Deck Tech Standard: Battle Decks - Ampharos & Lucario

In today's article, I will guide those who want to start in the Standard format with pre-built decks, the so-called ex Battle Decks, featuring the first two decks of this format type, debuting from the Scarlet & Violet block, for beginners looking to enter the TCG.

In this analysis, I will provide a restructuring of the decks in their original list and present it in a more digestible form for you, the beginner, to understand the mechanics of the ultra-rare cards that come in these products, namely, Lucario ex PR-SV 17 and Ampharos ex PR-SV 16, and their potential.

Decklist

Deck Concept

Regarding the current format, the fighting archetype lacks efficient physical energy acceleration. Therefore, the deck will rely on Lucario PR-SW SWSH186, which will serve as its energy engine.

Lucario ex: the main attacker

Its maximum potential lies in the second attack, Aura Sphere, where it deals 160 damage and an additional 50 damage to one of the opponent's bench Pokémon, causing a "sniper" damage.

To accelerate this energy, it will turn to Lucario PR-SW SWSH186.

Lucario "baby": the secondary attacker and main energy supplier of the deck

Here, Lucario contributes with its ability Roaring Resolve, which retrieves a basic energy from the deck at the cost of placing two damage counters on itself.

By pulling these energies, the focus will be on transferring them using the item Energy Switch sv1 173, moving energies between your Pokémon and transferring them to Lucario ex PR-SV 17.

Starting Hand

In this simulation, the sequence of actions is as follows:

1) Riolu sv1 113 in the active position and Bidoof CRZ GG29 on the bench.

2) Play both copies of the card Battle VIP Pass FST 225 to search the deck for four Pokémon, including:

- Radiant Greninja ASR 46, to use its ability on the next turn, discarding energy from your hand for accelerated "draw power."

- Manaphy CRZ GG06 to prevent opponent "sniper" attackers.

- And two more Riolu sv1 113.

3) On the next turn, use the ability Concealed Cards of Radiant Greninja ASR 46 to develop your game.

Trainer Cards: Most Important for the Deck Strategy

Supporter as an evolution search

The deck relies on Stage 1 Pokémon, both with Lucario and Bibarel as a recursive Pokémon to help accelerate your game setup, in case Ultra Ball sv1 196 does not appear on that specific turn.

Items for energy and Pokémon mobility combo

Gutsy Pickaxe ASR 145 serves as an energy booster for your bench Pokémon, potentially drawing energy from the top of the deck. Even if it misses, it remains an efficient "draw power," similar to Trekking Shoes ASR 156, as an acceleration option.

With the energies provided by Gutsy Pickaxe ASR 145, you can combine them with Energy Switch sv1 173 for mobility to your active Pokémon, enabling them to perform their attacks.

Advantages

- Against colorless archetype decks like Arceus VSTAR BRS 184 and Slaking V PGO 58.

Disadvantages

- Against psychic archetype decks like Gardevoir ex sv1 86 and Mew VMAX FST 114.

Decklist

Deck Proposal

In the current format, there is energy acceleration in the discard pile, thanks to Flaaffy PR-SW SWSH122, which follows the same strategy as its predecessor Eelektrik NVI 40, the "energy accelerator" from over 10 years ago.

With this in mind, there are fast attackers like Raikou V BRS 48 and Raichu V BRS 45, up to those with higher energy costs, compensating for their second attack, such as Iron Hands ex sv4 70.

Ampharos ex: the main attacker

Among all attackers, it is not the strongest, limited to only 240 damage if choosing the energy discard option - leaving only the base attack of 140, but still not bad if hitting targets weak to the archetype, like Origin Forme Palkia VSTAR PR-SW SWSH254.

Including Ampharos ex PR-SV 16 depends on your needs. If you want a Pokémon with high HP to be a "tanker" and use only the first attack to proceed with damage and support other attackers.

Raikou V and Raichu V: explosive attackers

Raikou V BRS 48 is excellent as it not only draws a card from the top of the deck, aiding in "draw power," but is also a versatile and fast attacker. With two energies, it can deal up to 220 damage in the best-case scenario (if both players' benches are full).

Raichu V BRS 45 is known as a “Glass Cannon”, compensating for its low HP with its attack, which discards as many attached energies as desired, dealing 60 damage for each energy discarded in this way. With three energies, it can deal 180 damage, and applying weakness to Water or Flying-type Pokémon, it deals 360 damage!

Iron Hands ex: finisher attacker

The main goal here is to use its second attack, knocking out an opponent's Pokémon, granting you an additional prize card, meaning:

- Defeating a "baby" Pokémon (non-"ultra rares") earns you two prize cards instead of one.

- Defeating "ultra rares" like Pokémon V, Pokémon VStar, Pokémon ex, earns you three prize cards instead of two.

- In special cases, against the Greninja VUnion, if defeated, you earn four prize cards instead of three.

Miraidon ex, of Obsidian Flames

This Pokémon has two advantages: 1) its first attack helps with "draw power"; 2) its second attack, besides having a substantial damage output (and applying weakness against Pokémon weak to Electric-type Pokémon, dealing 300 damage), it also reloads one of your bench Pokémon with a basic Electric energy from the discard pile.

Recursive Pokémon

1) Flaaffy PR-SW SWSH122 with its ability is the main accelerator of basic Electric energies from the discard pile to your Pokémon; and they are cumulative, meaning that having three Flaaffy PR-SW SWSH122 on the field will reload 3 energies in the same turn.

2) Luxray CRZ 44 comes in as a situational play on the first turn to speed up resources. As its ability states, if it is the first Pokémon in your hand at the beginning of the game, you can directly summon it without going through the evolutionary line steps of the Pokémon.

3) Finally, Miraidon ex sv1 81 enters with its ability to search for two basic Pokémon in your deck and place them on your bench, acting as a kind of embedded “Battle VIP Pass” in the Pokémon.

Starting Hand

In this simulation, the sequence of actions is as follows:

1) Your advantage is that you started with Luxray CRZ 44, allowing you to use the deck search filter on the turn when you can attack (if you are the second to play).

2) The next step is to use the attack of Luxray CRZ 44 and search for two Trainer cards (whether Supporter, item, or stadium) - here, the ideal would be a Nest Ball sv1 181 and a Rare Candy PGO 69.

3) In the same turn, use Nest Ball sv1 181 to search for Miraidon ex sv1 81, and with the Pokémon, use its ability to search for two basic Pokémon, in this case, the two Mareep EVS 54.

4) Moving to the next turn, use Jacq sv1 175 to search for two evolutions in the deck, in this case, search for two Flaaffy PR-SW SWSH122 if you wish (but one is enough). With this, using the Rare Candy PGO 69 in hand (collected from the Luxray attack), you will evolve one of your Mareep EVS 54 directly into Ampharos ex PR-SV 16, which is in your hand.

Trainer Cards: Most Important for the Deck Strategy

Items for combos

Electric Generator sv1 170 aids in the energy supply for your bench Pokémon, making it convenient for assembling attackers like Raikou V BRS 48 for quick action or for heavier ones like Iron Hands ex sv4 70.

To assist with the combo of energizing energies from the discard pile with the ability of Flaaffy PR-SW SWSH122, there is Trekking Shoes ASR 156. If the effect of the card is executed correctly, and an Electric energy comes to the top of the deck, you can choose to discard it, thus aiding in deck filtering and optimizing the Flaaffy combo in the long run.

Advantages

- Against water-type archetypes like Greninja VUnion, Origin Forme Palkia VSTAR ASR 208, Inteleon VMAX FST 79, and Blastoise ex sv3pt5 9.

- Against flying-type archetypes like Lugia VSTAR SIT 211.

Disadvantages

- Against fighting-type archetypes like Lucario ex PR-SV 17, Lucario VSTAR PR-SW SWSH214, Rapid Strike Urshifu VMAX BRS TG30, and Single Strike Urshifu VMAX BRS TG29.

For beginners purchasing the product and those looking to start learning about Pokémon TCG, this is a recommended modification of the original product list for something more robust, with better effects and attackers.

Until next time!