Alright everyone, this is officially my second article and my first deck analysis, so…here we go!
Obviously everyone is trying to find a new deck for the new format, and I recommend Machamp.
Main Strategy
Machamp is the ultimate anti-SP card. For 1 fighting energy you can OHKO any non-evolved Pokemon, which includes all SP and all of the Legend cards. Before the rotation, you could just attach Unown G to your basic Pokemon and then Machamp couldn’t OHKO that it. (Unown G prevents all effects of an attack excluding damage done to the attached Pokemon, so it essentially blocks the ability to just one hit KO all basic Pokemon with Take Out.)
However, Unown G is getting rotated out of the format, so there is virtually no way to defend against Machamp if you are running SP. My Machamp deck is based on speed and getting set up turn one or two. If you just happen to run into an evolution deck (which will be extremely slow without Claydol) you can level up and use Strong Willed for 100 damage every turn.
Draw Power
Many people will be thinking that this deck is going to be too slow without Claydol, but I have figured out a wonderful way to turn the tides of consistency in your favor; I use Uxies and Banette. Uxie has the Poke-Power “Set Up” which lets you draw cards until you have 7 in your hand.
Then, with Banette’s Poke-Power “Temper Tantrum” you discard as many cards from your hand as you like, at the cost of doing 1 damage to Banette for each card you discard. Then, you drop another Uxie, and draw 7 more and so on. Once Banette is knocked out from Temper Tantrums, you can drop a final Uxie and probably be fully set up!
I have seen people play Ninetales and Dodrio, but Uxie/Banette is faster.
Techs
These are some techs that I play and think could be competitive.
Looker’s Investigation
Looker’s Investigation is an awesome card. You can use it to disrupt an opponent by looking at his/her hand and maybe even destroy their set up.
Pokemon Rescue
Pokemon Rescue is for those few times that they get an early game knock out and you need a Pokemon that is in the discard. It can also be used to get Pokemon back that you discarded with Temper Tantrum.
Volkner’s Philosophy
Volkner’s Philosophy is a nice replacement for Claydol. You discard up to one card form your hand, then draw until you have six, which is almost as much as Uxie. You can take full advantage of this by using Temper Tantrum and discarding extra cards so that you draw more.
Switch
Switch is very helpful because Machamp has a retreat cost of two. It just gives you a free retreat to the bench. It also removes special conditions.
Expert Belt
Expert Belt card Gives you twenty more hp, and makes your attacks do twenty more damage. I just use it for unfavorable face ups against evolutions decks.
Broken Time-Space
Broken Time-Space is a helpful Stadium, it lets you evolve as many times as you like during a turn. So you can go Machop-Machoke-Machamp in one turn!
Warp Point
Warp Point has the same effect as switch, except it forces your opponent to switch too, so they might bring up a basic that you can OHKO.
Poke Drawer +
Poke Drawer + is an amazing card. You can play one or two of them at once, if you play one you draw a card. If you play two you search your deck for any two cards and put them into your hand.
Azelf (from Legends Awakened)
Azelf has an awesome Poke-Power: Time Walk, which lets you look at and reorder your prize cards. It also lets you pick one Pokemon you find there, and put it into your hand. Except, you must replace the card that you took with one from your hand.
Call Energy
Call Energy lets you search your deck for 2 basic Pokemon, and put them onto your bench, it takes the place of your attack though. It is great to get out of bad situations early in the game.
Cynthia’s Feelings
Cynthia’s Feelings lets you shuffle your hand into your deck to get 4 new cards. However, if your opponent KO’d one of your Pokemon in their last turn, you get 8 cards instead!
Poke Radar
Poke Radar is a fairly nice card when you have tons of Pokemon in your deck. You look at the top 5 cards of your deck and take as many Pokemon from there as you like!
Pokemon Collector
Pokemon Collector lets you search for up to 3 Basic Pokemon, and put them into your hand. Which is very helpful for getting a turn one KO.
Rainbow Energy
Rainbow Energy is just to get you out of bad situations. Like if you are forced to attack with Banette or Azelf.
Double Colorless Energy
DCE is an amazing card that lets you pull off Strong Willed if needed. It counts as 2 colorless energy.
Super Scoop Up
SSU is great for this deck. You flip a coin, if heads you can pick up one of your pokemon, and place it into your hand. This removes all damage and special conditions from that pokemon. So, when Machamp only needs 1 energy to attack, you can Super Scoop him up, put up an Uxie, play Machop, Machoke, Machamp, 1 fighting energy, and switch. Effectively removing all damage. You can also Scoop Up Uxie to use Set Up again.
Sabeleye
Sabeleye is awesome. It forces you to go first, but you can use Impersonate and search your deck for any supporter, discard it and use the effect of that supporter. This is very helpful if you do not have a favorable start.
Luxray GL (and the Level X)
Some crazy people say that is is very useful to be able to bring up any of your opponent’s Pokemon, I personally do not like it.
Poke-turn
It allows you to pick up Luxray GL if you are using it.
Nidoqueen
NIdoqueen heals your Pokemon in-between turns. So it makes your Machamps last longer, and your Banettes too. Personally I think it slows down the deck too much.
Relicanth (from Supreme Victors)
This card is helpful against decks that use many tools. For one fighting, it does 30 damage times the amount of stadiums and tools your opponent has in play to one of your opponent’s Pokemon.
Closing
So, I will not be posting a list on here… I think I will keep my secrets safe. There are many other techs that I use, and that I have considered. I am keeping them secret because they are for Battle Roads…
Have any ideas? Do YOU think this deck is viable for the new season? Got tech ideas? Post them in the comments, and I will give you my input.
Thanks for reading!
Poly550 / Cam Graybill
