Pokémon TCG: Sword and Shield—Brilliant Stars

Composite Donphan discussion thread.

Kayle

Kayle

Active Member
Because I said so.

So, I tested BlissPhan for quite some time (lol newb at secrecy). My list is very low-energy and high on trainers. I could get a belted Donphan out T1/T2 in about 85% of my starts, barring Spiritomb (which I had Regice for, but that slowed me down to T2 at best - though I liked using Roseanne's for Uxie/Regice, discarding two, and having that much more room to Set Up). It was pretty handy and I am confident in that list's capability - until Gyarados, Kingdra, or Palkia hit the field.

Feraligatr doesn't scare me. They'd have to get quite the lucky hand to get everything they needed before I do the same thing so I'll generally outspeed them, barring stupid luck.

Palkia G is a mixed feeling. They usually don't actually have Palkia out for a little while, but Sprays and Mesprits really annoy the heck out of me, because I - like Shuppet - will run my hand down to one card and Set Up to get stuff going. If they Spray or Bind I tend to be in some trouble, barring stupid luck on my part. I haven't got enough experience with Palkia to know how often they get a T1 Psychic Bind, so I remain stuck here.

Kingdra seems relatively unplayed these days. They're just as fast as me and they are pretty powerful to match; all they need is a Belt and they OHKO me, while I 3HKO them without a Belt. And they love spreading to stuff after I EQ. So if this does come out, and isn't owned hard by Plox, it will really hurt Donphan.

Gyarados, I also have next to no experience with this deck, playing or playing against. It was my understanding that it tended to be slow and difficult to set up (T3?) but apparently I was wrong. As soon as Gyarados comes out you kind of have lost already unless they miraculously have no way to discard Magikarps. You can't KO them back to save your own life.


Blissey makes it a fantastic tank, but its only value really is in the early game when it outspeeds and KOs things. So I'm thinking of running LuxPhan. No Blisseys, no need to tank with them... just Luxray.

Luxray with a benched Lucario GL and a Pluspower/Belt/Flash Bite will OHKO everything listed above except Feraligatr (which I'm already not worried about). We all know about Luxray's insane disruption ability. It might turn out kind of weird, but it sounds like it's worth a shot at the least.

Anyone else with Donphan testing that can give me an idea what to worry about?
 
Not that it is a GREAT idea, but for the horrible Gyarados match-up (and could help against other decks) is maybe a 1-1 Honchcrow SV? Take the power out of their hit, and if you run exploud/bubble coat (or something like that), it would be a much better match-up.
 
Have you seen Donphan's retreat cost? Trying to get Honchkrow SV active would be a horrible pain. Besides, it wouldn't end up being worth it in the end - a bench space and a tool, with all of the stuff necessary to switch your Active around, for only a 30 damage reduction and no weakness for one turn wouldn't really be worth it. (Exploud should not be in here. Takes up too much space.)
 
Kayle said:
Because I said so.

So, I tested BlissPhan for quite some time (lol newb at secrecy). My list is very low-energy and high on trainers. I could get a belted Donphan out T1/T2 in about 85% of my starts, barring Spiritomb (which I had Regice for, but that slowed me down to T2 at best - though I liked using Roseanne's for Uxie/Regice, discarding two, and having that much more room to Set Up). It was pretty handy and I am confident in that list's capability - until Gyarados, Kingdra, or Palkia hit the field.

Feraligatr doesn't scare me. They'd have to get quite the lucky hand to get everything they needed before I do the same thing so I'll generally outspeed them, barring stupid luck.

Palkia G is a mixed feeling. They usually don't actually have Palkia out for a little while, but Sprays and Mesprits really annoy the heck out of me, because I - like Shuppet - will run my hand down to one card and Set Up to get stuff going. If they Spray or Bind I tend to be in some trouble, barring stupid luck on my part. I haven't got enough experience with Palkia to know how often they get a T1 Psychic Bind, so I remain stuck here.i ve been playing palkia and I usually get a palkia start at least 90 percent of the time. And I just about always have a t1 powerspray or mesprit ready. I'm not playing donphan but I thought this coould give u a better idea of your matcup.

Kingdra seems relatively unplayed these days. They're just as fast as me and they are pretty powerful to match; all they need is a Belt and they OHKO me, while I 3HKO them without a Belt. And they love spreading to stuff after I EQ. So if this does come out, and isn't owned hard by Plox, it will really hurt Donphan.

Gyarados, I also have next to no experience with this deck, playing or playing against. It was my understanding that it tended to be slow and difficult to set up (T3?) but apparently I was wrong. As soon as Gyarados comes out you kind of have lost already unless they miraculously have no way to discard Magikarps. You can't KO them back to save your own life.


Blissey makes it a fantastic tank, but its only value really is in the early game when it outspeeds and KOs things. So I'm thinking of running LuxPhan. No Blisseys, no need to tank with them... just Luxray.

Luxray with a benched Lucario GL and a Pluspower/Belt/Flash Bite will OHKO everything listed above except Feraligatr (which I'm already not worried about). We all know about Luxray's insane disruption ability. It might turn out kind of weird, but it sounds like it's worth a shot at the least.

Anyone else with Donphan testing that can give me an idea what to worry about?
Click to expand...
Replieas in bold. Shika out
 
Really. You start with Palkia 90% of the time? Really? I'd buy it if you changed that to T2 Pearl Breath and told me you ran 3 Bats.
 
Palkia start is very different from T2 Breath, yeah. I can't help but be a little skeptical.

Still, that is helpful to know. So, in a Palkia matchup, I will want Luxray ASAP.
 
I run Donphan and 99 percent of the time i get Donphan out turn 1. Run 1-1-1 Exploud SV if your worried about weekness
I run it and i beat kingdra, sometimes G-dos and almost always beat Palkia lock.
I am a very good Gyarados player and beat my own deck
 
What's your list, if you don't mind sharing? T1 Donphan wrecks a lot of stuff, but beating all of those seems pretty freaky.

And I really would rather not run a Stage 2 tech in a Stage 1 deck. In Gyarados' case, Weakness hardly contributes.
 
Sorry Kayle, cant share the list. But after states if i get first then i will post a thread with my list in it.
You run it just in case you meet kindra. Run rare candy though.
Also you can run Bubble Coat
 
kyroid said:
I run Donphan and 99 percent of the time i get Donphan out turn 1. Run 1-1-1 Exploud SV if your worried about weekness
I run it and i beat kingdra, sometimes G-dos and almost always beat Palkia lock.
I am a very good Gyarados player and beat my own deck
Click to expand...

^ False.
Exploud would not help vs gyara. Donphan will not apear 99% of T1s. If you were a "very good Gyarados player", you would NEVER beat your own deck in a legit game.
 
Ok um you dont one hit me with Expload
It happends alot so I said that. Im am a very good g-dos player [Won 5 Br's and 2 Citys and came in 2nd three times]
 
Avoiding the OHKOs from Gyarados is one thing.

Actually KOing a Gyarados with Donphan AT ALL is quite another.

T1 Donphan 99% of the time sounds iffy to me. Especially if you run any techs at all except free retreaters like Crobat.
 
kyroid said:
Ok um you dont one hit me with Expload
It happends alot so I said that. Im am a very good g-dos player [Won 5 Br's and 2 Citys and came in 2nd three times]
Click to expand...

If you can give a legitimate explanation of how good Gyarados lists ever loses to Donphan, then this might be believable.

Also, 4xmagicarp prized on anything similar, is not a legitimate explanation.
 
Kayle said:
So anyone got some input on a deck actually focused on Luxray and Donphan?
Click to expand...
I think that when you try and add in a tech like Luxray, you're just taking away consistency from a deck that is pretty much an auto-loss to decks like Gyarados, Palkia G, and Kingdra anyways, with or without Luxray. So maybe instead of trying to figure out ways to counter decks via weakness, why not just take that extra space and make your deck even more consistent?

Just my two pennies. :wink:
 
cmak37 said:
I think that when you try and add in a tech like Luxray, you're just taking away consistency from a deck that is pretty much an auto-loss to decks like Gyarados, Palkia G, and Kingdra anyways, with or without Luxray. So maybe instead of trying to figure out ways to counter decks via weakness, why not just take that extra space and make your deck even more consistent?

Just my two pennies. :wink:
Click to expand...

I completely agree with the thought that Luxray as a tech fails in this situation.

But I did specifically state that I was focusing on Luxray. Besides, Bright Look is always a wonderful addition to any deck that does what Donphan does: fast, disruptive damage. A Belted Donphan OHKO's a Claydol, after all! So Luxray's not JUST for the water matchup.
 
chetabear said:
If you can give a legitimate explanation of how good Gyarados lists ever loses to Donphan, then this might be believable.

Also, 4xmagicarp prized on anything similar, is not a legitimate explanation.
Click to expand...

I donked it when they had sableye
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top