Pokémon TCG: Sword and Shield—Brilliant Stars

The Metagame...?

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J

Jim Ferrell

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For all of those who know me, know that I specialize in one thing, metagaming. I look to see what is being played, then effectively try counter as much as I can fit into a sixty card deck.

Here is what I see as being the big decks:

*Blaziken/Delcatty/Rayquaza (Or other Fire Varients)
*Gardevoir ex
*Amphy ex
*Aggron ex/Wailord

I am not saying that one is better than the other because arguing about any deck being superior to another produces fruitless conflict. I am merely placing those decks in the practical and probable order of being played most. I have taken a hiatus from the game, so be please keep that in mind, I am a little rusty. I am trying to tune myself up for the City Champs.

So...how does one counter those four decks? Well, you have to develop a solid line with backup. That's how it goes with this new format. Compared to the format of the old, you have no babies, and increased evolutionary lines.

I have said it once, and I'll say it again. With limited drawing compared to the drawing of old, I like using Pokemon that find what you need for you. For example, Wynaut, Dunsparce, and Azuril. However, those of you who also know me, know that I will work with an idea on every possible level available before closing. I mean...

TEP
Ferrelligatr

Yea...I can see some of the people who know me best rolling their eyes. Simply saying, I am reviving the last concept I was working on before I took some time off, and that was Team Assembly. However...Omastar was good but it's weakness just overwelmed it. So I have come up with not one...but two decks based on Team Assembly and power swarm, so without any further delay...

Ancient Prisms
E-On Format

Pokemon: 19
4 Buried Fossil
4 Omanyte (Sandstorm)
4 Omastar (Sandstorm)
2 Wobbuffet (Sandstorm)
2 Solrock
2 Marill (Error)
1 Ditto (Skyridge)

Energy: 18
10 Water
4 Multi
2 Fighting
2 Psychic

Trainers: 23
4 Oracle
4 Professor Oak's Research
4 Master Ball
4 Potion
2 Mr. Briney's Compassion
2 Switch
2 Crystal Shard
1 Town Volunteers

Quick Matchups Look:

Water destroys Blaziken. Ditto and Crystal Shards ruin Rayquaza. Heavy Blaziken/Rayquaza usage can lead to a third Crystal Shard.

Gardevoir is difficult. Wobbuffet and swarming plus Pull Down should make this a decent matchup.

Amphy ex is difficult. Solrock and Wobbuffet can make this bearable, but this is the roughest matchup.

Aggron ex can be difficult, depends on setup. Solrock will help here too, but Omastar swarms should be more than enough.

I haven't done testing with this new deck, however, using on what I know on how these decks normally work, I can make predictions.

Next up is...

Shiny Prisms
E-On Format

Pokemon: 19
4 Buried Fossil
4 Kabuto (Sandstorm)
3 Kabutops ex
2 Kabutops (Skyridge)
3 Solrock
2 Wobbuffet (Sandstorm)
1 Ditto (Skyridge)

Energy: 18
13 Fighting
5 Psychic

Trainers: 23
4 Oracle
4 Professor Oak's Research
4 Master Ball
4 Potion
2 Mr. Briney's Compassion
2 Switch
2 Crystal Shard
1 Town Volunteers

Basically pure beatdown after swarming. This is the biggest advantage that Kabutops has over Omastar. The lack of Fighting dual evolution. Solrock can change itself to Fire or Fighting taking out both of Kabutops ex weaknesses. And again, the Skyridge Tops disrupts while hurting Fighting and Aggron ex decks. The biggest card that hurts Kabutops ex is Wobbuffet. And well, you can use your own Wobbuffet and/or Solrock to fight back.

The trainers are the exact same in both lists. I just like Master Ball with both sets. With Team Assembly pulling the BBPs you need, you will usually pull evolutions. And it's Pokemon Advantage that is not a supporter. Oracle/POR are staples. Solrock can provide drawing. Switch is staple. As is Potion. Crystal Shard counters Rayquaza and SHOULD be a staple. I remember stressing how important this card would become all that time ago. Check my posts. I will always use this card. Briney's Compassion works NICELY with the BBPs. You can stall if you need to. It's niiiiiiice. And it's great healing for Omastar. Just let one get beat up while powering a Benched one. Briney it, and send the Benched one up and attack and restart building. Give it a whirl, I think it's an overlooked card.

Well, there are my thoughts...what do you think?

~Jim Ferrell
 
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It looks pretty good. Maybe try meditate over solrock for amphy problems. Do 50 with wobbuffet and ohko it. Or you can play dunsparce and sudowoodo. Do 10 then ohko it. I recommend dunsparce either way, you can fill your bench with fossils and such. It kind of defeats the purpose of team assembly so you prolly wont go with it. I like the kabutops deck better because of the more power.
A problem I see is that POR is your only real draw. Cut some oracle and masterball for 4 desert shamen. It disrupts and draws a constant amount. Looks good otherwise.
 
Hey Drew,

Thanks for the quick reply. I don't really know about Meditate or Sudowoodo. Sudowoodo is one of the WORST basics to start with _EVER_. And I would have to play Electric energy to Copy Amphy's attack. Meditite might not be that bad, but like Hitmonchan ex, I was trying to lean away stuff with Psychic weakness. The most desireable reason for Solrock is it's ability to change types. That's pretty damned nice.

And you were right about Dunsparce, there's no real need to play it, and if I do, I would play just one. It's detromental to play it because I need to Team Assembly instead of Strike and Running.

As far as drawing goes. The only difference compared to my old engine was 4 Oracle, 4 Master Ball, 3 Copycat/2 POR. That is only ONE less drawing card. Solrock can draw. Drawing cards with Solrock, then Compassioning him back to my hand is really nice. If I need to, I can cut Master Ball for some drawing. Mabye TV Reporter. Or something, I am still testing.

Thanks, dude.

~Jim Ferrell
 
Jim, you need Lunatone to change Solrock's type, don't you?

Also, Meditite > Hitmonchan ex. Most ex basics aren't so hot simply because they give up 2 prizes and are fairly easy to ko. Meditite only needs 2 energy to Chan's 3 to do nice damage. With a TV, you can also afford to run 17 energy in your deck fairly easily. I run 17 w/o TV and do fine.

None of the decks u made beat Aggron imo, and I'm not a big fan of Omastar anymore, but try out Tops with some massive healing and some quick backup like Meditite. I think that can work.
 
Hey Hey,

I thought the deck looked pretty good too until nikePK said something. He's right, you need Lunatone on the feild to change his type to fire to cover your grass weakness. He can still be effective, just not as. I really can't think of a fix for you b/c the deck looks pretty good...just the whole Solrock thing. Oh yeah, I just thought of one...

Oran Berry pwns Potion

Change your potions into them, just for the sake of not redrawing your potions when you POR.

G / L wit da deck!

Duck
:D
 
Psyduck said:
Hey Hey,

I thought the deck looked pretty good too until nikePK said something. He's right, you need Lunatone on the feild to change his type to fire to cover your grass weakness. He can still be effective, just not as. I really can't think of a fix for you b/c the deck looks pretty good...just the whole Solrock thing. Oh yeah, I just thought of one...

Oran Berry pwns Potion

Change your potions into them, just for the sake of not redrawing your potions when you POR.

G / L wit da deck!

Duck
:D
Click to expand...
Oran berry is not necessarily better than potion. Once Oran berry is attached you can't put anymore on that pokemon until its used BUT you can use more potion. Most of the time you'll have at least 20 damage on a pokemon so you won't have to Oak's Reseach it away.
 
Shiny Prisms
E-On Format

Pokemon: 19
4 Buried Fossil
4 Kabuto (Sandstorm)
3 Kabutops ex
2 Kabutops (Skyridge)
3 Wobbuffet (Sandstorm)
2 Meditite
1 Ditto (Skyridge)

Energy: 18
12 Fighting
6 Psychic

Trainers: 23
4 Oracle
4 Professor Oak's Research
4 Master Ball
4 Potion
2 Mr. Briney's Compassion
2 Switch
2 Crystal Shard
1 Town Volunteers

~Jim Ferrell
 
Jim...I've always approached the game in
a similar way. Since I've always paid close
attention to all of your articles and strategies
I may have even picked up the idea from
you. Enough of the fan club. I've been
working with the idea of a meta deck that
would be effective??? against blaziken, flygon
rayquaza and gardevoir. I'll list that
on a separate thread. A couple
of suggestions on the kabutops deck
would be:
add aerodactyl ex to the deck
add boost energies
lower the number of kaputops ex to 2
the aerodactyl line ties in with your fossil
idea and offers several big pluses....
knock out ray ex on the second turn with
boost energy....primal lock shuts down
pokemon tools...which would help with
gardevoir since many gardy decks run
3 or 4 oran berries....the kabutops skyridge would
protect aerodactyl??? against electric.....this would
also eliminate the need for crystal shard....
also second turn 60 attacks could do major damage
to developing decks....oracle could line up boost
energies for several big attacks in a row....

sorry this is so long....
thanks...for the many ideas and strategies....
keep them coming....
 
Just to add to Nike PKs thread, if you are going to go Kabutops, you need to go massive healing, such as Xatu SS (PKs deck idea)

Also, Solrock may be just the fighting tech you are after. There is not a lot of Grass out there to freak out about that is weak to fire - Victreebel maybe, and Sceptile, but not much after that, and the guns out there are really not playing those *lets face it, swantons deck uses as much weak to psychic as he can.

Solid decks, but in this envio, I think fighting tech is becoming more and more important.

Hopefully M/A will give us a good fighting hitter with colorless requirements.

Talk to you soon

M45
 
I was wondering, does this deck set up fast enough for you? I have toyed arround with the omastar idea and used your deck for a base. When I play it I get set up usually turn 4-5. Am I just not playing it right/unlucky? Do you find there is enough draw it it? Ah well, great deck!
 
Glad to see I'm not the only one playing Omastar here's my ver let me know what you think

23 Pokemon

3 Cacnea (poison)
3 Cacturne
3 Aerodactyl ex
4 Buried Fossil
2 SS Omanyte
2 SS Omastar
3 Dragon Grimer
3 Muk ex

20 trainers

3 Poke nav
3 Warp point
4 Master ball
3 Desert Shaman
4 Professor Oak’s Research
3 Oracle

17 Energy

7 Water
3 Boost
7 Grass

BLiZ
 
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