Alt. Format Kingdra/Tapu-Koko Post Burning Shadows

[TheDude133]

With more cards being announced for Burning Shadows, one caught my eye. The new Kingdra. Here's a quick take on the deck. Keep in mind this is POST-ROTATION. (Assuming its BREAKthrough on)

Kingdra – Water – HP140
Stage 2 – Evolves from Seadra

[W] Brine: Choose 1 of your opponent’s Pokemon with damage counters on it. This attack does 90 damage to it.

[W] Tornado Shot: 90 damage. Discard a [W] Energy attached to this Pokemon. This attack does 30 damage to 1 of your opponent’s Benched Pokemon. (Don’t apply Weakness and Resistance when damaging the Bench.)

Weakness: Grass (x2)
Resistance: none
Retreat: 1


4 Kingdra
1 Seadra
4 Horsea
3 Tapu-Koko (Mini)
2 Tapu-Lele GX
1 Oricorio
14 Pokemon

4 Professor Sycamore
4 N
2 Guzma
1 Skyla
11 Supporters

4 Ultra Ball
4 Rare Candy
4 Choice Band
4 Puzzle of Time
2 Field Blower
1 Switch
1 Super Rod
23 Items

2 Brooklet Hill
2 Stadiums

8 Water Energy
4 Double Colorless
12 Energy

 

[lukas2aces]

Very interesting. Although I'm not that experienced and I have to say that this is really difficult to say now (post-rotation), I think this could be a bit of an 'anti-deck', because it deals great damage to benched Pokemon (instead of active Pokemon).

However, I feel like such a deck need some main attackers as well (basically hitting hard, opponent retreating and then finishing). Maybe a Drampa GX or Tauros GX or something, it looks like you need a little time to set up. Sure Tapu Koko could attack quite fast, but would like a DCE, so I would advise to add at least 2, since Tapu Lele and maybe after adding Drampa of Tauros, they all run great on DCE.

Since you're not gonna use the GX attack of Tapu Lele (since you don't have any Psychic energy and that attack is not the best GX attack most of the times), adding another GX card with the possibility of using that GX move might be a good idea? I think Lapras GX could work (hard hitter), but Tapu Fini GX could maybe fit in great as well, because it also runs an attack doing damage to a benched Pokemon (but does require to discard two water energy) and has a GX attack which might be useful. At least it supports the idea of your deck, I think!

I also think that 4 Sycamore and 4 N is a little overkill? Especially since you use 2 Tapu Lele GX, so you should be able to find them when you need them most of the times.

I have my doubts about Brooklet Hill, you could only use it to search for Horsea at the moment, but I'm not sure which stadium card should replace it. Adding a Delinquent when you used Brooklet Hill enough could be interesting however, especially when your opponent has 3 cards in his hand (has made a huge difference in some games for me).

 

[TheDude133]

Very interesting. Although I'm not that experienced and I have to say that this is really difficult to say now (post-rotation), I think this could be a bit of an 'anti-deck', because it deals great damage to benched Pokemon (instead of active Pokemon).

However, I feel like such a deck need some main attackers as well (basically hitting hard, opponent retreating and then finishing). Maybe a Drampa GX or Tauros GX or something, it looks like you need a little time to set up. Sure Tapu Koko could attack quite fast, but would like a DCE, so I would advise to add at least 2, since Tapu Lele and maybe after adding Drampa of Tauros, they all run great on DCE.

Since you're not gonna use the GX attack of Tapu Lele (since you don't have any Psychic energy and that attack is not the best GX attack most of the times), adding another GX card with the possibility of using that GX move might be a good idea? I think Lapras GX could work (hard hitter), but Tapu Fini GX could maybe fit in great as well, because it also runs an attack doing damage to a benched Pokemon (but does require to discard two water energy) and has a GX attack which might be useful. At least it supports the idea of your deck, I think!

I also think that 4 Sycamore and 4 N is a little overkill? Especially since you use 2 Tapu Lele GX, so you should be able to find them when you need them most of the times.

I have my doubts about Brooklet Hill, you could only use it to search for Horsea at the moment, but I'm not sure which stadium card should replace it. Adding a Delinquent when you used Brooklet Hill enough could be interesting however, especially when your opponent has 3 cards in his hand (has made a huge difference in some games for me).

I was thinking of adding Drampa GX in here, but here's where I'm split at. I'm trying to figure out the ratio of how many times you're going to use Kingdra's first attack vs his second. If im not gonna use his second as much as I think, and basically use it to get multiple kills in one turn, then DCE would be better. I need to test more to get an understanding of which attack takes priority.

I understand how the Supporter line look big, but this is close to the BLW days, and while yes, we do have Tapu-Lele, we don't have VS Seeker. So 4 N I feel is gonna be a must. I might even bump Guzma to 4, and find room for Aqua Patch. Maybe drop the Puzzles.

Brooklet is there because I don't use Dive Ball. It's an interesting balance. If i use dive ball, i lose search ability on Tapu-Lele and Koko, but i get more free search on Kingdra. Its the only stadium worth playing post rotation in this deck. I may even cut it entirely and go no stadium.

Again, this is still in testing, so it's gonna be a bit before the bugs are weeded out.