Pokemon:
Strategy:
This is an anti-meta deck which provides immunity to several of the things that current decks rely on: special energy, EX pokemon, and special conditions. Aegislash EX has the potential to become a big obstacle to many meta decks and beat them 1v1 with its decent (not amazing) attack when the opponent doesn't have the option to use the cards that provide both fast and powerful attacks. Its basically Pyroar Lite.
So the strategy is to put up an Aegislash EX, Steel Shelter and a Klinklang, which means Aegislash needs to be beaten entirely by damage from non EX pokemon without special energy. That means things like donphan suddenly become a LOT weaker... unable to power up a wreck without 4 manual regular fighting energy attachments, while a spinning turn with regular fighting energy + muscle band + fighting stadium can only muster 80 damage, a slow 3hko. (note that wreck is also 160dmg max wiith muscle band and would require fighting stadium, which is partially the reason we run 3 steel shelter. big basics can fall behind without access to DCE also.)
In this scenario Slash Blast actually looks quite powerful and not so slow, hitting for 120 with 3 energy and a muscle band- add on an immunity to getting revenge killed by Yveltal EXs and Mewtwo EXs and that 120 damage can expand up to 140 (or higher?) to knock out big basics a lot more safely, which is definitely an important strength of the deck.
Bronzong is less of a crucial pokemon in the deck, this isnt a dialga EX metal deck which is going to be burning through energy like crazy, but a couple of Bronzong is too good to pass up considering there should be bench space for it. This could help keep the deck on the offensive after a knockout, or more likely allow for a less expensive switch (every bronzong is like -1 to a retreat cost when you can just metal links the energy right back). I am also running 3 switch and 2 float stone to ensure these fatass 3 retreat cost pokemon can move around.
Cobalion EX is a necessary secondary attacker, busting through Pyroar and Safeguarders. The 2 muscle bands in the deck are primarily for Cobalion to ensure it can ohko Pyroar (although this is still a hideous matchup...) and the other safeguard assholes are knocked out by steel bullet without muscle band. Having a way to attack for 1 energy is also welcomed despite a little conflict between righteous edge's energy discard and aegislash's ability. But having more starting pokemon that can trouble seismitoad is always welcomed since this is a stage 2 deck (aegislash ex is also a good answer to seismitoad, taking 0 dmg if seismitoad decides to attach DCE for a turn 1 punch + steel shelter saves my whole team from lasers).
The items seem pretty self explanatory. 2 float stone + 3 switch and 3 steel shelter means nothing is ever getting poisoned and stuck active, and this allows me the flexibility to move stuff around to make metal links plays if I need to. Also steel shelter is really important as a counter stadium... one of the only ways pokemon are going to be able to keep up with aegislash's damage after being all set up is through fighting stadiums, virbank lasers, dimension valleys etc. Taking those away is equally important as preventing special conditions for yourself.
Supporters are probably enough, and I am relying on 2 lysandre + 2 VS Seeker + 2 Megaphone to keep Garbodor in hell where it belongs.. also the deck can afford to run Jirachi EX since plasma steel protects it from EXs and it's a good card.
But yea thats it... the main fear is Pyroar which is probably going to win either way. Garbodor is pretty scary too, but most other decks seem like they would be beatable. Opinions? Im building this deck right now and I have most of the components. I was thinking about Keldeo but I dont think there's enough bench space- I'd ideally want Aegislash active, 1-2 bronzong on the bench, 2 klinklang just incase one gets lysandre'd and then 1-2 pokemon being powered up on the bench. that fills up my bench already >_< and i think this deck has the ability to still do switch + retreat thanks to 3 switches and 2 float stones. its completely unneeded to do it every turn because the name of the game is 2 hit knockouts
3 Aegislash EX
3-1-3 Klinklang (plasma steel)
2-2 Bronzong
1 Jirachi EX
2 Cobalion EX
3 Steel Shelter
3 Switch
3 Ultra Ball
2 Startling Megaphone
2 Float Stone
2 Muscle Band
3 Rare Candy
1 Sacred Ash
1 Computer Search
4 N
4 Professor Juniper
2 Lysandre
1 Pokemon Fan Club
2 VS Seeker
10 Metal Energy
Strategy:
This is an anti-meta deck which provides immunity to several of the things that current decks rely on: special energy, EX pokemon, and special conditions. Aegislash EX has the potential to become a big obstacle to many meta decks and beat them 1v1 with its decent (not amazing) attack when the opponent doesn't have the option to use the cards that provide both fast and powerful attacks. Its basically Pyroar Lite.
So the strategy is to put up an Aegislash EX, Steel Shelter and a Klinklang, which means Aegislash needs to be beaten entirely by damage from non EX pokemon without special energy. That means things like donphan suddenly become a LOT weaker... unable to power up a wreck without 4 manual regular fighting energy attachments, while a spinning turn with regular fighting energy + muscle band + fighting stadium can only muster 80 damage, a slow 3hko. (note that wreck is also 160dmg max wiith muscle band and would require fighting stadium, which is partially the reason we run 3 steel shelter. big basics can fall behind without access to DCE also.)
In this scenario Slash Blast actually looks quite powerful and not so slow, hitting for 120 with 3 energy and a muscle band- add on an immunity to getting revenge killed by Yveltal EXs and Mewtwo EXs and that 120 damage can expand up to 140 (or higher?) to knock out big basics a lot more safely, which is definitely an important strength of the deck.
Bronzong is less of a crucial pokemon in the deck, this isnt a dialga EX metal deck which is going to be burning through energy like crazy, but a couple of Bronzong is too good to pass up considering there should be bench space for it. This could help keep the deck on the offensive after a knockout, or more likely allow for a less expensive switch (every bronzong is like -1 to a retreat cost when you can just metal links the energy right back). I am also running 3 switch and 2 float stone to ensure these fatass 3 retreat cost pokemon can move around.
Cobalion EX is a necessary secondary attacker, busting through Pyroar and Safeguarders. The 2 muscle bands in the deck are primarily for Cobalion to ensure it can ohko Pyroar (although this is still a hideous matchup...) and the other safeguard assholes are knocked out by steel bullet without muscle band. Having a way to attack for 1 energy is also welcomed despite a little conflict between righteous edge's energy discard and aegislash's ability. But having more starting pokemon that can trouble seismitoad is always welcomed since this is a stage 2 deck (aegislash ex is also a good answer to seismitoad, taking 0 dmg if seismitoad decides to attach DCE for a turn 1 punch + steel shelter saves my whole team from lasers).
The items seem pretty self explanatory. 2 float stone + 3 switch and 3 steel shelter means nothing is ever getting poisoned and stuck active, and this allows me the flexibility to move stuff around to make metal links plays if I need to. Also steel shelter is really important as a counter stadium... one of the only ways pokemon are going to be able to keep up with aegislash's damage after being all set up is through fighting stadiums, virbank lasers, dimension valleys etc. Taking those away is equally important as preventing special conditions for yourself.
Supporters are probably enough, and I am relying on 2 lysandre + 2 VS Seeker + 2 Megaphone to keep Garbodor in hell where it belongs.. also the deck can afford to run Jirachi EX since plasma steel protects it from EXs and it's a good card.
But yea thats it... the main fear is Pyroar which is probably going to win either way. Garbodor is pretty scary too, but most other decks seem like they would be beatable. Opinions? Im building this deck right now and I have most of the components. I was thinking about Keldeo but I dont think there's enough bench space- I'd ideally want Aegislash active, 1-2 bronzong on the bench, 2 klinklang just incase one gets lysandre'd and then 1-2 pokemon being powered up on the bench. that fills up my bench already >_< and i think this deck has the ability to still do switch + retreat thanks to 3 switches and 2 float stones. its completely unneeded to do it every turn because the name of the game is 2 hit knockouts