New Format Power Ranking
- Thread starter tinox6
- Start date
Otaku
Active Member
Mazu: Correction: right build, right player, right match-ups. It is a required (though often obvious) specification to make. A player's personal playing style matters. I mean, we aren't trying to discuss the metagame of Worlds 2012 already, right? 
I've been with the game since Base Set, though I don't count periods of prolonged inactivity as leaving since even when I am here, I'm more a thinker than a doer.
So to reiterate, while I expect a certain degree of skill from my opponent's and am not counting on things like random decks from random little kids, running three Stage 1 Pokemon in Magneboar sounds challenging enough that even amongst competitive players a lot of people just won't find it worthwhile.
Something I wanted to comment on that pertains to the original post, I am glad people aren't forgetting about Lost Remover.
I've been with the game since Base Set, though I don't count periods of prolonged inactivity as leaving since even when I am here, I'm more a thinker than a doer.So to reiterate, while I expect a certain degree of skill from my opponent's and am not counting on things like random decks from random little kids, running three Stage 1 Pokemon in Magneboar sounds challenging enough that even amongst competitive players a lot of people just won't find it worthwhile.
Something I wanted to comment on that pertains to the original post, I am glad people aren't forgetting about Lost Remover.
carlitosbob
New Member
just add in unown return (although if you're using shuckle instead of ninetales, you already have unown return in the deck) and run your own max restore. not a whole lot can OHKO emboars. and what can OHKO it, Magnezone can OHKO it back.
Sir Bidoof
New Member
I think you guys are underestimating agro-Donphan. I have done some major testing with it, and it has pretty good matchups. Here are the decks I have playtested against:
Reshiboar-not a favorable matchup-but definately winnable. Reversaling up the emboar can cause major pains, as Reshiboar doesn't really have room for switch. I would say 40-60 Reshiboar.
Magneboar-A pretty favorite matchup-reversals come in real handy here. I usually am able to get a major prize lead, and continue to one shot magnezones with pluspowers. RDL could be trouble, but I've never really gotten it out and powered in this matchup. 60-40 donphan
Zekrom-mostly favorable-this matchup isn't as good for donphan as people think. Agro-Donphan plays very few basics, so can be donked pretty easily. If you make it past the donk, though, donphan is able to sweep. 65-35 donphan
Donphan with Reuniclus and serperior-this was my hardest matchup. They set up pretty easily with cleffa, and I have to burn a lot of reversals to get around its body. Even if I'm 4 prizes ahead, when they set up, I can't damage them, and so have to rely completely on reversal. Easily 30-70 them.
Yanmega Tech and Deck-this card is really overrated as a counter to donphan. I was able to beat the tech every time. In a full yanmega deck with counterstadiums for my ruins of alph, I still won. The problem stems from the fact that yanmega fails to attack consistenty, especially as a tech. There were many time I had a different amount of cards and no copycat or judge, even though I ran 4 of each. Constant SSu in donphan helps a lot, too. 70-30 donphan
In theory, Lostgar should be a pretty easy matchup, with so few pokemon and 4 junk arms. However, a nailed lost zone could be painful. I haven't tested this matchup, but it seems pretty favorable. 65-35 donphan
Dark and cinncino decks seem like an easy matchup, with me OHKOing them for 1 energy while lasting multiple hits, especially with ssu. I haven't tested this matchup either, though. 80-20 donphan
Still need to test against donphan machamp and any water variants, but things look pretty good for agro donphan. Do not count this out so easily.
Reshiboar-not a favorable matchup-but definately winnable. Reversaling up the emboar can cause major pains, as Reshiboar doesn't really have room for switch. I would say 40-60 Reshiboar.
Magneboar-A pretty favorite matchup-reversals come in real handy here. I usually am able to get a major prize lead, and continue to one shot magnezones with pluspowers. RDL could be trouble, but I've never really gotten it out and powered in this matchup. 60-40 donphan
Zekrom-mostly favorable-this matchup isn't as good for donphan as people think. Agro-Donphan plays very few basics, so can be donked pretty easily. If you make it past the donk, though, donphan is able to sweep. 65-35 donphan
Donphan with Reuniclus and serperior-this was my hardest matchup. They set up pretty easily with cleffa, and I have to burn a lot of reversals to get around its body. Even if I'm 4 prizes ahead, when they set up, I can't damage them, and so have to rely completely on reversal. Easily 30-70 them.
Yanmega Tech and Deck-this card is really overrated as a counter to donphan. I was able to beat the tech every time. In a full yanmega deck with counterstadiums for my ruins of alph, I still won. The problem stems from the fact that yanmega fails to attack consistenty, especially as a tech. There were many time I had a different amount of cards and no copycat or judge, even though I ran 4 of each. Constant SSu in donphan helps a lot, too. 70-30 donphan
In theory, Lostgar should be a pretty easy matchup, with so few pokemon and 4 junk arms. However, a nailed lost zone could be painful. I haven't tested this matchup, but it seems pretty favorable. 65-35 donphan
Dark and cinncino decks seem like an easy matchup, with me OHKOing them for 1 energy while lasting multiple hits, especially with ssu. I haven't tested this matchup either, though. 80-20 donphan
Still need to test against donphan machamp and any water variants, but things look pretty good for agro donphan. Do not count this out so easily.
jeffrey123
New Member
I don't get it, why spill the beans on the good cards now when nats is in less than a month? Are you stupid?
vadersnemesis
New Member
I honestly have no idea why anyone would want to play ReshiBoar over MagneBoar. MagneBoar has the ability to OHKO anything, RDL can win the prize race in just about any game, and Magnezone gives you great consistency. Sure dual Ninetales nets you 6 cards a turn, but once you get up and rolling it's usually superfluous. ReshiBoar will not be the deck to beat, MagenBoar will.
Well considering cleffa adds so much consistency to the deck and you can't kill it unless its awake is pretty good.
I can't help but think that people saying "You can run 3 stage 2's with the right list" haven't been testing against real decks and/or are letting personal pet cards make them skew the number of games where they just don't do anything.
I would love to play all day long against 3 stage 2 decks. What you really need to do in this format is not have a ridiculously explosive powerful deck that fizzles out half the time, but one that has decent+ draws every game. THAT is hjow you'll do well at nat..
I would love to play all day long against 3 stage 2 decks. What you really need to do in this format is not have a ridiculously explosive powerful deck that fizzles out half the time, but one that has decent+ draws every game. THAT is hjow you'll do well at nat..
carlitosbob
New Member
ok, try a T/s/s list like this:
random deck specific stuff
2 Interviewer's Questions (needed to thin out the deck, get all your energy in hand so you only draw t/s/s or pokemon at the start of your turn)
3 Pokemon Collector (also needed to thin out the deck. only use extra if they're not using lostgar)
4 Pokemon Communication (pure exchangey goodness)
3 Rare Candy
2 PONT
1 Judge
the 2 PONT, 1 Judge can also be 3 PONT, or 2 PONT 1 Juniper. since I run Magnezone in my list, I can get by without that many hand refreshers and Judge helps me.
then your evo lines like this:
2-2-2
2-1-2
1-1-1
3-3
2 zekrom or reshiram
this can be adjusted for a donphan list to
3-2-3 champs
2-2-2 reniculus
3-3 donphan
2 zekrom for the water counter.
if in Donchamp, run 2 energy exchanger for the 4 DCE, run 9 fighting, and 2 rescue energy.
give it a shot. you might have to make it have 4 PONT (I prefer having an active Zekrom that will ONLY use Outrage than to have an active Cleffa)
random deck specific stuff
2 Interviewer's Questions (needed to thin out the deck, get all your energy in hand so you only draw t/s/s or pokemon at the start of your turn)
3 Pokemon Collector (also needed to thin out the deck. only use extra if they're not using lostgar)
4 Pokemon Communication (pure exchangey goodness)
3 Rare Candy
2 PONT
1 Judge
the 2 PONT, 1 Judge can also be 3 PONT, or 2 PONT 1 Juniper. since I run Magnezone in my list, I can get by without that many hand refreshers and Judge helps me.
then your evo lines like this:
2-2-2
2-1-2
1-1-1
3-3
2 zekrom or reshiram
this can be adjusted for a donphan list to
3-2-3 champs
2-2-2 reniculus
3-3 donphan
2 zekrom for the water counter.
if in Donchamp, run 2 energy exchanger for the 4 DCE, run 9 fighting, and 2 rescue energy.
give it a shot. you might have to make it have 4 PONT (I prefer having an active Zekrom that will ONLY use Outrage than to have an active Cleffa)
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Have you ever played Magnezone? The only real problem is awful starting hands clogged up with energy that might slow you down, but Cleffa takes care of that. Seriously, built in draw-power with a heavy trainer-engine makes 3 stage 2's easy. In any deck without Magnetic Draw though, not as easy.
Indeed. This also makes Yanmega/Magnezone at the very least consistent, just trading a good late game for a good early game instead.