Helping a new player at leauge build a "surprise tactic" deck.

[flashfiction]

Hello everyone. I'm helping a new player at league build a deck and I asked him what kind of deck he wants and he wants something where his opponent doesn't know what he's going to do next. I'm having a bit of difficulty helping him since in Pokemon a general decks tactics are seen on the card and you see what they are evolving into and such.
He liked the idea of dropping down a Mewtwo EX and suddenly attacking with it. I've thought myself of maybe eevolutions since the opponent doesn't know what you're going to choose to evolve into, but I'm really at a loss for many ideas that'd work.
Could you help me come up with something for him?

 

[Ivysaurman]

Although this would only work for unlimited format, a good "surprise factor" deck would be Ho-Oh. With that deck, you can pretty much throw in any Pokemon you can think of to help power-up Ho-Oh.

 

[Asclepius24]

Although this would only work for unlimited format, a good "surprise factor" deck would be Ho-Oh. With that deck, you can pretty much throw in any Pokemon you can think of to help power-up Ho-Oh.

Or Expanded - some leagues are running LCs with the format and I bet there will be optimistic players looking to test out decks as we approach Regionals. Ho-Oh decks always looked fun to play.

The new Eevee does sound like a good idea for a Standard deck. In general, "toolbox" style decks could work too. Plasma decks with unusual Team Plasma Pokemon, maybe? Energy Switch, Scramble Switch, uncommonly-used evolutions of a Basic that sees play (e.g. Plasma Beartic instead of Beartic FFI) are also surprising to see.

 

[djcati]

Dragonite EX maybe? Run a grass deck of some sort, keep Dragonite EX or a Pokemon Fan Club in your hand until you have a Lightning or Rainbow energy (and at least two Grass energy in play), then slap it down. I dunno, this is just my current strategy! ... Admittedly it's about 50/50 so far.

I like the idea about Furious Fists Eevee. That thing can be killer, especially on the first turn or combined with a Switch or Escape Rope.

 

[flashfiction]

Thanks for all your input! I talked to the player at league yesterday. Before I posted this I told him to look at videos of games to see if he could find any decks he liked himself. He actually wound up picking Lugia EX(the exact opposite of subtle and sneaky funnily enough). I think he changed into a bit more of a powerhouse player after watching more games. I think Dragonite EX fits into that though, I'll try to run that by him as another option, but I think he's fallen in love with blasting up three prizes a turn. Thanks again for your time and replies!

 

[Mr_Bond]

Using Aromatisse and Rainbow Energy can allow you to do all kinds of surprise plays.

 

[TuxedoBlack]

...he wants and he wants something where his opponent doesn't know what he's going to do next.

Have you seen Ditto (BC)? Its Ability allows you to "transform" into any other basic Poké; so, you can definitely use a variety of surprise tactics. For example, you could play a basic Poké on top of Ditto on a following turn and THEN immediately evolve into the subsequent stage.