Pokémon TCG: Sword and Shield—Brilliant Stars

Hydreigon NV 79/101

T

The Tape

New Member
With dark explorers coming out soon, one can only assume, with the given cards in the set, that all dark Pokemon will be seeing more play. Zoroark from DXE will be a big hit in dark decks, as well as Darkrai EX. I was wonding if there was any use of the Hydreigon from Noble Victories. Its ability can benefit from the use of DCE, and now with dark patch, one can easily charge this dragon up in one turn. However, the main problem is that it is a stage 2 Pokemon, which is very slow in this format. Looking way ahead to Dragon Rush, the Hydreigons from there might see play as well. This could be a mute point however.

In short: my question is will there be any use of Hydreigon in decks involving Dark Explorers?
 
I too have been thinking about this (and waiting to see if anyone else will reply lol :p)

I'll have to say that yes hydregion can be useful because spread damage is always nice. On top of that if you throw a dark claw (from dark explorers) onto it, hydreigon can do 80 damage to the active while still spreading the 40 damage to two of the benched pokemon.

However, considering how stage 2 pokemon are already having a hard time...the release of more EX pokemon is going to make it even more tough to set a hydreigon up.

All that in mind, sure hydreigon is getting a little help from dark explorer cards so it can be fun to use it, but in the end its still a stage 2 in a basic pokemon metagame.
 
The Tape said:
In short: my question is will there be any use of Hydreigon in decks involving Dark Explorers?
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In the HGSS-DEX format, Hydreigon would make a great coaster.

All kidding aside, one of my friend's rogue Hydreigon/Vileplume/Cobalion deck went 3-3 at cities. It wasn't very strong, but a great deal of fun to play. If you want to win your Battle Roads/Nationals/Worlds, I'd suggest staying away from Hydreigon though.
 
Well i think that hydregon will be better when in becomes bw on. You could pair that hydreigon with the dragon type hydregon and use darkri ex and have dark patches.
 
I'd say Darkrai EX outclasses Hydreigon. More HP, easier to stream/setup due to it being a Basic, and also does more damage to the active.
 
I think Hydreigon still has good early/late game spread potential. It's just in how you use it. Myself, I was thinking of running a 2-1-2 line in a deck that mainly focused on spamming Zoroark's. Use Collector to bench two Deino when you have everything else you need in hand. At least one should be alive on your next turn. Rare Candy to Hydreigon, DCE, Dark Patch, Dark Patch, free retreat your active out with Darkrai EX and attack. Smack the active for 60-80 damage, then knock out any stragglers on their bench or put a few in OHKO range for Zoroark.

I don't expect it to happen every game but if I could pull it off even a couple of times then I'd be stoked. And while their focusing on taking your Dragon out, that's more turns they're not OHKO'ing Zoroarks or working or making plans to demolish Darkrai.
 
My thought is try to open with Absol Prime so that anything not played down during open gets 2 damage counters nice and early. The rest of the deck is mostly Darkrai EX and Hydreigon. Expect your opening Absol and Hydreigon to fall, and maybe a second before you have the opponent so saturated with damage counters that things begin to swing.

I was toying with a Prism or Rainbow Energy powered Zapdos to help against Fighting Pokemon while providing another sniper and flippy big attack.
 
Has anyone thought about throwing the exp share in a deck like this, makes it easier to charge a hydregion in one turn, and if they catcher and kill the hydra with the exp share than you still have a fully powered attacker??? Do you think it can work with the exp share, thoughts??
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This was my general idea with Exp. Share: it makes for a great decoy. Either they kill what has Exp. Share (and ignore what you've already powered up) or Exp. Share does its thing.

There is a real downside here, however: I am pretty sure Hydreigon needs Dark Claw. With Dark Claw, the damage to the Defending Pokemon is finally high enough to be a threat, though it is really a matter of "Dark Claw Plus" where Dark Claw is allowing other factors (PlusPower or Darkness Energy, or Absol Prime's opening damage counter spread) to get your opponent's Defending Pokemon into 2HKO range. Obviously in the in the case of Pokemon EX, but that's a Pokemon EX; two Prizes so you're still getting an acceptable attack/Prize ratio.

Pure Theorymon on my part, though.
 
With any luck Theorymon will soon evolve into Epicmon.

I also like Absol Prime and feel he can finally get some real use in this DE-flooded format. Now i'm worried that if i use him with Darkrai, Zoroark and Hydreigon that my list will be too clunky. >_<
 
Zoroark should be his own thing, I think. Three of the DEX version and one of the BW. The DEX version I believe (again, conjecture) has the chops to drive a deck with all this Dark support getting them out pretty quick. They are going to get knocked down almost as fast, but ideally you'll always have one powered and ready to go.

Not that the rest of the deck would be Pokemon-less: I just think it behooves the build to focus on Zoroark. Darkrai EX is a must, but since we just don't have a good Fighting Resistant Darkness-Type Pokemon, I don't know whether to accept Fighting decks will hurt you or go off-type and just try not to drop it until you must. I tried to do a quick list, but there's so much to put in and so much you can't. I wanted the option of Shaymin to do mass Energy shifts, but I just don't think there is the room. I also wanted Defender because if you drop it on a DEX Zoroark and your opponent can't quite make the OHKO... well they don't want to nearly OHKO that thing given the other attack. :lol:

Absol Prime may end up being the opener du jour. Plus Darkrai EX may be able to anchor its own deck. I mean, Absol Prime/Darkrai EX has some obvious synergy. If your opponent drops a Skyarrow (or you decide to run it yourself) Absol Prime gets a free retreat, and with Dark Patch he can give a quick 70. If your opponent ignores him, he gets in some whacks and of course anything they bench gets two damage counters. If they take Absol down, better that than anything else. ;)
 
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I was thinking if you had the dragon type hydrigon the one that moves energy cards. Move all the energy cards off of darkri ex then use sooper scoop up on it and then move all the energy cards back on it then put it back down then put the energy cards back on it.

You could also have gartina ex have swirl energys in there also.
 
Hydreigon is a Stage 2 that needs FOUR Energy to not be able to get unboosted 2HKOs on all the popular attackers.

The Prize exchange with a Pokemon like that is a nightmare. You just lose so many resources while their active keeps smacking you in the face.

It's just too needy.
 
You're probably right, but I must point out "To get a 2HKO on them while heaping damage on the Bench." It may not be enough to matter, but it is there.
 
The Noble Victories Hydreigon isn't that good paired with Darkrai EX, have you not seen the recent Japanese Nationals Results for their BW-On format? The Hydreigon from the Japanese Dragon Blade / Dragon Blast Set is what will make Darkrai EX a nasty powerhouse when it's printed in English.

The way Hydreigon/Darkrai works is Darkrai is the main attacker, you NEVER attack with Hydreigon. It's only there for it's Ability to transfer energies back and forth from Darkrai so that If Darkrai is close to being KO'ed you can just use Max Potion on it, transfer back energies from Hydreigon to Darkrai and Night Spear away.

Another thing I love about the deck is that since the new Hydreigon isn't weak to :fighting: it gets around Terrakion quite well and with Junk Arm no longer in the format with every deck running 4 Pokemon Catcher's they will need to draw into it to Catcher Darkrai and Land Crush with Terrakion since the Hydreigon/Darkrai player will prevent you from getting that +30 Retaliate boost.
 
Poke Trainer J said:
The Noble Victories Hydreigon isn't that good paired with Darkrai EX, have you not seen the recent Japanese Nationals Results for their BW-On format? The Hydreigon from the Japanese Dragon Blade / Dragon Blast Set is what will make Darkrai EX a nasty powerhouse when it's printed in English.

The way Hydreigon/Darkrai works is Darkrai is the main attacker, you NEVER attack with Hydreigon. It's only there for it's Ability to transfer energies back and forth from Darkrai so that If Darkrai is close to being KO'ed you can just use Max Potion on it, transfer back energies from Hydreigon to Darkrai and Night Spear away.

Another thing I love about the deck is that since the new Hydreigon isn't weak to :fighting: it gets around Terrakion quite well and with Junk Arm no longer in the format with every deck running 4 Pokemon Catcher's they will need to draw into it to Catcher Darkrai and Land Crush with Terrakion since the Hydreigon/Darkrai player will prevent you from getting that +30 Retaliate boost.
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Against terrakion, Hydreigon does use its attack.
 
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