Pokémon TCG: Sword and Shield—Brilliant Stars

T2 Banette

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MORE RESULTS FROM TESTING:

Banette vs Kricketune. It doesn't always depend on who goes first, or even the strategy. It depends on draw power, energy, and Plus Power/Strength Charm.

Game 1: Banette went first. Banette won easily, getting everything it needed quickly. To be fair, opponent played normally, not realizing that his Active Kricketot would be KO'd with Ghost Head. After that, no chance to regroup. 1-0.
Game 2: Banette went first. No energy. Seeing the Shuppet, opponent energized Benched Kricketot. After Banette did Ghost Head for the Prize, benched Kricketune came up for the win. Banette, uncharacteristically, did not get a second Shuppet down. Perhaps a different game strategy might've been wiser than Ghost Head. 1-1.
Game 3: Kricketune went first. Seeing Shuppet, energized a Benched Kricketot. Evolve to Banette, get a Shuppet on the Bench, Spiteful Pain after TV Reporter, and a prize. Kricketune came up and took a prize, using Strength Charm and Plus Power, and a Kricket on the bench. Shuppet on Bench came up, evolved, did Ghost Head for the prize, and opponent got prize for self-KO. Shuppet moves up, opponent's turn, and needs a DRE. I didn't get Crystal Beach down (even though running 4). Opponent TV Reporter, gets DRE for the win. 1-2.

Not that every game between the Ghost and the Insect is going to be like this, but a pattern emerges. Kricket can have Banette's number, if it gets cards and plays correctly. Same for Banette.

While Sableye didn't add much to the Mario, Blissey, or Claydol matchups, it would've been nice to Disable Concerto for a couple of turns while Banette regrouped from the initial battles. Perhaps it would help vs Raichu also-- I'll retest.
 
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That's the problem with Banette, in most cases, it has to damage itself to hurt the opponent on T2. Anything that can damage it before it ghost heads, or after it ghost heads can severely limit Banette or easily KO it. Even though ascension is perfect T1, anytime after Ascension is a waste of a turn and a free prize for the opponent. That is why Banette isn't that much more consistent than other decks. It has an advantage that it doesn't need as much energy, and that gives it an edge, but with that edge comes a huge downside: having to hurt itself.

I would almost say to throw out the first game since any competitive player will have played the matchup and known not to put the energy on the active tot.

The second game seems to be what I feel would happen a lot. How fast can you get that second shuppet, especially when you are only running 4 basics in the deck and HAVE to pull the great ball/mentor/roseanne T2. If you go first and aren't able to pull that second Shuppet that turn, you have one turn of supporter use on your next turn. If you go second? Well, you could get turn-two'd on your opponent's next turn (even with 80HP), so you have just one turn to get out another basic.

Banette runs into the same problems as Kricketune with instances of lack of energy, and lack of filling the bench. Even though Banette can do something for no energy, you still need 1 energy to Ascend. If you don't Ascend, you have as much chance of doing something on T2 as Kricketune does.

I don't know why your Kricketune was running TV Reporter KG, now that Professor Oak's Visit is in the format.

Sableye helps a ton against Banette too with being able to Disable Banette's second attack and thus give Banette no way to actually KO it. The second you Disable once, because of weakness, Banette takes 30 damage, and the most it can do with Ghost Head is 50 damage, KO'ing itself, and not even KO'ing the Sableye. Can't Strength Charm it, can't Plus Power it.
 
Prime said:
That's the problem with Banette, in most cases, it has to damage itself to hurt the opponent on T2. Anything that can damage it before it ghost heads, or after it ghost heads can severely limit Banette or easily KO it. Even though ascension is perfect T1, anytime after Ascension is a waste of a turn and a free prize for the opponent. That is why Banette isn't that much more consistent than other decks. It has an advantage that it doesn't need as much energy, and that gives it an edge, but with that edge comes a huge downside: having to hurt itself.

I would almost say to throw out the first game since any competitive player will have played the matchup and known not to put the energy on the active tot.

The second game seems to be what I feel would happen a lot. How fast can you get that second shuppet, especially when you are only running 4 basics in the deck and HAVE to pull the great ball/mentor/roseanne T2. If you go first and aren't able to pull that second Shuppet that turn, you have one turn of supporter use on your next turn. If you go second? Well, you could get turn-two'd on your opponent's next turn (even with 80HP), so you have just one turn to get out another basic.

Banette runs into the same problems as Kricketune with instances of lack of energy, and lack of filling the bench. Even though Banette can do something for no energy, you still need 1 energy to Ascend. If you don't Ascend, you have as much chance of doing something on T2 as Kricketune does.

I don't know why your Kricketune was running TV Reporter KG, now that Professor Oak's Visit is in the format.

Sableye helps a ton against Banette too with being able to Disable Banette's second attack and thus give Banette no way to actually KO it. The second you Disable once, because of weakness, Banette takes 30 damage, and the most it can do with Ghost Head is 50 damage, KO'ing itself, and not even KO'ing the Sableye. Can't Strength Charm it, can't Plus Power it.
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You aren't using Banette the way you should be. Only a 4-4 Banette isn't the best way, and I can already see by how you tried to describe the match if you used the techs you should be using, the matchup wouldn't be a problem at all.

And this is reffering to the bolded sentence. You can't knock yourself out with Ghost Head.
 
Let Fire Fall said:
You aren't using Banette the way you should be. Only a 4-4 Banette isn't the best way, and I can already see by how you tried to describe the match if you used the techs you should be using, the matchup wouldn't be a problem at all.

And this is reffering to the bolded sentence. You can't knock yourself out with Ghost Head.
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Yes you can!!!!!
You just can't go more than your remaining HP, thats what Makes Banette soooo good IMO, it can ko itself and your pokemon and it allows you to get ready for the next turn with the attack boost.
 
MATT: Sorry, I meant Oak's Visit. It's Banette that uses TV Reporter. Good analysis, BTW. Banette is actually quite terrific vs particular decks, but is about even, or less so, vs others. It may be just a matter of adjusting the play strategy, which is a little convoluted, or as Let Fire Fall said, it may be about getting certain techs involved... like Sableye, or certain other things I have in mind as yet untested.

And yes, you *can* KO yourself if you desire.
 
In my testing I've rarely had trouble getting the second Shuppet out ... it's the energy drops that kill me. If I get them then Banette sweeps. For each one I miss the odds of a loss seem to increase exponentially.

I hadn't had a chance to take apart that Psyduck / Xatu test deck and ironically it gave Banette problems. Confusing Banette really hurts it.
 
Vegeta ss4 said:
Yes you can!!!!!
You just can't go more than your remaining HP, thats what Makes Banette soooo good IMO, it can ko itself and your pokemon and it allows you to get ready for the next turn with the attack boost.
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Wow, I read it wrong. Thank you.

<3

Back to back posts merged. The following information has been added:

vanderbilt_grad said:
In my testing I've rarely had trouble getting the second Shuppet out ... it's the energy drops that kill me. If I get them then Banette sweeps. For each one I miss the odds of a loss seem to increase exponentially.

I hadn't had a chance to take apart that Psyduck / Xatu test deck and ironically it gave Banette problems. Confusing Banette really hurts it.
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I use 2 Roseanes, 1 Mentor, and 2 Great Ball to get out basics as well as 4 Quick Ball and 3 Ceilos( considering 4). I never really have trouble getting Shuppet on the bench. I actually get a full bench sometimes.
 
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I use 10 Pokemon Search. I can see where 12 would be better, but only slightly since the extra Quick Ball can be Banette.
 
Let Fire Fall said:
I use 2 Roseanes, 1 Mentor, and 2 Great Ball to get out basics as well as 4 Quick Ball and 3 Ceilos( considering 4). I never really have trouble getting Shuppet on the bench. I actually get a full bench sometimes.
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I would have to look at my list but I'm thinking that I used 2 Roseanes, 2 Great Ball, 4 Quck Ball, & 3 or 4 Celio's.

Most games are fine, but I've had a few where I haven't had energy in my opening hand & go first. That's a KILLER & it's really hard to come back from. One game I didn't see energy until T3. There was no coming back from that. It's those first few turns that sets the tone for the game IMHO & Banette just doesn't bounce back from a bad or even just not so good start the way some other decks do. When it works it works but any sort of disruption, be it bad start or just having a few bad turns in a row and it's downhill fast.
 
Will this deck get into some sort of problem IF your opponent gets a successful ER2 flip? It seems that u have to have energy to attach (everyturn) in order for this thing to work.
 
vanderbilt_grad said:
Most games are fine, but I've had a few where I haven't had energy in my opening hand & go first. That's a KILLER & it's really hard to come back from. One game I didn't see energy until T3. There was no coming back from that. It's those first few turns that sets the tone for the game IMHO & Banette just doesn't bounce back from a bad or even just not so good start the way some other decks do. When it works it works but any sort of disruption, be it bad start or just having a few bad turns in a row and it's downhill fast.
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That is why you will not see me playing this deck.
 
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Why 3 Night Maintenance? you'll have maxium of 3 Shuppets on your discard pile, the you'll use 1 Night Maintenance, get them out play Mentor and get rhem back on Bench. Your opponent have taken 3 Prizes and you have 4 Banettes to hit. You can take out one of them. So:
Out:
1x Night Maintenace
In:
1x PP/CB
 
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