Zoroark Lost Box feat. Noivern ex

Walker Anatom Walker Anatom Expanded 3,561 views Jun 15, 2023 Updated Jun 16, 2023
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Deck Primer

Noivern ex has a pair of attacks that, in some matchups, can make life difficult for your opponent. It's Covert Flight attack only deals 70 damage for two colorless energy, but, the following turn, Noivern can't be damaged by basic Pokemon (particularly useful against most Lost Box decks). Noivern's second attack, Dominating Echo, does a modest 140 damage for one psychic and one darkness energy and prevents your opponent from playing any special energy or stadiums from hand. This deck plays a couple

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Noivern ex has a pair of attacks that, in some matchups, can make life difficult for your opponent. It's Covert Flight attack only deals 70 damage for two colorless energy, but, the following turn, Noivern can't be damaged by basic Pokemon (particularly useful against most Lost Box decks). Noivern's second attack, Dominating Echo, does a modest 140 damage for one psychic and one darkness energy and prevents your opponent from playing any special energy or stadiums from hand. This deck plays a couple copies of Path to the Peak to pair with this attack. 

Unfortunately, we can't use Double Dragon Energy in Standard Format and Reversal Energy doesn't work with Noivern ex because it has a rule box. As such, the Lost Zone/Mirage Gate engine is (arguably) the best available method to power up Noivern's second attack in a single turn. Another issue with Noivern ex is that it's a Stage 1 Pokemon. Though it can be a game changer in many matchups, it's worthless in others, so it seems unwise to me crowd a deck with multiple copies of Noivern ex and Noibat, from which it evolves. Hence, the inclusion of Zoroark. With a 2/2 line of Zorua/Zoroark and three Stage 1 Pokemon in addition to Noivern ex to choose from, the deck has more tools in the kit and a bit less dead weight. I have included Mightyena (for the Mew matchup, mostly, 160 damage for free when any VMAX is in play is nice to have), Lycanroc ex (OHKO Arceus and many Lightning type, plus your opponent's active takes 100 damage if it hits or KOs Lycanroc), and Mabosstiff (for its ability). I am sure there are better combos out there, so please let me know what else might fit in here.

UPDATE/EDITS: Removed Radiant Charizard and replaced with Appletun. With the tool box of Stage 1 attackers, I found that Radiant Charizard wasn't often the best option and many of the matchups where the card would be helpful, Path to the Peak was needed to shut down my opponent, which obviously also shuts down Charizard. Appletun is clutch against Lugia VSTAR decks, could be another option against Mew VMAX (especially now that Mew decks are playing both Double Turbo and Fusion Strike energy), and is generally playable in a good number of matchups given how many decks are now playing some special energy now that are more good options out with Paldea Evolved.

I also took out an Iono and a Switch Cart to add an additional Zorua and Zoroark. I thought that perhaps adding in a Hisuan Heavy Ball to grab a prized Zorua would help enough, but the next match I played I prized both Zoroark. While that's unlikely to happen, given this decks is built around using Stage 1 attackers, it's important to always have a backup Zoroark ready to go. A 2/2 line was greedy. I'm convinced now that 3 of each are needed.

Card Types

Trainer 32
Pokémon 18
Energy 10

Energy Types

Darkness 8
Psychic 6
Dragon 2
Fighting 1
Water 1

Energy Curve

Distribution of attack energy costs in your deck

1 Energy 6 attacks
6
26.1% of attacks
2 Energy 13 attacks
13
56.5% of attacks
3 Energy 4 attacks
4
17.4% of attacks

Opening Hand Probability Calculator

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Probability of drawing at least of in your opening hand

Comments

AlphaNova avatar

I do like your Stage 1 pokemon choices. If you want more options, then you could possibly include Appletun (Evolving Skies)  and Flapple (Evolving Skies) since their best attacks only need one energy of any type, but I think you should be fine without those.

Walker Anatom avatar

Good call, AlphaNova ! I went ahead added Appletun to my deck on Live and it definitely pulled its own weight and then some, so I added it to this list too. It's the go-to attacker against Lugia VSTAR and was playable (as in my opponents played special energy) in over half of the matches I played with this deck tonight. There's no doubt that Flapple would be just as useful as Appletun (and probably more)...Appletun just better filled an obvious deficiency.

AlphaNova avatar

Walker Anatom It's good to hear that those suggestions helped!

h1k avatar

RIP double dragon energy prayers up for a reprint

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