Pokémon TCG: Sword and Shield—Brilliant Stars

HGSS-on CSN Cinccino/Samurott/Ninetales

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Melee Mewtwo

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So a while ago, back when LuxChomp ruled over all and BW was yet to dawn, I used to play competitively (not successfully). A recent move, though, put an end to my fun and my cards were packed away. However, things are starting to settle now so I may be able to get back in. So in preparation for my eventual return to the competitive play, I have decided to always have a decklist ready so that, when the time comes, I can get the cards I need and start playing again. My problem is that I am completely unfamiliar with this new meta and what a good list should look like. Anyways, I have done some research and have decided to post my decklists here so that it can be fixed by those not as reliant on theorymon and PokeGym articles.

Okay, so I am a big fan of original decks for various reasons that I won't bother you with. As a result my main goal is to find an idea that is fresh while remaining viable. In other words, feel free to completely shoot down whatever deck I build if it's something that is already getting played or is too inconsistent, slow, stupid, etc.

Pokemon: 20
4-3 Cinccino
3-1-2 Samurott
3-2 Ninetales
2 Manaphy

T/S/St: 25
2 Juniper
4 Collector
4 Pokemon Catcher
3 Junk Arm
2 Pluspower
2 E Retrieval
1 Flower Shop Lady
3 Rare Candy
4 Communication

Energy: 15
8 Fire
3 Rescue
4 DCE

Strategy: I started with Samurott as its attack hits just hard enough with its typing to OHKO a large portion of the water weak meta. It also had the benefit of being a pure colorless attack leaving me with a large choice of potential partners. I then decided to add Ninetales as it seems to be the best draw power in the meta, assuming you run fire energy. Lastly, I added Cinccino for something that could hit hard and fast while being able to trade prizes with Bolt Striking Zekroms. I went with Manaphy over Cleffa to avoid Tyrogue donks and Yanmega snipes.
 
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Interesting idea. Samurott works well in here as a Donphan Counter.

I'd recommend -1 Manphy, -1 Vulpix, and -1 Retrieval.

I'd probably add in a Juniper and 2 PONT.
 
Okay, I know I don't have the experience but I will go ahead and voice my concern in hopes for a reassuring explanation. It's not really a strong arguement but, uh, it looks like 2 cleffa/manaphy is the trendy line, apparently its a smarter move to have an extra basic due to the popularity of catcher, and losing a retrieval cuts that line kinda low considering the discard from Ninetales. At such a low number it looks like it would be smarter to just replace it with a fisherman..... Anyways, an extra Juniper sure is appealing, but with Ninetales, Manaphy, and Juniper, are the PONTs neccessary?
 
Yeah, they are. PONT is, in many ways, better than Juniper. Manphy you won't be using latergame when you have a decent attacker up. Ninetales, you will eventually run out of deck/energy, and in that situation PONT is better than Juniper. Especially with a consistent drawpower in Ninetales PONT is better so you don't deck out.
 
Okay, I think I see your point on the Manaphy. If I understand correctly 2 cleffa/Manaphy are used to be able to search one out T1 with the second being assurance against the other ending up in the prizes. I see your point concerning PONT, too. My only concern is that it seems like it will only be really useful for preventing a deck out as it seems that I will be in one of two situations with Ninetales. Either A I get Ninetales out nice and early things, go well and I build up a big hand, in which case PONT is not as efficient since I will probably just end up with 6 of that big hand again instead of getting something new. Or B things aren't going so well and my hand isn't so large in which case in comes it down to personal preferrence of: Do I want to discard but draw a fresh 7, or shuffle what I have at the risk of drawing some of it back? Since, I am leaning more towards of the side of Juniper in such a senario, I don't find PONTs so appealing. Is there something I am still missing? Are my assumptions inaccurate?
 
If Samurott is only there to counter Donphan and Reshiram, you might want to try some different options. Zoroark/Cinccino/Tornadus is actually a semi-competitive deck. Zoroark hits the dragons hard and can copy a Yanmega snipe. Cinccino hits hard on Yanmega and somewhat hard on Magnzeone. Then Tornadus is there to cover the weakness and two-hit Donphan while it 3-hits back.

You could still use Ninetales for draw but don't rely only on it in a catcher format. Using only 2 draw supporters is a bad idea in any deck, draw power or not. I'd try running 11 hand refresh supporters/sage's (Oak's, Juniper, Judge, Sage's). On top of that run 2 Pokegear 3.0 and it should work consistently without the ninetales. You could drop 4 of the draw supporters for Ninetales but I'm not sure it's worth it.

If you opt to keep the Ninetales, then don't run Rescue. It's counter productive.

The reason to drop Samurott is that it's a stage 2. It's hard to setup in a deck that would otherwise be stage 1's. Also, it doesn't get out as fast.

A common mistake I see in the decks in this forum is too much recovery. When you're sitting on 9 attackers in the deck, recovery is simply not needed. FSL is a bad card period. Energy Retrieval is good though. And Rescue is okay if there's room for it and it makes sense to run it. But it doesn't make sense in this deck.
 
As cool as manaphy is, every basic in your deck has a retreat cost so you're better off playing 1/2 Cleffa, even with the lower HP. you should take out a Rescue energy for another copy of 1 of your fully evolved Pokemon, Sammurott/Cinccino or Ninetales.
 
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