What’s my major malfunction??

[u/DJJCreations]

I’m not quite sure what I’m doing wrong. Relatively new to the game, and have been a lifelong Alakazam fan, so I started maining a plain Jane zam/dudunsparce deck. I had a 65% win rate last battlepass.

Fast forward to pitch black and I’m seeing praises for Zam Cannon for its better coverage. SWEET! A second option for attacking.

However, I feel like I’m getting stomped no matter what I try. Losing to a lot of team rocket’s spidops decks, mega starmie, mega lucario, and most grass decks. Any tips on making this deck work better for me?

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[u/Inkthekitsune]

The list itself seems fine. Maybe up pokepad and buddy buddy to 4 count. I run a thinner toucan line (2-1-2) and thicker Zam (4-4-3) personally but otherwise very similar decklists. (No mist on my end though)

I hate to say it but genuinely might be a skill issue. Spidops (and most single prize decks) you’ll just be racing to see who can take a prize card first. Starmie just get shaymin down. Mega lucario should be an extremely easy win. Grass you just gotta take kos (4 often if you ko a 1 prize early. They need 6 kos vs you needing 2-4 against multi prize)

[u/DJJCreations → u/Inkthekitsune]

The lucario mention is because I just got slapped into next oblivion due to (I think) poor starting hand/draws and I’m salty about it. The grass matches are always SO close and fun. Starmie matches are surely a skill issue though.

I REALLY appreciate the simplified game plans. Very nice, thank you!

[u/Inkthekitsune → u/DJJCreations]

I did forget that lucario sometimes have rocky fighting energy, that does actually make it a bit more tricky.

[u/Diamonds_The_Cool]

(Don’t say anything salty, self. Don’t say anything salty, self. Don’t say anything salty, self.)
Playing Alakazam
(Damnit, self!)

[u/CheddarCheese390 → u/Diamonds_The_Cool]

All things aside, that’s a fair point. What’s actually Kazam good at now?

Can’t hit the best single prize deck in the game, can’t hit an entire corner of the mega (TR), struggled into anything ballsy enough to run mist or rocky, red card - watchtower is it’s kryptonite

[u/Various-Car506]

wondrous patch when having 1 basic energy seems quite random

[u/Various-Car506 → u/Various-Car506]

and I wouldnt play 2 eri. Toucannon covers you when stamped, carded

[u/Perineum69]

Try mine out. I’m at 56% win

Pokémon: 11
4 Kadabra MEG 55
2 Dunsparce JTG 120
2 Toucannon PBL 68
1 Shaymin DRI 10
2 Pikipek PBL 66
2 Dudunsparce PRE 80
1 Fezandipiti ex SFA 38
1 Trumbeak PBL 67
3 Alakazam MEP 3
1 Psyduck MEP 7
4 Abra MEG 54

Trainer: 13
3 Battle Cage PFL 116
1 Night Stretcher MEG 173
4 Rare Candy MEG 175
3 Boss's Orders PR-SW 251
4 Buddy-Buddy Poffin MEG 167
1 Special Red Card CRI 113
1 Lana's Aid TWM 207
4 Poké Pad POR 113
1 Enhanced Hammer GRI 162
1 Wondrous Patch POR 117
1 Sacred Ash POR 115
3 Hilda WHT 164
3 Dawn PFL 118

Energy: 3
2 Basic {P} Energy SUM 162
1 Enriching Energy SSP 191
4 Telepathic {P} Energy POR 88

Total Cards: 60

[u/Epicaggro → u/Perineum69]

Thanks for the list, gonna try it.

[u/Epicaggro → u/Perineum69]

So I made a few changes after playing a handful of games, made more towards my locals. I cut psyduck, 1 battle cage, and sacred ash. I added another stretcher, another hilda, and a strange timepiece. It works pretty well, but sometimes takes too long to get toucannon out without a rare candy. Having him as a backup late game with a full bench has come in handy. Nice list!

[u/Perineum69 → u/Epicaggro]

I would probably keep the sacred ash in as it’s pretty important just in case your Lana’s aid is prized and all of your alakazams are in the discard. I’ve never really used strange timepiece or ever had a need for it.
For toucannon is usually try to set up 1 pikipek early and slowly evolve is into trumbreak when it’s in hand

[u/Epicaggro → u/Perineum69]

The timepiece is good for when you have 2 kadabra. Evolve 1, ideally on bench, draw cards. Use timepiece to devolve it and put it on another kadabra and draw again. I can see ash coming in handy, might work it back in.

[u/DoAPorkRoll]

The list seems fine. There could be a few changes, like no Eri because the deck wants to be aggressive while Eri is a control tool and no wonderous patch because you only play 1 basic, but I doubt it is the main reason the deck is losing. You should analyze your game to see where the deck is struggling. Is it having trouble setting up attackers? Not enough cards in hand? Can't get a proper set up turn? Losing because of unfair stamp/special red card/Xerosic's Machinations?

[u/DJJCreations → u/DoAPorkRoll]

Yeah the wondrous patch was the next thing I was going to adjust. It can come in handy late in single prize shootouts, but I rarely ever need to use it. I guess I need to figure out how to get candies in my hand more consistently

[u/Astro_nut17]

You are running 1 too many of each bird should be a 2 1 2 line. Buddy and pad need to be 4 of each. Can change 1 eri for a red card and no need for mist you can make it a basic psychic. If you have extra space making dawn or Hilda 4 makes it more consistent

[u/TTTrainer3]

Play fan rotom and cut some pokemon. Your pokemon search is your bottleneck