Introduction:
We all know how devastating it is to have multiple cards discarded from our deck involuntary. Especially when decks now have such a tight list that any card lost can cost someone the game. I for one have been looking forward to the release of Black & White to complete the ultimate deck-out deck thanks to a interesting draw card and Magmortar. The deck flows like liquid and burns through the cards of both decks yours and the opponent.
We all know how devastating it is to have multiple cards discarded from our deck involuntary. Especially when decks now have such a tight list that any card lost can cost someone the game. I for one have been looking forward to the release of Black & White to complete the ultimate deck-out deck thanks to a interesting draw card and Magmortar. The deck flows like liquid and burns through the cards of both decks yours and the opponent.
Article by: Trenton Armas
Title: Liquid Burner
Date: April 28th, 2011
Latest set released: Black & White
Current Format: MD- on
Deck List
Pokemon: 21
3- Spiritomb
2- Shaymin
1- Unown
2- Shuckle
2- Magmortar
2- Magmar
2- Emboar
2- Pignite
2- Tepig
2- Reshiram
1- Unown Q
T/S/S: 13
3- Pokemon Collector
2- Bebe's Search
1- Seeker
1- Palmer's Contribution
2- Broken Time- Space
2- Energy Retrieval
1- Fisherman
1- Lucian's Assignment
Energy: 26
26- Basic Fire
Now for the break down to help everyone understand why I chose the line up for this deck list.
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[/URL] With Sableye or Sabledonk being dominant in this format, trainer lock is the key to slow them down. With that said Spiritomb would be the ideal starter for this deck. On top of trainer lock, this card helps evolve Pokemon with the attack Darkness Grace. I do advise to continue the trainer lock until a Emboar is on the bench and possibly a Magmortar. Because in a format where decks are more reliant on trainers, allowing your opponent one turn to set up would make things more difficult for you.
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[/URL] Shaymin's poke power Celebration Wind allows you to move energy from one Pokemon to another as much as you like. Making this card very important in the deck because all the energy will be attached to Shuckle. Normally I hold onto this card until I am ready to retreat my active and move as many energies to Magmortar.
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[/URL] Shuckle has a Poke-body called Fermenting Liquid which says: When ever you attach an Energy card from your hand to Shuckle, draw a card. I can see this being played more often after the next rotation because it is a Promo from HGSS. But when this card is combo-ed with Emboar it can be the best draw card in the format.
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[/URL] Unown has a Poke-power called Return, which allows you to return all Energy attached to one Pokemon back to your hand. If you have just a few Energy attached to Shuckle and would like to draw more cards simply play Unown and continue the combo again to draw more cards with Shuckle.
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[/URL] Magmortar is the main attacker in this deck because of the first attack, Top burner. It only needs one Fire Energy to use but for every Fire Energy attached it discards one card from the top of your opponent's deck. I advise when going to attack with top burner only use half the amount of the energy in the deck because the possibility of loosing the energy is a 50/50 chance, but being able to discard 13-15 cards from your opponents deck is crucial in early game.
Magmar There are a few different types of Magmar in rotation but I decided to use the one from Supreme Victors because the weakness is only +20 rather then X2. Magmar's first attack, Smokescreen, can be very useful especially in a format where donks are becoming more common. As for the second attack, for a Fire and Colorless energy, this attack does 30 and may have to discard the fire energy.
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[/URL] Emboar from BW brings back memories of the Rain Dance Blastoise. Emboar is used to attach multiple Fire Energy to Shuckle to draw multiple cards in one turn. Which I have found to be the most constant draw power. Also with Emboar's Ability it can be used to attach energy to Reshiram to use the second attack to attack for 120 which can knock out a lot of cards played in this format.
With two different forms of Pignite, I chose this one because it only takes one energy to attack. I suppose it is a personal preference, but either Pignite can be used because you shouldn't be attacking with it.
With two forms of Tepig, I decided to play the one that takes less to attack and retreat. But with the sacrafice of having to give up 10HP.
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[/URL] Reshiram used as alternate attacker, and a great starter as well. With an extreme amount of HP for a basic I would have to say Reshiram is one of the best cards printed in BW. But I would have to say Reshiram isn't as important in the deck though, and could be dropped for two extra cards. But it is always best to have a back up attacker.
Unown Q is a very common card. It is used to attach to one Pokemon as a Pokemon- tool card giving the Pokemon it is attached to one less retreat cost. Which should be attached to Spiritomb, so when you need to retreat Spiritomb you can without having to use an energy.
Pokemon Collector is a staple card in almost if not all decks. It is used to search through your deck for three basic Pokemon, which is very important in this deck.
Bebe's Search is a common Supporter used to search for any one Pokemon by sending one card from your hand back to your deck.
Seeker is a used for a alternate way to pick up Shuckle if there is no more bench space for Unown. I have also played Seeker to donk.
Palmer's Contribution shuffle's a combination of 5 Pokemon and basic energy back into your deck. Which late game more then likely you will need to play this.
Broken Time- Space is common in any deck that wants to evolve faster. With this card it can turn this deck from from a turn 3-4 deck to a first turn or second turn deck.
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[/URL] When the risk of discarding energy is very high Energy Retrieval is used to put 2 basic energy cards from your discard pile back into your hand. This card is pretty self explanatory on what it is used for, and why it is needed.
The Supporter card Fisherman is just like the trainer card energy-retrieval, it allows you to take up to 4 basic energy from your discard and place them in your hand.
Lucian's Assignment is not a common supporter used in decks. But in a deck that has all energy attached to one Pokemon it is necessary to be able to move that energy to another Pokemon. And with Lucian's Assignment in the deck you won't worry as much if Shaymin's Poke-power was power-sprayed or power locked.
Fire Energy I would have to say this is by far the most important card(s) in this deck. Needed to attack and to draw cards.
Background Information/ Strategy
Some information about me; I have been playing Pokemon TCG competitively for about 5 years now and I am in the Master Division. I have played in many tournaments from Battle Roads, all the way to Nationals. I have been play testing this deck for a few months now at the local league. And I am just glad I no longer have to use proxy cards for the deck. And I am looking forward to the up coming Battle roads to finally put this deck to the test in a tournament situation. But with the practice I have had I know it should do fairly well. Even when I came to points were I thought I was going to loose I was able to turn it around and win. Originally I built this as a non-competitive deck, but after play testing I have seen the potential of being competitive.
The basic idea of the deck is to start with Spiritomb and play Pokemon collector to get a Magmar, Tepig, and a Shuckle. Place down the Tepig and Magmar and then darkness grace, evolving Tepig to Pignite. When you get Emboar out then you will want to put Shuckle down, then start using Emboar's ability to draw cards from attaching to Shuckle. You don't want to put down Shuckle until a Emboar is in play, because it may get sniped. During the turn you start the combo, keep drawing until a Shaymin and Magmortar are in your hand. Evolve to Magmortar and play down shaymin moving the energy from Shuckle to Magmortar and one energy to the active Spiritomb. That is if Spiritomb doesn't have a Unown Q attached at the moment. Retreat the active and bring Magmortar up, then attack with Top Burner. If tails, next turn if needed play energy recovery cards such as Fisherman, and Energy Retrieval. Then continue the drawing combo. Then play the second shaymin to move all energy to active Magmortar, then attack with Top Burner again. This should be enough energy to discard the rest of your opponent's deck. Especially sense at the beginning of the game, you start with a 60 card deck. You take 7 cards for the opening hand, thus leaving 53 cards. Then take six more for prizes, leaving a total of 47 cards. By turn 4 this combo normally can be started, meaning about 43 cards are left in the deck. That is if no cards were played to lower the count. You then attack with top burner, discarding 15 cards lowers the amount of cards to 28. If you flip tails, leaves 11 energy in your deck with Trainers, and a Supporter that can get eight energy back. Attack with Top Burner, discarding 19 more cards leaving eight cards in the deck after your opponent draws. Remember that is if no cards were played to lower they count.
Some information about me; I have been playing Pokemon TCG competitively for about 5 years now and I am in the Master Division. I have played in many tournaments from Battle Roads, all the way to Nationals. I have been play testing this deck for a few months now at the local league. And I am just glad I no longer have to use proxy cards for the deck. And I am looking forward to the up coming Battle roads to finally put this deck to the test in a tournament situation. But with the practice I have had I know it should do fairly well. Even when I came to points were I thought I was going to loose I was able to turn it around and win. Originally I built this as a non-competitive deck, but after play testing I have seen the potential of being competitive.
The basic idea of the deck is to start with Spiritomb and play Pokemon collector to get a Magmar, Tepig, and a Shuckle. Place down the Tepig and Magmar and then darkness grace, evolving Tepig to Pignite. When you get Emboar out then you will want to put Shuckle down, then start using Emboar's ability to draw cards from attaching to Shuckle. You don't want to put down Shuckle until a Emboar is in play, because it may get sniped. During the turn you start the combo, keep drawing until a Shaymin and Magmortar are in your hand. Evolve to Magmortar and play down shaymin moving the energy from Shuckle to Magmortar and one energy to the active Spiritomb. That is if Spiritomb doesn't have a Unown Q attached at the moment. Retreat the active and bring Magmortar up, then attack with Top Burner. If tails, next turn if needed play energy recovery cards such as Fisherman, and Energy Retrieval. Then continue the drawing combo. Then play the second shaymin to move all energy to active Magmortar, then attack with Top Burner again. This should be enough energy to discard the rest of your opponent's deck. Especially sense at the beginning of the game, you start with a 60 card deck. You take 7 cards for the opening hand, thus leaving 53 cards. Then take six more for prizes, leaving a total of 47 cards. By turn 4 this combo normally can be started, meaning about 43 cards are left in the deck. That is if no cards were played to lower the count. You then attack with top burner, discarding 15 cards lowers the amount of cards to 28. If you flip tails, leaves 11 energy in your deck with Trainers, and a Supporter that can get eight energy back. Attack with Top Burner, discarding 19 more cards leaving eight cards in the deck after your opponent draws. Remember that is if no cards were played to lower they count.
Matchups
Sabledonk- 60-40 in favor
Sabledonk is trainer reliant, trying to donk you first turn. Being able to trainer lock them with Spiritomb would benefit you, and slow them down. Also having cards in the deck such as Reshiram with 130 HP would give Sableye a problem to knock out in one turn. With the purpose of Sabledonk trying to play through the deck in one turn, benefits you because Liquid Burner speeds that process up.
LuxChomp- 40- 60 LuxChomp
This matchup is harder because they can play around Spiritomb. Also being able to Snipe pokemon, it becomes rather difficult to set up Pokemon on the bench before you can fully setup. But if the deck sets up like it is suppose to you can discard valuable cards, such as Cyrus's Conspiracy, Poke Turn, Luxray GL Lv. X or even Garchomp C Lv. X. Because of this matchup Lucian's Assignment becomes useful, because if they power-spray shaymin you can still play around it.
DialgaChomp 50-50 even
This match up is little bit easier then LuxChomp, because Dialga is weak to Fire. They may be able to shut down Spiritomb and Shuckle because of Dialga G Lv. X. But doesn't mean you can't deck them out. The other option that could be more useful is attacking more with Magmortar's second attack, doing 60 and they're burned. Or using Reshiram to KO each of their pokemon each turn using Reshiram's second attack to do 120. Emboar is still useful in this match-up because of his Abilty. Being able to attach energies each turn to Reshiram, and constanly attacking with Blue Flare.
LostGar 60-40 in favor
This deck should be able to out rush LostGar, then discarding important cards in their deck they need to set up. Or to win such as Lost World. And after the release of BW Stage-Two decks will be to slow, because of the rare candy ruling so if they play Broken Time- Space it will help me as well.
VileGar 60-40 in favor
This match up I haven't test much but sense Liquid Burner isn't Trainer reliant. Making Vileplume and Gengar's attack Poltergeist ineffective. In the match up I would advise not to play Unown or Shaymin, unless needed because they have poke-power's. And Gengar can target them with Shadow Room, possibly giving your opponent easy prizes. Other then that the match-up hasn't been to difficult.
Gyarados 10-90 Gyarados (No match is a auto-loss)
Even though Gyarados decks burn through a lot of their deck, it is difficult to win this match. Because Regice is able to get around Spiritomb, allowing them to get set-up. Then being able to recover fast and possibly helping them by discarding their Magikarp's from top burner. Weakness is a big factor as well Magmortar, Reshiram, and Emboar all can be knocked out from one attack of a Gyarados. This is just a scary match up for Liquid Burner.
MagneRock 40-60 MagneRock
This match up has been rather hard for me to play against. Because both decks normally can get setup about the same time. But MagneRock plays Judge and can recover faster do to Magnezone's poke-power. Then being able to knock out any Pokemon I put out each turn it becomes rather difficult. I have found in this match up the best way is to set up two Magmortar's, and attach all your energy to Shuckle and then move them to one Magmortar. And attack with top burner, at least this way you can get rid of most of their cards. Then next turn play your energy recovery cards such as fisherman and energy-retrieval, attach those to your second Magmortar because the first one should be knocked out during your opponents last turn. Then attack with Top Burner, this match will be close but still hard.
Possible techs
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[/URL] Even though Ninetails discards energy, there is enough energy to have a few discarded to help draw more cards. But if this card is added, then you may want to add in more Energy Retrievals and Fisherman. This way you won't have to worry about energy drought.[URL="http://pokegym.net/gallery/showimage.php?i=51885&c=261"]
[/URL] Just for 2 energy this card is a great Revenge attacker. It would be great against LuxChomp, or anything weak to coloress. [URL="http://pokegym.net/gallery/showimage.php?i=51908&c=261"]
[/URL] A few fire energy can be dropped, to add in Electric energy for Zekcrom. If Gyarados or other Water decks are over ran in your area adding one or two of these can help boost your chance to knockout a few pokemon. Conclusion-
I would like to end by saying; I hope you all enjoyed my article and would appreciate any advice about the deck. I have been playing this deck at league and have always enjoyed playing deck-out decks ever sense Ryhperior from DP.
I would like to thank you for taking your time to read this, and if you decide to try out the deck I would be more then happy to hear how it works for you.
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