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Help building a deck

Nath74K

Pokéfan
274
Posts
10
Years
Hello,

I'm quite new at playing TCG, and I want to build a deck in order to play tournaments.
But I'm not sure what types to choose for my deck. I'd like to go for Grass/Psychic deck, but I don't know if this is strategically good.

Any tips on what types to choose?
 

ddrox13

Anti-Nonsense
1,650
Posts
8
Years
So let me make this clear: Few decks are based purely on a type. They are instead based on a strategy. some strategies may only work with certain types, for example Bronzong decks used Metal Pokemon because his ability allowed him to quickly accelerate Metal energy. Also every deck contains Shaymin EX. All of them.

That said, it's very hard to build a deck with no knowledge of what I'm starting with.

First of all, you need to pick a format. This determines what cards are legal and what arent. Standard is cards from Primal Clash or later. Expanded is BW on, and Legacy allows cards between HGSS and Legendary Treasures, inclusive. I can't tell you what decks are going to be good anymore as no irl tournaments have been played on the new format, but I can guess.

If you are set on Grass types, I'd recommend a Yanmega deck. It will likely be one of the strongest decks in the format due to its speed and power. This deck uses Yanmega (SS 7)'s ability to deal 100+ damage for 0 energy as long as you have exactly 4 cards in hand, and gets set up quickly with Forest of Giant Plants allowing quick evolutions.

If you are just looking to casually play in tours though, you can run basically whatever you want. Just find a theme and stick to it! I've always been partial to Lightning decks, so that normally ends up being what I use. Also consider joining the Pokecommunity's official TCGO tournament for this month by signing up here!
 

Hands

I was saying Boo-urns
1,879
Posts
7
Years
  • Age 33
  • Seen Dec 15, 2022
Some of the easiest decks to learn are still current and still very easy to set up. Zygarde EX (I use this all the time) Greninja BREAK and M Gardevoir EX are all consistent, good decks that don't require a super heavy understanding of the game to run.

A general rule for most decks though is you want to run a main line and then support lines that fit with it (Zygarde EX usually runs alongside Regirock EX/Carbink BREAK for example and M Gardevoir EX heavily benefits from Geomancy Xerneas). You don't want too many big lines because of the time it takes to set up.

An example of a tight, effective pokemon spread would be

4x Gardevior EX
4x M Gardevior EX
3x Xerneas
2x Xerneas Break

That's all you really need Pokemon wise. Although most decks benefit from a bench played Shaymin EX or Hoopa EX for draw support/pokemon searching.

The bulk of the deck will nearly always be trainers, and of those you'll want a staple set of supporters. Most decks will have

2-4 x Professor Sycamore
1-3 x Lysandre
1-2 x Skyla
1-3x N
1x Hex Maniac

Of course, you don't need any of those, and they won't work in every deck. A milling deck will prefer Shauna to Sycamore, a deck running Garbador does not require hex maniac etc. I always run 2x Pokemon Fan Club in my decks for instance.

Then you'll want search tools

2-4x Ultra Ball is staple. Depending on deck you'll want a few heavy balls, level balls and/or dive balls. Pokemon Fan Club is a supporter but great for grabbing 2 EXs early on. Evosoda is pretty useful too. People often run 2-4 VS Seekers though these can be hard to find.

The rest of the trainers (including stadiums) are completely deck reliant.

You'll usually want to run between 8-14 energy depending on deck.
 

Nath74K

Pokéfan
274
Posts
10
Years
Here's the deck I built, how could I improve it?

Spoiler:


I could explain my strategy behind it if needed!
 

Hands

I was saying Boo-urns
1,879
Posts
7
Years
  • Age 33
  • Seen Dec 15, 2022
Here's the deck I built, how could I improve it?

Spoiler:


I could explain my strategy behind it if needed!

It could do with some serious tightening/focus. There's too many lines and not enough duplicates.

http://pastebin.com/jBRmEQp7

I've trimmed it down and focused it up a bit. I assume Dodrio was there to lower retreat costs? If that's the case, Fairy Garden will give you free retreats to all your fairy types. Fairy Drop with let you heal 50 from anything with a fairy energy attached to it and M Altaria will be healing your bench too. Whimsicott allows you to transfer all damage counters from one of your benched pokemon to the opponent's active pokemon for just one energy which is beyond useful. The deck would focus around dealing decent enough damage with M alteria whilst healing the team up. Xerneas is there to get energy spread out with geomancy and xerneas break is there to help if you can't set Altaria up quick enough. You can use the evosodas if Alteria EX has the spirit link on it to get the Mega out quickly. Mega Turbo allows you to reclaim discarded energy and attach to M Alteria for a speedy set up.
 
9
Posts
7
Years
here's how I would build it

* 4 Rufflet
* 4 Braviary
* 2 Xerneas BREAK
* 4 Xerneas

4 sycamore or 4 n
2 n or 2 sycamore
3 shauna
3 vs seeker
4 ultra ball
4 trainers mail
3 max elixir
Above is outs to draw and deck thinning based cards, deck thinning is 1000% on how you build decks for draw power in pokemon, if you do not have these cards, try and trade for some at your local league
* 3 Evosoda XY 116
2 super rod
2 profs letter
3-4 fairy garden

* 7 Fairy Energy Energy 9
* 4 Double Colorless Energy NXD 92

the list above is my take on a streamlined version of this deck just to increase draw power, having the massive draw power gets you the energy and pokemon you need when you need it, putting in search cards is good but having the draw renews the hands strategy and offers synergy, more cards = more plays.

There should be spare space for cards that you would introduce as cards you play to out play other decks like ranger, hex maniac, ninja boi, etc
 
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