Emolga, Eelektrik, and the Freeze: A Manchester Regionals Report and More

snow-cloud-castform-hidden-legends-hl-25pokemon-paradijs.comHi! I’m back to report on another Regionals from the UK. After going 2-2 with Keldeo-EX/Blastoise twice in Cities I decided that I needed a change of deck. My friend Jordan had been playing Darkrai EX/Mewtwo EX/Lasers for a Cities and came in 2nd, and I liked the way the deck worked. I took Darkrai EX/Lasers to top 4 at a London Regionals meaning I obtained my Worlds invite, and leaving me sitting on 454 CP.

Now, this report would have been on Sutton Colfield Regionals. But, to my dismay, parts of the UK got hit by some of the worst snowfall in 30 years the day before Sutton Colfield Regionals. I was in one of the worst hit areas, with over 25 cm of snow – so I had to miss what would of been one of the biggest UK Regionals. The deck I would have played was Darkrai EX/Ninetales.

One week later however, the snow (partially) melted so I would be going to a Regionals in Manchester. I decided to change decks due to hearing that Seniors were rife with Big Basics. I tested Rayeels and found it to have a 50-50 matchup with nearly everything and was better against decks such as Keldeo-EX/Blastoise. Once it gets set up, it can end the game in 3 turns.

The risk was however, being donked. Since I already had my Worlds Invite, I decided I would go with it. Here’s the list I took to Manchester Regionals.

Pokémon – 14

3 Tynamo NVI 38

1 Tynamo DEX 45

4 Eelektrik NVI

2 Emolga DRX

2 Rayquaza EX

1 Mewtwo-EX NXD

1 Victini NVI 15

Trainers – 34

4 Professor Juniper

4 N

2 Colress

1 Skyla

1 Random Receiver

 

4 Switch

4 Pokémon Catcher

3 Level Ball

3 Ultra Ball

1 Tool Scrapper

1 Super Rod

1 Energy Switch

1 Energy Search

1 Max Potion

1 Dowsing Machine

 

2 Skyarrow Bridge

Energy – 12

8 L

4 R

A small bit teched out for Big Basics. After the Regionals I felt I needed more Rayquaza support, but that’s for later. Emolga is amazing in Rayeels – the star of the Poké show – resisting Hammerhead and getting 2 Basic Pokémon out for one L Energy.

I didn’t expect much Garbodor because of the rise in Big Basics so I lowered the Tool Scrapper amount to 1, which I felt was the right play for the day. Without Emolga most of my wins wouldn’t of happened. Dowsing Machine lets you get back a Switch, a Skyarrow Bridge or any Trainer at any crucial time, helping Rayeels out alot.

The Tournament

The rounds were single Swiss and a Top 4 cut.

Round 1 vs. Emboar/Rayquaza EX/Mewtwo EX

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I mulligan abit until I start with 1 Rayquaza EX to her 2 Tepigs. My opponent gets the T2 Emboar and slaps 4 R Energy onto a benched Mewtwo EX. Not nice. My opponent then passed, deciding to leave the Tepig to get Dragon Bursted into oblivion. I get a few Eelektrik down and KO’d Tepig to take my first Prize.

My opponent sends up her Mewtwo EX, benches a Rayquaza EX, and Catchers a Tynamo to KO it. Luckily for me I Ultra Ball for Mewtwo EX and Dynamotor 2 L Energy to deal a KO to the opposing Mewtwo EX.

After that my opponent could never stabilize and is only able to KO my Mewtwo EX while I take out her Emboar and Rayquaza EX for the game.

1-0

Round 2 vs. Emboar/Rayquaza EX

Another Emboar deck. Seems like every Senior I face had jumped onto the hard-to-donk Tepig bandwagon. I get 2 Eelektrik out by T3 and my opponent also gets his Emboar support out by T3, but was always unable to obtain Fire or L Energy to KO any of my Pokémon. I take the Game 6 Prizes to 0.

2-0

Round 3 vs. Keldeo-EX/Blastoise

I start lone Tynamo. Luckily, I go first. If not, my opponent had the Mewtwo + DCE in hand for game. I get things going EXTREMELY quickly, with a almost T2 Dragon Burst if my opponent hadn’t of been able to KO a benched Tyanmo with his Mewtwo EX.

I Catcher around his Mewtwo EX to KO a Keldeo-EX with Dragon Burst. My opponent can’t find a Squirtle to bench and I end up taking 2 final KOs on Mewtwo EX and Black Kyurem EX.

3-0

3-0 and feeling good, with a Darkrai and another Rayeels at 3-0.

Round 4 vs. Rayquaza EX/Eelektrik

emolga dragons exalted drx 45pokemon-paradijs.comMirror time. My opponent Dan is a friend and a good player, so this should be an interesting mirror. We both start Emolga (though Dan’s was reverse foil – his Emolga wins) and Dan goes first. He gets down the nice start of 3 Tynamo and 2 Rayquaza EX. I get the exact same but upon searching my deck I find 1 Rayquaza EX and 1 Mewtwo EX Prized. Fun.

Dan is unable to pull of the T2 KO on my Rayquaza EX whereas I get enough Energy and a nicely timed Catcher to KO his Rayquaza EX, scouring for my Prized one. To my disappointment I miss it and he hits back with a benched Rayquaza EX to KO mine. I need to find a Super Rod to get anywhere in this match or take some quick Prizes.

I set up a Victini with a Fire and go for a Colress for 8, needing to find another 2 Pokémon to bench. I miss both and pass, letting my Emolga perish. Dan sends up his Eelektrik to KO my Emolga due to its Weakness, which is always a funny feeling to be KO’ed by Eelektrik.

I get another Colress – to get nothing of interest, send up a Eelektrik and pass. Dan uses Energy Switch over to Rayquaza, attach a L Energy to it and KO my Eelektrik. Two more KOs and it’s game.

3-1

I need to win my next match – and it was another Rayeels mirror.

Round 5 vs. Rayquaza EX/Eelektrik

I go first with a Rayquaza EX active. I get a couple of Tynamo down and decide to go for a Celestial Roar, feeling in a good position. As like every Celestial Roar, it was a bad idea.

I reveal the top 3 cards of my deck to see 2 Eelektrik and a Tynamo. My opponent gets a similar set up and passes. I get a Switch into Emolga and need 1 Eelektrik to KO his Rayquaza EX. I miss any way to get a Eelektrik off a N, and end up passing. He gets the Catcher and Energy to KO my Rayquaza EX and I was never able to stabilize.

4-2, 7th Place

I was pretty annoyed with myself for the Celestial Roar, but at least it’s a lesson learned.

Things That I Would Change

After the tournament I definitely felt I had a bad mirror due to only having 2 Rayquaza EX. Adding Rayquaza DRV would improve the Prize trade and be another great tech ageinst PlasmaKlang. Max Potion never helped out in matches – opponents usually aren’t attacking you since Rayquaza EX is going to be taking Prizes every turn if you get the right setup.

Emolga was one of the best plays – even though I never faced against a Landorus, the ability to set up 2 Basic Pokémon on turn 1 where I wouldn’t be usually attacking is amazing.

A Look Forward to Plasma Freeze

Plasma Freeze is coming out in a couple of weeks, and many interesting and game changing cards are coming out of the frosty mist. A deck that many people are looking forward to is Thundurus EX/Deoxys-EX and friends, or as many others like to call it – Plasma Haymaker.

Plasma Haymaker

Pokémon – 10

4 Deoxys-EX

3 Thundurus EX

2 Kyurem PLF

1 Lugia EX

Trainers – 38

4 Professor Juniper

3 N

2 Colress

2 Skyla

1 Shadow Triad

 

4 Pokémon Catcher

4 Colress Machine

4 Hypnotoxic Laser

3 Team Plasma Ball

3 Switch

2 Ultra Ball

2 Float Stone

1 Max Potion

1 Scramble Switch

 

2 Virbank City Gym

Energy – 12

4 Plasma

4 Prism

3 Blend WLFM

1 Double Colorless

deoxys-ex-plasma-freeze-plf-53Plasma Haymaker is fast and powerful. Deoxys-EX has its Ability Power Connect stating “All of your Team Plasma Pokémon (excluding Deoxys-EX) do 10 more damage to the Defending Pokémon.”

4 Deoxys benched = 40 more damage, meaning attacks like Thundurus EX’s Raiden Knuckle can do 70 instead of 30 damage for one L, AND still has the effect of attaching any type of Energy card (including Special Energy) to a benched Team Plasma Pokémon from the discard.

With Hypnotoxic Laser the damage can be extraordinary for just 1 Energy, but there is another way to go for Stadiums. Freeze City means that if your opponent doesn’t play Team Plasma Pokémon, whenever a opponent attaches a Energy card from there hand, they take 20 damage.

Freeze City is alot like a Ampharos DRX – but comes in the package of a Stadium. Since Hypnotoxic Laser can be removed it can leave spaces for other cards such as Supporters and extra Pokémon like Snorlax. I chose Scramble Switch because this ACE SPEC gives the deck key plays that could be game-changing.

Kyurem PLF is a perfect starter, being able to use the Plasma Engine for its Frost Spear attack which does exactly the same as Landorus-EX but for a cost of WC, and has the benefits of Deoxys-EX.

One Plasma Triad fits in perfectly for mid-late game to be able to get a 5th Hypnotoxic Laser, Plasma Energy or even a Deoxys-EX back from the discard. Lugia EX can easily finish up a game, taking up to 3 Prizes in one Plasma Gale.

Team Plasma Ball gets you any Team Plasma Pokémon from your deck – for no extra effects! The only reason to play 3 Team Plasma Ball and 2 Ultra Ball is that you want to get Energy in the discard for Thundurus EX’s Raiden Knuckle. To finish off, Float Stone gives any Pokémon free retreat, which gives every deck in the format more versatility.

Conclusion

The format will defiantly be changing and getting faster, with many decks improving from the release of Plasma Freeze. Thanks for reading!

Reader Interactions

10 replies

  1. Empoleon1107

    I like your inclusion of Mewtwo in your list. It’s not a popular choice that I think is necessary in RayEels, especially with Deoxys EX coming out.
    For your Plasma list, you may want to include Tornadus EX PLF. It’s really strong as an attacker and is a great consistency booster with Windfall.

    • Mark Cruz  → Empoleon1107

      I’d be willing to test out Tornadus EX PLF in my plasma basics list but it will hurt a lot in mirror, BUT if landorus is still everywhere, it wouldn’t be so bad.

      • theo Seeds  → Mark

        In my testing with Tornadus usually if you are forced to T1 Windfall you can frequently pull off a T2/3 big KO on something big with the second attack.

    • Ryan Moorhouse  → Empoleon1107

      Thanks! Yes, with Tornadus EX PLF it could really help if Landorus becomes a big threat. The only thing I think I wouldn’t want is to start with it against a Big Basics deck that’s also hitting hard and fast.

  2. John Orgel

    I think adding the 3rd Rayquaza EX is always the best move by a RayEels player. I don’t really like BabyRay b/c of the huge 3 retreat cost, but I think it comes down to player preference. I will say one thing though, it does not help out with the KK matchup (unless you are going against a list that doesn’t run a high count of maxpotions and the shift gear KK). A second super-rod may end up being more beneficial than another non-ex attacker as Victini NVI 15 is the best and only really successful counter to the metal monstrosity.

    • Ryan Moorhouse  → John

      Defiantly. I also think the 2nd Super Rod may be the key to sorting out the mirror, since with Dowsing Machine it can lead to having 3 Super Rods and helping get Victini back ageinst Klinklang.

  3. theo Seeds

    Honestly I don’t feel like Celestial Roar is always a bad idea in Rayeels. It depends on your setup mostly, but if you don’t have Lightning discarded already it is usually worth the risk in my opinion.

  4. yingyang757

    just a little more over hype on kyorem you need perfect hand to be awesome with it

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