Pokémon TCG: Sword and Shield—Brilliant Stars

Scizor/W Machamp, perhaps a response to metagame.

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banana eater

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Hello Pokegymers,

I did a lot of research about the general metagame, to find a possible counter to it.
It is actually hard to counter pokémon by abusing of their weaknesses, because The metagame has decks that have pokemon with very different types. I often see a lot of types being played in tournaments, even if grass is less played in my contry.

So I asked the question :
If I can't hit weaknesses, what can I hit? Energies,and poké powers. Then I heard about a deck played a while ago, "Intimidation", at worlds 2008. That deck inspired me that following deck :

pokémon (22)

4-4 Scizor MD (Scyther is the Jungle set one)
2-2-2 Machamp SF
1-1 Claydol GE
2 Uxie LA
2 Mesprit LA
1 Azelf LA
1 Unown G
1 Relicanth SV

Supporters/trainers (26)

4 Roseanne research SW
4 Bebe search MT
2 Looker's investigation Plt (more safe than TGW)
3 Broken-time-space PT
3 Rare candy GE
4 Super scoop up DP
2 pokemon communication HGSS
1 Night maintenance SW
1 luxury ball SF

Energies (12)

3 Multi
1 Special metal
5 Basic metal
4 Fighting

The main objective is to strike fast, at the very begining of the game, avoiding spiritomb and destroying him fast. A lot of decks play special enegies. Flygon plays DCE. SP runs calls, Plox runs both... Here, scizor will do 80 for only one energy to a pokemon who has a special energy. Spiritomb has often a call to it... with one blow, I'll blow it.
Gardevoir won't last long if I infict 80 to it 2 times, and by the way I have a psychic resistance.
But what about SPs ? Machamp is here to take care of them. Relicanth too. Mesprit can do a really nice power lock early game to slow my opponent, and to him accelerate his play, so forcing DCE. Scoop up can retrieve my mesprit and machamp/ or Scizor if necessary.
Expert belt, Dialga G and some SP would be good here, these can be valuable issues to fix that deck.

I Think this is a very good idea, but that list is far from being good for tournaments. It would be nice if some of you can lend me a hand to fix that deck.

Thanks.
 
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agreed. then -1 bebes -1 roseannes (you play 3 communication, which makes 3 of each still quite consistent) +1-1 claydol. getting quicker draw power will help this deck out immensely. also you can -1-1 scizor -1 copycat +1-0-1-1 machamp lv x. you dont need really need a premier ball so dont worry too much about that. this actually looks fun to play. I hope you dont mind if I try it out XD
 
You must find a way to counter Gyarados and other decks that are similar. They will rip this deck to shreds. May I suggest 1-1 Luxray GL Lv.x? (To bring out one of their bench sitters and either KO it or attack something else.)
 
Well I dont have much experience with machamp, but I'd assume you just get out a machamp and KO their sableye before they get the chance to use it to discard magikarps. it puts you ahead on prizes pretty easily. ooooh I know. scratch the -1 copycat I suggested earlier and dont put in the lv x.

-2 copycat +2 team galactics wager. they ruin gyarados's set up and recovery ability.
 
ProfessorJacob7 said:
Well I dont have much experience with machamp, but I'd assume you just get out a machamp and KO their sableye before they get the chance to use it to discard magikarps. it puts you ahead on prizes pretty easily. ooooh I know. scratch the -1 copycat I suggested earlier and dont put in the lv x.

-2 copycat +2 team galactics wager. they ruin gyarados's set up and recovery ability.
Click to expand...

Well, Sableye's Pokebody makes it go first every game. And then it just uses Collector to get the Karps. From there, it doesn't need Sableye. Gyarados, discard the other Karps with Regice and Felicity's, and Gyarados is online.
 
agreed. I have to find a counter,even if gyarados is less played here.

@i like burdn of a day: I'll test 2 Mesprit. Plus, It will could help in gyarados matchup.
@professor jacob : haven't tested wager, but seems good. Perhaps Looker for more "Safety", but I'll try out.
But I prefer keep my roses ans bebes, because communicator is not so reliable. Spiritomb Shut it off. With less Bebe/rose, I have less chances to kill it turn 2/3. Concerning Claydol, I'm actually testing what's better : 1-1 or 2-2 , I first put 1-1 because I my old rampardos deck, Which was based on speed too ( and true, they have likenesses) was running very good with it.
One funny thing : I killed my brother's Luxray GL with my claydol spinning Attack yesterday at training ! I began with baltoy attaching a multi to retreat it, but then my brother began charging luxray while it couldn't level up and then I killed it attaching a metal. Spinning attack 4TW !:lol:
By the way, feel free to test it. I'd be glad to see your experience with it and any other fixes.
@Rikko145: I'd like to put some SP here, but I'm not sur that a lone luxray GL X will run. I'll need some SP support, and actually, I have little room for it. Thus, I'm testing another version that use SP, and luxray as well. I'll give it a try.

for the moment, changes are :

-2 Cytnhia's guidance
+1 Mesprit
+1 SSU
(-1 Bebe
-1 roseanne)
+1-1 Claydol
-1-1 Scizor
+1-0-1-1 Machamp X
+1-1 Luxray GL X

I'll do some tweaks to test these changes. Prof jacob, I you have tested the deck, I'd glad to see your tests results.
 
against gyarados, if you get out machamp on T1 and take out every sableye they send out, you should get a 2-3 prize lead, from there, you can bright look a basic and take it out, by then you should have 2-3 prizes left and they should have 4-5, as long as you can stay in the lead and try to ohko everything(which can get hard late game) to avoid your opponent ssu'n damaged pokes, you should win.
 
I actually get my machamp out by my turn 2/3 , with the list I posted(but with 2 mesprit instead of 1, with one SSU more) But If I lock gyrarados early whith mesprit, and take out sableye, he should concede, if he doesn't, I can force him playing special energies, such warp or cyclone.
 
List edited. Now with more Mesprit and SSU. Now looker is instead of Copycat (the TGW idea ).
I haven't put a +1-1 Claydol yet, Because it runs well with 1-1 and 2-2. I have to test more.
I like your Azelf idea dodobrain, but the fact is I must have uxie and mesprit in play, so If I play azelf I will have little space for my others Scizors and machamp. So it will be complicated at first glance to put it.
Ryanvergel, If you have the list, I'm interessed.
 
I'm back. College took me plenty of time, but here is my new version :

4 Sableye
3-3 Scizor MD
1-1-1 Machamp SF
1-1 Claydol GE
2 Uxie LA
2 Mesprit LA
1 Azelf LA (thinking of +1 Azelf MT)
1 Unown G GE
1 Unown Q MD
1 Giratina PL ( with "Let loose" poké power)

4 Bebe MT
3 Roseanne SW
1 Collector HGSS
1 Looker Plt
1 Team galactic's wager MT
2 Prof. Rowan ( perhaps prof.oak's new theory is better ?) DP
3 BTS Plt
3 Rare Candy GE
3 SSU DP
2 Expert belt AoA
1 Luxury ball
1 Night maintenance

3 Multi
2 DCE
4 Metal
3 Fighting

I added Sableye because it can ruin Gyarados' starts, have a colorless resistance (flygon) provides me my missing stuff with impersonate and makes me go first, to see what my opponents and prepare my scizors or machamp. Unown Q resolves my retreat issues with sableye and sometimes machamp.
Giratina PL is like a mini uxie and TGW. It can be deadly at turn 1-2-3 , especially against gyarados.

This version seems to me quicker. Suggestions ? Fixes ? Write them down, any help is welcome.

PS : Do you guys know if Scizor prime will be in the next set Unleashed ? It can really be a good tech here !
 
This new list looks really good but i think you could do this to it

-1 Roseannes

+1 Night miantenance/Palmers

I think if you are playing 1 collector and you are playing four sableye then you can get away with only 2 roseannes because you should start with sableye alot and you can go out and get an energy with 1 of 2 roseannes T1 anyway, but just a thought because you really need more than 1 night maintenance because chances are your opponent could go through more than 1 machamp if they're playing SP so you need to be able to cycle it multiple times





i'm pretty sure we should get it, unless they cut it out like they did with crobat and ursaring.
 
I tested with +1 night maintenance, and works well.
I did tests against some sample decks, here are my first matchups impressions :

Flychamp 50-50, or 60-40 in my favor -depending on the build-

In that deck, the more they try to play call /colorless, the more flygon will be hurt. A trapinch with a call energy is an easy prize. but Spiritomb is a bit more difficult due to its pokebody. Not much, tough.
An early scizor with a power lock with mesprit, searched with collector (sableye and impersonate) can be game-winning. Giratina can finish the hand off. Assuming flygon is behind in prizes, the opponent often plays DCE, which is an opportunity playing scizor.

SPs (luxchomp, blazeray) 50 to 70 in my favor.

Assuming I'm going first with sableye, I just build up my machamp with a collector ,searching for machop, mesprit and uxie/baltoy. Early poxer lock + machamp's take out + recovering + Scizor if I need, It's a good matchup overall. Giratina hurts here, too ( a luxray GL X in my opponent's hand that he can't use because of mesprit's lock, then flushed with let loose. Frustating !)

Gyarados 30/40-70/60 ,their favor.

Even with power lock , giratina , and looker, I can't lock it forever. I can kill 2-3 pokemon, but it's not enough. once Gyarados is here, it's really difficult to stop him. 90-110 damage a turn is too much to handle. Maybe a Mr.Mime tech will help here.

Gengar SP 30-70 their favor

It's all about the opening hand. If I can donk with sableye and lock with my mesprit, I'm golden.
If it's not, then I really have to play smart to play around poltergeist and use SSU to get my pixies back. And obviously use Unown G to protect Claydol. Gengar does'nt need much special energy, so I'm not really effective here.


I have to test : Donphan, charizard (they have some play here) Plox and Cursegar. perhaps Amphytric If I have time.

BTW, I'd like to do a SP version of the deck. But I have got few clues. Luxray with Machamp and Scizor Would be great , but I just can't figure how it could look ! -_-'
 
The MD Scyther is better if you like that 70hp or if you prefer that attack I recommend the Stormfront Scyther which is pretty much the same -10hp but -1 energy for Slashing strike.
 
But, MD Scyther has a :colorless: retreat. Base Scyther has a FREE retreat ! It's a huge advantage, I can use this on various situations, sparing to attach energies. SF scyther is pretty much the same BUT !
It a has 10 HP les, so it means donkable by Sableye. And, he has a -20 Fighting resistance. Base Scyther has a -30 fighting resistance.
I actually run a lone SF scyther, just to test it. But I think Base Scyther is definitely better despite his X2 fire weakness, which isn't so important.
 
banana eater said:
But, MD Scyther has a :colorless: retreat. Base Scyther has a FREE retreat ! It's a huge advantage, I can use this on various situations, sparing to attach energies. SF scyther is pretty much the same BUT !
It a has 10 HP les, so it means donkable by Sableye. And, he has a -20 Fighting resistance. Base Scyther has a -30 fighting resistance.
I actually run a lone SF scyther, just to test it. But I think Base Scyther is definitely better despite his X2 fire weakness, which isn't so important.
Click to expand...

Doh! sorry I didn't look at the card properly.
 
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