may be more effective in BuzzRoc than other decks. As for Acerola, the idea is that many decks struggle to OHKO Lycanroc-GX. If your opponent tries to two-shot it, you can then play Acerola to heal Lycanroc-GX and evolve another Rockruff at the same time to use one more Bloodthirsty Eyes. However, in practice, you can only make this play if you already have an Energy on Rockruff or another attacker ready, otherwise you’d prevent yourself from attacking. Therefore, Acerola is often a “win more” play.

After Lost Thunder

The main card that could improve Buzzwole / Lycanroc is Alolan Ninetales-GX. I already talked at length about the deck last week, so go read the article if you missed it! The short version is that you can use Ninetales’s Ability to find Beast Ring (two of them, even!), which means that the deck finally has a way to reliably access its best card. You can also attack with Ninetales thanks to [card name=”Unit Energy FDY” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”118″ c=”name”][/card].

It’s still possible to run Buzzwole / Lycanroc without Ninetales. What such a list would look like will depend on the metagame, and I wouldn’t recommend it until we have a clearer picture of it. The Champions League in Tokyo actually featured such a deck in the Top 8, but it looked weird: it played three [card name=”Tapu Koko” set=”Sun and Moon Black Star Promos” no=”SM30″ c=”name”][/card] and Shuckle-GX! My first instinct is to call the list bad, but I’m sure there’s a reason the deck did well. Whether it was due to a favorable metagame, or the variance of a nine round, top 16, best-of-one tournament, is another question. In any case, with Blacephalon-GX / Naganadel and Malamar variants being some of the most hyped decks for the post-Lost Thunder format, I don’t think that Shuckle-GX is relevant for now.

Zoroark-GX / Solgaleo-GX

[cardimg name=”Weavile” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”74″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

It’s no secret that I’ve found [card name=”Zoroark-GX” set=”Shining Legends” no=”53″ c=”name”][/card] underwhelming since the start of the season. The deck has issues with consistency and with many matchups. Unless someone comes up with an amazing list in the last days before Lille, the only Zoroark variant I’d consider playing there is Solgaleo-GX. Removing Zoroark’s Weakness helps make the Malamar, BuzzRoc, and Buzz / [card name=”Shrine of Punishment” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”143″ c=”name”][/card] matchups more favorable. Although I initially wanted to included both the [card name=”Solgaleo-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”89″ c=”from”][/card] and the promo Solgaleo-GX, I think it’s not realistic in the current metagame as you already struggle setting up one Stage 2. Instead, I’ve decided to exclude the Sun and Moon Solgaleo-GX. This allows me to switch to Dark Energy and have the possibility to use Trickster GX.

Inspired by Andrew Mahone’s list, I also added [card name=”Weavile” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”74″ c=”name”][/card] into the deck. There are many reasons to include Weavile. It’s a non-GX attacker. It has no Ability, so it isn’t bothered by [card name=”Chimecho” set=”Crimson Invasion” no=”43″ c=”name”][/card]. Most importantly, it’s a huge threat against decks like Malamar, Zoroark, and Rayquaza / Vikavolt: it has the OHKO potential that Sunsteel Strike brought to the table, but for a single Energy. It’s fair to say that Zoroark / Weavile would be the best Zoroark variant if it wasn’t for the huge issue of their shared Fighting Weakness. That’s why Weavile is the perfect Pokemon to run in a deck that can remove this Weakness.

Here’s my current list:

[decklist name=”Zoroark/Solgaleo (Lille)” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Tapu Lele-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”60″][pokemon amt=”18″]4x [card name=”Zoroark-GX” set=”Shining Legends” no=”53″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Zorua” set=”Sun and Moon Black Star Promos” no=”SM83″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x Solgaleo-GX (PRSM)2x [card name=”Cosmog” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”64″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Weavile” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”74″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Sneasel” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”73″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Tapu Lele-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”60″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”34″]4x [card name=”Lillie” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”125″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Guzma” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”115″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Cynthia” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”119″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Mallow” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”127″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Professor Kukui” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”128″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Shining Legends” no=”68″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Nest Ball” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”123″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Rare Candy” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”142″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Great Ball” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”119″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Max Potion” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”128″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Choice Band” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”121″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Rescue Stretcher” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”130″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]2x [card name=”Devoured Field” set=”Crimson Invasion” no=”93″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”2″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”8″]4x [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”Evolutions” no=”90″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Darkness Energy” set=”Evolutions” no=”97″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card][/energy][/decklist] 

I explained some of the choices, like [card name=”Max Potion” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”128″ c=”name”][/card], the first time I discussed Zoroark / Solgaleo. I switched to [card name=”Great Ball” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”119″ c=”name”][/card] because it’s the best engine we have right now, but that’s not saying much. I started with a 1-1 Weavile line, but switched to 2-2 since it was so effective and I didn’t want to rely too much on [card name=”Rescue Stretcher” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”130″ c=”name”][/card]. It feels better and also gives you more cards to find with Great Ball, thus minimizing the randomness of the card. Still, I’ll have to test the deck a little bit more to see if it’s optimal.

After Lost Thunder

Zoroark / Solgaleo heavily benefits from Lost Thunder. The card it wants most is clearly Professor Elm’s Lecture, which is an easy three-of in the deck. Ditto Prism Star also fits in, as in every Zoroark variant. The only thing that gets worse for the deck after Lost Thunder is that there may be better partners for Zoroark-GX. If Blacephalon-GX / Naganadel and Rayquaza-GX / Zeraora-GX become the main threats of the format, removing Zoroark’s Fighting Weakness may be less important. Also, if Japanese results are any indication, it’s easy to tech a small line of Weavile into Zoroark-GX / Lycanroc-GX. This could be a huge issue as Zoroark / Solgaleo is particularly weak to Weavile. You may think that it’s no less weak to Weavile than Zoroark / Lycanroc, for example; but the difference is that you can generally keep your Lycanroc-GX in hand to use its Ability only the turn when you need it, whereas you have every incentive to evolve Solgaleo-GX as soon as you have both it and [card name=”Rare Candy” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”142″ c=”name”][/card] in hand.

Ho-Oh-GX / Kiawe

Yes, I know. Some may call it an obsession, but I’m still confident that [card name=”Ho-Oh-GX” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”21″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Kiawe” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”116″ c=”name”][/card] is underrated right now. Sure, its games depend more than any other deck on whether it gets a good opening turn, but it has the consistency to get that good opening. I’ve already written a lot about the deck, so I’ll only discuss the things that changed. First, here’s my current list:

[decklist name=”Ho-Oh/Kiawe (Lille)” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Marshadow” set=”Shining Legends” no=”45″][pokemon amt=”14″]3x [card name=”Ho-Oh-GX” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”21″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/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]1x [card name=”Turtonator-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”18″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Reshiram” set=”Shining Legends” no=”14″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”Tapu Lele-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”60″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]1x [card name=”Marshadow” set=”Shining Legends” no=”45″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”32″]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″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Professor Kukui” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”128″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Shining Legends” no=”68″ 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″ divide=”yes” amt=”2″][/card]4x [card name=”Po Town” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”121″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”4″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”14″]14x [card name=”Fire Energy” set=”Evolutions” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”14″][/card][/energy][/decklist][cardimg name=”Reshiram” set=”Shining Legends” no=”14″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

The only change since Frankfurt Regionals was the addition of a [card name=”Reshiram” set=”Shining Legends” no=”14″ c=”name”][/card], as the deck was missing a non-GX attacker to deal with non-GX decks.

VikaRay and Zoroark are still positive matchups. Again, I refer you to my previous guide to the deck for more details.

Now that Buzzwole / Shrine decks have dropped some Shrine of Punishment, it’s far easier to win the Stadium war that defines that matchup. Reshiram is also a great addition as it can OHKO anything and isn’t threatened by anything outside of a power spiked Sledgehammer. It’s not uncommon for you to build a board of Ho-Oh-GX, [card name=”Salazzle-GX” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”25″ c=”name”][/card] and Reshiram, only playing a small number of Items. This means that [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card] won’t be effective and Weavile won’t be either since none of these Pokemon have Abilities. Unless they manage to stick a Shrine of Punishment in play for a long time, you aren’t threatened by anything.

Buzzwole / Lycanroc feels fairly even. Here as well, Reshiram helps if they try to go for the non-GX plan, while Ho-Oh can deal with Buzzwole-GX as long as you can find your [card name=”Choice Band” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Professor Kukui” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”128″ c=”name”][/card].

As for Malamar, lists have shifted away from GX-heavy variants, so they aren’t even that bad if you can focus down the Malamar with Salazzle-GX and Reshiram. Most recent Malamar lists don’t play Choice Band, so neither [card name=”Mimikyu” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”58″ c=”name”][/card] nor [card name=”Dawn Wings Necrozma-GX” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”63″ c=”name”][/card] can one-shot Ho-Oh-GX. This means their only option to deal with a Ho-Oh is [card name=”Necrozma-GX” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”63″ c=”name”][/card]’s Prismatic Burst. If you’ve already taken three Prizes, Salazzle-GX can then clean up by hitting Necrozma-GX for 180 with a Choice Band. The game therefore boils down to whether you can take enough Prizes in the early game. [card name=”Lysandre Prism Star” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”110″ c=”name”][/card] is still a consideration to remove Psychic Energy from the discard the turn after Prismatic Burst, although I’m not sure it does enough in most scenarios, as Malamar decks often have enough Energy in the discard by the mid game that removing three or four with Lysandre Prism Star doesn’t bother them.

If I can’t find anything that convinces me, I might go back and playing Ho-Oh this weekend. It would probably be the deck’s last ride, though. After Lost Thunder, it’s hard even for me to find a reason to play it. Rayquaza-GX / Zeraora-GX has basically the same game plan of accelerating Energy onto the field early, but is simply more powerful. In the head-to-head as well, Zeraora-GX should destroy the big bird because of its Lightning Weakness. Of course, Blacephalon-GX / Naganadel is also a better deck than Ho-Oh / Kiawe. Both decks give the same guarantee that if you have enough Energy in play, something is getting KO’d, but Blacephalon has consistent Energy acceleration and is barely slower than Ho-Oh: you can also use Kiawe if you want to, or you can use Blacephalon’s GX attack to draw a Prize while you’re still setting up. So if you’re planning to try out Ho-Oh-GX, now is probably the last time it will be relevant.

Signing Out

That’s all from me this week! If you’re attending the Special Event in Lille this weekend, don’t hesitate to come say hi! It’s always a pleasure to meet readers. For the rest of you, I hope this article can still prove useful, either to find success at local events or to help prepare for Lost Thunder. The new set is coming soon, and the first International Championship of the season with it. I’m very excited for both and I’ll update you on my testing next week!

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