Hi there. In this Pokemon TCG Pocket post, I cover this Zeraora & Magneton Lightning deck. It also has one Oricorio and one Pikachu ex.
Topics
- Key Cards
- Decklist
- Gameplay + Strategy
- Advantages
- Disadvantages
- Closing Notes
Key Cards
Zeraora
This Zeraora is a bulky 90 HP Lightning Pokemon with 1 retreat cost and Fighting weakness. The attack is okay at 2 Lightning for 50 damage. What makes this good is its ability that activates only at the end of your first turn. At the end of your first turn, Zeraora adds 1 Lightning Energy from the Energy Zone to this Pokemon.
Magneton
Magneton is a Stage 1 evolution Lightning Pokemon that evolves from Magnemite. The Spinning Attack does cost a bit to deal 60 damage. Its Volt Charge ability is very good for Energy acceleration. Once during your turn, you make take 1 Lightning Energy from your Energy Zone and attach it to this Magneton.
Magnezone
After generating Lightning energy with Magneton, you can use that Energy for Magnezone's attack. 140 HP is bulky for a single prize Stage 2 Pokemon. The attack's 110 damage can deal one hit knockout power in some cases but it also serves as a good finishing attacker.
Oricorio
Oricorio is a defensive wall against Pokemon ex. The attack of Zzzap is okay at 1 Lightning and one Colourless Energy to deal 50 damage.
You can use Oricorio as a stall wall and for dealing some damage to setup for finishing attacks.
Many popular decks tend to get greedy with Pokemon ex attackers. Oricorio does keep certain decks in check. It is not my favourite card but it is useful enough to use.
Pikachu ex
This latest Pikachu ex card is interesting. The Thunderbolt attack is best used on big HP Pokemon. For 3 Lightning Energy you deal 150 damage with the drawback of discarding all Energy from it.
Dawn
Dawn is a situational card best used to charge up Pikachu ex. Go from 1 Energy to 3 Energy to surprise your opponent with a big knockout.
Electrical Cord
Electrical Cord is a new Tool card from the Extradimensional Crisis set. When the Lightning Pokemon that this card is attached to is Knocked Out by damage then you can split & transfer 2 Lightning Energy to 2 of your Benched Pokemon. This recycles Lightning Energy.
This is good for powering up Pikachu ex and other Lightning attackers.
Decklist
Here is the decklist that I have been using. It has helped with going from Great Ball Rank 3 to Great Ball Rank 4. (You still have to play well and get lucky.)
Single Image Of Deck
Decklist
Pokémon: 9
2 Magnemite A1 97
2 Magneton A1 98
1 Magnezone A2 53
2 Zeraora A3a 21
1 Oricorio A3 66
1 Pikachu ex A2b 22
Trainer: 11
1 X Speed P-A 2
2 Poké Ball P-A 5
1 Giant Cape A2 147
2 Electrical Cord A3a 65
2 Professor's Research P-A 7
1 Sabrina A1 225
1 Cyrus A2 150
1 Dawn A2 154
Two Zeraora is a must as the early Lightning energy at the end of turn 1 is good.
The Magneton engine is good for generating Energy and has synergy for the 1 Dawn in the deck.
The one copy of Oricorio serves as a stall while you power up into Magnezone or Pikachu ex. Oricorio can also attack if you need to 2 hit a beefy attacker like Guzzlord ex.
Two copies of Electrical Cord is good in order to recycle Lightning Energy. I think 1 is good too while using a different tool like Rocky Helmet.
One X Speed for a lower retreat cost if needed.
For gusting, I do a 1-1 split of Sabrina and Cyrus. I have thought of Repel but I think Sabrina is better as Stage 2 Pokemon are tough for this deck.
I have done okay with 1 Magnezone, maybe 2 would be better. Not sure.
Gameplay + Strategy
I think the gameplay with this deck is not that straightforward. You have to really play given the cards you have. Getting Zeraora in the first turn is nice in the early game.
Set up Magnemite and Magnetons for Energy generation. This goes well with Dawn and Pikachu ex.
Zeraora is okay in the early game for providing early game pressure to your opponent.
Oricorio is there as a wall and for dealing some damage.
Your big hitters are mainly Magnezone and Pikachu ex. These two are for dealing big damage of more than 100 damage. Do use the Pikachu ex wisely as you discard all Energy after its 150 damage attack.
Advantages
Zeraora in the first turn provides big Lightning energy acceleration. If you get two on the first turn that is even luckier.
Magneton is good for generating Lightning energy on its own. It goes well with Dawn and Pikachu ex.
A well timed Pikachu ex 150 damage attack can be either pivotal or game ending.
Oricorio can be a pretty annoying wall if the opponents rely on only Pokemon ex for their attackers. In theory you can punish (greedy) meta decks.
Lightning attackers do very well against Water Pokemon and against other non-Water Pokemon weak to Lightning Pokemon.
In the rare case, you can win on turn 2. Zeraora ability on turn 1 going first then start attacking on turn 2 against a single 50HP Pokemon with no backup.
Disadvantages
This deck is a slower setup style of deck. Even if you get Zeraora in the first turn, the games tend to be long as you are working towards Magnezone and Pikachu ex.
The only one hit knockout Pokemon here is Pikachu ex. The other Lightning attackers don't do that much damage.
If you rely on the Oricorio wall against Pokemon ex, if the Oricorio goes down then the deck could fall apart.
Fighting Pokemon hurt this deck for weakness.
Screenshots
Here are some screenshots with gameplay. This electric deck helped with ranking up in the Great Ball League.
Versus Water
This electric deck is highly favoured against Water decks. The plus 20 damage for weakness helps a lot. Getting a first turn Zeraora really puts pressure on the opponent.
Versus Dialga ex + Solgaleo ex
In this matchup I think I knocked out a Cosmoem or a single prize Pokemon. For the final knockout, I use Dawn + manual Lightning Energy attach to Pikachu ex. The opponent's Dialga ex was in range of Pikachu's 150 damage attack.
Dawn can offer a sneaky surprise factor for giant knockouts. Oricorio as a stall plus do some damage. After that use Pikachu ex for the knockout.
Against Nihilego + Guzzlord ex
Facing against Guzzlord ex is kind of annoying. This one has one Celesteela as a wall while they power up Guzzlord. The opponent has Nihilegos but they are not really used.
In my hand I had Pikachu ex plus Dawn. I think from this game I wanted to use that combo. Instead I used Magnezone as it was enough for the big knockout and win.
When using the electric deck you have to play carefully and more tactically. You don't have easy knockout power against HPs or 160 and higher. You have work hard for your knockouts sometimes.
Closing Notes
This electric Zeraora + Magneton deck is okay I think. It is a slower deck as one hit knockouts don't come easy. You do make opponents think a bit when you have an Oricorio wall in front. There is also a good variety of attackers with Zeraora, Oricorio, Magneton, Magnezone and Pikachu ex.
Magneton provides good Lightning Energy generation over time. You can use the Magneton to evolve into Magnezone or use it with Dawn to power up Pikachu ex for a big knockout.
I do think the top meta decks are slower in nature as they rely on Stage 2 Pokemon. Zeraora in the first turn does offer early game aggression and pressure on opponents with slower decks.
This electric deck is a good alternative to Buzzwole ex, Guzzlord ex, Solgaleo ex and Sivally + Rampardos decks.
Thank you for reading.