Mess With Your Mind

[duanojo]

Pokemon: 22
4 Gastly (EX) (Bad Dream)
2 Haunter (EX)
2 Haunter (SR)
3 Gengar (EX)
1 Gengar (SR)
3 Psyduck (SS)
3 Golduck (SS)
3 Magby (EX)
1 Jynx (AQ)

Trainers: 21
3 High Pressure System
2 Relic Hunter
2 Oracle
3 Switch
3 Prof. Oaks Research
3 Wally's Training
3 Underground Expedition
2 Crystal Shard

Energy: 17
4 Multi
5 Water
8 Psychic

This deck took third place in the Winamac, Indiana City Championship, losing only to a BAR deck in the championship match. (I also tied against a Dusclops/Espeon/Xatu deck when she got heads for confusion and two heads for Judgement to KO my SR Gengar). The deck was built to take out Gardy ex and, more specifically, a Golem/Gardy deck I expected to face but didn't.

The strategy is to get out the stadium quickly so Magby and Golduck have free retreat. Then, confuse every turn, using Golduck's "Chaos Flash" power. Once the defending is confused, attack with EX Gengar's "Hide in Shadows" and put Magby in to block. Lather, rinse, repeat. If the defending retreats or is knocked out, use "Chaos Flash" again and attack with Golduck or switch out Goldy after flipping for confusion to attack with Gengar again.

I had inconsistent draw with my engine, and had to depend on Magby's baby power more than I wanted to (Good game, Drew), but it worked like it was supposed to, and gave me a lot of latitude with matchups. Unfortunately, it took too long to set up against BAR.

Let me know what I can do against BAR. I'd like to think I'll have much of a chance against him if we meet in the State Championships.

 

[SuperWooper]

Why use Wally's Training since Gengar can only attack third turn? PETM is a much better choice in this case, or so I believe. I don't think you have a reason for playing Wally's Training in this deck. I don't know how many times I'll say it, but eventually I'll just pass down my legacy of correcting this simple mistake to someone else.

Onto the real fix. Here's the original deck:

Pokemon: 22
4 Gastly (EX) (Bad Dream)
2 Haunter (EX)
2 Haunter (SR)
3 Gengar (EX)
1 Gengar (SR)
3 Psyduck (SS)
3 Golduck (SS)
3 Magby (EX)
1 Jynx (AQ)

Trainers: 21
3 High Pressure System
2 Relic Hunter
2 Oracle
3 Switch
3 Prof. Oaks Research
3 Wally's Training
3 Underground Expedition
2 Crystal Shard

Energy: 17
4 Multi
5 Water
8 Psychic

Pokemon look basically good. It's well balanced, the Jynx is...um...why did you put that in there? Lol. I think it could be replaced with some other tECh (I've decided that that's how I'm spelling it), but to each his own, as Mudkip often puts it so poetically. Try adding in one Wobbuffet instead and that Jynx, it'll help against BAR, and when Blaziken comes out, Chaos Move all the bench damage onto Ray.

Energy: Add a psychic and ditch a multi. Then it looks solid. Putting four in increases the chances of two being on the same pokemon, which isn't good. Also, make the multi energy rainbow. Rainbow works well with Gengar's power, you just slap it on there and shift the damage onto their side.

Trainers: You said your draw engine wasn't working too well, so I'll help you out with that. You're using Underground Expedition! Yay! I really like that card a lot, it's my second favorite searching supporter, only second to Forest Guardian. Okay, really though,

Drawing/Searching Engine:
3 Lanette's Net Search (this works well to search for Magby, Psyduck and Gastly, they're all different types and without sparce you'll need something like this)
3 Professor Elm's Training Method (because Wally's Training doesn't suit this deck quite right)
3 Professor Oak's Research/Copycat (your pick, but Copycat works wonders against BAR decks, or at least it did for me!)
3 Underground Expedition/Forest Guardian (I'd say Forest Guardian, but I'll let you make your pick. Try it with Forest Guardian, though, you'll be amazed at what you'll find)

Then we'll ditch all the switch. You're using three HPS, so switch isn't needed. And Gengar certainly doesn't need it, it can use hide in shadows straight back to the bench. You don't need any at all. 2 Crystal Shard sounds fine, they're very unexpected and highly useful in a deck like this, because with 40 damage from Hide In Shadows and more damage from Chaos Move, crystal shard will definetely make a splash. The 3 HPS may be unneeded, but I'll let you keep three, I'd use two, but I see how centered your deck is on that one card. Four slots left. Add in one town volunteers, for recovery late game, and three claw fossil, to help with hide in shadows. It's really fun to psych out your opponent with these things. Add it can put damage counters on them, which you can move with Chaos Move!

This deck looks really fun, at first I thought you had just made it for fun, but then I saw that you got third at CC's. Congrats! Very well done! So here's the final deck list:

Pokemon: 22
4 Gastly (Bad Dreams)
4 Haunter (2 SR, 2 EX)
4 Gengar (Expedition)
3 Psyduck (Sandstorm)
3 Golduck (Sandstorm)
3 Magby (Expedition)
1 Wobbuffet (Sandstorm)

Energies: 17
9 Psychic
5 Water
3 Rainbow

Trainers: 21
3 Lanette's Net Search
3 Professor Elm's Training Method
3 Forest Guardian/Underground Expedition
3 POR/Copycat
3 Claw Fossil
3 HPS
1 Town Volunteers
2 Crystal Shard

LMK what you choose for Underground/Guardian, and POR/Copycat. Thanx 4 posting.

 

[duanojo]

Thanks for the reply, Wooper. I appreciate the advice. Let me explain some of the choices I made in the deck:

First, Jynx is in there to use her "Meditate" attack which does additional damage for each damage counter on the defending. She works great with Gengar's Pokemon Power and is great when you can get close to half the damage on an ex or other big Pokemon. She was meant to counter Golem's attack that does more damage for the amount of damage on him.

Second, I chose Multi energy over rainbow because I'm attacking with relatively low HP Pokemon and I don't want to add damage if I don't have to. Also, any damage counters on my side have to stay on my side. I wish I could transfer damage over to the other side, but that's not how Gengar's power works.

Third, you're right about Wally's Training. The only reason I have him in there is because I ran out of PETM's. I came up with this deck the night before the tourney, and had already committed the PETM's to decks that I loaned out to other players.

Fourth, I like UnderEx because it doesn't mess up Oracle. I love Forest Guardian, but you can't use him after an Oracle because you have to shuffle. You don't need to with UnderEx.

Fifth, I like the Switchs because I would prefer to have Magby the active when possible. Since you're only allowed to retreat once per turn now, I wanted to be able to retreat Magby for Golduck, confuse with Golduck's power, Switch out Golduck for Gengar, and then Hide in Shadows back to the bench with Magby back in the active slot. A confused Pokemon against an old-school baby is just cruel and delicious.

Sixth, I prefer Oak's Research because I find that hand size is a bit smaller than it used to be, and at least I know it's consistent. I might consider the Lanette's or perhaps Master Ball because I'm already pretty full on trainers. The Relic Hunters were there to help get out the stadium because I really need it to make the deck work. However, I might not need them if I can up the Oracle count or get some good draw. I was never hurting for the stadium with the three of them in there for the tourney.

Seventh, I like the claw fossil idea. I may see if I can find some room for a couple.. That would give me a little more stall time to get the deck mechanic set up and ready, too.

Finally, I think it should just be the straightforward "Tech," but that's just me.

 

[SuperWooper]

Second, I chose Multi energy over rainbow because I'm attacking with relatively low HP Pokemon and I don't want to add damage if I don't have to. Also, any damage counters on my side have to stay on my side. I wish I could transfer damage over to the other side, but that's not how Gengar's power works.

Um...I think Gengar's power lets you switch damage counters from your side to the opponent's side, but only if your opponent has three prizes or less. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm almost positive that Gengar lets you switch damage counters from your side to the opponent's side. *Checks card scan* Yeah you can!

I tried to link this thingy earlier, but it wouldn't work, so go to Pokeschool.com, then click card scans, then click Expedition, then scroll down to Gengar. The scan will be there.

Yeah, Duanojo, Gengar lets you move your damage counters onto their side. You played the whole CC without shifting your own damage counters onto their side, and you still got first? Woah.

Good luck with the deck.

 

[Ron13]

== CHAOS MOVE (Gengar - Expedition Expansion)

Q. Is the new Gengar's power cumlative?
A. Yes, though you do know that you can only move a counter from one of your Pokemon to one of your other Pokemon...or from one of your opponent's Pokemon to one of your opponent's other Pokemon. (Sep 26, 2002 WotC Chat, Q514)

I hate the ruling since it seems to contradict the wording on the card, but we have to live with it. Glad you played it the right way at the CC though. The Golduck surprises me...I couldn't find any good use for it, even though I like the whole Gengar concept.