Special event help

[u/ioiLeGeNDioi]

Hello,

My local is running a special event in a month and it's a different format (complete ruleset available below), my brain tells me there is definitely a perfect setup here with 6 Pokémon and 54 supporters/energy.

My thoughts immediately went to cinderace as the starter opener, and then possibly the poison lock pechurant, but I'm completely open.

Does anyone have any initial ideas?

Full set of the rules are below.

Requirements:

Build a 60 card deck containing only SIX (6) Pokémon. You don't need to worry about evolution lines (unless you want to); as all six will start on the board.

Your remaining 54 cards will be to help you operate your deck. This format will not use prize cards; you win by knocking out all the opposing Pokémon

Restrictions:

- No rule-box Pokémon

- Only 1 of each named Pokémon including regional variants

- No healing items or Pokémon recovery

- Only cards in Standard rotation (not including cards from Pitch Black)

[u/rikertchu]

First thought was Emboar + Delphox for Firebreather synergy, and then fill the rest with a suite of attackers, maybe Blaziken for spread?

[u/ioiLeGeNDioi → u/rikertchu]

That could be a plan, fire breather means I can limit the fire energies as it would have consistency. I am considering a team rockets lineup as well but the more I look the less good it looks as they all have pretty low hp

[u/rikertchu → u/ioiLeGeNDioi]

My thinking is also that since the boards are set up already, you want to be doing as little set up during the game as possible and as much damage and power right out of the gate, and Emboar unlocks all that for you, letting you start swinging at the first opportunity for KOs rather than having to use something like Cinderace to do any set up, which feels to me like you might just lose on tempo.

You also get a fantastic attacker AND draw engine in Delphox, who can KO anything in the format for about 7 energies on board on both sides, and drawing that many cards when your deck is (assumedly) full of disruption means you can play more aggressively and still have gas in the tank.

PFL Reshiram does 240 for RRRR, so that's an easy add. SSP Armarouge can snipe for 180 for RRC, and likely no one brings Shaymin to this, so you're safe there. TWM Infernape is both a backup Emboar as well as a 200 damage attacker for just RRC. PFL Darmanitan does 200 for RRRR, so that's a huge hitter as well.

You can also include non-fire attackers since Emboar has no restriction on what you can attach to. One card that you should probably have on bench is ASC Togekiss - coin flip in a 1-prize format to essentially take an extra KO is so strong, and CCC for 140 is respectable damage too, especially since we can power it up in 1 turn thanks to Emboar.

Cursed Blast Dusknoir also seems quite good in this format, effectively being able to trade 1:1 usually, if an opponent has a Pokemon with 130 or less HP, and can combine with other effects/attacks to get that instant KO on something larger. It might even be worth it to play both Dusclops and Dusknoir, to enable you to do a turn 1 180 damage KO on a key piece of their bench and although you give up 2:1 prizes, you effectively prevent it from being able to do anything at all. Conversely, if this seems to be a good strategy, a Golduck or Gastrodon to prevent Dusknoir's ability might be useful.

[u/Nguyenstreak]

Does it HAVE to be 6? There’s an Avalugg deck from Chaos Rising that’s primarily just energy and Kyogre

[u/ioiLeGeNDioi → u/Nguyenstreak]

Ooohhh, I like this idea, cinderace to start, avalugg to sweep and kyogre to finish. Could also play aurorus to make everyone a bit tankier. 2 slots left to ponder

[u/ld_a_hl]

Seismitoad+Palpitoad+Tympole+Wigglytuff - Round using Ignition Energy

Bench scaling attacker ideas: SSP Skeledirge, POR Gengar, BLK Reuniclus, TWM Dipplin, TWM Farigiraf
Later once opponent has discarded energy, JTG N's Darmanitan.

Dirty trick idea: Could you use TEF Shiftry to put opponents evolution pokemon into their deck?
This could render them unplayable and reduce number of pokemon you need to knockout to clear the field of play. Or at least it would reduce their bench damage scaling.

[u/rikertchu → u/ld_a_hl]

Shiftry sounds so sick in this format, being able to effectively just take 2 KO's immediately. I wonder if you could even go further and combine it with a Dusclops and Dusknoir so on the next turn, if you have any sort of attacker, you can pop both ghosts and take a big KO and basically limit your opponent's board incredibly fast.

[u/ioiLeGeNDioi → u/ld_a_hl]

I love the shiftry idea so much, I was also looking at the de evolution claydol but really unsure how that would work if they didn't have a basic underneath it

[u/Juliusgear3]

Just play 1-1-1 dragapult line with cinderace gng🥀

[u/ioiLeGeNDioi → u/Juliusgear3]

No ruleboxes allowed and all start on the bench so no dragapult and no need for dreepy

[u/Juliusgear3 → u/ioiLeGeNDioi]

Sry didnt think that far but dreepy and drakloak still good as a draw engine