Standard Deck Tech: Zapdos ex - Theories and Possibilities with Set 151

As we are preparing for the release of the special ”151” set (Pokémon Card 151 or 151 Kanto Sub Set), I'll be posting Deck Techs for the Standard format with theories for the new cards, which will come mid-September for us in the west.

It's worth stressing that the cards have numbers and codes based on the eastern version, that is, sv2a, which can't be used in tournaments! They'll only be playable when they reach the west in their American translation, with the sv3a code.

Today, I'll showcase a Zapdos ex list example with a focus on "sniper attacks".

Decklist

Jolteon VMax: Main Attacker

Jolteon's evolution line is good as it is a Pokémon with zero retreat cost. But the main focus here is discussing its VMax form, which is what interests us.

Max Thunder Rumble (L)(C): deal 100 damage and 100 damage to an opponent's benched Pokémon.

It has a reasonably strong and aggressive "sniper" attack, precisely to help Zapdos ex sv2a 145 in the future, and close out multiple knock-outs.

Zapdos ex: Sniper Attacker

Ability - Voltaic Float: if this Pokémon has any Electric energies attached to it, its retreat cost will be zeroed.

Attack - Multishot Lightning (L)(L)(L): deal 120 damage to the active Pokémon, and also deal 90 damage to one of your opponent's benched Pokémon which has any damage counters.

Zapdos ex is the main piece in the deck and the reason I wrote this article, as it is with it you'll deal "sniper" damage to your opponent's Pokémon, particularly against Lost Box and the "baby" basic Pokémon which will be released in the format, such as the Charizard ex Terastral decks against your opponent's Charmanders.

Its only problem will always be Manaphy BRS 41, and, for that reason, we have in the deck the stadium Lost City LOR 161: if your opponent is knocked out with this stadium in play, that Pokémon won't go to the discard pile, but instead to the Lost Zone, removing Manaphy BRS 41 from play. Your opponent will be between a rock and a hard place, and your deck will start doing its thing, so you can use its strategy.

Raikou V: The Fast and Practical Attacker to Save a few Matches

Ability - Fleet Footed: if this Pokémon is in the active position during your turn, draw another card.

Attack - Lightning Rondo (L)(C): deal 20 damage plus 20 more for each benched Pokémon in play (both yours and the opponent's).

Raikou V is here for the practicality of being able to attack quickly with only two energies, and still have a card draw ability to draw your top deck, in case it is set as an active Pokémon in your game.

Miraidon ex: Secondary Attackers with Simultaneous Recursive Roles

Miraidon ex: Scarlet/Violet - Base Set

Ability - Tandem Unit: during your turn, you can look for up to two basic Electric Pokémon and place them on your bench. Afterward, shuffle your deck.

Attack- Photon Blaster (L)(L)(C): deal 220 damage. This Pokémon can't attack next round.

Its ability is this list's trigger, as it is a type of "two Nest Ball"s built in the Pokémon, so you can pull your basic Electric Pokémon to the bench, which will speed up your game plan.

Regarding its attack, even if it has the downside of not being able to attack again, that can be cheated out by retreating, as every Pokémon, when they go on the bench, removes the effects that are currently in it - and as it deals 220 damage, it is a very welcomed attack.

Miraidon ex: Scarlet/Violet - Obsidian Flames

Attack - Rapid Draw (L): deal 20 damage and still draw two cards.

Attack - Photon Blaster (L)(L)(L): deal 150 damage and attach one basic Electric energy (L) from the discard pile to one of your benched Pokémon.

This is a good alternative version, as it draws two cards, can deal a reasonable amount of damage (150 damage with weakness applied can take down a Lugia VSTAR SIT 211) and can still set up your benched Pokémon, as if it was the same thing as a Flaaffy EVS 55, and the best part about this Pokémon: zero retreat cost!

It is a great attacker. You can use it recursively with its build early in the match as the active Pokémon to have "draw power" and to start setting up.

Regieleki V & Regieleki VMax

Attack - Switching Bolt (L): deal 30 damage and swap this Pokémon for one of your benched Pokémon.

Attack - Lightning Wall (L)(C)(C): deal 100 damage and, next round, this Pokémon will take 100 damage less from your opponent's active Pokémon's attacks (after applying resistance and weakness).

Ability - Transistor: On your turn, if this Pokémon is in play, all your basic Electric Pokémon get 30 extra damage in their attacks against the opponent's active Pokémon (before applying weakness or resistance).

Attack - Max Thunder and Lightning (L)(C)(C): deal 220 damage. This Pokémon can't attack next round.

Here we have an interesting point: what you must do is evolve your Regieleki V into Regieleki VMax to use its ability, Transistor, which states that all your Pokémon get 30 extra damage against the opponent's active Pokémon. Here we still have the benefit of stacking this "buff", which means, if you have two Regieleki VMax in play, you'll already be getting 60 additional damage.

That also applies to Zapdos ex sv2a 145 and Raikou V BRS 48.

Drapion V: “Counter” to the Fusion Strike, Single Strike and Rapid Strike Styles

Ability - Wild Style: this Pokémon's attacks cost one energy (C) less for each Single Strike, Rapid Strike and Fusion Strike Pokémon your opponent has in play.

Attack - Dynamic Tail (C)(C)(C)(C): this attack deals 190 damage and allows you to choose one of your Pokémon to be dealt 60 damage (doesn't apply weakness or resistance to your benched Pokémon).

Its goal is to deal double damage to Mew VMAX LOR TG30, due to its Dark-type weakness, totalling 380 damage.

Due to the Yokohama World Championship, in which Vance Kelley won with this deck, and because it can be set up quickly with only two energies to deal the Techno Blast damage (copied from Genesect V FST 185), it is a certain thing that you will face Mew.

Recursive Pokémon

- Flaaffy EVS 55 comes in with its ability, Dynamotor, which allows you, on separate turns, to grab a basic Electric energy from the discard pile and attach it to one of your benched Pokémon.

It is an alternative way to set up your Electric energies, but it needs an evolutionary step with Mareep, which is a bit slow, and this deck doesn't count on Manaphy BRS 41, because it is not worth it to use this Pokémon only to protect a “Flaaffy”, as 90% of the deck is made of ultra rare cards with high HP.

Besides, we have Miraidon ex sv3 79, which, besides being a high durability Pokémon due to its high HP, has zero retreat cost. Furthermore, its second attack allows you to recycle an Electric energy from the discard pile once per turn, which is much better.

Trainer Cards

Supporters

- Professor's Research (Professor Turo) sv1 190 is useful as "draw power": discard your hand and draw 7 cards.

- Worker SIT 167 has two effects: discard a stadium in play and next draw 3 cards.

Boss's Orders (Ghetsis) sv2 172 is useful to pull a specific Pokémon from the opponent's bench to deal the damage to victory.

- Iono sv2 185 is extremely powerful, as it is the fusion of its predecessor's effects, N FCO 105 and Marnie SSH 169: you and your opponent shuffle your hands and put them at the bottom of the deck. After that, you'll draw cards from the top of your decks equal to the number of Prize Cards you have in play, in case, in each player's game.

Example: if your opponent has 2 Prize Cards and you have 4 Prize Cards, and you use this card's effect, you'll shuffle your hands into the bottom of the deck, and then your opponent will draw only 2 cards, and you will draw 4.

Itens

- Electric Generator sv1 170 is an item which allows you to look at the five top cards in your deck, get any two Electric energies you may find in there, and attach them to two of your benched Pokémon.

- Battle VIP Pass FST 225 is useful only on your first turn in the game: look for two basic Pokémon in your deck and then place them directly on the bench.

- Ultra Ball sv1 196 is useful to look for any Pokémon, evolution or basic, common or ultra rare, as long as you fulfill the requirement of discarding two cards from your hand to play it.

- Capturing Aroma SIT 153 is useful as a Pokémon search: you toss a coin - if it's heads, look for an evolution Pokémon, show it to the opponent and place it in your hand; but if it's tails, get a basic Pokémon, show it and place it in your hand.

- Pal Pad sv1 182 is an item to recycle to Support cards from the discard pile into your deck.

- Energy Recycler BST 124 is an item to recycle 5 basic energies from the discard pile into your deck.

- Escape Rope BST 125: your opponent will choose a benched Pokémon which will be promoted to the active position, and, next, you'll do the same with your Pokémon. The opponent starts first to do this swap (and if they don't have any Pokémon on their bench, they won't need to).

Tool

Forest Seal Stone SIT 156 is a tool that has a VSTAR ability (which, as per the game's rules, can only be played once per game), which allows you to equip it to one of your basic Pokémon V, look for any cards in your deck, and place them in your hand.

Stadium

Lost City LOR 161 affects both players: all Pokémon which are knocked out with this card in play will go to the Lost Zone instead of going into the discard pile.

The focus will always be getting your opponent's key Pokémon to sabotage them, particularly Manaphy BRS 41, which prevents "sniper" attacks to the bench.

In case you face the Chien-Pao ex sv2 274 deck, which needs to use Baxcalibur sv2 60, it is effective to knock out Baxcalibur, so you can send it to the Lost Zone.

Advantage

- Water type decks, such as Origin Forme Palkia VSTAR CRZ GG67, one of the main representatives; Starmie V ASR TG13; Suicune V CRZ GG38; and Blastoise ex sv2a 9 in the future (when it is released in the 151 Kanto Sub Set).

- Decks which use Lugia VSTAR SIT 211.

- Lost Box decks which aren't protected by Manaphy BRS 41 against “sniper” damage.

Disadvantages

- Fighting archetype decks, such as Single Strike Urshifu VMAX BRS TG29 and Rapid Strike Urshifu VMAX BRS TG30.

- Decks which use Manaphy BRS 41.

- Decks which use Avery CRE 130 or Collapsed Stadium BRS 137 to sabotage your bench.

This is a deck which is practical and simple with its goal of dealing "sniper" damage. As we have many high HP Pokémon, and a reasonably efficient damage output, besides zero retreat cost for most of them and energy recycling, it is one of the perfect models of what any player wants in a deck.

See you next time!