Donphan Earthquake Damage

[Reader1237]

I am just wondering how stage one toolbox decks like Donphan/Yanmega/Zoroark deal with the damage caused to your bench from Earthquake.

[jumpluff82]

Yanmega, Zoroark, and Cinccino die so easily that the damage doesn't matter a whole lot.

[Reader1237]

So you just try to win the prize trade?

[jumpluff82]

Well yeah, Stage 1 Rush has so many options that you can use to counter whatever the opponent is using. That's how it wins games.

[Shen]

The only thing in that deck that doesn't go down too easily is Donphan, and its Poke-Body reduces Earthquake damage, anyways. Some people play the Phanpy with the Body, too.

[untitled]

Yeah and also the deck usually only uses Donphan in the Magnezone and Zekrom matchups. It also serves as a late-game tank, but if it gets to that point he's probably your last attacker anyway. I rarely play down my Donphan in Yanmega matchups because he can get Reversaled up and Yanmega will just snipe around on the bench until I hit a triple Fighting energy or a Switch (my build only runs 1).

Also, think about the attackers in this game right now; they all deal 120+ except for Yanmega. So 10 damage doesn't change anything in most matchups.