Pokémon TCG: Sword and Shield—Brilliant Stars

Garchomp/Altaria deck help

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After recent playtesting, I'm finding Garchomp-Altaria tends to lose "often" (75%+) to the tier 1 decks (i.e., Darkrai EX-Hydreigon and REels/ZEels/MEels/etc.) for a variety of reasons. So, in my efforts to strengthen my Garchomp-Altaria deck, I added Stunfisk. Other than its 3 energy retreat cost (ugh!), I'm finding this card to be amazing as a starter.

Has anyone else tried this Poké in the deck? Comments?
 
TuxedoBlack said:
After recent playtesting, I'm finding Garchomp-Altaria tends to lose "often" (75%+) to the tier 1 decks (i.e., Darkrai EX-Hydreigon and REels/ZEels/MEels/etc.) for a variety of reasons. So, in my efforts to strengthen my Garchomp-Altaria deck, I added Stunfisk. Other than its 3 energy retreat cost (ugh!), I'm finding this card to be amazing as a starter.

Has anyone else tried this Poké in the deck? Comments?
Click to expand...

How many do you run and how often do you wish you had started with Emolga instead?
Out of curiosity, not bashing your idea.
 
Rambo said:
How many do you run and how often do you wish you had started with Emolga instead?
Out of curiosity, not bashing your idea.
Click to expand...

I typically run 3 Stunfisk and 2 Emolga. Either way, I want to have Stunfisk active by t2, t3 at the latest. I've found I only prefer to start (and keep active) with Emolga when I'm not playin against a tier 1 deck.
 
So...I never did get it, what does Stunfisk exactly offer? I mean, sure Muddy Water offers ok early game spread, but Rumble doesn't score OHKOs on anything, and to me it's kinda counter-intuitive to delay attacking with Chomp isn't it? Not to mention he could be taking up bench space, which Emolga usually keeps a spot unless picked off and that's less Altaria and spare Chomps you can have there?

Mind you I am just curious, I'm not trying to shoot down the Stunfisk idea but I don't really get how it works per say. I mean, sure the 100 HP buffer is just enough to avoid Darkrai EX OHKOing it, but Zekrom and Mewtwo both can with little effort. I mean, I'd rather have a better chance for an Emolga start to get everything else set up on the bench over doing kinda weak damage with Stunfisk...and since you're using Stunfisk, do you have to run more search as well over just 4 Level Ball then to get stuff out?
 
In playing against decks like Eels variants and/or Darkrai EX - Hydreigon, Stunfisk applies early pressure and perhaps get some early KOs while I'm setting up. This early attacking sometimes causes opponents to burn through their Max Potions early to save Tynamos, Deinos and/or Sableyes. Both of those decks can setup faster, have better "come-from-behind" abilities, and have more attack options than Garchomp-Altaria. Stunfisk's early attacks can slow them down or put them at such a disadvantage that my 4 Garchomps can completely take over the game.

I use Stunfisk's second attack to "keep" the defending Poké from retreating (chances are my opponent does not run Switch in either of those 2 decks), for the next turn KO.

Stunfisk's role is primarily to help counter against the 2 decks I mentioned above. The meta game here will have lots of these tier 1 decks (just 2 right now, imho: Eels variants and Darkrai EX-Hydreigon) and Garchomp just needed some help. An Emolga start, without a doubt, is ideal, because I can then decide to just go and setup, or start early attacking with Stunfisk.

I also run Level Ball too to help setup.

Lastly, Garbodore-Terrakion seems to be growing in popularity too. Stunfisk helps in this match-up too.
 
After a lousy 3-3 at today's BR, my Garchomp deck is in dire need of a little tweaking. Here's the list I used:

Pokemon:

4 Gible (Sand Attack)
3 Gabite (Dragon Call)
4 Garchomp (holo)
3 Swablu (Sing)
3 Altaria
3 Emolga (Call For Family)
1 Stunfisk DRX

T/S/S:

4 Prof. Juniper
4 N
3 Bianca
3 Cheren
3 Catcher
3 Rare Candy
3 Level Ball
2 Super Rod
2 Switch
1 PlusPower

Energy:

7 Fighting
4 Blend WLFM

I'm in desperate need of setup help and help vs. Hydreigon and Zekeels. Also, I can't really afford Shiny Rayquaza, so please don't suggest that.

- Croatian_Nidoking
 
Croatian_Nidoking said:
After a lousy 3-3 at today's BR, my Garchomp deck is in dire need of a little tweaking. Here's the list I used:

Pokemon:

4 Gible (Sand Attack)
3 Gabite (Dragon Call)
4 Garchomp (holo)
3 Swablu (Sing)
3 Altaria
3 Emolga (Call For Family)
1 Stunfisk DRX

T/S/S:

4 Prof. Juniper
4 N
3 Bianca
3 Cheren
3 Catcher
3 Rare Candy
3 Level Ball
2 Super Rod
2 Switch
1 PlusPower

Energy:

7 Fighting
4 Blend WLFM

I'm in desperate need of setup help and help vs. Hydreigon and Zekeels. Also, I can't really afford Shiny Rayquaza, so please don't suggest that.

- Croatian_Nidoking
Click to expand...

Scrap the Stunfisk, and try playing 4 Gabite instead. Against Hydreigon, your only way out is to set up faster than them and destroy their Deino and Sableye quickly.Also I don't really see a need for PlusPower.Try replacing that with the 4th Catcher (it's extremely important to run 4 Catchers).
 
PidgeyCornerFTW said:
Scrap the Stunfisk, and try playing 4 level ball instead. Against Hydreigon, your only way out is to set up faster than them and destroy their Deino and Sableye quickly.Also I don't really see a need for PlusPower.Try replacing that with the 4th Catcher (it's extremely important to run 4 Catchers).
Click to expand...

My suggestion in bold.
 
Stunfisk doesn't really help against Darkrai. I can see it being useful to stall out a Hydreigon, but its damage output is just horrible and doesn't really warrant the 2 energy drops. You can play Terrakion to give you somewhat of an edge over Darkrai, but bear in mind that this deck doesn't have any energy acceleration and Terrakion requires 2 energy to get a KO on Darkrai :)
 
To beat Hydreigon/Darkrai I usually utilise the speed of Fluffy Chomp to draw through my deck for catchers, and take out the Hydreigon lines. Then it can go either way between Darkrai and Garchomp, but if Darkrai plays smart or gets good draws, it normally wins.
 
Rambo said:
To beat Hydreigon/Darkrai I usually utilise the speed of Fluffy Chomp to draw through my deck for catchers, and take out the Hydreigon lines. Then it can go either way between Darkrai and Garchomp, but if Darkrai plays smart or gets good draws, it normally wins.
Click to expand...

going after the Hydreigon is the wrong move. The easiest way to beat Darkrai is to put early pressure on the darkrai, forcing them to waste max potions before they can dark trance. This is why Darkrai/Hydreigon hasnt won a single battle roads in my city.
 
PidgeyCornerFTW said:
Stunfisk doesn't really help against Darkrai. I can see it being useful to stall out a Hydreigon, but its damage output is just horrible and doesn't really warrant the 2 energy drops. You can play Terrakion to give you somewhat of an edge over Darkrai, but bear in mind that this deck doesn't have any energy acceleration and Terrakion requires 2 energy to get a KO on Darkrai :)
Click to expand...
In my playing, Stunfisk really does help the matchup against Darkrai EX decks. As an early attacker, it inflicts damage onto both active and 1 benched Poké (Swablus and Tynamos have real fits). And when you Rumble attack, Darkrai EX's Dark Cloak free retreat Ability is negated! I've used this attack several times to KO an opponent's EX on my next turn ftw!

On the other hand, Terrakion is NOT an ideal starter and requires more turns (and energy) before it can attack, and can not snipe the benched Poké. Stunfisk works for me!

---------- Post added 09/10/2012 at 01:22 PM ----------
Croatian_Nidoking said:
After a lousy 3-3 at today's BR, my Garchomp deck is in dire need of a little tweaking. Here's the list I used:

Pokemon:

4 Gible (Sand Attack)
3 Gabite (Dragon Call)
4 Garchomp (holo)
3 Swablu (Sing)
3 Altaria
3 Emolga (Call For Family)
1 Stunfisk DRX

T/S/S:

4 Prof. Juniper
4 N
3 Bianca
3 Cheren
3 Catcher
3 Rare Candy
3 Level Ball
2 Super Rod
2 Switch
1 PlusPower

Energy:

7 Fighting
4 Blend WLFM

I'm in desperate need of setup help and help vs. Hydreigon and Zekeels. Also, I can't really afford Shiny Rayquaza, so please don't suggest that.

- Croatian_Nidoking
Click to expand...
I'd suggest the following:
  • +1 Swablu - prime target early game
  • +1 Stunfisk
  • -1 Professor Juniper
  • -1 Bianca - you're not discarding cards from you hand (i.e., like with Ultra Ball)
  • +2 Random Receiver - for those times when you prefer NOT to play a PJ and possibly lose valuable resources
  • -1 Plus Power
  • -1 Rare Candy - Gabite's Ability will help so much that your dependence on RCs are reduced

Did you opponents, running Hydreigon-Darkrai EX decks, use Max Potions? If so, then you may need to do so likewise. 1 energy attackers, like Empoleon and Garchomp, really like Max Potions.
 
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I'll take the Reciever and maybe the extra Swablu, but why trim the Candies of all things? Why not just ditch the Cheren for, say, Ultra Ball and keep Bianca in?

- Croatian_Nidoking
 
Meh I dunno, Candy can help you get the jump with a T2 Chomp though, without it you're looking at Chomp on T3 at the best. I suppose if you're initially leading with Stunfisk it's not as much of a problem, but still...

I'm thinking I'll give 2-2 Emolga/Stunfisk a try, could work...
 
I've been looking at a good Dragond deck, this one seems to be the most viable one and easy to build.
I'm generally looking towards the Supporters listings. N's, Junipers, uh... Comms, etc.
 
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