Sweet Sixteen: Venusaur vs Metagross

[Cyrus]

~Venusaur~

3 Plusle DX
4 Dratini RR2
2 Dragonair DS
3 Dragonite DS
2 Pidgey RG
1 Pidgeotto RG
2 Pidgeot RG
2 Electrike DX1
2 Manectric ex
2 Rayquaza ex DX

4 Celio's Network
4 Rare Candy
4 Mt. Moon
3 Copycat
3 Steven's Advice
2 Rocket's Admin.
1 Championship Arena

12 Lightning Energy
4 Multi Energy

"Manectric ex and Dragonite work sorta the same way as Blaziken and Blaziken ex. You charge up Manectric with a bunch of energy, like 5, then blast away the opponent's bench for 80 damage. There's no room for switching cards, so that's why you'd have to really pile on those energy.

Rayquaza ex is the OHKOer. If you got like 6 lightnings in play, you trans them all to ray, attach multi energy, then he attacks for 120. The multi doesnt add 20 damage to the attack, but it's not that necessary since you can trans another lightning in its place. Plus multis are needed so you can attack for 70 with Dragonite if you want.

I was thinking of putting Zapdos ex in here, but since Dragonite is already a lightning type I think it'd be redundant.

Dragonite is the vanilla attacker. You can have it active hitting for 70, or even better if the opponent has 30 or less hp left you can KO it with Agility and possibly not get hurt next turn.

The reason for 5 Stadiums is so Battle Frontier and Desert Ruins won't have a chance of sticking. Championship Arena can help get lightning energy discarded for delta charge usage too."

~Metagross~

"23 Pokémon
4 Plusle
4 Dratini
2 Dragonair
4 Dragonite
2 Voltorb
2 Electrode ex
2 Pidgey
1 Pidgeotto
2 Pidgeot

24 Trainer
4 Rare Candy
2 PETM
2 Celio's Network
4 Pow
1 Retriever
2 Admin
3 Reporter
2 Stevens
4 Desert Ruins

13 Energy
9 Lightning
4 Multi

Purpose of this deck is to get as many Dragonites (hence 4-2-4 line) along with Pidgeot and Electrode ex in play. Then use Crush and Burn to kill your opponent. If your opponent doesnt OHKO you, blow Trode, use Pow, play Admin and leave your opponent hopeless. I went with 2 PETM and 2 Celio, cause there might be times where you would need Electrode ex and times where you would prefer dratini or voltorb."

[Cyrus]

~Venusaur~

Deck (7/10): Plenty of draw, enough gyms to deal with Battle Frontier, and a hefty amount of energy. However, your deck needs the versatility of those switching cards, because Manetric ex discards _all_ Lightning Energy. If you ever use the Manny for its 2nd attack, then unless you drop two multis onto the manny, then it will discard EVERYTHING! Oi...you play all celio's, so in case of a lone electrike situation (which could very well arise, since you only run 3 plusle and 0 swoop). Also, to have made room for the versatility, you could have cut one or two of those energy...16 is great! However, when you need at least one switch to make Manny ex even work...well...yeah x_X

Creativity (2/5): This is one of the most obvious combinations to go with. Very straightforward deck

Card Use (3/5): Simple, yet effective usage of Dragonite Delta. I'll buy it.

OVERALL: 12/20

~Metagross~


Deck (8/10): Very legitimate job here. You have a fair share of good starters, and enough versatility to make the concept of electrode ex work well. My complaints are that your trode line actually seems a bit too thin, and maybe one more admin could have insured the pow-admin combo's success. Your energy is too low by one or two, and you have a decent amount of draw/search/stadiums.

Creativity (2/5): Also a very simple, expected deck, arisen from the new format. Nothing breathtaking and surprising.

Card Use (3/5):

OVERALL: 13/20

I CHOOSE METAGROSS!!!

[Daddiursa]

Venusaur:

Deck 7/10: I like the deck. It's a good combo, going first with Manectric ex, disrupting a bit with it's first attack, ant then go for the second attack, and hopefully get a few Draggys in play by this time so that you either have a new one all pumped up, or a Rayquaza ex ready to enter the scene... but... what about getting stuff in and out of the active spot,? That's my main concern, otherwise this is a very good deck!! (and Patriarch has already put his finger on this "hole" in the strategy.,.)

Creativity 3/5: I always smile when I see a Championship Arena in a deck, cos there are so many players around here not having a clue about this card until they are taken by surprise... However it's not very effective.. I have tried it, and it's not that helpful, even if it's just for getting your own energy into the discard pile. The Ray/Manny/Draggy combo is good, but not reinventing the wheel..

Card use: 3/5: Solid card use, as it fits in the decks theme. But the ultimate would have been to have metal energy in there too, to use all it's possibilities. (I mean real Metal, not Multi-metal)

Total: 13/20


Metagross:

Deck 6/10: Of course Electrode ex can be used in a Draggy deck, but I find it's attack is much harder to use than it's power.. and having only two might not be sufficient (how about - 1 Plusle and -1 Retriever and +1 Torb & Trode?)

Creativity 2/5: Fair enough.

Card use 3/5: Solid. Dragonite DS is a key element, but still only 80% of it's potential is adressed in this deck too IMO.

Total: 11/20

WINNER: Venusaur

---

Oh, one thing. Patriarch did you not allow them to use any other DS cards?? Cos Holon Research Tower is made for this deck.... and I can't believe they overlooked this, but I understand if no other DS cards could be used than the line in question...

[AncientAbsol]

WAIT WAIT WAIT, i meant to vote for METAGRTOSS METAGROSS METAGROSS

Repeat Metagross, not Venusaur

[Cyrus]

The rule that I gave them was that no, they were not allowed to use any other ds cards than the one assigned, and its pre-evolutions.

and i'll edit the poll, Ben.