MightyMukTank Deck – Poison’s the Game
by Dave Hueglin
The List
|
Pokemon-23 |
Trainers-24 |
Energy-13 |
Strategy
The ideal start would be a Skunktank, Honchkrow or a Stadium and either Zangoose, Grimer/Muk or Poochyena/Mightyena.
With a Honchkrow start and no stadium, you can use Honchkrow to get a stadium (no energy attack).
Poison both active Pokemon with Skunktank’s “Poison Structure” as soon as you have a Zangoose, Muk or Mightyena active.
Zangoose can’t be poisoned. Muk heals himself when poisoned. Mightyena gets an energyless 50hp attack when poisoned (80 if the defender has at least one energy attached).
Mightyena has a free retreat cost so he can be retreated after one or two attacks (as he will have suffered poison damage). He has relatively low hp (90) so needs to be in and out quickly unless facing a weak/basic Pokemon. If you have 1-2 Mightyena that have been benched with damage you can take one turn to use Unown V to remove two damage counters from each benched Pokemon (it’s his Power, but ends your turn).
Muk heals two damage counters between turns when poisoned so he should really be your main attacker. With 3 energy, he can hit for 70 and an automatic confusion when he is poisoned.
Zangoose has a “gust of wind” attack that can pull out a weak Pokemon from the bench. Unfortunately you won’t be able to use Poison Structure to poison the defender until next turn. If you can get him powered up with 3 of any energy he can hit for 50 hp plus 10 hp to each benched Pokemon with damage on it.
Honchkrow has a sniping ability to hit benched Pokemon which can be helpful mid to late game. His attack does an extra 20 (for a total of 40) to Pokemon that already have damage on them.
Techs
Toxicroak G is a good starter/staller due to his Poke-Power Leap Away, which can bring him and any attached cards back into your hand on a coin flip. As an SP he is not affected by Poison Structure.
Unown V, as already mentioned, can heal 20 hp from all benched Pokemon (but it ends your turn).
Unown F has the Poke-Power Fake, which gives you the possibility of drawing a card every turn (you put down a coin, the opponent guesses if it is heads or tails – if they are wrong you draw a card).
Xatu can use his Psychic Shift Power to shift the poison from your active Pokemon to the opponent’s. This is a good way to poison Sp Pokemon (which are not affected by Poison Structure). He is also capable of shifting over other conditions that your opponent might inflict upon your active Pokemon.
Trainers/Supporters/Stadiums
In addition to allowing Poison Structure to work, the various Stadiums have their own uses:
Moonlight Stadium – free withdraw for Grimer/Muk
Pokemon Contest Hall – good early on for getting out basics
Speed Stadium – good draw ability
You need a variety of Stadiums in order to be able to counter your opponent playing the same Stadium card that you have, as you cannot replace one Stadium with one of the same name.
This deck is pretty good at getting basics, as Grimer and Poochyena both have attacks that call for family (Division and Howl respectively).
Felicity’s, Cynthia’s, Professor Rowan and Underground Expedition all provide good draw power.
Night Maintenance helps to recover Energy/Pokemon you might need from the discard pile.
Dusk Ball and Luxury Ball are to help get Stage 1 Pokemon.
Lucian’s Assignment helps manage or save Energy that you have in play by switching as many Energy from one Pokemon to one other as is needed. You could have powered up a Zangoose early and then want to switch the Energy over to Muk.
Finally, Warp Point helps you switch out Muk if there is no Moonlight Stadium in play. Of course the opponent also makes a switch, and this can be used to get rid of a powerful active Pokemon. When you do use Warp Point, you need to make sure you wait to announce Poison Structure until after your opponent makes the switch, so that the new defender gets poisoned.
Energy
Its pretty obvious that you are not really going to want to be putting Energy on Poochyena or Mightyena. The Special Darks are for Honchkrow (note however that the +10 hp only works when he is attacking the active Pokemon, not sniping).
Some possible variants:
Toxicroak, the Unowns and 1-1 Xatu could easily be taken out and replaced by other techs, e.g.:
1-1 Aerodactyl MD15 (to hurt opponent using Poke-Powers)
2 more Skunktanks (to increase chance of early poison)
2-2 Claydol GE15 (increased draw power – I don’t own any, so that’s why they are not there)
1 Azelf LA19 (get a prized card you need)
1 Flareon 4 RR60 or 1 Infernape 4 RR43 (with 2 Fire Energy and maybe an Energy Search) (to attack Dialga G level X)
1-1 Nioqueen RR30 (with 1-2 Rare Candy – I don’t own any of these either) (to help with healing)
2-4 Leftovers (to reduce damage from poison – will only take 10 of the 20 incurred)
The key to this deck having any chance of winning is to get the Skuntanks and a Stadium early and to always try to have another Stadium as backup. Also, as this deck is very dependent on Poke-Bodies, Dialga G level X is a big threat. If Dialga G comes into play, Zangoose can be used to pull him up to attack him in the active position, Xatu can transfer poison to him, Honchkrow can snipe him, if or when he returns to the bench.
This deck is relatively fragile as the main attackers, Muk and Mightyena, only have 100 and 90 hp respectively. Similar to an SP deck, setting up fast and hitting hard and early is another vital strategy to promoting success.
I’m not suggesting this is a National or World contender but it is fun to play.
