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Simple guide to deck building

Welcome to Cold Fusion’s “Guide to better deck building”. By following these simple guidelines, you’ll find your Pokemon TCG deck going from a useless pile of paper and ink to a comprehensive tournament-killing machine! Note that this guide is to be used for the modified format, not unlimited play.


1. Pokemon selection

Your Pokemon are what are going to be winning your games, so you need to choose them wisely.

First of all, when choosing your main line, be sure it can be backed up with a decent number of its pre-evo cards. 1-1-1, 1-1-2, and most of the time even 1-2-2 lines for your main evolution will fail, because you won’t be able to find any of the cards you’re looking for, even with a decent search engine. With less than 6 Pokes in the line, you’ll often times end up with one in your prizes, and that’s not good. So preferably with at least a 2-2-3(1-1-3 will work for beginners) line, you can start filling in the rest of the holes.

You’re going to need some backup, usually a stage one evolution line. Try to find something either the same type as your main Pokemon (Crobat EX and Ninjask), or something that makes a good combo (Ludicolo and Magcargo). Most backup lines should be run either 2-2 or 2-3, because that way, there will be enough to see play, but they won’t weigh you down. Some decks make good use of having another stage 2 evo line as the backup (Rock Lock), 3, 4, 5, or more evolution lines will just die.


The other Pokemon you’ll want to use is FR/LG Pidgeot. Even though it’s a stage 2 Pokemon, you can run a 2-1-2 or 2-2-2 line of it in a deck easily with the use of a couple Rare Candies (which will be discussed later), and it will prove to be invaluable to most decks. This card has a Poke-power, Quick Search, which allows you to search your deck for any card. After using it in a battle, you’ll be glad Pidgeot is in your deck. Though this is no longer the case for all decks, it proves to be useful in decks with multiple evo lines. (such as SMP)

2. Trainers

The main purposes of having trainers in your deck is to speed it up considerably, as well as fix your Pokemons’ weak points.

Draw power is always important in a deck, as it will speed up the process in getting the cards you need. There are many good draw cards out there, among them being TV Reporter, Professor Oak’s Research, and Steven’s Advice. Those aren’t the only ones, but they are some of the most affective the game has to offer. In all, your deck should use around 8 draw cards, because with the fact that they are supporters, having more in your hand would slow you down. After putting in your draw, put in a couple Wally’s Training or Celio’s Network cards to finish off this section.

After draw is taken care of, you need to look back at your Pokemon, and decide what is needed. Do your Pokemon have high retreat costs? Put in some Switch. Will you need some significant healing? Add in Potion or Life Herb. After asking questions like these, add in a couple Pokemon Reversals, Ancient Technical Machine Rocks, and Rare Candies if you use stage 2's.

Now were almost finished, but we need to add in some stadium cards. Without a couple of them, you’ll be victim to whatever ones your opponent plays, which is never good. Depending on the style of your deck depends on what to use, it’s much too complicated to say as a whole.

3. Energy

We’re coming to the home stretch, but energy is by far the most important part of the deck. Without energy, your Pokemon can’t attack! You need to add a reasonable amount, usually between 14 and 18. Make sure you pay attention to how you’re splitting the energy types in multi-color decks, because otherwise, you won’t be able to get the type you need. Find what you think the best balance is, and then move one.

The last thing is special energy. In decks with Dark and Steel Pokemon, their specific special energy cards will be needed, but only 4 can be used. Because of this, cards like and Darkmetal energy become open options for you to use. If this isn’t a matter for your deck, you have other options. If your evolved Pokemon have large colorless energy requirements, use a few boost energy cards, and they will speed you up. Scramble energy can also be useful, but to a lesser extent…

4. Test it out!

Now that you’ve made your deck, try it out a few times against a friend. This way, you will find the strengths and weaknesses of the cards you chose, and then make adjustments accordingly. Keep tweaking and testing bit-by-bit, until you have made a deck fit for a Pokemon Master!
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If you have any suggestions on how to make this better, please post them, and I'll fix as seen needed.

EDIT: I blandly updated it, just so it makes more sense.
 
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Fox

Where's my fanfare?
Just in case someone is fairly new, perhaps you should explain what the #-#-# stands for in terms of first number, second number, and last number.

I will prune through this thread if it gets too large, deleting posts which are edited in to the start of the thread.

*stickies*
 
FoxMcCloud said:
Just in case someone is fairly new, perhaps you should explain what the #-#-# stands for in terms of first number, second number, and last number.

I will prune through this thread if it gets too large, deleting posts which are edited in to the start of the thread.

*stickies*
Why, thank you.

The #-#-# is the amount of Stage 2 Evolution, stage 1 evolution, and basic Pokemon in a line, going in that order.
 

Jimmy P.

First shiny!!
Just in case anybody reading the thread doesn't know this already, your deck has a limit to how many cards are in it. There has to be 60 cards in your deck. No more, no less.

The #-#-# is the amount of Stage 2 Evolution, stage 1 evolution, and basic Pokemon ina line, going in that order.
If that's correct, you're telling us that we need three Stage 2 Pokemon and one Basic Pokemon. Just pointing that out, 'cause I thought it sounded kinda wierd.
- ;257;

EDIT: I've just realised that there's a separate sticky for Deck Building Advice. So you can just ignore the 60 card limit or you could add it here if you really wanted to. Just saying.
 
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R

Raion

Guest
I find it really hard to understand... And I'm hardly a beginner... You should also explain the terms you use more...
 
BlazikenBoy said:
If that's correct, you're telling us that we need three Stage 2 Pokemon and one Basic Pokemon. Just pointing that out, 'cause I thought it sounded kinda wierd.
- ;257;
I just noticed that I flipped it around on 2 of them right next to each other, but I'l fix that. Other than those 2, the #-#-# is correct.

I find it really hard to understand... And I'm hardly a beginner... You should also explain the terms you use more...
I find it pretty readable... but if you give me some examples, I'll fix it.
 
R

Raion

Guest
Cold Fusion said:
I find it pretty readable... but if you give me some examples, I'll fix it.

That's why most schooling systems urge you to get someone else to proof read your assignments, because you can't spot most of the mistakes you've made.

Get someone new or doesn't know how to play Pokemon to read it.
 
Raion said:
That's why most schooling systems urge you to get someone else to proof read your assignments, because you can't spot most of the mistakes you've made.

Get someone new or doesn't know how to play Pokemon to read it.
I'll try to find someone newer to read over it... but if they don't know how to play the game, they shouldn't be reading how to build a deck in the first place.
 

Medical Meccanica

give me the booty
Yeah, I made a thread like this already... oh well. Anyways, Pidgeot is NOT invaluable to every deck. You can search for 1 card a turn. Unless yuo're in a tight spot, that's not really going to get you anywhere. And from what I have heard, Battle Frontier shuts down Pidgeot, and also some other important stuff. If you have Pidgeot in yuor deck, yuo won't be able to shut down some of these other things without hurting Pidgeot, and yuo can be shut down yourself.
 
masquerainmistress said:
Yeah, I made a thread like this already... oh well. Anyways, Pidgeot is NOT invaluable to every deck. You can search for 1 card a turn. Unless yuo're in a tight spot, that's not really going to get you anywhere. And from what I have heard, Battle Frontier shuts down Pidgeot, and also some other important stuff. If you have Pidgeot in yuor deck, yuo won't be able to shut down some of these other things without hurting Pidgeot, and yuo can be shut down yourself.
Well, by what you said, Pidgeot's power would only be helpful in a tight spot, and when you're in that tight spot, you could just play another stadium and use Quick Search.

But Pidgeot's power will go down significantly now, but I'll wait until Emerald's official release, and then change it around a bit. DX Cargo is always an option, and it works nice with Camerupt EX.
 
masquerainmistress said:
Pidge works in insanely slow decks, like Dark Dragonite and that Dragonite Ex deck I played a while ago, but it can be a waste of space in other decks.
ZoMG liek l3tz pley it in Ludicargo!!!!!!!!!!!111!!!oneone!!1

>_> Yes, Pidgeot is unneeded in some decks, especially those with no other stage 2 evo lines.

'Lock and Draggy pretty much need it, though, and it's funny that those decks are already hindered by Battle Frontier. >_>
 
C

Capnshap

Guest
I played a pidgeot a while ago (someone elses) and thatll rip you apart with its power. Its attack isnt horrible either. Got irritating....=D.
 

okothnuva

or something
Danny said:
ZoMG liek l3tz pley it in Ludicargo!!!!!!!!!!!111!!!oneone!!1

>_> Yes, Pidgeot is unneeded in some decks, especially those with no other stage 2 evo lines.

'Lock and Draggy pretty much need it, though, and it's funny that those decks are already hindered by Battle Frontier. >_>

Pidgeot doesn't belong in Dragtrode : /

quote my post.
i dare you.​

Boo.
 

df006

Well-Known Member
14 to 18 energy is not enough, ithink keep at least 25 as a minimum.
 

SkittyOnWailord

☣ⓈⓀⒾⓉⓉⓎⓄⓃⓌⒶⒾⓁⓄⓇⒹ☣
14 to 18 energy is not enough, ithink keep at least 25 as a minimum.

14-18 energy is the standard amount. I was a judge at one of the Cities and from deck-checking I can say that no-one had over 20 energy in there deck. Infact, I haven't seen anyone but little kids with over 22 in there deck.
If you don't know what you're talking about then I request you don't offer advice.
 

IchirakuRamen

That guy with a hat.
14-18 Energy eh? I just need to figure out how to split that evenly between the 6 energies I use in my Garchomp Kekleon Spinda deck ;/
 

IchirakuRamen

That guy with a hat.
14-18 Energy eh? I just need to figure out how to split that evenly between the 6 energies I use in my Garchomp Kekleon Spinda deck ;/
 
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