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Luxray GL LV.X + Infernape 4 LV.X: Why they Work Together

by Adam on August 20, 2009 at 8 AM View Comments  1,597 views
Luxray GL LV.X Rising Rivals RR 109 Pokemon Card
Infernape 4 LV.X Rising Rivals RR 108 Pokemon Card

This article may be a tad bit overdue considering everyone and their grandma knows about this deck, but I still feel it’s worth discussing.

This combination of Pokemon cards proved strong enough to win the U.S. National Championship, and although it had a somewhat poor showing at Worlds, I still feel that Luxray GL/Infernape 4 is an extremely viable deck and will perform well at Autumn Battle Roads.

Here is one possible take on the deck:

Pokemon-16
3 Luxray GL
1 Luxray GL LV.X
2 Infernape 4
1 Infernape 4 LV.X
2 Uxie LA
1 Uxie LV.X LA
1 Azelf LA
1 Unown G GE
1 Unown Q MD
1 Toxicroak DP41 (Promo)
1 Bronzong G PL
1 Crobat G PL 		Trainers-31
3 Roseanne’s Research
1 Bebe’s Search
2 Luxury Ball
1 Premier Ball
4 Cyrus’s Conspiracy
4 TG’s Invention Energy Gain
4 TG’s Invention Poke Turn
4 TG’s Invention Power Spray
3 TG’s Invention SP Radar
3 VS Seeker
1 Aaron’s Collection
1 Night Maintenance 		Energy-13
4 Call Energy
4 Fire Energy
3 SP Energy
1 Lightning Energy
1 Psychic Energy

Infernape 4 Rising Rivals RR 43 Pokemon CardThere is enough room in this list to take a few cards out for a tech 1/1 line, Claydol GE, or Stadiums if you wanted to, but I feel that this is a solid base for deck focused on Luxray and Infernape.

What makes this such a formidable deck is that it has so much firepower. Even though Luxray GL LV.X is the star, Infernape 4 is just as gnarly. “Split Bomb” is an incredible early game attack to set up your opponent’s Pokemon with damage for later knock outs. It is also worth noting that the card has 90 HP, which in my opinion is vastly better than having only 80 HP. The LV.X can do 100 damage, which is an ever so enticing number; 100 damage is enough to knock out a ton of Pokemon in one hit. Infernape 4 by itself may not be great, but it sure is a superb compliment to Luxray GL.

What make Luxray GL LV.X a great card is its ability to snag easy prizes. “Bright Look” may be the best Pokemon Power in the game and the card does 60 damage for only 2 energy (1 if you have an Energy Gain attached). This makes the card dangerous at any point of the game.

You can play this deck with or without Claydol; I think it’s really a matter of preference. If you play Claydol, either a 1/1 or 2/2 line will suffice. Claydol can be considered a somewhat of a hinderance because so many decks aim on shutting it down, but you will run into problems against Gengar. Without Claydol, it is going to be extremely difficult to limit the number of Trainer cards in your hand in order to lessen the damage done by “Poltergeist”.

What do you guys think of Luxray/Infernape? Do you still consider it a solid option for Battle Roads? Let’s get some good discussion going. :)

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  • HunterJ
    epic yer bit late BUT great choice, improvememnts could be made but who cares i love it
    9-10/10
  • Hutchistack
    I kinda like your build, but I don't think it's a solid choice for BR's. The list will need a bit of tweaking before being BR-worthy at any truly competitive BR.

    First off, the deck NEEDS a Mewtwo counter. After the success of SP Toolbox at Worlds, you can surely expect to see some Mewtwo at your BR's. Especially when the Sr's winning list is so solid already.

    Unown Q over Switch or Warp Point seems a bit risky, seeing as Relicanth (SV-79) will be readily played in anything with Fighting Energy in it, and even some that tech in 1-2 energy just to support the deadly card.

    I'd also personally cut a Spray for another Night Maintenance, but I just like to play things safe. Especially with the dire need of Trash Bolt in some matchups. While Aarons works for this, sometimes it'll be prized when you need it, or you just won't have that VS Seeker in-hand.

    I also don't personally run Call Energy, but play whatever you're comfortable with there.
  • Eeeon
    hey! i have a question when you play cards or use moves that bring pokemon back from the discard pile for example: weedle rr's rescue string or pokemon rescue: do they count Pokemon SP too? or do you need something like Aaron's Collection for SP Pokemon?
  • quaziko
    SP Pokemon are Pokemon, but not all Pokemon are SP Pokemon. In other words, SP Pokemon are just a special type of Pokemon, such as Delta Pokemon from the past. Thus you can get SP Pokemon and any other types with such cards as Pokemon Rescue or Night Maintenance and attacks like Rescue String, but you cannot use Aaron's to get anything but SP Pokemon. Remember though, that some trainers prevent you from get Pokemon Lv. X's and ex's as well.
  • Eeeon
    o ok thx a bunch
  • Ya I acknowledge that...look at the first page of comments I think quaziko suggested a good energy count.
  • Woodstock
    I really don't think this deck can survive off only 1 Lightning Energy.
  • Person
    Wow.... i just realized it's an awesome deck. REALLY GOOD CARDS! NICE JOB! : )
  • Your better off using empoleon as such a tech, as he can actually attack and hits blaziken for the OHKO (though expensively).
  • Dave Hueglin
    Maybe Ambipom G would work better as tech against Stephen S.s Raybees deck as it only runs 6 Energy and you could transfer the Energy over to Calydol.
  • Hah that's a nice thought, only issue is that the deck runs multis so they could just attack with Claydol. If it gets knocked out they would just Night Maintenance the grass energy back and resume attacking with Beedrill.
  • Dave Hueglin
    I know this is a little off topic, but I was thinking of ways to counter this deck. I don't have a lot of experience playing this deck so this is a question to those who know the deck well. If you played Ambipom G as a counter and used "Tail Code" to switch the Energy off of Luxray/Infernape and on to Azelf, or Uxie or Bronzong G, would that be enough to mess up their attacks? Or is there usually enough surplus energy to render that tactic ineffective?

    Azelf would clearly be the best target of the switch because they can "Psychic Restore" Uxie and Poke-Turn Bronzong G. If they were playing Claydol that would be another good target.

    Any thoughts?
  • Yeah I think they would still be very likely to OHKO the Ambipom anyway. Azelf is the only real target, Uxie can go back in the deck and Bronzong G can just move the energy back anyway. I was trying to think of a way to use Ambipom before but I don't think it can work. :(

    Zephyr, did you run Rayquaza too or just Starks?
  • Zephyr
    I definitely ran Rayquaza, which was no end of help to me in my run. Speed Gain is too good. In fact, in my last Grinders match, the only attack I got to use all game was Sky Judgement - twice thanks to Speed Gain. =P Needless to say, I lost the match. >_>
  • Zephyr
    That won't work on lists that run Stark Mountain. =/

    Plus, it uses up an attack, which in this format should usually be spent KOing things. You wouldn't be able to keep up with the prizes Luxape would be taking.
  • I was thinking, a Honchkrow G might be decent in this. Infernape can set stuff up with Split Bomb, and if your Luxray GL LV.X gets Sprayed, Honchkrow could bail you out. It might be worth a spot.
  • quaziko
    I wouldn't play less than a 3/1 Lux line. Sure, split bomb is nice, but you want to get free easy prizes early game, as in most cases if you can get ahead you have a huge edge the whole game. I've had no trouble with 2/1 Ape, if anything just fit the 3/1 lines of both.
  • Oh, and I also agree with -1 Luxray +1 Infernape.
  • I think the main reason to use LuxApe is for the disruption. Being able to retreat freely with most of your guys (or hit and hide with Uxie), making your opponent switch, Poke Turning up guys, etc. It makes it so that it's very hard for your opponent to plan for things.

    As far as the list, I think you need more Unown G and Claydol, more Bebe's, less Luxury Ball, more Night Maintenance and a 1-1 Dialga G line, among a few other things. I'm not sure exactly how I would work that, though. I can share my list sometime. :D

    Good article!
  • Xicious
    It's all about who you start with, luxray is better mid and late game his attacks are alright early on but he's too crucial to be taking the first hit of the game. I'd rather start infernape and split bomb have him take the first hit and then bring up lux. I'm not saying 3-1 lux is overkill but 2-1 ape isn't enough.
  • I'll have to try 3/1 Infernape out, I just think having the ability to "Bright Look" twice a turn is really good and using a 3/1 line gives you a better chance of doing that.
  • yoyofsho16
    Starting with Ape is far too neccessary.

    Bright Looking twice a turn is the only reason people run 2-1 Lux instead of 1-1 in the first place, anyways...
  • WDIF
    Why would you want to "“Bright Look” twice a turn"?

    For me with Blazeray, 3-1 Blaze and 2-1 Luxray is definitely the play. I played several games before realizing that I only had 2 Luray GL's. I usually wouldn't have space for the other Luxray anyways with Uxie and Azelf drops.

    Infernape 4 is up there with Palkia G and Dialga G when not leveled up. As others have said 90 HP and T1/T2 40 damage is great.
  • You might need to if the first one is Power Sprayed.
  • WDIF
    Thanks for the tip Adam!
  • Xicious
    I agree with 3-1 Ape and 2-1 Lux, it worked wonders for me.
  • yoyofsho16
    3-1 Infernape 4 is NECESSARY to the operation of this deck.

    You need at least 3-1 Ape and 2-1 Luxray; 3-1 of both can also be used.

    You want to start with Ape as much as possible: An early (T1 or T2) Split Bomb is needed in almost every game.
  • Xicious
    Claydol has become a liability, either it gets bright looked up or gets sniped with gengar. I don't feeling like wasting a call/roseanne's/any other card to search out a baltoy and then a beebe's to get claydol set up only to have it ko'ed the following turn. I'd rather play more aggressive with this deck than have to set up a stage 1. Cyrus' pretty much gets me everything I need and with Vs. Seeker that train can keep going. Plus with the addition of a claydol to a deck you'd pretty much want to run 2 unown g which is another card slot and another supporter/attack to search it out. I believe Rayquaza and any kind of stadium is also a liability, the stadium because of Flygon and Rayquaza because of bright look. On another note I can't count how many games I won at nats because I'd bright look up their claydol retreat and split bomb for X amount of turns. Adam your list looks baller, straight baller.... Money
  • Thanks Kyle, I'm glad someone thinks it's ok haha.
  • quaziko
    Hmmm...where is Luxray good...how about Beedrill?

    All sarcasm aside, Luxray is incredibly versatile, simply because it only needs one lightning to deal 60 to anybody, then either be poketurn'd to be used again or retreated freely for any other attacker. The question should be where can Luxray not be used?...okay, plenty of places it would be a stretch to fit the guy in*, but I think the three cards most people will be seeing are Luxray, Flygon, and Gengar...just a hunch.


    *Hnghhh....That's what she said!
  • WDIF
    This may be a little off topic. Who else could be a good partner with Luxray GL?

    I think this is the reason Gallade, Garchomp and Absol won't work well is because of the constant use of Poketurns. Healing at key times, Bright Looks and Flashbites and bad starts (such as Bronzong) are enough for SP players to want 5-6 of them in their decks. This is why I believe Infernape was the best partner for Luxray, and now why Blaziken will be.

    The options aside from coming into play powers are support Pokemon: Floatzel, Alakazam, Mismagius, Staraptor and Electivire. These guys do not have enough punch (although I could be wrong about Electivire). Then there are SP Lv.X's who are better off being the main focus of a deck: Dialga, Palkia, Charizard and Rayquaza.

    This leaves Infernape, Blaziken and Luxray himself with techs (aka "Team Japan"'s deck).

    Without Bronzong or Starkquaza Luxape can't keep up with the energy costs. Blaziken can survive without this. I believe Blazeray can only be a good deck if it is a rush deck. Take a prize turn 2 and win 7-9 turns later. I agree with Brian's decklist even if it gives it bad late game.

    Also, what is the best way to use Infernape aside from Luxray?
  • Golem is a decent combination, along with quagsire, driftbloom, manetric, and even toxicroak (as damage absorbers), if your going with a more straight version. Absol works with luxray just because luxray kills claydol and absol can remove key figures of the opponets deck from the game. However, Super scoop up may be required in this version, but its definatelly a legitmente combonations. Gallade and garchomp fall on thier face when comboed with luxray though. Floatzel doesn't combo at all with luxray (lol), mismagius is a great tech but not much more, staraptor is pretty bad (eh power and attack is only decent at best) and electrivire's power is pretty useless in sp decks not named charizard. Speaking of which, charizard is definately better off being the main focus of the deck, but the GOW+OHKO of anything is just amazing and too good to pass off for the 1-1 tech (and you are not going to play a 2-2 line, so most of your turns are going to be used on random stuff). Same thing with rayquaza, though he is really asking for a deck based around him and only him, and that kind of deck requires a LOT of stuff to be discarded every turn and yet powered up, so I'm not sure luxray could work at all with him. Palkia/Diaglia can actually be teched into luxray-based decks (dialgia will definately be teched in if mewtwo picks up popularity), but are not going to add enough fire power to win a match. Luxray can also be teched into basically any self-supporting stage 2 line (flygon, garchomp, beedrill, ect.). And thanks about my list. I totally agree and think that blaze only really works as a rush deck. If you meant using Blaziken without luxray, (as I don't see using infernape with anything really...his attacks are actually pretty average and the Xs power is ehish to me) then you can also try blaze with the SF blaze (auto-burn then blast for 120 for 1 energy). But that deck may be slower and definately folds to any water deck.
  • I don't think the Unown Q is needed. The Lv. X's and the Crobat have free retreat.

    -1 Q
    +1 Crobat G
  • You play Q because of those other pokemon. If you start with baloty/uxie/azelf/g, you want to get it out of the active and still be able to do that t1 split bomb.
  • BENDINGSPOONS1
    what do you guys think about rayquaza LA +2-3 stark mountain, have any of you found that it is necessary in here???
  • Zephyr
    I found it to be very helpful at Grinders. All that's need is 2 Stark. I went 6-2 with a stark mountain list, so I think it's pretty decent.
  • BENDINGSPOONS1
    is 3 vs seeker excessive?
  • Alex
    Well seeing that it was popular this season, it will see play next format. But on the other hand... blaze FB is still going to be better, 80 for 1? yes please!
  • nardd
    Playing a standard luxape build at BR's is the same as running something like flygon or beedrill. Most will know what it does and how to play against it, but it's still a solid deck. Brian is right though, Luxray really does make the deck. You could pair so many things with luxray and do well, but the added combo of the two lvX's pokepowers really gives the deck some nice disruption properties.

    I don't plan on playing the deck, but I'll definitely be planning to play against it. It still should do decently at BR's (though I have a feeling flygon will be rampant) but I'm guessing it won't win a lot of them.
  • Yeah I am going to go with 3 Fire/2 Lightning, I honestly just put this list together off the top of my head, I couldn't remember exactly all the right Energy counts.

    I'll probably stick with 13 energy, I don't want to take anything out for 14.
  • Thanks for the input everyone. Quaziko, so are you saying to play 14 energy?

    2 Premier/1 Luxury Ball is a good idea too, I should have thought of that!
  • quaziko
    I'd go 4 Call, 4 SP, 3 Fire, 2 Lightning, 1 Psychic...14. If you want 13, then lose an SP.
  • quaziko
    First off, I played Raieggs right after it won Nats, and won 2/5 cities I went to, not making top cut in only 1. So there ;P.

    Anyway, the trainer and energy line is a little off. You need at least 2 basic lightnings, and I'd max out on SP's...you can survive on 3 fire, as you're not going to be doing Fire Spin very often, and if you need another fire you have the SP's or Aarons. Max out on Rosanne's and go 2 VS Seeker, and go 2 Premier/1 Luxury Ball. The Pokemon line looks fine, anything additional depends on your preference for techs.
  • Woodstock
    I don't think you need 4 Call Energy, I would replace 3 of those with a 1-1 line of Claydol and add in 1 Bebe.

    -3 Call Energy
    + 1-1 line of Claydol
    +1 Bebe


    I don't know, do Lux/Ape decks use Call Energy?
  • quaziko
    You need call energy, rosanne's is not enough.
  • Woodstock
    Yeah I agree with Brian, except I think Blaziken FB is a pretty good fit now that we have him. I can wait to try it out at Autumn Battle Roads.
  • I don't understand why everybody is bent on giving up on claydol. If every deck is built to take care of the amazing support card, MAKE THEM. Don't let them already jump to the second part of thier strategy, which is usually overrun what few pokemon you manage to get up because you don't have the constant draw. Play more cynthias. Play Chatot. Play ssu to abuse uxie. But don't just let them seal of claydol from your deck and not have to worry about dealing with it. At the very least, claydol will let you stall for time while netting you a few key cards before it goes away (activating any upper energy your deck may run). He is probably the best pokemon to play around any deck, as you can force the opponet to burn power sprays, make them waste resources koing claydol, and then take advantage of his demise by using cynthia's/bts to get another one back down and make them do it all over again. The opponet can only waste so much time on koing claydol with any deck before they must deal with your big hitter(s) and techs. If I'm playing a spread deck, I would love for the opponet to be focused on my claydol and not my manetric, obama, gallade, etc..

    Enough of that rant. lol. As for luxape, luxray is the only real reason why it won nats. There isn't a solid partner for luxray, which he actually needs despite how good he is, and infernape was probably the best fit for him. This deck is definately missing a few key cards, like rayquaza, stark mountain, and flint's, and I've never heard of 3-1-2 roseanne's/bebe's/luxury ball, which seems really inconsistant and relying on such an engine to help with vs seeker is very risky. Overall though, looks like a solid list, but I don't expect luxape to do anything at brs, as its basically the reieggs of these past few years (win nats and do nothing ever again).
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