Levitating Thunder

[Rai]

As the name might hint at, the focus of this deck is to use Ampharos UF to move energies around, particularly the new Basic Metal energies from DP. What's very cool about moving these energies around is that you then receive the ability to give any pokemon in the deck free retreat, via Magnezone.

It's a tad slow setting up, but once the deck gets rolling, it gets ROLLING. If Mercury had free retreat on every pokemon and the ability to move unlimited amounts of basic energies to the active pokemon, you would have this deck...

Pokemon: 30
1 Ampharos d
2 Ampharos (UF)
3 Flaafy d
3 Mareep d
2 Magnezone
2 Magneton (PK)
2 Magnemite (DP)
3 Starmie d (DS, #15)
3 Staryu (DS, #84)
2 Fearow d
2 Spearow
3 Holon's Castform
1 Chimecho d
1 Rayquaza EX d

Trainers: 19
3 Rare Candy
2 Windstorm
4 Holon Transceiver
2 Holon Mentor
2 Holon Researcher
1 Holon Scientist
1 Holon Adventurer
1 Holon Farmer
2 Copycat

Energy: 11
2 Delta Rainbow Energy
3 (Special) Metal Energy
6 (Basic) Metal Energy

Problems I've noticed: Energy count can be a tad low at times (Which is scary when you're relying on Starmie to pull them out for you), It's slow to set up, and is VERY bad against disruption decks like Feraligatr d and Flariados, due to the low HP of most of the benched pokemon (60 on both Starmie and Fearow, 50 on Castform).

Any fixes to make early game not so problematic for the deck?

((In case the strategy wasn't clear the first paragraph)) Have Ampharos d out as fast as possible. This makes Holon's Castform able to draw up to six cards each turn, and allows Fearow d and Holon Researcher to grab any pokemon in the deck. Use this to set up a bench of at least one Magnezone, one Ampharos UF, and Starmie d. Starmie d should be retreiving a basic metal energy whenever possible. Magnezone can give any pokemon free retreat, which puts it active very fast. Use Ampharos to transfer energies to the active Magnezone and deal 50 damage plus ten more for each metal on Magnezone. If Magenzone is damaged badly, it can retreat for free, while Ampharos transfers all of the basic metals onto a new one, or even to an Ampharos d.

 

[Dendrobatida]

Drop the spearow, fearow, and Ampharos d for a 2-1-2 Nidoqueen d line. It's a metal pokemon, so it can take advantage of all your metaliness, it's a great lategame attacker, and is far more versatile than fearow. Its basic is also a delta, meaning it'll contribute more to your delta drawing early game.

A 3-3 starmie is way too much. 2-2 max. Use the extra 2 slots to beef up the magnezone line.

Drop a mareep and flaafy, add another candy and a briney. It'd be nice to run at least 2 briney in this deck.

-Jake/Dendro

 

[Rai]

I've found Fearow actually to be just as useful as Nidoqueen in this deck, if just a tad more efficient. Due to Ampharos d, every pokemon is delta anyways, so the only thing I'm losing is a better attack for a faster set up. I'll try Nidoqueen though, but it seems like searching for pokemon faster is a better idea in this deck (and it saves rare candies for Ampharos and Magnezones)

Another thing to notice is that Ampharos (UF) only moves basic energies around. Nidoqueen being metal isn't exactly a huge point, as unlike normal mercury, the special metals aren't being moved around. (Of course, the advantage with this engine is that ALL of the basic metals can shift per turn, while Gardevoir d only moves one energy a turn)

I will cut a staryu, starmie, and Flaffy for two briney's and another rare candy though. Can't believe I missed that... :nonono:

EDIT: After testing a bit with Nidoqueen... Yeah. It works better with the queen out (eating less bench space) :X

So... Current list is


2 Ampharos (UF)
2 Flaafy d
3 Mareep d
2 Magnezone
2 Magneton (PK)
2 Magnemite (DP)
2 Starmie d (DS, #15)
2 Staryu (DS, #84)
2 Nidoqueen d
1 Nidorina d
2 Nidoran f d
3 Holon's Castform
1 Chimecho d
1 Rayquaza EX d

4 Rare Candy
2 Windstorm
4 Holon Transceiver
2 Holon Mentor
2 Holon Researcher
1 Holon Scientist
1 Holon Adventurer
1 Holon Farmer
2 Copycat
2 Briney's Compassion

2 Delta Rainbow Energy
3 (Special) Metal Energy
6 (Basic) Metal Energy