Standard Deck Tech: Kangaskhan ex - Build with the 151 Sub Set

With the upcoming release of the "151" (Pokémon Card 151 or 151 Kanto Sub Set) 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 cards have numbers and codes based on the eastern version, that is, sv2a, which can't be used in tournaments. They will only be available to play with when they come to the west with the American translation, and the sv3a code.

In this article, I'll show you a list with Kangaskhan ex. Its second attack is very interesting - being able to reach up to 400 damage if you hit all 4 coins!

Decklist

Kangaskhan ex: The Star of the Deck

Triple Draw (C): draw 3 cards.

Gatling Punch (C)(C)(C): toss 4 coins. This attack deals 100 times the number of coins which fall on "heads".

We have two great advantages with Kangaskhan: card draw and its last attack, which, if set up with energies through Archeops PR-SW SWSH272's ability, and if it hits all four coins tossed, it will deal 400 damage rather abruptly! Of course, we want that, but we depend on luck.

Lugia V & Lugia VStar

Read the Wind (C): you discard a card from your hand and then draw 3 cards.

Aero Dive (C)(C)(C)(C): deals 130 damage and discards a stadium in play.

Storm Dive (C)(C)(C)(C): deals 220 base damage and discards a stadium in play.

VStar Ability - Assemble Star: On your turn, you can look for two colorless Pokémon in the discard pile, as long as they don't have any Rule Box (be it V, GX, etc), and place them on your bench (you can't use your VPower more than once).

The main issue is using your VStar ability as fast as possible as it brings back from the discard pile any colorless Pokémon that doesn't have a Rulebox on it and places it on your bench, including stage 1 and 2 evolution Pokémon. We'll look for Archeops PR-SW SWSH272 (two minimum), due to its ability to attach two special energies from your deck to one of your Pokémon in any way you'd like.

With this combo, we'll be able to energize Pokémon, particularly Kangaskhan ex sv2a 115 and Slaking V PGO 58, as your main attackers.

Main Pokémon

Slaking V: Brute Force Attacker

Slaking V is the bluntest of all Pokémon without depending on "tossing coins" such as Kangaskhan ex, and it does have guaranteed damage.

To attack, you need to have on board Path to the Peak CRE 148 to disable its ability, which is Slaking's drawback. You also need to have energized two Double Turbo Energy BRS 151 to deal damage, even if you lose 40 points of damage due to the energy's effects. Even then, 220 is a good amount of damage.

Wyrdeer V: Punctual Attacker for Unseen Circumstances

We use Wyrdeer if we're in an emergency, because there's a high risk of losing all these special energies all at once, and there is no way to recover special energies in the format.

But, if played wisely, it can be a destruction machine. Considering there are 4 copies of Double Turbo Energy BRS 151 in the deck, you have 8 energies guaranteed (of course, considering they reduce 20 damage of each double energy, you'll have -80 damage. This way: 320 - 80 = 240 damage).

And we still have:

- Three Jet Energy sv2 190, adding up: 40 x 3 = 120;

- Three Gift Energy LOR 171, adding up: 40 x 3 = 120;

- Two Therapeutic Energy sv2 193, adding up: 40 x 2 = 80;

- Two V Guard Energy SIT 169, adding up: 40 x 2 = 80.

This Pokémon can reach 640 damage if you gather all energies from your deck all at once*, at the absolute best-case scenario.

Drapion V: Fusion Strike, Single Strike and Rapid Strike Counter

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

As Mew players always need Genesect V FST 185, it will always guarantee Drapion V LOR 118's attack cost reduction, making it an excellent counter.

Snorlax: Very Able and Exotic Single Prize Attacker

The Unfazed Fat ability is great to deal with Pokémon that might have effects, such as Sableye LOR 70 and Eiscue EVS 47, for instance.

Its attack, Thumping Snore, even though it deals a good amount of damage, has the drawback of leaving it Asleep, but never fear: if it is equipped with Therapeutic Energy sv2 193, it doesn't get this status, and with that, you won't need to toss coins.

Recursive Pokémon

- Dunsparce FST 207 has Mysterious Nest, which disables colorless Pokémon's weaknesses (it also benefits your opponent's colorless Pokémon).

In this case in particular, Lugia VSTAR SIT 139 won't be the target of Electric Pokémon, particularly Luxray sv2 71; and the others won't struggle against Fighting Pokémon, such as Rapid Strike Urshifu VMAX BRS TG30 and Single Strike Urshifu VMAX BRS TG29.

- Bidoof CRZ 111 has the ability Carefree Countenance, which protects it from damage to the bench from attacks, which is very useful to evolve it to Bibarel.

- Bibarel BRS 121 comes in with its ability Industrious Incisors, which allows you, once per turn, to draw until you have five cards in hand.

Trainer Cards

Card Draw Supporter

It is ideal, with such a play, at least, to discard Archeops PR-SW SWSH272 to filter your deck, and this way, in the next few turns, bring Lugia VSTAR SIT 139's VStar ability and optimize your match as fast as possible.

"Catcher" Supporter against Enemy Pokémon

Boss's Orders BRS 132 is useful to pull a specific Pokémon from the opponent's bench, particularly in a safer game state with Slaking V PGO 58 equipped with Choice Belt BRS 135 to deal 290 damage (260 + 30) against any meta VStar Pokémon, such as, for instance, Giratina VSTAR CRZ GG69 or Origin Forme Palkia VSTAR CRZ GG67.

Supporter to Sabotage the Opponent's Hand

Pokémon Search Items

Item to Sabotage and Remove Tools and Stadiums in Play

Item to Interact with the Enemy Bench

Tools

- Choice Belt BRS 135 is useful to add 30 damage against your opponent's active Pokémon which is a V type (bet it a basic V, VMax or VUnion).

Ideally, you'll equip it to Slaking V PGO 58 so that it knocks out the format's Pokémon VStar.

Stadium

Path to the Peak CRE 148 is useful for both players: all Pokémon which have Rule Box can't use abilities.

This is excellent to sabotage your opponent's Pokémon which use abilities, as your main concern will be Lugia VSTAR SIT 139's VSTAR. If this stadium is in play, it is also useful to your Slaking V PGO 58.

Of course, it harms other Pokémon in your deck, such as Wyrdeer V ASR 134 and Drapion V LOR 118, but you can remove it using Lost Vacuum CRZ 135, whenever necessary.

Special Energies

- Double Turbo Energy BRS 151 is useful as a “Double Colorless” energy, but it has a reduction of 20 points of damage to your attacks.

- Jet Energy sv2 190 is useful as a colorless energy (C) which, if equipped to a benched Pokémon, it is promoted to the active position.

It is a "Switch" "at home" which can help you promote a colorless Pokémon on your bench to the active position as a new attacker, saving the special energies to pay for some retreat cost later on, as in this meta there aren't item cards which recycle several special energies.

- Gift Energy LOR 171 is useful as a colorless energy (C), but, it has a similar effect to Lucky Egg: if the Pokémon which has this equipped is knocked out, you draw until you have 7 cards in hand.

As there will be some knockouts, and you will lose some Pokémon as they are a mildly fragile type (there are too many Fighting type Pokémon in the current meta), this card will be very useful.

- Therapeutic Energy sv2 193 is useful as a colorless energy (C), with an effect that disables Asleep, Paralyzed and Confused effects on the Pokémon it is attached to.

- V Guard Energy SIT 169 is useful as a colorless energy (C), but it grants a damage reduction of 30 damage against your opponent's Pokémon V to the Pokémon which has this energy attached.

With that, it guarantees a makeshift durability to your Pokémon against the meta's Pokémon V, VStar and VMax.

- It is easy to set up energies to your Pokémon with Archeops PR-SW SWSH272, which is an excellent filter in your deck.

- Variety of attackers, such as "Single Prize" Snorlax LOR 143 and other blunter Pokémon, such as Slaking V PGO 58 and Kangaskhan ex sv2a 115.

Advantages

- Against Lost Box decks which use Giratina VSTAR CRZ GG69. If your Kangaskhan ex sv2a 115 hits 3 coins, it is already dealing 300 damage, which is enough to knock it down.

- Against Water decks, such as Origin Forme Palkia VSTAR CRZ GG67. In the same premise above, hitting 3 coins with Kangaskhan ex sv2a 115 can deal a lot of damage, going over Origin Forme Palkia's health points, which are 280 in total.

- Against most decks that use Pokémon ex with stage 2, such as Gardevoir ex sv1 86 and Charizard ex sv3 125, considering that, if Kangaskhan ex sv2a 115 hits all 4 coins, it will deal 400 damage.

Disadvantages

- Electric type decks, such as Miraidon ex PR-SV 28 or decks which use Luxray sv2 71, due to how easy and dynamic this Pokémon goes into play due to its ability. Besides, there's Reversal Energy sv2 192, which can easily deal 180 damage.

- Fighting type decks, such as Rapid Strike Urshifu VMAX BRS TG30 and Single Strike Urshifu VMAX BRS TG29. As they are in this archetype, they deal double damage to colorless Pokémon.

- United Wings decks, which is a "Single Prize" Pokémon. That means, even if there are losses as this Pokémon is knocked out, they get stronger for each Pokémon discarded into the discard pile, increasing their base damage and possibly turning the game to their favor.

- Lost Box decks.

- Decks which use the stadium Temple of Sinnoh ASR 214 which affects your special energies, disabling their effects and only considering them as a standard colorless energy, or Collapsed Stadium LOR 215, which can damage your bench.

- Decks which use supporters such as Avery CRE 187, which reduce bench size, as you'll depend on your Archeops PR-SW SWSH272 to energize your Pokémon.

It is a rogue deck that's worth trying out. With Kangaskhan ex sv2a 115 combined with Dunsparce FST 207, your colorless Pokémon lose their weaknesses, guaranteeing blunt damages for each attacker in the deck.

See you next time!