Ludicargo (Modified)

[raybomb]

This thread is for the discussion of the article "Ludicargo (Modified)" by MK Choy. You can find it here - http://www.pokeschool.com/db/article.asp?id=493

Discuss!

[Bullados]

I disagree strongly on this particular build of the LudiCargo deck. Just a couple of things that I have issue with...

A 4-3-3 Ludi line is very wasteful at both the Basic and Stage 1 area. If you want to run 3 Ludi, then a 3-2-3 or 3-3-3 line is preferred, simply so that you can save room for necessary TecH cards that LudiCargo thrives on.

1 Jirachi DX with no Swoop! Teleporter. If you're going to run Jirachi DX, Swoop Teleporter is almost a necessary inclusion in the deck, even if it is only one copy of the card, especially given the high searching ability of the deck as it already stands.

Even though I run it in my own LC deck (for other reasons), Steven's Advise is not recommended for a standard LC deck. TV Reporter is a stronger card for this particular deck because LC likes to have extremely large hands, large enough to render Steven's relatively useless.

The overreliance on situational energy cards is not something that I would want to have to deal with. Scramble should NEVER be run with more than 2 copies in any deck; it's too situational to be run any more, and too good not to run at all. DRE is about the same in that area. Yes, it provides 2 energy. However, it also reduces your damage by 10. When your opponent can control the amount of damage that you are dishing out, reducing your own damage willingly is not something that I would like to do. However, DRE is just too good not to include in the deck at all. I would say that a maximum of 3 DRE and 2 Scramble is good for this deck, but 3-1 is more profitable.

The willing exclusion of Fire energy when a situational but necessary Fire attacker is included. Especially given that the particular fire attacker that you've included attacks for only 50 damage a turn, you do NOT want to reduce that further by dropping a DRE onto him. 2 Fire Energy is what I have found to be the best balance between speed and agility in this deck.

Holon Energy WP is a good TecH card, but that's really all it is. It is there to protect against Nidoqueen and RL decks, and that's about all. Given the recent decline in the popularity of both decks, it seems unwise to include more than 2 copies of this particular energy for this deck, especially given the incredible searching ability of this deck in particular.

I personally don't like the Plusle version of this deck. I think that it is a little too restrictive on how you can start the game. Therefore, I went for a road less traveled, and found that it's actually a little more stable and about half a turn faster than the Plusle version of the deck...

Pokemon (18):
3 Lotad (Surprise)
2 Lombre (the one that removes special conditions)
3 Ludiculo
2 Slugma (Fire Ring)
2 Magcargo
1 Vulpix
1 Ninetales
4 Jirachi HL

Trainers (24):
4 LNS (thinking about Holon Mentor for this spot, but for now undecided)
3 Rare Candy
3 Steven's Advise
4 TV Reporter
2 Admin
3 Battle Frontier
1 Ruins
2 ATMRock (very useful against Medicham)
1 Swoop! Teleporter
1 Pokemon Retriever

Energy (18):
3 DRE
1 Scramble
2 Fire
2 Holon WP
10 Water

[ZAKtheGeek]

I agree... that doesn't seem to be a good deck build, and not a great article either. I don't know why there would be a single DX jirachi in any deck... maybe he meant 1 HL jirachi. Also, the possibility of various tech stage 1 lines isn't even mentioned, and ninetales doesn't really seem like a great one to use in the first place. But of course, that always depends on where you play.

[Abhorsen]

I wouldnt be so worried about Ludicargo. In less then a month it's gonna be watered down heavily with Giant Stump running a Muk (excuse the pun, I just had to say it). That 1 card alone will destroy Ludicargo and many other decks out there too. I still dont understand how people cannot see the brokenness of Giant Stump, it's just as bad a Slowking (NG)...

[ZAKtheGeek]

People will learn to play with smaller benches. There's plenty of influences already: typhlosion ex, ludicolo, anything that hits the bench, and of course the classic steven's. This is just the final nail in the coffin.

[Bullados]

ZAK: are you talking about my build, or his build?

[ZAKtheGeek]

I meant MK's build. The one in the article.