Pokémon TCG: Sword and Shield—Brilliant Stars

What decks do you think will do good at Autumn BR's?

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What decks do you think are good choices and expect to see in top cut most for battle roads? I know battle roads is testing grounds and also depends on the meta where you live, but it is good to see what people are thinking to get ideas. Play nice, no spamming.
 
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Tier one decks
Stage one rush
Tyram
ZPS
Vileplume stuff (thanks Ross)

Honestly these decks are all very powerful and catcher makes rush, tyram and zps extremely strong and well we all saw what happened at worlds with Ross vileplume mash so yea expect it in numbers weather it be anti meta, mewbox, bear or sniping it's strong all the way around
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^ Is mainly what I would recommend. Magnezones are really easily catchered up, or else I would recommend Megazone. Stage 1's seems like the better play, because Donphan is a very good partner with catcher and it is, in general, a very fast deck.
 
I think you'll see alot of bad ZPS and Plume variants. The decks are fantastic, but most people won't know what they're doing for BR's with these decks. (Especially Vileplume.)
 
^lol. You won't get trolled. Lots of people think that Goth is great. The damage output is too low, and it's a stage 2. I don't think it will be a big threat.
 
Top Tier:
1) tyRam: This is still the most consistent and most reliable deck in the format. It is easy for people to pick up an play well (great attribute for BR). However, the deck has some tough choices. What do you do with Ninetales? Do you run Juniper/Sage's, Juniper/Chere, Sage's/PONT, PONT/Cheren? The deck has a lot to work through. Also, what do you do to counter Ross.dec (I think you play a single Zekrom copy and run a PETM or two)? What about Vileplume in general (Bellsprout anyone)? Is Catcher actually needed in here (tough question)?

2) ZPST: Tornadus just added a Donphan counter to this deck. Also, Catcher takes away a huge flip and this deck benefits more from that than about anything. What lines do you run (I would likely go 4-2-2-3 in this order ZPST)? Do you play for the donk or play for 120 or 80 each turn for the whole game after set up?

3) Ross.dec: This baby is actually very, very good. It is in my opinion the best toolbox deck in the format. The deck can really wreck havoc once set up. However, it can struggle on time. So what partners do you use for this deck?

4) Stage 1 rush: This is likely the second most useful toolbox deck. You have so many options (Cinccino, Zoroark, Donphan, Yanmega, Beartic,...). Which ones do you choose? This deck is the other deck besides ZPST that really benefits from Catcher.

Second Tier:
5) MegaZone (Primetime): Many people will still play this deck at BR. However, Magnezone's vulnerability to Catcher and the slow build up may really hold it back.

6) MagneBoar: This deck might deserve to be in Tier 1. It is very slow, but it neutralizes the disadvantage of going second through Twins and the best late game attackers in the format. I just cannot get over how slow it can be. I personally have not had a hard time beating this deck with tyRam at all.

7) Donphan and Dragons: This deck is surprisingly solid and benefits from Catcher a lot. It can cover many type weaknesses.

9) ReshiBoar: This deck is similar to MagneBoar but without the Stage 2 draw power. You can (and should) run Ninetales (i honestly believe it is the best draw engine in the game right now) to compensate. You can also run Magcargo to OHKO anything that has over 120 hp. This deck (when built correctly) might deserve to be Tier 1.

9) MexBox: This is what I would call a second tier toolbox. Yes you can use Jumpluff, Muk, etc as the attacker through Mew's Poke-Power. But Mew is just so fragile that it will get return KOd almost every time.

Decks that are not good (imo), but will see play anyway due to hype:
9) BearPlume: This deck was instantly hyped when Beartic was left out of BW. It is just that, hype. The Bear's lock is too easy to get out of.

10) Gothitelle/stuff: This deck is also getting a lot of play right now. It is just too slow and too easily broken. Yes, locking your opponent and getting to still play trainers is awesome. Yet, Mew runs this over, Xatu can deal with this. It is just too troublesome.

Dark horse decks that have potential if someone put work into perfecting the lists:
11) Blastoise/Floatzel: I know, people have worked on this deck since last format without much success. However, I feel that people were going about it all wrong. You need to run a Twins/Sage's engine and thick lines. This deck really takes care of Ross.dec easily because Reuncilus is OHKOd by Blastoise. It also handles Donphan well (Floatzel can OHKO Donphan with a PP). Finally, the piece that everyone was overlooking is Jirachi. Tech in a couple Rainbow and Jirachi. It can really work wonders.

12) Magnezone/Floatzel/Vileplume: I know it sounds crazy, but it can be successful. You have great draw, energy acceleration, and trainer lock. What is not to love? With trainer lock you are virtually guaranteed that Magnezone will not be OHKOd and you can just rain down Water Energy and OHKO everything on their side of the field.

13) Samurott/Electrode: This thing can run a Twins engine and tank like non-other. Build it and play around with it. It is surprisingly good in the right hands.
 
aj, that's a pretty interesting list, but I don't think you got it all right. In particular I think you underestimate how good Gothlock is. Trust me, I thought it'd be terrible too, but then I saw a friends "turbo" build that always gets T2 and at it's worst T3 Gothitelle. Sure, it can't attack at that point, but it doesn't matter. If they went first, you just are completely shut out of the game.

Ross.dec does well against it, however, as well as anything that can snipe the Reuniclus (a card that is necessary in Gothlock). But tyRam gets RUINED by it.
 
aj, that's a pretty interesting list, but I don't think you got it all right. In particular I think you underestimate how good Gothlock is. Trust me, I thought it'd be terrible too, but then I saw a friends "turbo" build that always gets T2 and at it's worst T3 Gothitelle. Sure, it can't attack at that point, but it doesn't matter. If they went first, you just are completely shut out of the game.

Ross.dec does well against it, however, as well as anything that can snipe the Reuniclus (a card that is necessary in Gothlock). But tyRam gets RUINED by it.

As always, to each their own.

That being said, I would love to see this list in action. IMO, Gothlock is just too fragile Jirachi screws with it hard. Mew Prime just truck stomps it. Muk/Vileplume sludge drags it to death. Liepard pulls up that Reuncilus and de-activates trainer lock. Bellsprout can push Goth out of the active. I'll let you power up a Goth big enough to OHKO Reshiram and then just return the KO with Xatu.

As for tyRam specifically, the name of the game is Energy Denial. First off, good tyRam players will beef up the Typholosion lines because of Ross.dec anyway. They will also trade a Pokemon Communication or two for Professor Elm's Training Method. Then you just discard those psychic energies and leave Goth dealing relatively low damage. You can also manipulate Outrage with Afterburner (something many people still overlook) to get some OHKOs.

Like I said, I would love to see this T2 list in action. Everyone always claims that they can set up T2. It never works out like that in a Tournament setting and you tend to be hit or miss on T2, T3, and sometimes T4.
 
I think consistency will be a main factor more than anything at battle roads this time around. With all of the people scrampling to get beartics/gothitelle to toss together a decent deck and the people trying to make decks like Ross's without enough/proper testing, I think the well-tested, consistent decks will prevail. Just my opinion.:thumb:
 
Beartic has a place in quite a few decks as a tech. That is to say hes not only viable with vileplume. He stops donphan/dragons hard, which otherwise has very decent matchups across the board.
 
Well I am playing Gothitelle at my Battle Roads, so expect at least 3 victories with it. But on the real side of things, here are the decks you will see:

1. Zekrom
2. Vileplume + Stage 1s or Dragons
3. Reshiboar
4. Tyram
5. Gothitelle
6. Donphan + Whatever
7. Yanmega + Whatever


Pretty much what you will be seeing. Lots of fast decks. And lots of lock decks. Gothitelle will be the biggest surprise of Battle Roads. I guarantee it. One way Trainer Lock is absolutely disgusting ANY way you look at it. The point is, Goth doesn't need any damage output. It doesn't get one shot, so it won't die.
 
my thoughts from another forum. i don't want to retype them all:

"Right now I think that I am leaning towards it being not all that good. Here are some reasons why:

1) The Goth has to be active and there are several things that can OHKO Goth in the format.

2) The deck has little to no energy acceleration. This makes it extremely susceptible to energy disruption/ denial. For this reason alone, the tyRam match up is not really much better than 50/50, it at all.

3) Decks are already moving towards being "lock proof." Decks are running more supporters in congruence with items (PETM with Comm, etc). So, the locking factor is almost expected.

4) Mew+almost anything owns Goth like nobody's business. It can just run wild over the deck.

5) Vileplume+almost anything beats this deck. The Goth decks are still built to rely on items. So, Vileplume will keep ticking with its supporters while Goth slows way down.

6) Any number of the dragging Pokemon (Ferrathorn, Bellsprout, Muk, Liepard) in this format can take care of this deck. If this deck or Ross.dec starts to see wide spread play, count on those cards making it into quite a few decklists.

7) Even puny little Xatu can OHKO a Goth that has been charged up to be able to OHKO Reshiram, Zekrom, or any other 130-140 hp Pokemon.

8) Jirachi really, really messes this deck up in a big way."
 
Le sigh. I guess you guys will just see. If you go second against a Gothitelle deck, you lose. So I guess we shouldn't really be asking WHAT deck will be winning. If you go first, you have about an 80% shot of being the winner while the other player battles uphill the whole game. I mean, look. If you get your Vileplume because you went first against my Goth, you MIGHT win. I can still destroy you once I get my Goth up because, once again, she doesn't get killed unless you have Mew. If I go first with Goth though, you lose. That is all there is to it. I can Catcher. You can't. And you will NEVER have an Oddish survive a turn. Nobody is going to run that trash Xatu. Such a joke tech. Then, good luck fighting against my Drifblims... and Ferrothorn and Bellsprout? Nobody with a good Pokemon brain will be using EITHER of those cards... and what will Jirachi do? Come out after giving me Prizes damaging my Goth, then me sending out my brand new Goth to eat your Jirachi? I just... don't see why people aren't seeing that you can't DO ANYTHING against it...
 
Le sigh. I guess you guys will just see. If you go second against a Gothitelle deck, you lose. So I guess we shouldn't really be asking WHAT deck will be winning. If you go first, you have about an 80% shot of being the winner while the other player battles uphill the whole game. I mean, look. If you get your Vileplume because you went first against my Goth, you MIGHT win. I can still destroy you once I get my Goth up because, once again, she doesn't get killed unless you have Mew. If I go first with Goth though, you lose. That is all there is to it. I can Catcher. You can't. And you will NEVER have an Oddish survive a turn. Nobody is going to run that trash Xatu. Such a joke tech. Then, good luck fighting against my Drifblims... and Ferrothorn and Bellsprout? Nobody with a good Pokemon brain will be using EITHER of those cards... and what will Jirachi do? Come out after giving me Prizes damaging my Goth, then me sending out my brand new Goth to eat your Jirachi? I just... don't see why people aren't seeing that you can't DO ANYTHING against it...
Does Gothitelle have any of the following to be a dominant deck?
Internal Draw? No
Efficient Damage Output? No
Energy Acceleration? No
Speed? No
Gothitelle is a tech, not a deck. This card is getting more hype than Beartic. :nonono:
 
>_< Masters. I mean. If you can't see it, then I guess that's just better for us who do. Gothitelle will win A LOT of Battle Roads.

Internal Draw - Doesn't matter. Supporters and Trainer engines are more than sufficient. Does Donphan or Beartic have internal draw? <_<
Efficient Damage Output - DCE + Psychic for 50 is more than enough. Gothitelle doesn't get killed...
Energy Acceleration - Jirachi + Shaymin if you so desire... again, nothing more than DCE + Psychic is needed...
Speed - Turn 2 every game? Yea. That is speedy.
 
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