Finally. After another long break due to college and other priorities, the Shadow Trainer is back. And, finally, he comes bearing new deck strategies for you to play with!
Burning Thunder is the combination of Fire and Lightning Pokémon. The deck is equipped with mixed fire and lightning Tyranitar family. Tyranitar δ ex, a lightning type, has an attack called Electromark, which put a shockwave marker to any of your opponents Pokémon in play. Its second attack, Hyper Claws, can dish out a massive 70 damage and 20 more damage if the defending Pokémon is a Stage 2 evolved Pokémon. That’s a solid attack, but what’s with the shockwave marker? Its third attack answers this matter. Shockwave, Tyranitar δ ex’s third attack, instantly knocks out any Pokémon with a shockwave marker on. Even an undamaged Pokémon with 200 HP will just be two hits to dish out. Tyranitar δ, a fire/metal type, has a Poké-Power called Crush Draw, that reveals the top card of your deck and if it’s an energy card, you can attach it to your Pokémon, if not, it returns to the top of the deck. This is mainly useful in boosting your active or even your benched Pokémon. The deck revolves around this strategy, powering up "The Lightning" for its devastating Electromark-Shockwave Combo.
As usual, a decklist is provided. Remember, this is pre-constructed for my own way of play, and can (and probably should) be changed before taking the deck out to play in a major Championship event.
Pokémon (22):
2 Tyranitar δ ex (DF)
2 Tyranitar δ (DS)
2 Pupitar δ (DF)
4 Larvitar δ (DS)
2 Spearow (CG)
2 Fearow δ (CG)
2 Feebas δ (DF)
2 Milotic δ (DF)
4 Holon's Castform (HP)
Trainers (26):
3 Holon Transceiver
2 Holon Adventurer
2 Holon Mentor
2 Holon Researcher
2 Holon Lass
1 Holon Farmer
1 Holon Scientist
2 Prof. Elm's Training Method
2 Prof. Oak's Research
3 Rare Candy
2 Warp Point
2 Giant Stump
2 Power Tree
Energy (12):
6 Fire Energy
6 Lightning Energy
Now, to explain each card in this deck.
Holon's Castform is your best starting Pokemon. Because the entire Basic setup is Delta Pokemon, Holon's Castform can be drawing a LOT of cards very early in the game. It is there merely as a setup Pokemon, and is wholly expendable after the first three turns, once you get Milotic δ, Fearow δ and/or any Tyranitars set up.
Tyranitar δ ex is your main attacker in this deck. Tyranitar δ has the added bonus to energize your Pokémon every turn. His Poke-POWER allows you to look at the top card of your deck, if it’s a basic energy, put that card into any of your Pokémon, and if not, return it on top of your deck. This doesn't look like much, but it can be done wherever Tyranitar δ is in play, even on the bench. This means that both Tyranitars needs each other, the fire type energizes while the lightning type attacks.
Fearow δ acts as a deck navigator that gets δ Pokémon quick using its Delta Sign Poké-Power. Milotic δ may be very advantageous in two ways using its Poké-Power, Sharing. One, it can reveal your opponent’s hand cards. And two, pick a supporter card in it and use its effect. This may spoil your opponent’s strategy and luck in some ways that his own supporter card may give you triumph.
The large amount of Holon Supporter cards are to load up your Discard pile with Energy cards while still getting the cards that you need from your deck. Holon Mentor is a valuable tool early in the game, while it can be good Holon Supporter fodder late game when you are completely set up. Holon Researcher is, in part, a replacement for Celio's Network that works very well in this deck. Holon Scientist is simply an advantage card. Since you are using Holon Transceiver, you can get to that one Scientist at any point during the game, making it quite valuable when your opponent decides to load up his or her hand. Farmer is a good Recovery card, but it's not so great when used in multiples. Holon Adventurer is card drawing, pure and simple. Most of the time, you'll find yourself dropping energy cards using Adventurer rather than getting the 4 cards from discarding a Pokémon through it. Holon Lass loads your hand with energy card in an early game. But it spoils Crush Draw in the middle part.
Prof. Elm’s Training Method is there as your main Search engine. He can get to your Tyranitars very quickly. He really should be self-explainable. Rare Candy is the same thing. Just get you to both Tyranitars quickly.
Power Tree can retrieve these energy cards turn by turn in an added bonus that many decks use special energy cards that prohibits them on using the Power Tree. Giant Stump acts as an emergency exit, it lets you discard a badly injured Pokémon on the bench, avoiding a crucial knockout.
The Energy setup is more filler than anything else, even though it's vital to the deck. The Trainers and Pokemon are FAR more important than the Energy here, especially with Castform running around in the deck.
Weaknesses:
This is a deck with very few specific weaknesses. Most of the things that beat this deck are simply good strategy from the player or deck opposing it.
A well packed Grass-Lightning Deck can devastate this deck really quick. But still, Milotic δ and Tyranitar δ can hold most of the Grass types out there. For the lightning types, just fight lightning with lightning, I guess. Any card that shuts down Poké-Powers, such as Cursed Stone, is another threat to this deck. But a quick victorious setup may overcome this scenario, especially when Tyranitar δ ex appears fast. There’s no more need for the Poké-Powers Sharing, Delta Sign and even Crush Draw.
The most important thing to remember when trying to stop this deck is that speed kills. The faster the deck is that faces Burning Thunder, the better that deck should fair against it. Burning Thunder is a little bit basic than most other decks in the format, but it packs a much better punch than most decks out there. If you can get the first GOOD hit in, then you have a good chance of beating this deck.
