Many people will occasionally stray outside the metagame and experiment with an interesting concept. Many of these ideas don’t work, and are classed either as a “League Deck” or as a “Fun Deck”. These are probably the most accurate definitions possible. Whether it’s a an unlimited pick-up deck, a new spin on an old archetype or a crazily corrupted idea lacking support, these decks have 1 thing in common, which is that their very fun to play, and play against. I’d like to give you 4 lists today, each containing a deck which can be played… for fun!
Psychic Lock
| Pokémon – 264 Spoink TM 3 Grumpig TM 1 Grumpig LA 4 Spiritomb AR 2 Uxie LA 2 Oddish LA 112 2 Gloom UD 2 Vileplume UD 1 Mesprit LA 1 Azelf LA 1 Unown Q MD 1 Giratina PL 1 Frosslass GL 1 Ditto LA |
Trainers – 203 Broken Time-Space 4 Pokémon Collector 4 Bebe’s Search 3 Judge 3 Looker’s Investigation 3 Seeker |
Energy – 148 P 3 Warp 3 Rescue |
pokegym.netPsychic Lock is back! For those of you still in rotation trauma, this may help you with your blues. Its hard to switch a graceful ballroom dancer for a Psychic dancing pig, but it’s the thought that counts right?
Anyway, the strategy is to get a Grumpig TM out, and “Psychic Lock” to deny them their powers. The Vileplume is to enhance the lock, and the Mesprit LA is in case you’re unable to get the T2 “Psychic Lock”. Ditto LA and Froslass GL are optional techs, but used to enhance the Gengar and Dialgachomp Matchup.
We play Giratina as a disruptive tech, as well as its ability to bait the spray. (I mentioned this in Roseray: The Cat Is Back!) Its attack should not be underrated though, and is an interesting last minute resort. We play a heavy Judge/Looker’s Investigation count, as it adds to the disruption aspect.
Lastly, Grumpig LA is played for its ability to Confuse. While this isn’t usually a great idea, it can win games at time. I also like putting my Energy on it, and finish up with a “Grind”.
This deck will never see play outside of league, because of its low damage output. It is however, ridiculously fun to play.
Now for the next deck:
Modified Speedrill
| Pokémon – 224 Weedle UL 3 Kakuna UL 3 Beedrill UL 1 Beedrill RR 3 Uxie LA 1 Unown Q MD 3 Smeargle UD 1 Regice LA 1 Blaziken FB 1 Blaziken FB LV.X 1 Azelf LA |
Trainers – 30 3 Pokémon Collector 3 Bebe’s Search 3 Pokémon Communication 1 Luxury Ball 4 PlusPower 4 Pokédrawer + 1 Palmer’s Contribution 3 Broken Time-Space 4 Rare Candy 4 Seeker |
Energy – 83 Rescue 5 G |
pokebeach.comThis is a modified “Speedrill” list. Speedrill was a deck which revolved around setting up as many Beedrill as possible. This is more of a Beedrill Swarm… which relies on luck.
With “Twin Needle” you’re doing 0-100 per turn. Add on some PlusPowers and you’re doing an average of 60 damage per turn.
Regice LA and Blaziken FB LV.X are to counter Trainerlock, and Smeargle UD is used as a starter so your 40 HP Weedles aren’t exposed. The high Seeker count is to save your Beedrills and Uxie.
Due to the high amounts of Trainerlock, and the overall luck-based attack, this deck will never see play. It’s pretty fun to play against, especially against some of the other decks here.
Octillery
| Pokémon – 144 Remoraid UL 4 Octillery PL 4 Jirachi RR 1 Floatzel GL 1 Floatzel GL LV.X |
Trainers – 164 Cynthia’s Guidance 4 Looker’s Investigation 4 Pokémon Collector 3 Pokémon Communication 1 Luxury Ball |
Energy – 304 Rescue 4 Warp 4 Cyclone 4 Call 14 W |
pokemon-paradijs.comOctillery is a very fun deck, but is easily outclassed by Mewperior, which is faster and requires less setup. The idea is to run exorbitantly large amounts of Energy, and abuse them with Octillery’s 1st attack. Jirachi is your ideal starter, so you can “Detour” Cynthia’s Guidance. While Cynthia’s Guidance may not be a great card, in a deck like this it is crucial to getting your evolutions.
The Looker’s Investigation is used for hand disruption, and the Floatzel GL LV.X for recycling Octillery. We have many variety’s of Special Energy, each to aid your Octillery.
This deck would see a bit of play, but due to your main attacker having low HP and Lightning Weakness, it’s a poor choice in today’s metagame. It’s a great choice for a pickup game, especially after you’ve been Donked.
And now, for an unlimited deck:
Energy Denial
| Pokémon – 144 Piplup SF 4 Prinplup PL 4 Empoleon SF 1 Ambipom G 1 Azelf 2 Uxie LA |
Trainers – 384 Super Scoop Up 4 Junk Arm 4 Seeker 4 VS Seeker 4 Computer Search 4 Professor Oak 4 Broken Time-Space 4 Roseanne’s Research 4 Pokédrawer + 2 Luxury Ball |
Energy – 86 W 2 Double Colourless Energy |
The plan of this deck is to deny your opponent energy for the whole game. You then hit for reasonable damage with Empoleon SF and “Whirlpool”. Ambipom G is in case your opponent gets out an energy, and Azelf LA/Uxie LA for their obvious reasons.
The decks engine is designed to get a turn 1 Empoleon, and uses many “Pick Up” cards to keep it going. If you had a perfect game, you could deny your opponent Energy for 24 turns! If your opponent can stall that long though…
Conclusion
If people only played the top decks, Pokémon would quickly become a stale game. Decks like these, while they won’t ever amount to anything gigantic, are good for when we suddenly say to ourselves:
Why are we playing this?
For FUN!
At an unlimited tournament this summer, I beat a guy running a similar Empoleon deck to win the tournament. I was running a Meganium prime deck with Shaymin LV X. I won on my last possible turn by drawing the only card left in my deck, the grass energy I needed to attack.
Nice article! I have heard of the octillery fun deck before but I really liked the empoleon deck idea. It looks pretty fun.
There should be like a Pokemon tournament “just for ‘fun'” decks. ;0)
I like this article. I think all competitive players should bring at least one fun deck with them to leagues so they can play the newer and younger players without discouraging them from the game. I think your Psychic Lock deck could use Azelf Lv.X to remove the weakness of your main attacker and place damage counters when needed. Your Speedrill deck should at least include one Fire or Rainbow Energy in it to utilize Blaziken FB. Energy Denial could be quite a fun unlimited deck, but I think I would hold off playing it the newer and younger players that I usually build fun decks for because the Base Set trainers can be quite devastating.
Thanks! Your right, the Speedrill does need a fire, wonder who’s fault that was? (Hits head with computer)
Love your idea for the Energy Denial deck! Only problem is that if you’re opponent is playing Typhlosion Prime or Magnezone LA then they can attach energy from the discard pile, completely bypassing the “energy lock.”
This is all we do at home, build fun decks from a very random collection bought via e-bay lots and minimum number of store purchases. We’re just learning, but it’s figuring things out how to have fun with what you have that’s the most fun. Very good article.
nice love the analysis keep it up
check out legendpeice.blogspot.com
nice love the analysis keep it up
check out legendpeice.blogspot.com