LuxChomp (TCG): Difference between revisions

'''LuxChomp''' was regarded by many as the best deck in the format for most of the 2009-2010 season, and remains an immensely hyped and heavily played contender in the 2010-2011 season.  The deck won more major sanctioned tournaments in 2009 and 2010 than any other archetype, encouraging more people to play it and causing {{TCG ID|Rising Rivals|Luxray GL LV.X|109}}'s price to skyrocket on the secondary market.  LuxChomp players took 1st place honors in two out of the three age divisions, those being Seniors and Masters, at the [[2010 World Championships|2010 Pokémon Trading Card Game World Championships]].  The deck's strategy revolves around its ability to knock out the opponent's support Pokémon to disrupt their strategy while taking cheap prizes quickly.

LuxChomp differs from archetypes such as [[Kingdra archetype (TCG)|Kingdra]] and {{TCG|Mother Flygon}} in that it does not focus on knocking out the opponent's main attacker through consistent, high damage.  Rather, the deck focuses on taking six prizes in six turns, or as quickly as possible, by knocking out the opponent's low-HP support Pokémon and {{TCG|Basic Pokémon}}.  It does this through Luxray GL LV.X's ''Bright Look'' {{TCG|Poké-Power}} and ''Flash Impact'' attack, alongside Garchomp C LV.X's ''Dragon Rush'' attack.  In the 2009-10 season, LuxChomp gained notoriety for its ability to easily knock out the opponent's benched {{TCG ID|Great Encounters|Claydol|15}}, a popular Pokémon used for draw support.

As with any deck, to begin attacking and taking quick prizes, LuxChomp must set up.  It does this through a number of cards, but {{TCG|Cyrus's Conspiracy}} is accepted as the most critical part of LuxChomp's early game strategy.  Cyrus's Conspiracy allows the player to search for an additional {{TCG|Supporter card}}, such as {{TCG|Pokémon Collector}}; a Basic {{TCG|Energy card}}; and a {{TCG|Trainer card}} with ''Team Galactic's Invention'' in its name, such as {{TCG|Team Galactic's Invention G-105 Poké Turn|Poké Turn}}.  This ensures that the LuxChomp player usually has an Energy in hand so as not to miss an attachment.  All the ''Team Galactic's Invention'' Trainer cards in the deck are situational in that they are used for either searching, disruption, or general support, and Cyrus's Conspiracy's major strength lies in its ability to search out whatever ''Team Galactic's Invention'' Trainer is most suitable for the situation at hand.

In addition to Cyrus's Conspiracy, there are several other cards that are major component's of LuxChomp's set up.  {{TCG ID|Legends Awakened|Uxie|43}} allows for easy draw, and is obtainable through {{TCG|Pokémon Collector}}, which is the deck's main source of Pokémon searching.  Using Cyrus's Conspiracy, Uxie, {{TCG|Pokémon Collector}}, and several other cards, LuxChomp generally has no trouble setting up.  A good set up is considered achieved when the LuxChomp player has at least one Garchomp C LV.X on the field with a {{TCG|Team Galactic's Invention G-101 Energy Gain|Energy Gain}} and {{TCG|Double Colorless Energy}} attached, or some other way to use ''Dragon Rush''.  Additionally, a player would have a {{TCG ID|Rising Rivals|Luxray GL|9}} on the bench ready to level up into Luxray GL LV.X.  An ideal set up would also include resources in hand to {{TCG|Team Galactic's Invention G-105 Poké Turn|Poké Turn}} a damaged or incapacitated attacker, return knocked out Pokémon to the hand or deck, and resources to quickly charge up another attacker.

* '''{{TCG ID|Rising Rivals|Luxray GL LV.X|109}}''' - Luxray GL LV.X's ''Bright Look'' [[Pokémon Power (TCG)|Poké-Power]] brings up one of the opponent's benched Pokémon and switches it with the active.  This is commonly used to bring up either an opponent's weak support Pokémon or an unevolved Basic for an easy prize.  Luxray GL LV.X can also use its ''Flash Impact'' attack, which deals 60 damage for only {{e|Lightning}}{{e}}.

* '''{{TCG ID|Supreme Victors|Garchomp C LV.X|145}}''' - The deck's other main attacker, Garchomp C LV.X's purpose is to snipe the opponent's bench with ''Dragon Rush''.  It serves essentially the same function as Luxray GL LV.X in some respects:  knock out the opponent's support and take fast prizes, one way or another.

* '''{{TCG ID|Legends Awakened|Uxie|43}}''' - Uxie is the deck's main drawing support.  It is searchable by {{TCG|Pokémon Collector}}, {{TCG|Bebe's Search}}, {{TCG|Pokémon Communication}}, and {{TCG|Luxury Ball}}, making it easy to get in hand.  Uxie's ''Set Up'' Poké-Power allows the player to draw until they have seven cards in hand, which is exceptionally useful in a deck such as LuxChomp that often finds itself expending many resources early in the game, which results in a near-empty hand.

* '''{{TCG ID|Rising Rivals|Lucario GL|8}}''' - Lucario GL changes all weaknesses to x2. It is used to gain an advantage against decks that LuxChomp has a type advantage against.  A Lucario GL in play allows Garchomp C LV.X to do 160 damage to {{TCG ID|Rising Rivals|Flygon|5}} with ''Dragon Rush'' and Luxray GL to do 140 damage to {{TCG ID|Legends Awakened|Kingdra|7}} and {{TCG ID|Stormfront|Gyarados|19}} with ''Trash Bolt''; three popular plays during LuxChomp's era.

* '''{{TCG|Team Galactic's Invention G-105 Poké Turn|Poké Turn}}''' - Since Luxray GL LV.X's ''Bright Look'', Garchomp C LV.X's ''Healing Breath'' and  {{TCG ID|Platinum|Crobat G|47}}'s ''Flash Bite'' can only be used when the card enters play from the owner's hand, and Garchomp C LV.X's ''Dragon Rush'' can only be used every other turn if Garchomp C LV.X remains active, Poké Turn is critical to the deck's ability to consistently take prizes.

* '''{{TCG|Team Galactic's Invention G-103 Power Spray|Power Spray}}''' - Power Spray is used to slow down the opponent's set up by denying them potentially important Poké-Powers such as, coincidentally, Uxie's ''Set Up'', which is heavily used.

* '''{{TCG|Team Galactic's Invention G-101 Energy Gain|Energy Gain}}''' - Being {{TCG|Pokémon SP}}, both Luxray GL LV.X and Garchomp C LV.X can benefit from the effects of Energy Gain.  Luxray GL LV.X's ''Flash Impact'' cost becomes only {{e|Lightning}} with an Energy Gain attached, while Garchomp C LV.X's ''Dragon Rush'' costs just {{e}}{{e}}, which is payable through one {{TCG|Double Colorless Energy}}.

* '''{{TCG|Double Colorless Energy}}''' - Double Colorless Energy is crucial to the deck because, in combination with Energy Gain, it allows one to charge up Garchomp C LV.X's ''Dragon Rush'' attack in just one turn.  Additionally, if the LuxChomp player is forced to attack with {{TCG ID|Legends Awakened|Uxie LV.X|146}}, Double Colorless Energy allows for the immediate powering of ''Zen Blade''.

* '''{{TCG ID|Unleashed|Entei & Raikou LEGEND|90}}''' - Entei & Raikou LEGEND is often used as a win condition against other Poké-POWER heavy decks, which are common in the format.  Its potential ability to take several prizes in one turn for only {{e|Lightning}}{{e}} is seen by some as too good to pass up, even at the cost of knocking out several of the LuxChomp player's Pokémon.

* '''{{TCG ID|Supreme Victors|Dragonite FB|56}}''' - A tech to easily combat other SP decks. Dragonite FB's ''Mach Blow'' does 80 damage to Pokémon SP. This is enough to knock out the majority of Pokémon SP, specifically Luxray GL, Garchomp C, Garchomp C LV.X, Crobat G, and Ambipom G.  

* '''{{TCG ID|Rising Rivals|Ambipom G|56}}''' - Ambipom G is commonly used in the tech as another way to donk the opponent, either through the attachment of one {{TCG|Double Colorless Energy}}, or through one regular energy and {{TCG|Team Galactic's Invention G-101 Energy Gain}}. Giving it the potential to donk regardless of who goes first.

* '''{{TCG ID|Majestic Dawn|Chatot|55}}''' - Chatot is used for hand refreshment, as well as its ability to "Chatter Lock."  ''Chatter Locking'' prevents an opponent's starter Pokémon, such as {{TCG ID|Stormfront|Sableye|48}} or {{TCG ID|Arceus|Spiritomb|32}} from retreating until it is either knocked out or, in some cases, the opponent decks themselves.

* '''{{TCG|Aaron's Collection}}''' - Aaron's Collection can be used in place, or occasionally in combination with, {{TCG|Palmer's Contribution}} to recycle knocked out Pokémon.  Aaron's has an advantage in that it brings the Pokémon directly back to the owner's hand instead of shuffling them into the deck, but Palmer's returns more Pokémon.

* '''{{TCG|Call Energy}}''' - Call Energy is used in many builds to increase the deck's consistency by giving it access to a powerful searching effect in the early game.  Considering how many {{TCG|Basic Pokémon}} the deck runs, Call Energy gives the player many options.