ryanvergel
New Member
This article is detailing a deck list and the use of one of the
format's most consistent and powerful combos: Dragtrode. Dragtrode origins seem to go back to the James theme deck from Team Rocket Returns. If you notice in the theme deck, the deck comes with dark dragonite, obviously trying to give attention to the most powerful card the set has to offer. Also note that the Jessie theme deck comes with a Dark
Tyranitar, the main component in RockLock; which is another one of the
most fearsome decks to be played in the format.
It essentially involves the use of energy manipulation via dark
dragonite. Dark Dragonite's poke-power reads:
deck for a darkness energy, or dark-metal energy, and attach it to
itself. It's poke-power reads:
often and whenever the player chooses to. Essentially, every turn a
player can remove energy from dark electrode, use electrode to pull a
dark energy from the deck, and dragonite can then move it to any other
pokemon, for whatever purpose.
The main attacker in dragtrode is Rocket's Sneasel ex, whose amazing
second attack "Dark Ring" gets bonus damage for each dark pokemon in
it's side of play. This essentially means that having a setup of dark
dragonites and dark electrodes will boost sneasel's attack. It also
benefits from darkness energy, is a basic, and is not affected by
desert ruins.
Dragtrode was once played with pidgeot to boost mid to late game
effectiveness, but the use of pidgeot and the card slots it needed to
be effective took away from the overall consistency and potential
dragtrode could do.
Dragtrode is a deck very simple to learn, simply have a dark
dragonite, and 1-2 dark electrode to pull energy from the deck,
meaning that dragtrode is a self-powering deck, and can have many
energy on the field at a very early point in the game, and by being
able to move the energy, dragtrode can ensure having an attacker every
turn and can minimize energy loss upon losing a pokemon. This means
that dragtrode will be doing large amounts of damage by turn 2, and be
able to continually attack every turn.
Without further ado, here is a contemporary Dragtrode list:
candy means that a player cannot use Dark Dragonair's amazing power:
Evolutionary Light:
dark dragonite. With the inclusion of wally's training, you can then
evolve that same turn into a dark dragonite. This means that you have
a dark electrode and a dark dragonite in play, and by turn two, you
can have 3 energy in play (1 energy per turn, and 1 energy from
darkness navigation) which means that dark dragonite can attack since
it needs three energy to attack. Turn two doing anywhere from 50-80
damage(averaging 60-70 damage). With 120 hp, and two types of
resistance, a dark dragonite can be doing strong amounts of damage for
a fairly decent amount of time.
A 3/3/3 line provides a consistent amount of each stage of evolution,
and ideally you will have 1-2 dark dragonite in play.
The 3/3 line of Dark Electrode provides both consistency and speed.
With two dark electrode, you can pull two dark energy per turn onto
the field. Having a dark electrode or voltorb prized hurts the deck a
great deal, so having a large line means that having some of the line
prized will not be as damaging as it could be, and also allows for the
possibility of a voltorb being swooped out for a more ideal pokemon.
2 Rocket's Sneasel is for use as a main attacker, and ensures
consistency in case one is prized. If you start with a sneasel, you
can disrupt the opponent's setup by dragging off important pokemon,
and killing them next turn.
The Dunsparce are for a fast and potent setup, being able to fill the
bench with Sneasel/Voltorb/Dratini to begin the setup next turn. The
inclusion of swoop! Teleporter is for the possible combinations with
dunsparce. Upon starting with dunsparce, you can use swoop! Teleporter
to replace the dunsparce with a more useful pokemon, such as dratini
or voltorb. If you do not start with a dunsparce, you can swoop the
active non-ex pokemon into a dunsparce, and get the setup faster.
The energy amounts of 4 darkness, 4 darkmetal, and 4 rainbow means
that in play, there are up to 12 dark energy to attack with at any
time, and 12 energy that dunsparce can use to strike and run with. The
4 rainbow energy also allows dark electrode to attacks. R energy also
allows for extra damage, and it can be moved with dark dragonite. A
nice combo with R energy is using it when an active pokemon is near
death. You can attach an r energy, and move back precious energy,
while still being able to attack.
Trainers:
Swoop! Teleporter- This card is used to either get a better start by
swooping out a voltorb/dratini for a dunsparce, or later game by
swooping out a dunsparce for a dratini or voltorb.
Warp Point-This card is used to both distrupt the enemy(which also
works like drag off, by forcing an opponent to switch their pokemon)
and to cure status conditions, or as a means of retreat. The use of
warp point should be practiced for timing and effectiveness. A well
placed warp point can win a game by forcing an opponent to switch, and
by saving the dragtrode player energy that would be spent for
retreating, or by curing paralysis or another status that could hurt
the dragtrode player.
Copycat- This card is used as drawpower. Unlike most decks, dragtrode
does not need a large amount of drawpower, since it can power itself
up with energy, and can search for evolutions via dark dragonair. The
drawpower is merely to assist in setup, because upon setup dragtrode
does not usually need any other cards, it can run itself rather well.
Steven's Advice/Rocket Mission- Another means of drawpower to assist in
setup. Steven's Advice is a wonderful draw card in every deck, but
with the emergence of t2 medicham(as discussed by superwooper) and
other small-bench decks, steven's advice becomes less and less
rewarding. Some players prefer to use Rocket Mission in order to
ensure 3-4 card draw.
Wally's Training- A card for use in evolving dratini into dark
dragonair, or ideally use wally's after evolving into a dark
dragonair.
Rocket's Pokeball- Use in searching for evolutions such as dark
dragonair, dark electrode, and dark dragonite; in order to get set up.
Scott- 2 Scott is for use in conjunction with grabbing extra wally's,
grabbing gyms for countering battle frontier, or for use in grabbing
draw cards.
Desert Ruins- Mainly used as a counter-gym(a counter gym is a gym that
is played in order to discard another gym from play that distrupts the
person's deck. Battle Frontier/Mt. Moon both severely disrupt
dragtrode, so 3 ruins/2 scott can be used to ensure the use of key
powers in the deck.
Playing:
Ideally, you will get a dunsparce start, and go forward and Strike and
Run for 1-2 dratini, 1-2 voltorb, and 0-1 rocket's sneasel ex.
Dunsparce can then later be swooped out for a more practical benched
card like dratini.
If you do not start with dunsparce, the 4 swoop! Teleporter can be
used to get that strong start. A strong start in a dragtrode is
essential to properly using the deck.
Upon turn two, ideally you will have a benched dunsparce, an active
dratini, a benched voltorb(or two) and a rocket sneasel ex if you only
need 1 dark electrode. On turn two, use a rocket's pokeball to get a
dark dragonair, then playing the dark dragonair, and using evol. Light
to grab a dark electrode for the benched voltorb, evolve, and pull
energy. If you have a wally's training, play it to evolve the dark
dragonair and get a dark dragonite, and play an energy, thus allowing
you to attack (move the energy from dark electrode, dunsparce, and from
playing an energy).
Rocket's sneasel on the bench should be used to either do damage to
OHKO an important active opponent's pokemon, or to be used when warp
point is drawn. If dark dragonite is near death, retreating would be a
viable option to ensure energy manipulation and to have a fresh active
pokemon.
If playing an electric-weak deck such as ludicargo, zapdos, or some
other deck, dark electrode can be an extremely potent pokemon. Being
able to move rainbow/dark energy and pulling back the energy on it's
attack can do amazing damage to electric-weak pokemon.
Mastering dragtrode will take a bit of time and practice, especially
with timing attacks and energy usage.
Decks to watch out for are:
shard to do massive damage to a dark dragonite.
Hope this article on dragtrode helps, with the above list, you can
experience one of the most consistent, fast, and powerful decks in the
format. A well-played dragtrode list is a fearsome deck simply because
it is so amazingly fast and consistently powerful.
---
I realize that rainbow energy has since been rotated out, this article still mainly works, however. If one wishes to attack with dark electrode, there may be the inclusion of a few lightning energy. Rainbow energy will get re-introduced in the future, and make alot of decks useable once more.
Team R will be posting another strategy article soon, probably detailing either t2 steelix, or ZRE. Look for it!
format's most consistent and powerful combos: Dragtrode. Dragtrode origins seem to go back to the James theme deck from Team Rocket Returns. If you notice in the theme deck, the deck comes with dark dragonite, obviously trying to give attention to the most powerful card the set has to offer. Also note that the Jessie theme deck comes with a Dark
Tyranitar, the main component in RockLock; which is another one of the
most fearsome decks to be played in the format.
Article by: Ryan Vergel/ Alex Hill
Title: DragTrode
Date: August 26, 2005
Latest set released: EX:Unseen Forces
Current Format: RS-on
The strategy behind DragTrode is simple, but hard to master.Title: DragTrode
Date: August 26, 2005
Latest set released: EX:Unseen Forces
Current Format: RS-on
It essentially involves the use of energy manipulation via dark
dragonite. Dark Dragonite's poke-power reads:
Poké-POWER: Dark Trance
As often as you like during your turn (before your attack), you may move a Dark energy. This power can't be used if Dark Dragonite is affected by a Special Condition.
Dark electrode, when having no energy attached to it, can search theAs often as you like during your turn (before your attack), you may move a Dark energy. This power can't be used if Dark Dragonite is affected by a Special Condition.
deck for a darkness energy, or dark-metal energy, and attach it to
itself. It's poke-power reads:
Poké-POWER: Darkness Navigation
Once during your turn (before your attack), if Dark Electrode has no Energy attached to it, you may search your deck for a Darkness or Dark Metal Energy and attach it to Dark Electrode. Shuffle your deck afterward. This power can't be used if Dark Electrode is affected by a Special Condition.
Dark Dragonite can then move said energy to any other pokemon; asOnce during your turn (before your attack), if Dark Electrode has no Energy attached to it, you may search your deck for a Darkness or Dark Metal Energy and attach it to Dark Electrode. Shuffle your deck afterward. This power can't be used if Dark Electrode is affected by a Special Condition.
often and whenever the player chooses to. Essentially, every turn a
player can remove energy from dark electrode, use electrode to pull a
dark energy from the deck, and dragonite can then move it to any other
pokemon, for whatever purpose.
The main attacker in dragtrode is Rocket's Sneasel ex, whose amazing
second attack "Dark Ring" gets bonus damage for each dark pokemon in
it's side of play. This essentially means that having a setup of dark
dragonites and dark electrodes will boost sneasel's attack. It also
benefits from darkness energy, is a basic, and is not affected by
desert ruins.
Dragtrode was once played with pidgeot to boost mid to late game
effectiveness, but the use of pidgeot and the card slots it needed to
be effective took away from the overall consistency and potential
dragtrode could do.
Dragtrode is a deck very simple to learn, simply have a dark
dragonite, and 1-2 dark electrode to pull energy from the deck,
meaning that dragtrode is a self-powering deck, and can have many
energy on the field at a very early point in the game, and by being
able to move the energy, dragtrode can ensure having an attacker every
turn and can minimize energy loss upon losing a pokemon. This means
that dragtrode will be doing large amounts of damage by turn 2, and be
able to continually attack every turn.
Without further ado, here is a contemporary Dragtrode list:
// Pokemon 21
3 Dark Dragonite RR
3 Dark Dragonair #31
3 Dratini #53
3 Dark Electrode RR
3 Voltorb FRLG
2 Rocket's Sneasel ex
4 Dunsparce SS
// Energy 14
2 R Energy
4 Rainbow Energy
4 Dark Metal Energy
4 Darkness Energy
// Trainers 25
4 Swoop! Teleporter
3 Warp Point
3 Copycat
3 Steven's/Rocket Mission
3 Wally's Training
4 Rocket's Poké Ball
2 Scott
3 Desert Ruins
Pokemon: The lines for Dragonite are 3/3/3, because the use of rare3 Dark Dragonite RR
3 Dark Dragonair #31
3 Dratini #53
3 Dark Electrode RR
3 Voltorb FRLG
2 Rocket's Sneasel ex
4 Dunsparce SS
// Energy 14
2 R Energy
4 Rainbow Energy
4 Dark Metal Energy
4 Darkness Energy
// Trainers 25
4 Swoop! Teleporter
3 Warp Point
3 Copycat
3 Steven's/Rocket Mission
3 Wally's Training
4 Rocket's Poké Ball
2 Scott
3 Desert Ruins
candy means that a player cannot use Dark Dragonair's amazing power:
Evolutionary Light:
Poké-POWER: Evolutionary Light
Once during your turn (before your attack), if Dark Dragonair is your Active Pokémon, you may search your deck for an Evolution card. Show it to your opponent and put it into your hand. Shuffle your deck afterward. This power can't be used if Dark Dragonair is affected by a Special Condition.
With this pokemon power, you can search for either dark electrode orOnce during your turn (before your attack), if Dark Dragonair is your Active Pokémon, you may search your deck for an Evolution card. Show it to your opponent and put it into your hand. Shuffle your deck afterward. This power can't be used if Dark Dragonair is affected by a Special Condition.
dark dragonite. With the inclusion of wally's training, you can then
evolve that same turn into a dark dragonite. This means that you have
a dark electrode and a dark dragonite in play, and by turn two, you
can have 3 energy in play (1 energy per turn, and 1 energy from
darkness navigation) which means that dark dragonite can attack since
it needs three energy to attack. Turn two doing anywhere from 50-80
damage(averaging 60-70 damage). With 120 hp, and two types of
resistance, a dark dragonite can be doing strong amounts of damage for
a fairly decent amount of time.
A 3/3/3 line provides a consistent amount of each stage of evolution,
and ideally you will have 1-2 dark dragonite in play.
The 3/3 line of Dark Electrode provides both consistency and speed.
With two dark electrode, you can pull two dark energy per turn onto
the field. Having a dark electrode or voltorb prized hurts the deck a
great deal, so having a large line means that having some of the line
prized will not be as damaging as it could be, and also allows for the
possibility of a voltorb being swooped out for a more ideal pokemon.
2 Rocket's Sneasel is for use as a main attacker, and ensures
consistency in case one is prized. If you start with a sneasel, you
can disrupt the opponent's setup by dragging off important pokemon,
and killing them next turn.
The Dunsparce are for a fast and potent setup, being able to fill the
bench with Sneasel/Voltorb/Dratini to begin the setup next turn. The
inclusion of swoop! Teleporter is for the possible combinations with
dunsparce. Upon starting with dunsparce, you can use swoop! Teleporter
to replace the dunsparce with a more useful pokemon, such as dratini
or voltorb. If you do not start with a dunsparce, you can swoop the
active non-ex pokemon into a dunsparce, and get the setup faster.
The energy amounts of 4 darkness, 4 darkmetal, and 4 rainbow means
that in play, there are up to 12 dark energy to attack with at any
time, and 12 energy that dunsparce can use to strike and run with. The
4 rainbow energy also allows dark electrode to attacks. R energy also
allows for extra damage, and it can be moved with dark dragonite. A
nice combo with R energy is using it when an active pokemon is near
death. You can attach an r energy, and move back precious energy,
while still being able to attack.
Trainers:
Swoop! Teleporter- This card is used to either get a better start by
swooping out a voltorb/dratini for a dunsparce, or later game by
swooping out a dunsparce for a dratini or voltorb.
Warp Point-This card is used to both distrupt the enemy(which also
works like drag off, by forcing an opponent to switch their pokemon)
and to cure status conditions, or as a means of retreat. The use of
warp point should be practiced for timing and effectiveness. A well
placed warp point can win a game by forcing an opponent to switch, and
by saving the dragtrode player energy that would be spent for
retreating, or by curing paralysis or another status that could hurt
the dragtrode player.
Copycat- This card is used as drawpower. Unlike most decks, dragtrode
does not need a large amount of drawpower, since it can power itself
up with energy, and can search for evolutions via dark dragonair. The
drawpower is merely to assist in setup, because upon setup dragtrode
does not usually need any other cards, it can run itself rather well.
Steven's Advice/Rocket Mission- Another means of drawpower to assist in
setup. Steven's Advice is a wonderful draw card in every deck, but
with the emergence of t2 medicham(as discussed by superwooper) and
other small-bench decks, steven's advice becomes less and less
rewarding. Some players prefer to use Rocket Mission in order to
ensure 3-4 card draw.
Wally's Training- A card for use in evolving dratini into dark
dragonair, or ideally use wally's after evolving into a dark
dragonair.
Rocket's Pokeball- Use in searching for evolutions such as dark
dragonair, dark electrode, and dark dragonite; in order to get set up.
Scott- 2 Scott is for use in conjunction with grabbing extra wally's,
grabbing gyms for countering battle frontier, or for use in grabbing
draw cards.
Desert Ruins- Mainly used as a counter-gym(a counter gym is a gym that
is played in order to discard another gym from play that distrupts the
person's deck. Battle Frontier/Mt. Moon both severely disrupt
dragtrode, so 3 ruins/2 scott can be used to ensure the use of key
powers in the deck.
Playing:
Ideally, you will get a dunsparce start, and go forward and Strike and
Run for 1-2 dratini, 1-2 voltorb, and 0-1 rocket's sneasel ex.
Dunsparce can then later be swooped out for a more practical benched
card like dratini.
If you do not start with dunsparce, the 4 swoop! Teleporter can be
used to get that strong start. A strong start in a dragtrode is
essential to properly using the deck.
Upon turn two, ideally you will have a benched dunsparce, an active
dratini, a benched voltorb(or two) and a rocket sneasel ex if you only
need 1 dark electrode. On turn two, use a rocket's pokeball to get a
dark dragonair, then playing the dark dragonair, and using evol. Light
to grab a dark electrode for the benched voltorb, evolve, and pull
energy. If you have a wally's training, play it to evolve the dark
dragonair and get a dark dragonite, and play an energy, thus allowing
you to attack (move the energy from dark electrode, dunsparce, and from
playing an energy).
Rocket's sneasel on the bench should be used to either do damage to
OHKO an important active opponent's pokemon, or to be used when warp
point is drawn. If dark dragonite is near death, retreating would be a
viable option to ensure energy manipulation and to have a fresh active
pokemon.
If playing an electric-weak deck such as ludicargo, zapdos, or some
other deck, dark electrode can be an extremely potent pokemon. Being
able to move rainbow/dark energy and pulling back the energy on it's
attack can do amazing damage to electric-weak pokemon.
Mastering dragtrode will take a bit of time and practice, especially
with timing attacks and energy usage.
Decks to watch out for are:
T2 medicham
Rock-lock
Salamence
Slaking
Always be aware of the opportunity for the opponent to use crystalRock-lock
Salamence
Slaking
shard to do massive damage to a dark dragonite.
Hope this article on dragtrode helps, with the above list, you can
experience one of the most consistent, fast, and powerful decks in the
format. A well-played dragtrode list is a fearsome deck simply because
it is so amazingly fast and consistently powerful.
---
I realize that rainbow energy has since been rotated out, this article still mainly works, however. If one wishes to attack with dark electrode, there may be the inclusion of a few lightning energy. Rainbow energy will get re-introduced in the future, and make alot of decks useable once more.
Team R will be posting another strategy article soon, probably detailing either t2 steelix, or ZRE. Look for it!
