Questions about the TCG and my deck

[matborden]

I have just recently started playing the TCG after my friend asked me to build a deck and play her. I built my deck using what i was comfortable with coming from three other card games and not knowing any of the rules. as as a shock to me in my first game i won by knocking out her active pokemon, and her two benched pokemon all at once. the second game i played it was more challenging game, and i lost due to the card i needed was in my prizes. since then i have been tweaking my deck, and now wonder if there anything i really need to do to improve it, only other games i have played were dry runs were i would get all my basics out and have all my pokemon out and evolved by turn 4-6. i have yet to play a live game with it and would like to test it. i use this deck as it is now mostly because i cant find anyone that knew the rules well enough to tell me if certain moves i made worked or not, and me not wanting to get into an argument over it. i have way to many questions to list here, so I'm wondering if anyone would mind taking the time out to tell me in depth about the game on like skype or something along those lines.

this is my current build, its a three type deck. my non-legendary focus on dealing damage to the benched pokemon or pulling basics out of my deck.

Deck:

pokemon 22
basic:
1x Mewtwo EX
1x Reshiram
1x Zekrom
4x Litwick
3x Eevee
3x Elgyem

stage 1:
3x Lampent
2x Jolteon
2x Beheeyem

stage 2:
2x Chandelure

Trainers 22:
Stadiums:
2x Pokemon Center

Supporters:
4x Cheren
3x Cilan

Items:
1x Luxury Ball
2x Pokemon Communication
3x Level Ball
3x Energy Search
4x Energy Retrieval

Energy 16:
4x Fire Energy
4x Lightning Energy
4x Psychic Energy
4x Recover Energy

any tips would be helpful. and Ty for your time.

 

[Mumzy]

I'm guessing you use your Pokemon Communication cards to get out your Mewtwo? If you do use them to get out the big guys, why don't you add more of those to raise your chances instad of having so many level balls?

 

[matborden]

I'm guessing you use your Pokemon Communication cards to get out your Mewtwo? If you do use them to get out the big guys, why don't you add more of those to raise your chances instad of having so many level balls?

i actually use the communications to put the legendarys back into the deck so i can get my Chandelure. 7 of my basic pokemon have the attack "Call for Family" witch puts a basic pokemon from my deck onto the bench, and 3 have the attack "First Contact" that puts two pokemon from my deck to the bench. level ball searches all but 5 pokemon, 3 of those are legendary, and the other two are my Chandelure, and the legendaries are basic pokemon that can be called. all other pokemon are under the 90HP needed for the level ball.

 

[Mumzy]

I'm guessing you use your Pokemon Communication cards to get out your Mewtwo? If you do use them to get out the big guys, why don't you add more of those to raise your chances instad of having so many level balls?

i actually use the communications to put the legendarys back into the deck so i can get my Chandelure. 7 of my basic pokemon have the attack "Call for Family" witch puts a basic pokemon from my deck onto the bench, and 3 have the attack "First Contact" that puts two pokemon from my deck to the bench. level ball searches all but 5 pokemon, 3 of those are legendary, and the other two are my Chandelure, and the legendaries are basic pokemon that can be called. all other pokemon are under the 90HP needed for the level ball.

Perhaps more of a pro will come along and find some details to change. But I find it perfect after knowing your strategy.

 

[donavannj]

A card that would really help you out would be Rare Candy. Allows you to run fewer of the Stage 1 and run more trainers or other Pokemon instead.

 

[Palbert6393]

Pokemon Center really isnt worth putting in the deck, especially if you are trying to hit their bench because they can utilize your Pokemon Center as well. Your call for family strategy is interesting, but you don't have quite the right balance. I would do away with the eevee, jolteon, and beheeyem. Jolteon and Beheeyem are far too weak to be decent attackers. Also you should run more big basics and probably a few prism energies so you don't have as much trouble looking for specific energies. Also, every good deck runs on supporters. I would get rid of the Cilan, as you can get the energies by drawing. 4 Cheren are alright. Add in some Professor Juniper and/or Prof Oak new theory. Probably some twins because i anticipate this deck going down in prizes early. Also Junk Arms would be helpful, allowing you to reuse your trainer-items. Hope this helps a little.

 

[matborden]

A card that would really help you out would be Rare Candy. Allows you to run fewer of the Stage 1 and run more trainers or other Pokemon instead.

i looked into that, but i use my Lampent's one cost attack to often, and its the only pokemon it can replace.

Pokemon Center really isnt worth putting in the deck, especially if you are trying to hit their bench because they can utilize your Pokemon Center as well. Your call for family strategy is interesting, but you don't have quite the right balance. I would do away with the eevee, jolteon, and beheeyem. Jolteon and Beheeyem are far too weak to be decent attackers. Also you should run more big basics and probably a few prism energies so you don't have as much trouble looking for specific energies. Also, every good deck runs on supporters. I would get rid of the Cilan, as you can get the energies by drawing. 4 Cheren are alright. Add in some Professor Juniper and/or Prof Oak new theory. Probably some twins because i anticipate this deck going down in prizes early. Also Junk Arms would be helpful, allowing you to reuse your trainer-items. Hope this helps a little.

for the pokemon center, even if thay use it, i can still pull a advantage out of it. with jolteon i need 3 on my opponets bench for it to gain the advantage, Beheeyem needs 2, and Chandalure only needs 1.
the jolteon and beheeyem are there for mid game burns, and the Jolteon i devolve and leave devolved so i can keep a pokemon with call for family on the bench if needed, and as a zero retreat when needed.

the Cilan i use to get a stockpile of energys as a just in case i need them. and i like keeping the cards in my hand, later game i mainly ignore my hand anyway as all i really need is normally out already. the twins are interesting, but i dont like assumeing that im going to allways have more prizes. and junk arm has to high of a cost in my mind, at most i can get a 0 out of it, and i dont have much reusable effect in my discard.

i have also made slight alterations to the deck now, and thinking about another one.

i replaced two of the Recover Energys with two Double Colorless energys.

and the change im thinking about is replacing the energy retrievals with three Fishermen and one more Pokemon Center.

as the fishermen get me 2 more energys, and i do often make use of Pokemon center when i do use my Jolteon when i do my "Jolt-loop" were i have an Eevee on the bench and a jolt active, retreat the active jolt with the zero retreat cost for my Eevee and heal it with the pokemon center, then devolve and then evolve the now active Eevee. then repeat on the next turn. i have pulled this off early game for a quick victory as i had no better moves that game.

 

[Palbert6393]

Well, are you looking to play competetively or for fun? If you try to play competetively you will likely have problems, but if you just play with friends for fun your deck should work rather well. I would still take out Pokemon Center... It just contradicts your entire strategy. Yes you would have the advantage, but it makes that strategy overall less effective without a great benefit to you.