BW-on Kingdra's Comeback? (Post-Plasma Freeze)

[honchvire]

I like Kingdra/Thundurus EP with LaserBank. Kingdra is a very efficient attacker, and charging for several turns ia good way to get energy in play and into the discard for later. I find myself only using Dragon Vortex maybe twice in a game. Disaster Volt and Tri-Bullet with lasers put a lot of pressure on your opponent. Playing 0 EXs allows you to lose a few Pokemon while setting up big KO turns in the mid/late game.
My lineup is 4-1-4 Kingdra, 4 Thundurus, 2 Emolga(mostly for the free retreat so you can get the T1 charge more often).
8 Lightning, 4 Water.

 

[Shadow-Bario]

Play rotom from PS.

 

[Poke Trainer J]

I like Kingdra/Thundurus EP with LaserBank. Kingdra is a very efficient attacker, and charging for several turns ia good way to get energy in play and into the discard for later. I find myself only using Dragon Vortex maybe twice in a game. Disaster Volt and Tri-Bullet with lasers put a lot of pressure on your opponent. Playing 0 EXs allows you to lose a few Pokemon while setting up big KO turns in the mid/late game.
My lineup is 4-1-4 Kingdra, 4 Thundurus, 2 Emolga(mostly for the free retreat so you can get the T1 charge more often).
8 Lightning, 4 Water.

Seems like this deck can work just fine with 1 Stage 2 line being Kingdra without needing 2 or more Empoleon on the bench for dumping energies. So the idea is focus on using Kingdra's Tri Bullet attack for bench spread with Hypnotoxic Laser and Virbank City Gym while only using Dragon Vortex on their EX's I assume, my only concern so far is will this deck still be viable for the next Modified Rotation given that with Thundurus EP being a centerpiece for it is likely to rotate out of the format with the likelihood of Dark Explorers-On for the 2013-2014 Modified Season. I guess I could just switch Thundurus out for Rayquaza for Dragon Pulse If worse comes to worse.

 

[TuxedoBlack]

As for playtesting this deck TuxedoBlack, I'd be interested to see how Kingdra goes for you.

WOW. That was my first (and second) response after some initial playtesting. Kingdra is really, really good. It is also quite versatile to fit lots of different play styles too.

• "Spread"
• "Lock" - Can run with Garbodor to lock down Abilities.
• "Tank" - where you run a heavy Kingdra line with 4 Max Potion to keep it attacking from t2 on...;
• "Denial" - where you run lots of Hammers denying your opponent time to get setup and counterattack. Again, you could run a "thick" Kingdra line (e.g., 4-2-4, or 4-1-4, etc.); or
• Combination of above.

What most interesting to me about this Poke line is that you can also combo it with a variety of techs too, such as Thundurus (EP) (this becomes a threat to those pesky Lugia EXs taking "cheap" 2 prizes), Mew EX (to 1HKO bench-warming Deoxys EX) or Dusknoir (for damage counter drops). However, I like teaming Kingdra up with Empoleon most of all right now. Although these are 2 stage 2 lines and managing 2 stage 2 lines does have some inherent issues. But, these 2 lines do also have some benefits that can be leveraged effectively. I believe there is a great deal of synergy between these 2 Poke:

1. Both are 1-energy attackers.
2. Empoleon seems to be a "natural" initial attacker for Kingdra in that Empoleon's Attack Command can inflict lots of damage onto opponent's Poke, then Kingdra (if needed) can just Tri Bullet those wounded Poke in order to take multiple prizes.
3. Or on the other hand, if the opponent tries to limit his/her bench, then you can start attacking with Tri Bullet instead.
4. Empoleon helps with card draw support with its Ability; so, setting up these 2 stage 2 lines is not so difficult.
5. Another side benefit, your opponent MUST keep track of the energy in your discard pile, because of a potential Dragon Vortex attack. In addition, Empoleon's Attack Command causes an opponent to also "manage" his/her bench size too. Definite advantages for this deck, IMHO.

Lastly, I also toyed around with Zebstrika (Disconnect); you might want to check this Poke out too as another option...

By biggest issue will be deciding which options I want to incorporate into the deck since there are quite a few... Nice "problem" to have.

 

[Poke Trainer J]

Someone on another site suggested that for this deck I should run 2-4 copies of Tropical Beach (which is impossible for me to get ahold of btw), a 4-0-4 Kingdra PLF line with Rescue Scarf, 4 Ultra Ball, 3-4 Enchanced Hammer (against Plasma Toolbox), and 1 Computer Search. As for Zebstrika NXD for Disconnect, yeah it's not bad but it's a free prize for Landorus and Terrakion. Plus Emerging Powers is rotating out this year so we'll need to find alternatives especially with Thundurus EP.

I still think Empoleon slows this deck down drastically sure it only needs 1 energy attachment just like Kingdra does but you're still going to end up exhausting up your Rare Candies unless you run 1-2 Prinplup and/or Seadra to ease up on using Candy so much. How do you expect to hit for 170+ damage with this deck without a damage output boost from x2 Weakness? Safer bet is Dragonite PLF is arguably the best viable Stage 2 in the current format especially when paired up with Garbodor. Either that or Beedrill PLF with Cherrim PS, Sableye (Dark Explorers), Max Potion, and LaserBank.

 

[TuxedoBlack]

Someone on another site suggested that for this deck I should run 2-4 copies of Tropical Beach (which is impossible for me to get ahold of btw), a 4-0-4 Kingdra PLF line with Rescue Scarf, 4 Ultra Ball, 3-4 Enchanced Hammer (against Plasma Toolbox), and 1 Computer Search.

IMHO, utilizing Tropical Beach is a matter of playing style. Since I've not ever used it in any of my decks, I can manage well without it.

As for Zebstrika NXD for Disconnect, yeah it's not bad but it's a free prize for Landorus and Terrakion.

And Thundurus (EP) is prize bait for Landurus EX, just like Thundurus EX can 1HKO Emolga (with a HtL or a Deoxys EX on the bench). But, I do like both of these Poke as potential starters. After recognizing the matchup, you can switch to the Poke that is better suited to deal with the defending Poke.

I still think Empoleon slows this deck down drastically sure it only needs 1 energy attachment just like Kingdra does but you're still going to end up exhausting up your Rare Candies unless you run 1-2 Prinplup and/or Seadra to ease up on using Candy so much. How do you expect to hit for 170+ damage with this deck without a damage output boost from x2 Weakness?

Agreed that a 2nd stage 2 line slows the deck down, but I'm still able to "consistently" (i.e., 80% of the time) have either Kingdra or Empoleon attacking t2. Despite the Diving Draw, I like Empoleon's Attack Command as an option to inflict 80+ damage for a single energy - which can be huge early game.
What I did find earlier without Empoleon is that I could not inflict 80+ damage more than 2 consecutive turns. But, you do give up some deck speed. After going back and forth a few times, I believe the "best" lineup is just a heavy Kingdra line as the deck's focus.

In play-testing against Darkrai EX-Sableye, LMT (Landorus-Mewtwo-Tornadus) and RayEeels, I altered your list to better fit my playing style and included:

• 4 Max Potions. In my experienced of running 1-energy attackers, MPs are vital.
• 1 Keldeo EX. I do not like being held "captive" by a status condition. Two Float Stones were also added. A by-product of adding this Poke too is that I also have a Poke that can inflict 80+ damage ("magic" number for me).

Kingdra is a fun deck to play - games turn into a real chess match. So, will it be viable in a tournament given the 30-minute match limit...? Don't know yet, but I'm still play-testing it.

 

[Poke Trainer J]

Here's a much better decklist I found online for Kingdra/Empoleon, not like this deck has anything going for it however I still want to see how far I can get with this at Battle Roads though...

Pokemon (15)

4-1-3 Kingdra PLF
2-0-2 Empoleon (Dark Explorers)
2 Emolga (Call for Family)
1 Exeggcute PLF

Trainers/Supporters/Stadiums (35)

4 N
4 Professor Juniper
4 Rare Candy
4 Switch/Float Stone
3 Colress
3 Skyla
3 Level Ball
3 Max Potion
3 Ultra Ball
2 Tropical Beach (or Tornadus EX from Plasma Freeze)
1 Computer Search/Dowsing Machine
1 Super Rod

Energy (10)

10 :water:

Deck Total (60)