The New Forbidden One — Expanded ExTOADia and Standard Steelix
Hello everyone! This is Grant here once again.
[cardimg name=”Seismitoad-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”20″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]
In preparation for Dallas Regionals, I’ve been thinking a great deal about the [card name=”Zoroark-GX” set=”Shining Legends” no=”53″ c=”name”][/card] Exodia deck that has gotten so much attention recently. The turn one combo of [card name=”Red Card” set=”Generations” no=”71″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Delinquent” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”98″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”Peeking Red Card” set=”Crimson Invasion” no=”97″ c=”name”][/card] is the most degenerate thing I’ve ever seen in this game, and one of the most powerful combos ever made. The Zoroark-GX version that made Top 4 in Anaheim has become quite the hot topic in Expanded, and that got me thinking: couldn’t one theoretically run the Exodia engine with anything? After all, the hand lock combo doesn’t rely on any specific Pokemon outside of [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card], so you don’t necessarily have to partner it with Zoroark.
Previously, the only alternative I had ever thought about was [card name=”Absol” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”81″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Sableye” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”62″ c=”name”][/card]. I had a deck which used [card name=”Marshadow-GX” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”80″ c=”name”][/card] to copy Sableye’s Junk Hunt so that I could use [card name=”Hiker” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”133″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Trick Shovel” set=”Flashfire” no=”98″ c=”name”][/card] every turn following the initial lock. Marshadow-GX could also use Absol’s Future Sight when needed, and use Doom News to OHKO everything while my opponent was powerless to respond. Unfortunately, I could never get this deck to the point where I considered it to be competitive enough in Expanded.
It wasn’t until all of this recent Exodia hype that I began to consider other alternatives. I tossed around considerations of [card name=”Buzzwole-GX” set=”Crimson Invasion” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] Exodia and [card name=”Exeggutor” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”5″ c=”name”][/card] Exodia. Buzzwole could dish out tons of pressure for only one Energy while your opponent dead draws, and Exeggutor can enforce a hard lock along with [card name=”Silent Lab” set=”Primal Clash” no=”140″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Dragons Exalted” no=”54″ c=”name”][/card], though it doesn’t get going until turn two at the earliest. The most promising idea was actually suggested to me by Tye Pellecchia a few weeks ago, and we’ve been refining the list since then.
While I cannot definitively say that it’s better than Zoroark, [card name=”Seismitoad-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”106″ c=”name”][/card] Exodia is my favorite option at the moment and I believe that it’s the best one. Seismitoad can start attacking on turn one if you go second, which helps to make up for the lessened effect of Exodia when going second. Furthermore, Quaking Punch locks Items, which handicaps just about every deck. Not only does Item lock limit an opponent’s outs to escape the hand lock, but it lets you win “real” games when you don’t immediately win due to Exodia. For example, the [card name=”Blastoise” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”31″ c=”name”][/card] matchup is favorable even when they go first and get Blastoise out. This is because Item lock is so crippling to Blastoise throughout the entire game. Here’s my current list:
ExTOADia
[decklist name=”exTOADia” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Sudowoodo” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”66″][pokemon amt=”10″]4x [card name=”Seismitoad-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”106″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”106″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]1x [card name=”Tapu Lele-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”137″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Sudowoodo” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”66″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”46″]2x [card name=”Cynthia” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”119″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Delinquent” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”98″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Team Flare Grunt” set=”XY” no=”129″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Guzma” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”115″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”109″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Fates Collide” no=”113″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Trainers’ Mail” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Order Pad” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”131″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Super Scoop Up” set=”Unleashed” no=”83″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Hypnotoxic Laser” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”123″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Red Card” set=”Generations” no=”71″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Peeking Red Card” set=”Crimson Invasion” no=”97″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Muscle Band” set=”XY” no=”121″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Float Stone” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”99″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Computer Search” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”137″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”Virbank City Gym” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”126″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”4″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”4″]4x [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”HeartGold and SoulSilver” no=”103″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card][/energy][/decklist]
Like with the Zoroark-GX build, ExTOADia aims to get the turn one hand lock combo without committing the full 60 cards to the first turn. If Exodia decks were to truly go all in with the combo, Delinquent would be the only Supporter and there wouldn’t be cards like [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”109″ c=”name”][/card]. Like Zoroark Exodia, this deck still wants to win games when the opponent draws out of the lock, or when you whiff the combo in the first place. However, unlike with Zoroark, opponents who escape the lock are permanently crippled by Quaking Punch.
Card Explanations
Four Seismitoad-EX
In this flavor of Exodia, Seismitoad is our attacker. I run four copies because I want to start with Seismioad in order to begin using Quaking Punch as early as possible. Additionally, sometimes a Seismioad or two will be KO’d over the course of a game, and we want to have a backup ready on the Bench.
One Sudowoodo
[card name=”Sudowoodo” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”66″ c=”name”][/card] is excellent to have against Zoroark decks, especially against opposing Exodia builds. Sudowoodo makes it extremely difficult, or even impossible in some situations, for Zoroark to OHKO a Seismioad.
[cardimg name=”Peeking Red Card” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”169″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]
Exodia Engine
By “Exodia Engine” I am referring to all of the cards that are included specifically to hit the Exodia combo on turn one: four [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card], one [card name=”Tapu Lele-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”60″ c=”name”][/card], two Delinquent, four [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Shining Legends” no=”68″ c=”name”][/card], four [card name=”Trainers’ Mail” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card], four [card name=”Order Pad” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”131″ c=”name”][/card], four Red Card, three Peeking Red Card, [card name=”Computer Search” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”137″ c=”name”][/card], and four [card name=”Virbank City Gym” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”126″ c=”name”][/card].
Most of these cards are obvious inclusions. Ultra Ball is the most useful card as it lowers your hand size while simultaneously drawing more cards via Shaymin, and it can turn into Delinquent via Tapu Lele-GX.
I run four Red Card and three Peeking Red Card, which leans on the heavy side when compared to other Exodia builds that prefer a low 2-2 split. Skimping on these cards seems atrocious to me considering that you have to draw them in a specific order to get the lock. Red Card is the first thing you need, so it makes sense to play four of them. You don’t need Peeking Red Card until later in the turn, so four copies isn’t a necessity.
Four [card name=”Super Scoop Up” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”146″ c=”name”][/card] are nice to have because they can let you reuse a Shaymin to help find the combo, and they can completely heal Seismitoad-EX after taking a hit.
[premium]
One Guzma
I was originally testing [card name=”Plumeria” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”120″ c=”name”][/card] to handle threats on the Bench, but I found that I would rather have [card name=”Guzma” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”115″ c=”name”][/card] to start attacking the threat directly.
Guzma is also a good answer to Paralyzing Gaze and Chilling Sigh. Without it, you’d have to rely on flipping heads with Super Scoop Up.
Two Team Flare Grunt
Seismitoad-EX + Energy denial has proven to be a winning recipe time and time again. [card name=”Team Flare Grunt” set=”Generations” no=”73″ c=”name”][/card] is instrumental in winning games when your opponent actually gets to play.
Two Cynthia
I wouldn’t have expected a deck like this to have much use for draw Supporters, but I ended up using [card name=”Cynthia” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”119″ c=”name”][/card] often in testing. In fact, I started with one and upped it to two because she is so useful.
You could run [card name=”Colress” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”118″ c=”name”][/card] instead, but Cynthia seems safer in case you need to bail out of a bad opening hand. [card name=”N” set=”Fates Collide” no=”105″ c=”name”][/card] is obviously terrible in this deck because you don’t want to ever give your opponent six cards, and [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”101″ c=”name”][/card] ends up discarding important resources like [card name=”Hypnotoxic Laser” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”123″ c=”name”][/card]s and Scoop Ups more often than not.
[cardimg name=”Hypnotoxic Laser” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”123″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]
Four Hypnotoxic Laser, Four Virbank City Gym, Two Muscle Band
This deck would be terrible without damage modifiers. The Exodia combo is useless if you can’t take KOs to finish off the opponent. Seismitoad on its own doesn’t deal enough damage and gives the opponent time to draw out of the hand lock, which is why these cards are needed. The LaserBank combo makes this deck formidable, even in games when you don’t immediately win due to Exodia. Boosted Poison damage offers some much needed pressure, especially when combined with Item lock.
One Float Stone
[card name=”Float Stone” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”137″ c=”name”][/card] is useful in case you open with something other than Seismitoad. I thought the Super Scoop Up would be enough but after testing without Float Stone, I always wished I had it.
ExTOADia Matchups
For this deck in particular, it is difficult to classify matchups in terms of how favorable they are. If you hit the Exodia hand lock combo, you will most likely win because this combo is completely uncounterable. However, you will often whiff the turn one lock, which is why this deck needs to be able to win normal games. For the matchups section, I’ll discuss how the matchups go assuming your opponent actually gets to play the game. For the most part, matchups are slightly unfavorable if the opponent manages to set up.
Zoroark / Garbodor
The [card name=”Zoroark-GX” set=”Shining Legends” no=”53″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] matchup is basically an auto-loss if they play both [card name=”Oranguru” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”114″ c=”name”][/card] with Resource Management and [card name=”Pokémon Ranger” set=”Steam Siege” no=”104″ c=”name”][/card]. Without Ranger, the matchup is manageable because they have no way to OHKO [card name=”Seismitoad-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”20″ c=”name”][/card] with Zoroark when Sudowoodo is out, which means their [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”Shining Legends” no=”69″ c=”name”][/card] get little value before being discarded by Team Flare Grunt. Trashalanche will usually be able to OHKO Seismioad, but they run very few copies of Psychic Energy. When you lose a Seismitoad to Trashalanche, use [card name=”Red Card” set=”Generations” no=”71″ c=”name”][/card], Flare Grunt, and hope they don’t draw another Psychic Energy before the Garbodor goes down.
Oranguru is a bit of a problem here. If the opponent doesn’t play Oranguru, they basically have no chance of winning. If you see Oranguru, it’s something you want to take out ASAP before it can do too much damage with Resource Management. Your primary weapon in this matchup is using Team Flare Grunt to exploit Zoroark’s low Energy counts. However, Oranguru’s infinite Energy recursion nullifies that advantage. Overall, Oranguru is difficult to deal with but it by no means turns this matchup into an auto-loss.
Zoroark / Exodia
This matchup is pure chaos, so you just have to hope for the best. If both decks manage to set up, Seismitoad will win due to Sudowoodo and Flare Grunt.
Blastoise
I was surprised to find that this matchup is solidly in Seismitoad’s favor even when [card name=”Blastoise” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”31″ c=”name”][/card] goes first. Seismitoad is only in real trouble if the opponent goes first, gets Blastoise out, gets [card name=”Float Stone” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”137″ c=”name”][/card] on [card name=”Keldeo-EX” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”49″ c=”name”][/card], and gets more than five or six Energy in play. Blastoise decks play so many Items, and they can only do so much on the turn before they get Item locked. The combination of Laser, Flare Grunt, and constant Quaking Punches is enough to straight up beat Blastoise. There is no unique strategy here. Let Seismitoad do its thing and you will usually win. Once you establish Item lock, a simple Red Card is usually enough to leave Blastoise stuck for a few turns due to their low Supporter counts.
Buzzwole
Buzzwole generally has a good time against Exodia because of how much value it gets out of one Energy. Fortunately, LaserBank allows you to 2HKO everything, while Flare Grunt offers its usual modicum of disruption. Baby [card name=”Buzzwole” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] will get two uses out of its maximum power Sledgehammer, which is unfortunate yet unavoidable unless you manage to put it to sleep. Like most of Exodia’s matchups, this one is luck based and depends on how well the opponent draws and how many attackers they are able to set up. And the more heads you flip, the better.
Standard Steelix
[decklist name=”lix” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Dhelmise” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”59″][pokemon amt=”15″]2x [card name=”Steelix ” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”125″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Steelix” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”89″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]4x [card name=”Onix ” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”109″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Oranguru” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”113″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Magcargo” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”24″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Slugma” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”23″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Sudowoodo” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”66″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Registeel” set=”Crimson Invasion” no=”68″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Dhelmise” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”59″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”34″]4x [card name=”Lillie” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”122″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]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]1x [card name=”Tate & Liza” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”148″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”93″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Nest Ball” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”123″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Metal Frying Pan” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”144″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Rescue Stretcher” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”130″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Switch” set=”Diamond and Pearl” no=”119″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Escape Rope” set=”Primal Clash” no=”127″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Big Malasada” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”114″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”Shrine of Punishment” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”143″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”4″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”11″]7x [card name=”Metal Energy” set=”XY” no=”139″ c=”deck2″ amt=”7″][/card]4x [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”Next Destinies” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card][/energy][/decklist]
What’s great about Quad Steelix is that it might be the most simple deck of all time. All you do is attach Energy to Steelix and attack. That’s all there is to it. If I remember correctly, this list is similar to a few others going around. I don’t remember who originally made the deck, but whoever it was did such a good job that I only changed a few things.
Editor’s note: The first person to place highly with Steelix was Adrian Fjell at Harrogate Regionals. His list is likely the one Grant based his on.
Card Explanations
Zero Victini and Zero Ditto Prism Star
A lot of Steelix lists going around run both of these cards, but I think they are both bad.
Committing a Bench spot to [card name=”Victini” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] seems like it would, at best, offer a marginal payoff in rare situations. Landing a OHKO on [card name=”Gardevoir-GX” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”93″ c=”name”][/card] doesn’t matter because that matchup is completely free anyway.
Ditto’s HP is too low and running four Onix is more than enough, meaning Ditto is at most a worse second [card name=”Slugma” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”23″ c=”name”][/card].
2/2 Steelix Split
[cardimg name=”Steelix” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”125″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]
I don’t know which Steelix is better, so I run two of each. The [card name=”Steelix” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”89″ c=”from”][/card] has Tackle for 30 for a DCE, and it has 10 more HP than the other Steelix. However, the [card name=”Steelix” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”125″ c=”from”][/card] has an attack for 90 and a big daddy attack for 170. For the most part, they both get the job done so I don’t think it matters too much.
Steelix is the main attacker because it has a lot of HP for a non-GX, and [card name=”Metal Frying Pan” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”112″ c=”name”][/card] turns it into a terrifying tank. The few Pokemon in the format that can OHKO Steelix can only do so under extremely demanding conditions, such as Buzzwole needing [card name=”Beast Energy Prism Star” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”117″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Blacephalon-GX” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”52″ c=”name”][/card] needs to Lost Zone five Energy, and Lost March needs like eight-trillion Pokemon in the Lost Zone. Therefore, Steelix Prize trades favorably against everything.
Two Oranguru and One Magcargo
I couldn’t think of anything better to pair with Steelix, so I went with the [card name=”Oranguru” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”113″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Magcargo” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”24″ c=”name”][/card] package.
Magcargo is a useful boost to consistency, but it isn’t the end of the world if a piece is prized. I don’t consider it important enough to run a 2-2 line.
Oranguru is more useful in my opinion because it turns [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”135″ c=”name”][/card] into a draw card. I run two because I always want one in play and don’t want to risk Prizing a single copy. Oranguru’s Psychic is a useful attack from time to time, so don’t forget about it!
One Sudowoodo
[card name=”Sudowoodo” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”66″ c=”name”][/card] is useful to some extent against everything, but its main use is against [card name=”Zoroark-GX” set=”Shining Legends” no=”53″ c=”name”][/card]. With Sudowoodo and Metal Frying Pan, Riotous Beating maxes out at a laughable 70 damage. Limiting Zoroark-GX / [card name=”Decidueye-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”12″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Alolan Ninetales-GX ” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”132″ c=”name”][/card]’s Bench is extremely useful in that matchup.
One Registeel and One Dhelmise
[card name=”Registeel” set=”Crimson Invasion” no=”68″ c=”name”][/card] is great against Lost March in particular because it can OHKO a [card name=”Natu” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”87″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Hoppip” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”12″ c=”name”][/card] with [card name=”Dhelmise” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”59″ c=”name”][/card] on the Bench while charging up a Steelix. It can also set up numbers for double Shrine KO’s versus decks like Blacephalon and Buzzwole.
I played in a League Cup with a list running two Registeel, but I think that is unnecessary with the two [card name=”Rescue Stretcher” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”130″ c=”name”][/card]s.
Aside from being good with Registeel, Dhelmise makes Steelix’s Tackle hit the same math as Registeel. It can help Steelix 2HKO Zoroark and OHKO [card name=”Alolan Ninetales-GX” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”132″ c=”name”][/card].
One Tate & Liza
Despite being one of the worst cards in the game, [card name=”Tate & Liza” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”148″ c=”name”][/card] is useful as an extra draw Supporter in the deck, and its switching effect can be helpful because every Pokemon has a high Retreat Cost.
Two Rescue Stretcher
You could conceivably get away with one Stretcher, but two feels safer to me and allows you to get maximum value out of the multiple one-of Pokemon in the deck. Recovering Magcargo and Sudowoodo in particular can help if your opponent targets them.
One Switch and One Escape Rope
Since everyone has a high Retreat Cost, these cards are needed to move around your Pokemon and escape Blacephalon’s Bursting Burn. While you could run two of either one, I prefer a 1/1 split because Magcargo allows you to be picky based on the situation.
One Big Malasada
[card name=”Big Malasada” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”114″ c=”name”][/card] is useful against just about everything to some extent, but its primary purpose is to heal Bursting Burn if you flip heads on Burn. If you flipped tails, Malasada doesn’t help your math so you are better off using a switching card.
Four Shrine of Punishment
[cardimg name=”Shrine of Punishment” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”143″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]
[card name=”Shrine of Punishment” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”143″ c=”name”][/card] helps out Steelix’s math a lot. It allows for 2HKO’s against high-HP Pokemon-GX like Zoroark-GX, [card name=”Lycanroc-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”74″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”Buzzwole-GX” set=”Crimson Invasion” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card]. You can also use Shrine to take a four-Prize turn against Blacephalon to avoid [card name=”Beast Ring” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”102″ c=”name”][/card] if you’re clever about it. Finally, Shrine allows Steelix to easily OHKO Alolan Ninetales-GX.
Matchups
ZoroDeciTales — Slightly Favorable
On paper, this matchup seems like an auto-win, though I put it closer to 52-48 in practice. Sudowoodo is actually amazing and you want to get it out ASAP. What makes this matchup close is all of ZDT’s annoying one-ofs: [card name=”Enhanced Hammer” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”124″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Max Potion” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”128″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Field Blower” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”125″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”Acerola” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”112″ c=”name”][/card]. Additionally, they can use Hollow Hunt GX to retrieve said one-ofs, though sometimes [card name=”Yveltal-GX” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”79″ c=”name”][/card]’s Doom Count GX is better. However, it is absurdly difficult for ZDT to actually get through multiple Steelix, so they have to resort to using gust effects and Feather Arrows to take most of their Prizes off the Bench.
Meanwhile, Shrine of Punishment mercilessly ticks uncontested, allowing Steelix to easily 2HKO Zoroark and OHKO Ninetales. As I said, Steelix is a simple deck, so there isn’t a whole lot of strategy in any of its games.
Blacephalon — Favorable
The Blacephalon matchup is solidly in Steelix’s favor. [card name=”Naganadel” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”108″ c=”name”][/card] does basically no damage, so they are forced to attack with Blacephalon-GX or [card name=”Tapu Lele-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”60″ c=”name”][/card] for the entire game. Fortunately for Steelix, Metal Frying Pan removes Weakness and Blacephalon doesn’t run Field Blower, so they have to get rid of five Energy to OHKO a Steelix.
Most of the time, the Blacephalon player will go for Bursting Burn, so you need to have a switching card handy. While Bursting Burn does put Steelix into the range of a four-Energy Mind Blown, it essentially gives you a free turn, so it’s not all bad.
If you have the opportunity to set up a double-KO via Shrine, you definitely want to do that to skip Beast Ring, though it isn’t the end of the world if that opportunity doesn’t present itself.
Buzzwole — Favorable
Buzzwole sucks against Steelix. All you need to do is attach Energy to Steelix and attack; it’s pretty easy.
Since baby Buzzwole is difficult to OHKO, try to go from five to three Prizes to avoid multiple attacks from maximum power Sledgehammer.
Buzzwole players are generally pretty nice and give you a search engine via [card name=”Brooklet Hill” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”120″ c=”name”][/card], so be sure to thank them.
Fairy Decks like Granbull and Gardevoir — Super Free
Fairies are weak to Metal… so Steelix destroys them.
Lost March — Favorable
Registeel and Steelix’s Tackle can OHKO [card name=”Hoppip” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”12″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Natu” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”87″ c=”name”][/card] as long as Dhelmise is out. It is difficult for Lost March to OHKO Steelix while Steelix effortlessly mows down anything Lost March can throw at it.
Magcargo and Oranguru make Steelix immune to mid/late game Let Loose from [card name=”Marshadow” set=”Shining Legends” no=”45″ c=”name”][/card], though there’s the possibility of dead drawing off it on turn one.
Conclusion
I’m pretty sure Steelix beats everything. It’s exceptionally good right now, destroying other Shrine decks like Buzzwole and [card name=”Tapu Koko” set=”Sun and Moon Black Star Promos” no=”SM30″ c=”name”][/card], as they can’t deal much damage to Steelix. I plan on playing it for any Standard Cups that come my way in the near future. I actually went 3-1 and was the only one to bubble out of Top 4 at the Cup I did play it at. My loss was the second game I ever played with the deck and I made a small error that cost me the game.
Overall though, Steelix is extremely simple to play and has great matchups all around. ExTOADia also has the potential to be broken, though it is a purely luck based deck.
Thanks for reading!
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