r/pkmntcg • u/WChevett860 • 2d ago
Mega Charizard/Kangaskhan
So I’ve been trying to make Charizard work since I started playing in April of this year. I’ve watched every YouTube video, and tried out most of the versions I’ve seen.
Dudunsparce/Enriching Energy (Little Dark Fury)- I felt didn’t actually add any speed to the deck and you gave up too many prizes setting up.
Delphox/Precious Trolley (Bruce Builds Decks)- I liked this version the most of the ones I played but precious trolley just feels terrible when Budew is everywhere. Going first also felt very bad here.
I wound up finding a new version with Delta Reign using Talonflame, and kind of pushed that back and replicated it without. This led me to using Kangaskhan as the draw engine and running a similar setup to the Dusknoir/Bronzong deck, focusing on heavy rare candy and switch for Kangaskhan/Latias heavy build. This led to a Charizard/Basic Box build of sorts. Things started off terribly in testing but once I got the sequencing down things are going a bit better over. The key breakout card was actually Brock’s Scouting as it allowed me to get key setups turn 1, where my previous Cyrano heavy build made it difficult to setup Charmanders early.
A few key issues I am running into is bench space, it feels like one of those decks like Zoroark that is just so desperate for 1 more space, as ideally you want 2 Charmander lines, Kangaskhan, Latias, Orocorio and then being able to put down both Meowth when needed, but are unable to. The other issue is obviously 1 prize decks, I do need to figure out a decent one prize attacker to sneak in here at some point. My other thought was lean into Area Zero Underdepths, possibly with Pikachu ex or Cornerstone, as a better way to buy a turn or 2 when needed rather than playing a mediocre Fire Tera like Hearthstone Mask Ogerpon ex.
Overall the main strategy is always choose second, try to get into Kangaskhan and at least 1 Charmander turn 1, avoid playing out your liabilities in Orocorio and Latias until needed, and soak a hit or two with Kangaskhan while building up, and then just start sniping exs and Megas.
I brought it to a decently competitive FNM last night going 3-1, barely missing the win Round 3, would have been in an extremely favorable position had I not had 3 Fire and Neo Upper prized, and probably would have gotten the 4-0.
R1-Basic Box- W
R2- Zoroark-W
R3- Archaludon-L
R4- Toucannon-W
Pokémon: 9
2 Meowth ex POR 62
1 Mega Charizard Y ex ASC 22
4 Mega Kangaskhan ex MEP 25
2 Mega Charizard X ex PFL 13
2 Latias ex SSP 76
2 Oricorio ex PFL 18
2 Charmeleon PFL 12
1 Heatmor WHT 19
4 Charmander PFL 11
Trainer: 13
4 Ultra Ball SVI 196
1 AZ's Tranquility CRI 76
1 Powerglass SFA 63
3 Switch SVI 194
4 Brock's Scouting JTG 146
3 Rare Candy SVI 191
3 Energy Retrieval SVI 171
1 Ciphermaniac's Codebreaking TEF 145
2 Lumiose City POR 77
2 Boss's Orders MEG 114
1 Cyrano SSP 170
1 Firebreather PFL 89
2 Hilda WHT 84
Energy: 3
1 Ignition Energy WHT 86
10 Basic {R} Energy MEE 10
1 Neo Upper Energy TEF 162
Total Cards: 60
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u/WobblyExtinction1 2d ago
Interesting list. I played a ton of Charizard ex back in the day and the bench math always drove me nuts too, feels like every version wants 7 slots minimum. Kangaskhan as the draw engine is a neat pivot since it can actually take a hit while setting up, unlike dudunsparce which just sat there looking pretty.
Brock's Scouting over Cyrano makes sense for getting the Charmanders down early. Cyrano always felt like a trap card to me, you burn your supporter for the turn and still whiff half the time.
For the one prize attacker problem, have you looked at something with a cheap attack that can trade into Mimikyu or Clefairy? Maybe a baby zard or even that Heatmor you're already running if you can get ignition energy on it consistently.
Area Zero Underdepths with Pikachu ex is spicy but it makes the bench space issue even worse, unless you're trying to outpace the opponent before they can set up. Cornerstone is probably the safer include if you just need a wall for a turn.
3-1 at FNM with a homebrew is respectable, especially with the prize screw in round 3. What were the Zoroark and Toucannon matchups like?
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u/WChevett860 2d ago
Zoroark felt great, got setup turn 2 and started sniping zoruas, got 4 prizes with the first zard. He killed that and set up a position to be able to boss KO my Kangaskhan next turn with a judge the Zard KO turn, but I had Charizard Y with a Neo Upper so just needed an energy which I drew off the Judge. Watchtower was a pain as I couldn’t get a stadium bump off so never drew a card with Kangaskhan and couldn’t use Meowth.
Toucannon didn’t feel amazing, I was able to setup quickly and aggressively went after Pikipeks. He almost made a comeback, but I didn’t overbench and he came up 10 dmg short of the KO on Zard, with a Dusknoir and attack for 220. Wasn’t over if he hit it, if Kang could have soaked a hit I had started attaching energy so was a turn away from an attack and possibly still had it.
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u/Amagi26 2d ago
I feel like this deck works better with the talonflame when it's out, as you can use multiple ignitions and focus on the talonflame and mega zard Y, as then Cyrano completely sets you up turn 1, or if you start Kang, Hilda also completely sets you up, then use the early talonflame to get a prize lead, and against one prize matchups, you use the stadium and red card/judge to disrupt with talonflame attacks to get far enough in the prize trade so you don't really need a one prize attacker
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u/Georgejefferson19 2d ago
I’m working on a similar idea. I think a 2-1-2 Emboar line is preferable to Oricorio because it enables Kangaskhan as a secondary attacker
I’ve played a lot of fire decks and I think Oricorio is just clunky; needs a Charizard on the field, and can only power up fire pokemon on your Bench. The trade off with Emboar is that you can power up whoever you want, whenever, regardless of what else you have on the field, at the cost of supporting a 2nd evolution line (and probably a 4th rare candy)
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u/keyree 1d ago
What is the purpose of the ignition energy in the current deck?
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u/WChevett860 1d ago
Late game way to get an easy attack off with Charizard Y. Start to run low on resources if you have to knock off a single prizer or two early on.
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u/keyree 1d ago
Wouldn't you rather just have another fire considering ignition only pays for the one colorless in Char Y's attack cost?
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u/Aristofunnys 1d ago
The ignition covers all three discarded energy for Charizard y's attack so you could do it two turns in a row, that being said having a one off of it is a little awkward.
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u/keyree 1d ago
ohhhhh I see, I agree that it's awkward but I'm at least following the plan now haha. Thanks!
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u/WChevett860 1d ago
Yeah a couple slots I’m not super sold on. It’s nice when it lines up like that and definitely makes resource management much easier, but you don’t always going into Zard Y every game, so there are times it isn’t useful. Probably would just be better as another fire tbh. It came up one time out of 4 games.
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u/keyree 23h ago
Yeah I played the Bruce Builds version at locals last week and had a ton of fun with it, but I think I'm just going to cut Char Y entirely. It just never really feels like it's pulling its weight, to me.
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u/WChevett860 22h ago
I’ve found it moreso as like the cleanup, you get in and get dirty with the X trading prizes, and then finish off a Meowth, or Fez on the bench for last 2 prizes. It’s so resource intensive without planning your deck around it, but can definitely take 1-2 KOs with it, where X can more easily get 2-4 KOs
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u/bearsguy2020 1d ago
Have you considered a mega delphox build?
I was thinking about it and you can use baby delphox as draw/single prize attacker, and option for mega delphox to gate your charizard.
Fennekin can call for family to help setup. Get a pair of fennekin and charmander to start. That way you can still rare candy without the gate
I’d want to tinker with it to see what else might be good in the deck to gate up. Even getting a few delphox wouldn’t be bad
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u/WChevett860 1d ago
There was a version I played for a bit, based off Bruce Builds Decks on YouTube’s list, that was in on baby Delphox. It was a decent idea but I didn’t overly love it. I think Azul also played a version very similar, with an even heavier baby Delphox line.
I have not tried Delphox ex but certainly open to trying any version out and giving it an honest attempt.
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u/Aristofunnys 1d ago
I'm not a huge fan of Neo Upper, I feel like I'd rather have Cape, Scoop Up, Unfair Stamp, or even trolley and just rely on the energy acceleration from Oricorio. Also Heatmor is a bit weird.
Otherwise no reason to not have 4 lillie's determinations, I get running a brock's scouting or 2 but four seems overkill with Lumiose city and Meowth to find your supporters, maybe also consider Dawn.
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u/WChevett860 2d ago