Flygon + Machamp = Top Deck?

Written by | August 26, 2009 | 44 comments | 5,138 views | Rating: 0

Pokemon World Championships 2009 LogoFlygon/Machamp decks did very well in the Masters division at the Pokemon TCG World championships. They were able to capitalize on the fact that many people were running SP decks consisting of mostly basic Pokemon and if given the time to set up, was difficult for the opponent to take down. Flygon and Machamp both have generous amounts of HP and can do critical damage. Here are a couple of the lists that performed well at Worlds:

Sami S. (2nd place)

Pokemon-28
3 Trapinch SW
1 Trapinch RR
2 Vibrava RR
3 Flygon RR
1 Flygon LV.X RR
2 Machop SF
1 Machoke SF
2 Machamp SF
1 Machamp LV.X SF
1 Nidoran RR
1 Nidoqueen RR
2 Baltoy GE
2 Claydol GE
2 Unown G GE
1 Chatot MD
1 Azelf LA
1 Uxie LA
1 Ditto LA 		Trainers-19
4 Roseanne’s Research
4 Bebe’s Search
1 Luxury Ball
1 Premier Ball
2 Cynthia’s Feelings
4 Rare Candy
2 Night Maintenance
1 Lucian’s Assignment 		Energy-13
4 Call Energy
3 Upper Energy
4 Fighting Energy
2 Psychic Energy
Lucian's Assignment Rising Rivals RR 92 Pokemon Card

Jay H. (3rd place)

Pokemon-25
3 Trapinch SW
1 Trapinch RR
2 Vibrava RR
2 Flygon RR
1 Flygon SW
1 Flygon LV.X RR
2 Machop SF
1 Machoke SF
2 Machamp SF
1 Nidoran RR
1 Nidoqueen RR
2 Baltoy GE
2 Claydol GE
1 Chatot MD
1 Uxie LA
1 Azelf LA
1 Unown G GE 		Trainers-22
4 Roseanne’s Research
4 Bebe’s Search
1 Luxury Ball
1 Premier Ball
3 Cynthia’s Feelings
4 Rare Candy
2 Memory Berry
2 Night Maintenance
1 Warp Point 		Energy-13
4 Call Energy
3 Upper Energy
5 Fighting Energy
1 Psychic Energy
Memory Berry Platinum PL 110 Pokemon Card

Flygon LV.X Rising Rivals RR 105 Pokemon CardI think a common theme in these decks, and all decks that people used at Worlds, is the low Energy counts. Playing so little Energy really means you have to know what you are doing. Every Energy drop is important, and if you misplay where and when you place your Energy, that could potentially be difference between winning and losing. You have got to be experienced with a list like this in order to get the most out of it.

I am somewhat surprised that Sami’s list does not have Flygon SW included in it (maybe he did play it but forgot to mention it), just because that card should give you an edge in the mirror. Your opponent is not going to be able to OHKO a Flygon SW, thus potentially creating a swing in prizes. Ditto LA may have been Sami’s tech for the mirror match.

I think it’s interesting that Jay went with Memory Berry over Machamp LV.X and Ditto, and that Sami chose to play Lucian’s Assignment over even just 1 Memory Berry. Lucian’s Assignment is not a card I would have thought about using in Flygon, but I suppose you could move all your energy onto either Machamp or Nidoqueen for a big hit. The only way that works is because Flygon has free retreat.

Finally, Nidoqueen RR seems like a staple in all Flygon variants. Nidoqueen makes it that much harder to knock out Flygon and gives you extra “Wind Erosion” discards. Flygon overall seems like a very versatile deck as long as it has time to set up and the list is consistent. It is somewhat intriguing that Broken Time-Space was used by neither player, as I would think it would help with consistency and speed, but I suppose there must have been some detriments to using it (most obviously in mirror match).

What do you guys think of Flygon? Is it still going to be good for Battle Roads or did Supreme Victors bring something new to the table to take it down? Let me hear your thoughts!

(P.S. You can download the Apprentice deck files for these lists and pretty much all other lists on the site here.)

Image Credits: PokeBeach, Pokegym, and Pokemon Paradijs

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  • Brian

    Both lists look pretty standard. You gotta love the 3 Cynthia’s in Jays list. I don’t think that the minor differences really changed most of thier outcomes if they played vs. each others opponet’s, but who knows.

  • Brian

    Both lists look pretty standard. You gotta love the 3 Cynthia’s in Jays list. I don’t think that the minor differences really changed most of thier outcomes if they played vs. each others opponet’s, but who knows.

  • WDIF

    What was so surprising to me was a Flygon deck without Weavile doing well, as that was all I had heard about Flygon. 3 Upper energy + Trapinch RR (and even Lucian’s) is apparently enough energy acceleration. I am glad a deck with big comeback potential did so well. Wow @ the 3 Cynthias!

    Jay’s strategy was to deck the opponent with Wind Erosion and win on prizes if you have to. For people who don’t know, Level up a Flygon RR (through Trapinch SW) and attach a Memory Berry. Use Trapinch’s Inviting Trap on certain support Pokemon. Use Trapinch’s Sand Tomb for 5-8 turns and discard 10+ cards while your opponent draws cards. One “lock” and it’s game over. Of course this doesn’t work with Unown G, Warp Point, SSU etc. and Pokemon like Claydol or Azelf for example wwith the right energies can attack. As Adam said, Nidoqueen can counter this.

    I’m not sure what made Sami’s deck so powerful but I think winning on prizes was the first option and decking second. So many main attackers have free or 1 retreat. Machamp is not one of them so it can take advantage of Flygon fully (Rainbow Float is near useless in Dark Flygon). I guess he thought Memory for Energy Typhoon was unneeded.

    I think the reason it plays no BTS or any helping stadium at all is because if the Flygon player puts down a stadium it lowers the chance that his opponent will play a stadium. There are no disruptive stadiums Flygon can take advantage of.

    Relicanth SV gives Flygon and Machamp a great counter to Unown G. Unlike Gengar it runs the right energies anyways and gives it 0 retreat. IMO this will be a great deck for Battle Roads.

  • WDIF

    What was so surprising to me was a Flygon deck without Weavile doing well, as that was all I had heard about Flygon. 3 Upper energy + Trapinch RR (and even Lucian’s) is apparently enough energy acceleration. I am glad a deck with big comeback potential did so well. Wow @ the 3 Cynthias!

    Jay’s strategy was to deck the opponent with Wind Erosion and win on prizes if you have to. For people who don’t know, Level up a Flygon RR (through Trapinch SW) and attach a Memory Berry. Use Trapinch’s Inviting Trap on certain support Pokemon. Use Trapinch’s Sand Tomb for 5-8 turns and discard 10+ cards while your opponent draws cards. One “lock” and it’s game over. Of course this doesn’t work with Unown G, Warp Point, SSU etc. and Pokemon like Claydol or Azelf for example wwith the right energies can attack. As Adam said, Nidoqueen can counter this.

    I’m not sure what made Sami’s deck so powerful but I think winning on prizes was the first option and decking second. So many main attackers have free or 1 retreat. Machamp is not one of them so it can take advantage of Flygon fully (Rainbow Float is near useless in Dark Flygon). I guess he thought Memory for Energy Typhoon was unneeded.

    I think the reason it plays no BTS or any helping stadium at all is because if the Flygon player puts down a stadium it lowers the chance that his opponent will play a stadium. There are no disruptive stadiums Flygon can take advantage of.

    Relicanth SV gives Flygon and Machamp a great counter to Unown G. Unlike Gengar it runs the right energies anyways and gives it 0 retreat. IMO this will be a great deck for Battle Roads.

  • lordholly

    We love Flygon. My son and I have been playing it since it came out. The last Battle Roads was the first time our list saw play and it won.

    The builds of the two worlds players are pretty standard, plus or minus a few cards either way, but those are just play style preferences really. Each player plays differently and the most important factor I can think of is your own ability to feel comfortable with the deck and to know the list INSIDE and OUT.

    Decks are like tools, you might own the best saw in the world, but that does not make you a MASTER Carpenter.

    Peace…

  • lordholly

    We love Flygon. My son and I have been playing it since it came out. The last Battle Roads was the first time our list saw play and it won.

    The builds of the two worlds players are pretty standard, plus or minus a few cards either way, but those are just play style preferences really. Each player plays differently and the most important factor I can think of is your own ability to feel comfortable with the deck and to know the list INSIDE and OUT.

    Decks are like tools, you might own the best saw in the world, but that does not make you a MASTER Carpenter.

    Peace…

  • Pablo

    Having lost to Jay’s list myself, I feel that one is the weaker choice when compared to Sami’s. I only think that I would definately add Machamp Lv. X to Hay’s list, over the single Warp Point, as having an extra attacker in the mirror has to be good, along with an easier way to get around those pesky Crobat G’s with Unown G’s attached.

    As for Sami’s, I’d definately find a way to put the 3rd Cynthia’s in, as the deck seems it is very clogged with Pokemon, but I can’t see a single card to cut from the deck.

  • Pablo

    Having lost to Jay’s list myself, I feel that one is the weaker choice when compared to Sami’s. I only think that I would definately add Machamp Lv. X to Hay’s list, over the single Warp Point, as having an extra attacker in the mirror has to be good, along with an easier way to get around those pesky Crobat G’s with Unown G’s attached.

    As for Sami’s, I’d definately find a way to put the 3rd Cynthia’s in, as the deck seems it is very clogged with Pokemon, but I can’t see a single card to cut from the deck.

  • Alex

    Well considering there is no rotation this year, The decks that were popular at worlds will still see major play at BR. Then people will realize that Absol is better then them all :P

    • Zephyr

      How can you say that? Absol is naturally inconsistent. Unless you’ve found a way to fix his flippiness?

      • http://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/ Politoed666

        I wouldn’t even say it’s main problem is inconsistency… it’s just not good. Yes, it can hit for 80 for 2 Special Darks… okay. It’s not nearly a good enough attacker to function by itself, and it needs to level up to be remotely useful.

        In any case, I’m loling at all the people on the PokéGym that were going “lolz flygons not good its way overhyyped and itll never win stuff.” I knew it was good from the beginning, and while I didn’t think to run it with Champ, that seems to be the best option.

  • Alex

    Well considering there is no rotation this year, The decks that were popular at worlds will still see major play at BR. Then people will realize that Absol is better then them all :P

    • Zephyr

      How can you say that? Absol is naturally inconsistent. Unless you’ve found a way to fix his flippiness?

      • http://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net Politoed666

        I wouldn’t even say it’s main problem is inconsistency… it’s just not good. Yes, it can hit for 80 for 2 Special Darks… okay. It’s not nearly a good enough attacker to function by itself, and it needs to level up to be remotely useful.

        In any case, I’m loling at all the people on the PokéGym that were going “lolz flygons not good its way overhyyped and itll never win stuff.” I knew it was good from the beginning, and while I didn’t think to run it with Champ, that seems to be the best option.

  • Dave Hueglin

    I’m kind of surprised, in a pleasant way, at how few T/S/S and how many Pokemon Sami has in his list. Given that some decks run upwards to 30 T/S/S, it’s refreshing to see that a deck can do well that kind of ratio.

  • Dave Hueglin

    I’m kind of surprised, in a pleasant way, at how few T/S/S and how many Pokemon Sami has in his list. Given that some decks run upwards to 30 T/S/S, it’s refreshing to see that a deck can do well that kind of ratio.

  • BENDINGSPOONS1

    i really think Flygon has some hard matchups with the coming format. Blaziken FB Lv.X gives this deck a lot of problems because it can hit and ko something very quickly, and Flygon Lv.X will need 3 energy to be able respond and knock it out (whether Power Swing or Extreme Attack.)

    Pablo is probably right about what he said. Sami’s list is better, but the lucians seems weak. As Adam mentioned this is the beginning and I agree with that statement.. “Playing so little Energy really means you have to know what you are doing. Every Energy drop is important, and if you misplay where and when you place your Energy, that could potentially be difference between winning and losing. You have got to be experienced with a list like this in order to get the most out of it.

    If this is true, then you should be good enough to play the right energy down and not need Lucains’.

  • BENDINGSPOONS1

    i really think Flygon has some hard matchups with the coming format. Blaziken FB Lv.X gives this deck a lot of problems because it can hit and ko something very quickly, and Flygon Lv.X will need 3 energy to be able respond and knock it out (whether Power Swing or Extreme Attack.)

    Pablo is probably right about what he said. Sami’s list is better, but the lucians seems weak. As Adam mentioned this is the beginning and I agree with that statement.. “Playing so little Energy really means you have to know what you are doing. Every Energy drop is important, and if you misplay where and when you place your Energy, that could potentially be difference between winning and losing. You have got to be experienced with a list like this in order to get the most out of it.

    If this is true, then you should be good enough to play the right energy down and not need Lucains’.

  • Dave Hueglin

    I see Lucian’s as a way to make better use of your Energy drops, not as a way to recover from your mistakes. It’s especially useful if you have powered up a Pokemon, got a few KO’s with it, but it is now in danger of being knocked out itself. Move the Energy off, let them KO it, or retreat if you can, then bring back up a fully charged Pokemon for a OHKO, or at least to do some serious damage.

  • Dave Hueglin

    I see Lucian’s as a way to make better use of your Energy drops, not as a way to recover from your mistakes. It’s especially useful if you have powered up a Pokemon, got a few KO’s with it, but it is now in danger of being knocked out itself. Move the Energy off, let them KO it, or retreat if you can, then bring back up a fully charged Pokemon for a OHKO, or at least to do some serious damage.

  • http://www.adamcapriola.com/ Adam Capriola

    Yeah I think Lucian’s could still warrant a spot in the list for the reasons Dave specified. Free retreat throughout the deck is what makes the card playable.

  • http://www.sixprizes.com Adam

    Yeah I think Lucian’s could still warrant a spot in the list for the reasons Dave specified. Free retreat throughout the deck is what makes the card playable.

  • yoyofsho16

    Flygon has a near autoloss to Bees, in my opinion, and I find it interesting that the two players didn’t run Dusknoir just in case.

    But then again, Beedrill wasn’t really all that expected.

    • Brian

      Beedrill scoops pretty badly if the flygon player runs palkia and memory berry. They only play 3 warps and 6 energy, so if you lock thier dol active, its stuck their and they deck.

  • yoyofsho16

    Flygon has a near autoloss to Bees, in my opinion, and I find it interesting that the two players didn’t run Dusknoir just in case.

    But then again, Beedrill wasn’t really all that expected.

    • Brian

      Beedrill scoops pretty badly if the flygon player runs palkia and memory berry. They only play 3 warps and 6 energy, so if you lock thier dol active, its stuck their and they deck.

  • Xicious

    This deck is really good but this list is off IMO. The deck had an incredibly strong showing at worlds and will have a strong showing next season. With machamp a lot of techs are blown out of the water, is the decking version better, maybe but unwown q is a simple tech to upset that strategy not to mention helping elsewhere. I like the deck and it’s solid but I hate playing stage 2 decks.

  • Xicious

    This deck is really good but this list is off IMO. The deck had an incredibly strong showing at worlds and will have a strong showing next season. With machamp a lot of techs are blown out of the water, is the decking version better, maybe but unwown q is a simple tech to upset that strategy not to mention helping elsewhere. I like the deck and it’s solid but I hate playing stage 2 decks.

  • Jeremy B.

    This might be a little belated, but wouldnt dusknoir dp be better to run that queen?

  • Jeremy B.

    This might be a little belated, but wouldnt dusknoir dp be better to run that queen?

  • Power Swing

    I played Flychamp at BR’s and made top 4 lost to kingdra

  • Power Swing

    I played Flychamp at BR’s and made top 4 lost to kingdra

  • poke fart

    This is an awsome deck

    I have the same deck but it has garchomp x and garchomp c x and giratina from PL

    the giratina helps a lot with it’s lost zone attack.

  • poke fart

    This is an awsome deck

    I have the same deck but it has garchomp x and garchomp c x and giratina from PL

    the giratina helps a lot with it’s lost zone attack.

  • HunterJ

    awesome deck idea with room for improvement but its good cos you cover all angles to protect you flygon etc!
    8/10

  • HunterJ

    awesome deck idea with room for improvement but its good cos you cover all angles to protect you flygon etc!
    8/10

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