CaKE on Steroids: Blowing Up the Meta With Electrode Prime

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This guy looks really confident for a Pokémon that always kills itself.

Hey SixPrizes! This is Ziggmiceter and this is my first article on 6P. I haven’t been playing for very long; I started last November when I was looking for a new game and found the PTCGO. I studied the metagame and ran Reshiphlosion on there for a while and eventually found it boring, so I started experimenting with other decks.

I messed around with Lost World, DonChamp, and many other (at one point) Teir 2 decks, and a random Vileplume deck featuring Dodrio UD, Victreebel TM, and Leafeon CL. I played the “Drop it Like It’s Hot” Chandelure NXD deck for a while, then decided to start playing in real life when the TCGO was announced to go down and I heard there was going to be a Dark Explorers Prerelease near me. I went to one Battle Road this season with Quad Entei and went 3-2, just missing top cut.

Anyway, back to the article. I always look at the three Electrode Prime in my PTCGO collection and think “I wish Dark Explorers was out on the PTCGO now, this would be awesome in an EX deck.” So I made the list, and tested a lot with it. I know two other Electrode Prime article articles have gone up recently, but I feel like this deck is completely different, just with the same Energy acceleration.

The Decklist

Pokémon – 14

3 Voltorb TM

3 Electrode Prime

2 Darkrai-EX DEX

1 Groudon EX

1 Mewtwo-EX NXD

1 Regigigas-EX / Kyurem EX / Terrakion NVI / Any other good Eviolite attacker (I prefer Regigigas)

3 Shaymin UL

Trainers – 32

4 N

2 Professor Juniper

2 Twins

2 Random Reciever

 

4 Junk Arm

4 Dual Ball

3 Research Record

3 Pokémon Catcher

3 Level Ball

3 Eviolite

2 Super Rod

Energy – 14

4 Rainbow

4 Prism

2 Double Colorless

2 D – Basic

1 F

1 Basic Energy for the last attacker*

*If you use Regigigas, don’t add a DCE. You’ll be bummed when you Energymite to only get 2 or more DCE and you only have a Groudon, Darkrai, and Shaymin on the field.

Pokémon

pokemon-paradijs.comThe 3-3 Electrode Prime line is standard for all Electrode decks. Two Darkai is because Darkrai has a great attack and it gives free retreat to big Basics like Groudon EX, Regigigas-EX, Kyurem EX, and Terrakion NVI, which all have 3+ Retreat Costs.

Something you may be wondering about is the Shaymin count. Three Shaymin may seem like a lot, but you will normally use at least two in a good game, so I’ve found after lots of testing that three is the right number for it.

Trainers

You were probably thinking “Is he an idiot? Why would you run only two Juniper in this deck?” when you first saw the decklist. And here’s why I run only two Juniper: I have tried a list with four Juniper, and many a time, I’ve had to hold onto it until I got an N because I didn’t want to discard almost anything in my hand.

With the amount of unrecoverable Special Energy in this deck, there is a very small chance your hand is so bad that you will need to discard it to have a chance at winning (or if you can afford to discard everything in your hand, another unlikely thing for this deck).

Twins is standard for Electrode, and in my list I run two Black Belt as well to get easier prizes on EXs (especially when someone carelessly Power Blasts with an Eviolited Tornadus EX or my Regigigas). Four Junk arm is standard, three Research Record is also standard for Electrode to make sure you don’t whiff, and three Catcher is also standard. Three Level Ball are to search out the Electrode line and Shaymins, and four Dual Ball to search out your attackers.

pokemon-paradijs.comThree Eviolite to extend the longevity of your attackers, and two Super Rod to return cards you didn’t want to discard in Energymites. The Energy count I’ve found is very good, and it leads to an average two to five Energy on the first Energymite after a Research Record, and that normally means two attackers set up turn two.

Strategy

All of the attackers are to be heavy hitters who all, barring Darkrai, have massive damage potentials and can all 2HKO an EX. With an average hand, you can fully power up a Darkrai, Groudon, and maybe a third attacker by turn three. While on paper, this seems average or even bad for the current meta, but you never want to mess with an Eviolited Darkrai, Groudon, Mewtwo, Regigigas, etc.

This is where the ball starts rolling. You can 2HKO and in some instances 1HKO (especially if you include Black Belt) their attackers, EX or non EX. The strategy: power up as many heavy hitters as possible and as fast as you can, you then send in the appropriate counter to their deck. A huge reminder: If you get a DCE on an Energymite but you don’t have anything on the bench that needs DCE, still attach it.

pokemon-paradijs.comIt’ll save your butt later when someone is trying to sweep with Mewtwo and you just drop a Mewtwo and Shaymin, they realize they haven’t been setting up a second attacker, and that’s pretty much game. It’s happened to me too many times.

If your attacker gets really low on health, Shaymin over the Energies to something else and use that to win. Also, keep in mind that you don’t want to drop a Voltorb if you can’t evolve it the next turn.

Matchups

Darkrai/Tornadus

This is a great matchup for this deck. Regigigas makes surprisingly good work of Tornadus EX, but if you use another attacker, Darkrai and even Groudon EX both 2HKO Tornadus without an Eviolite. Groudon EX and Terrakion NVI make pretty easy work of Darkrai, and Mewtwo can clean up.

This matchup is favorable for all techs.

pokemon-paradijs.com
If Darkrai can get his Hammer Pants on, this deck is screwed.

Hammertime Darkrai

This match is tough. Who will win only depends on what they flip for Crushing Hammers and if they can get Lost Removers out. This is a matchup where running Terrakion NVI benefits, because you will most likely be playing two Basic F Energy, also Terrakion clean 1HKOs Darkrais. Provided you get that out and the correct Energy, it’s an okay matchup, but if you don’t play Terrakion, you will just have to hope.

This matchup is very unfavorable for this deck, but you do up your chances of winning if you useTerrakion.

Zekeels

This is another great matchup for this deck. Darkrai, Groudon and normally the final tech (even Kyurem EX) all easily take prizes from Zekeels. If you go by the standard strategy, you should win unless you draw dead and they can set up on you.

You will win this match up most of the time.

CMT

As you might guess, this deck has a good matchup against CMT. In this matchup, you’re going to want to save your Mewtwo solely for when they leave a Mewtwo active or you can Catcher up another Mewtwo and KO it immediately, because if you set up a Mewtwo early-game and they catcher it out, you’re going to have a bad time.

This is a matchup where running Regigas EX helps, because Regigigas is one of the best cards to battle Tornaduses since Zekrom BLW. Gigas is also an OK counter to Mewtwos because after a non-Eviolited X-Ball and a fully powered up Regigigas, Gigas 1HKOs a non-Eviolited Mewtwo.

This matchup is slightly favorable for this deck.

Reshiboar

You’re probably thinking, “What? Reshiboar is a horrible deck in this format!” I know. I thought that almost every time I found a match on PlayTCG. At least half of my matches on PlayTCG now have been against Reshiboar. Unsurprisingly, I’m pretty sure I’ve won every one of those matches.

You will win this matchup even if you tech in a 4-4 line of Slowbro DEX.

Attacking Techs

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Regigigas-EX

I find Regigigas to be the best tech attacker for this deck. It can tank hits and hit back, hard. After an X Ball on a fully-charged Regigigas for 120 damage, Regigigas 1HKOs Mewtwo. Drop a Black Belt and after a careless Power Blast, you can take 2 Prizes. In this deck, it’s surprisingly easy to set up a Regigigas, too. This doesn’t necessarily mean that Regigigas is the best one here, because each of the other three Pokés listed are all good in certain situations.

Kyurem EX

Ever since Kyogre EX was released, Kyurem EX is now tied for the 2nd worst EX with Shaymin EX. Luckily, Kyurem EX and Shaymin EX both work well in this deck. Kyurem EX is a really good option against Klinklang BLW/EXs, it’s also great to use Hail Blizzard for a great 120, then retreat into Groudon EX to finish it off. This combination can 2HKO even Eviolited Tornadus EXs, making it an almost undefeatable combination, assuming there is a Darkrai in play.

Shaymin EX

pokemon-paradijs.comThis is really good late-game sweeper. Since you’re already giving up a prize to an Electrode, I can imagine you bringing this up after you’ve lost a couple of prizes, since the average win happens when your opponent has taken three or 4 Prizes. It’s also a really good Terrakion counter, so if you’re finding a lot of trouble against Terrakion, you should consider this card. Don’t count on this going for multiple KOs, as it is very easy to revenge kill.

Terrakion NVI

This is a great tech against Darkrai decks and Zekeels. While this deck has no trouble against Zekeels, Darkrai can be a little troublesome, especially in Hammertime. Since Darkrai is so dominant, you might want to consider this tech too.

Tech any Pokémon into this deck, but I advise not adding Tornadus EX, because it’s simply not good in this deck.

Trainer Techs

I really don’t find too much of a point in explaining all of these items in a paragraph each, so I’ll quickly list them:

  • PONT: For consistency.
  • Black Belt: For easier KOs.
  • Max Potion: For when you Shaymin Energies off a Pokémon and heal want to heal it.
  • Super Scoop Up: For Shaymins and Pokémon with lots of damage counters.
  • Dark Claw: To give Darkrai a higher damage output.

My Personal List

Pokémon – 14

3 Voltorb TM

3 Electrode Prime

2 Darkrai-EX DEX

1 Groudon EX

1 Mewtwo-EX NXD

1 Regigigas-EX

3 Shaymin UL

Trainers – 33

4 N

2 Professor Juniper

2 Twins

2 Black Belt

2 Random Receiver

 

4 Junk Arm

3 Dual Ball

3 Research Record

3 Pokémon Catcher

3 Level Ball

3 Eviolite

2 Super Rod

 

Energy – 13

4 Rainbow

4 Prism

2 Double Colorless

2 D – Basic

1 F

In my list, I use Regigigas-EX. I also added two Black Belt and cut a Dual Ball. Use your favorite attacker in this deck, have fun, and thanks for reading! I don’t mean to shamelessly advertise, but my YouTube channel is at Ziggmiceter, where I will be uploading a lot of stuff soon. Also, ThePikachuProject911 and I will be launching a new show about the meta soon at TheProfessorsLab. Thank you!

Reader Interactions

12 replies

  1. Salvador

    And here I was, hoping I was the “another Electrode Prime article”. Anyway, with some luck, I’ll do OK at Nationals and I’ll have the opportunity to write another article. I liked your article. A lot of people cut research record since they take up so much space but we agree it’s absolutely necessary.

  2. theo Seeds

    Kyurem is probably one of the Top 5 EX’s right now, actually, because it discards Special Energy.

    • Ziggmiceter  → theo

      That’s true. It will get even more of a buff when the new Drifblim comes out (attack does 50x the amount of Special Energy in your opponent’s discard)

  3. Lee

    Glad to see you found PlayTCG (after you referenced PTCGO a few times). Funny you encounter so many Reshiboar… I have never seen it on there. Granted, I do see a LOT of odd decks. In fact, the only issue I have with the site (while I have millions with PTCGO) is the fact that I so rarely play against meta-decks that it can start to become irrelevant testing when you keep playing against deck after deck that you know you won’t see again.

  4. theo Seeds

    “Other Electrode Prime article articles”

    Just noticed that. Top part by the Electrode Prime pic.

  5. B Nizinski

    Well, I picked a bad time to auction one of my Electrode Primes off. I was trying to sell it for 2 weeks straight so I could collect money in my paypal to eBay another Entei EX….it sold 3 days ago for .50 cents. Damn, shoulda waited.

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