Spirit Of Mew
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Ninja Bugs
Article by: Ryne M.
Title: Ninja Bugs
Date: August 20th, 2012
The history of these Ninja Bugs!
With our newest set bringing a large number of technical cards and abilities, we see some very interesting and somewhat obvious combinations; one of these combinations being the ever popular Shedinja and Ninjask duo. Many may remember a grinder many years ago in which the Fossil Shedinja deck was quite the pest by surpassing time by a long shot and causing the event to last much longer than expected. This was when Fossils were still trainers that could be played as basic Pokémon onto your bench. During that time prize cards could not be taken when a Fossil was knocked out. The ultimate strategy to this deck? Hurry up and wait. Games would be brought to repetitive stand stills until a game winning action, decking, for example, would take place. In most situations it was not from all six prize cards being drawn unless your opponent was lucky enough to capture quick KOs on your nincada.
The List!
ON TO THE POKEMON!
Shedinja -
The newest Shedinja we have seen has a simple ability preventing a prize from being drawn when this ghostly bug Pokémon is knocked out. Its attack allows you to place 3 damage counters on your opponent's Pokemon however you like for one psychic energy. This attack allows for small, but useful bench spreading strategies. With 60 HP no weakness, resistance, or retreat cost, it is literally a shell as the PokeDex description tells us.
Ninjask -
Ninjask has 60 HP, identical to its molted counterpart. With a weakness to fire types and a retreat cost of one energy, it appears to be an easy prize card for your opponent. However, its ability “Cast-off shell” throws your opponent into a different game allowing you to search for a Shedinja and play it as a basic on your bench. For one grass energy and a second energy of any type you can do 60 damage to your opponent and swap Ninjask with one of your benched Pokémon if you do choose. For a tiny little bug Pokémon it gives quite the impact with a reasonable energy requirement making it your primary attacker.
Nincada-
Our choice is limited to one legal Nincada. It is a seemingly pathetic little guy with a mear 40 HP, weakness to fire types, and retreat cost of one. For one energy of any kind you can do 10 damage and, with a lucky flip, prevent all effects of attacks INCLUDING damage done during your opponent's next turn! Not half bad for a heads-or-tails possibility.
Techs
I would not suggest any Pokémon techs as it gives your opponent another prize drawing opportunity. One that I would consider however is the Sigilyph from the latest series with its Safeguard ability. Safeguard prevents any Sigilyph from any affects of attacks, including damage done by EX Pokemon.
Trainers, trainers, and even more... Trainers!!!
The trainer line in this deck is quite large, but that is to be expected from such a complicated deck style. Supporters such as Juniper and N are a staple in the current meta. It’s hard to imagine playing a deck without them without a current “Claydol” type pokemon. However, Cheren and Bianca are other draw possibilities as well if you prefer not to discard your entire hand.
Let’s break it down!
N -
I use N as an early game supporter in this deck, believe it or not. The more you use it early on the more you’re encouraging your opponent to go through their deck. Most times a player will use any cards you gave them before playing their own draw cards. This will limit the amount of options they have in the late game where you will need all the advantage you can get.
Professor Juniper -
Juniper is an obvious power drawer. You will quickly use the cards in your hand each turn and are not likely to discard much if anything at all. When your hand is full, you may still be able to eliminate some less useful cards later on in the game.
Devolution Spray -
This should be self-explanatory. Evolve to Ninjask, use its ability, and then evolve again on a second Nincada to give yourself an instant two Shedinja on your bench without having to wait to evolve them. It can also be used to remove Ninjask from the game all together by devolving it and replacing it with a Shedinja in the next turn. This will limit your opponent's prize options from one to none!
Random Receiver -
Again the name says it all. You are revealing cards to your opponent from the top of your deck, and taking the first supporter you find. Remember, the smaller variety of supporters you have in your deck, the more likely you are to reveal the one you need.
Level Ball -
With such a small amount of Pokemon, all with an HP under 90, this is all the search you really need. When you look at Ninjask searching out more pokemon as well, you may feel even more comfortable having it as your only search card. If you can’t stand it though, you can always throw in a Pokemon Communication or two.
Plus Power -
This card is specifically for the quick 10 damage you might need to grab an extra prize when using Ninjask. You never know when that extra bit could add up to a prize or two.
Super Rod -
You will go through your pokemon FAST! Specifically Nincada and Shedinja. With a low energy amount and short HP on these bugs you’ll need to put them straight back into the deck.
Revive -
This helps you get Nincada straight back to your bench so that you can set up Shedinja as quickly as he went out. It also opens up room for the Pokémon and energy you can take back with super rod.
Potion -
Potion? Who plays that?! Exactly what you’re thinking right? Bench hitters do a common 20-30 damage to one or two of your benched pokemon. This is a very harmful thing against your little Ninja Bugs. This card is surprisingly helpful against Darkrai, though it hardly makes up for the advantage Darkrai variants will have over your deck.
Rescue Scarf -
With the same effect as rescue energy, now in trainer form, this card is very helpful when replenishing your bug collection. The best use you can get from this card is attaching it to your basic Shedinja that have been brought out with Ninjask’s ability. This way you can place it back down immediately from your hand onto a Nincada after it has been Knocked out by your opponent.
Tool Scrapper -
Because of the newest Garbodor in format, Tool Scrapper is a must-have in this deck. While in may only increase your chance of winning by a very small amount, it will at least give you a slight glimmer of hope. In most situations Garbodor players will have a large amount of Tool Cards already in hand to attack after you have discarded their current tools. So, your best chance at preventing another from being attached would be to play "N" after discarding their current tools. This creates a "luck of the draw" situation in which your opponent must draw into another tool.
Monster? Redbull? How about just plain Energy!
With a small requirement for each pokemon I only play nine total energy in this deck.
Blend Energy (Grass, Fire, Psychic, Dark) -
Covering both Grass and Psychic energy requirements it seems to be common sense play this card in your deck. With some decks playing Enhanced Hammer, you may be forced to use only basic energy during some matches.
Grass Energy -
I play one more of these than my psychic energy because I use Ninjask as my primary offense.
Psychic -
I don’t expect to attack a whole lot with Shedinja, but it’s better to be safe than sorry and have the energy in circumstances that our Ghost does attack.
Why do you have Thirty + 3 in the title?! - The overall strategy.
I believe that this deck could do very well the Fall Battle Roads format. However, it is a very complicated deck to run, and odds are not likely to ever be in your favor. (Oh yeah, I made the reference.)
Because of our 30 minutes + 3 turns format this deck has an intensive technical strategy. You’re literally attempting to win your matches by the clock. Your worst nightmares will be bench hitters and that evil little catcher card.
Ninjask is your primary attacker, hitting for 60 and then hiding behind its own shell. I do NOT advise you stall in any way, shape, or form. That is not how I designed this deck to be played. Your goal is to prevent any prizes you can from being taken, while taking one to three of your own. By using N early game you encourage your opponent to use their cards quickly, while you should have a fair amount left near the end of the game. By the time thirty-minutes is called you should hopefully have taken a couple prizes and your opponent should have taken very few if any at all. This means that once turn three comes around, you're left ahead in the game no matter what your opponent does. Thus, I have come to like calling this deck, “Thirty + 3.” Avoiding prizes can be hard in instances with Darkrai EX and other bench spreaders. You’re not likely to take any OHKOs which can give your opponent time to heal if they play any heal cards such as Max Potion, which commonly used in the EX decks we saw at our most recent National Championships. Shedinja should be a rare attacker. Only being used when you need to finish off the final few damage counters for the KO, or to snipe low HP pokemon such as Eelektrik.
I’m sure there are techs that some may think of, however, I advise against them. Any extra pokemon that your opponent can draw prizes on are not a good thing.
In a Battle Roads format that no longer has a Top-Cut, I can see it doing well at a few events. However, when top-cut comes back at cities I can’t see it making it much farther than game one due to the doubled time limit and best two out of three format.
As a fun deck it’s incredibly entertaining. For competitive players, it will be one of the most challenging decks you can attempt to make work.
Match-Ups!
As I said most match-ups are never really in your favor unless your opponent gets a terrible start.
Garbodor techs/variants - 1/10 in your opponents favor.
This is definitely not a match-up you should ever expect to come out of. Even playing Tool Scrapper may not save you. Most decks either focusing on Garbodor or only using it as a tech will always have a Tool Card handy. Your only hope in this match-up is using Tool Scrapper consecutively while attacking your opponent's Garbodor with Shedinja.
Darkrai EX variants - 2/10 against you.
Darkrai is a quick and powerful sniper taking out 1-2 pokemon each turn. With such low HP and no bench protection you fall victim to this. Your only hope is to prey on Sableye and other low HP techs using Shedinja’s attack. Potions can help remove that 30 damage Darkrai will do to your bench, but you only have 4 of those you can use.
Garchomp - 4/10 against you.
With the combination of Garchomp milling through its own deck and your early N’s, this game is a little less challenging than Darkrai. You’re probably going to get KO’d every turn, but as long as they’re not taking prizes or hitting your bench this game can go your way.
Zekeels - 3/10 against you.
This deck can vary a large amount, with huge HP and a large number of techs possible it’s hard to say what they might throw at you. If they decide to play the Slurp Shakedown Eelektross you may want to cry now. Being able to suck up anything they like, or heal as much damage as they do this pokemon becauses a beastly wall against either bug you use. Your best chance is to use Shedinja to take out Tynamo as soon as you see it come out. Other than that you just have to constantly hit their front with Ninjask.
Ex Variants - 3/10 against you.
High HP and constant Potions/Max Potions healing everything you do, it’s going to be a VERY hard match up. If you can limit them to one prize and manage to KO an ex of theirs this game is possible.
Limited format: 3/10 due to its very hard match-ups
Unlimited: 1/10 if you’re lucky. There are so many decks that will step on your little bugs.
A fun deck with many challenging twists! These little bugs aren't to be done away with by news papers or the bottom of your shoe!
