1) What is your name? Andy
2) What is your e-mail address? stinky_333@hotmail.com
3) What is your skill level? I guess you could call me an advanced
player. (I've been playing for about 14 months.)
4) What is the name of your deck? The name of my deck is Stuck.
5) What is your deck all about? My deck is based around keeping the opponent with little decisions, using Dark Muk as my main focus. I believe Dark Muk is an incredibly powerful Pokemon. I find his attack even more beneficial than his Power, because it kills so quickly for such a little cost. Koffing is great for his status affects, and Erika's Dratini is handy for Psychic Resistance and against basics. Brock's Lickitung is a consistently effective weapon/staller, and can deal major damage if coin flips are going your way.
6) Which of the following would you prefer?
-A balance between the two, tuning the deck to win but maintaining theme where possible
7) Is there any card in the deck that you DO NOT want taken out under ANY circumstances? Potion, Pluspower, Switch. There are others (such as Oak), but I'm sure you won't want to take those out!
8) List the cards in your deck for me, dividing them into Pokemon, Trainers, and Energy.
Stuck
Pokemon: 12 Basics, 15 Total
3 Dark Muk
4 Grimer (Fossil)
3 Koffing (Base)
3 Erika's Dratini 2 Brock's Lickitung
Trainers: 25 Total
3 Computer search
3 Professor Oak
3 Bill
3 Super Energy Removal
3 Gust of Wind
4 Potion
4 Pluspower
2 Switch
Energy: 16 Basic, 20 Total 16 Grass Energy &nbs! p; &
9) The following cards are cards I believe should be present in just about every deck:
-Professor Oak
-Computer Search
-Item Finder
-Gust of Wind
-Nightly Garbage Run
Nightly Garbage Run would be great in my deck to prevent decking and to get back Pokemon and Energy, but I only own one. My local card shop sells multiples of only some non-holo cards, none of which are Nightly Garbage Run, and I don't really have the money to buy more packs. Also, nobody else my age collects anymore so it's hard to find a good trade. Same goes for Item Finder.
10) If any of the card choices in your deck require special explanation to prevent me from taking one look at them, screaming, and lapsing into a coma, please provide such explanation here. Potion works wonders with Erika's Dratini, and is also awesome on Dark Muk because of his low Hit Points.
11) Is there anything else you think I should know? Like I said earlier, it's hard for me to get multiples of certain cards. Also, I only own one Scyther.

***

Okay, let's see what we can do to help fix this deck up.

1) This is your pretty standard Dark Muk deck... you're right, he can be incredibly powerful. There are only a couple of things I would do to your Pokemon.

First of all, when you can, trade out Brock's Lickitung for Scythers. Scyther I think is generally better, and here's why-- first, the retreat, second, the SD ability in this deck, thirdly the fact that Lickitung's second attack averages out to 30 damage-- Scyther does the same for the same cost and without the possibility of two tails. I know you only own one Scyther, and that's fine. Stick it in for right now and try to get some more. I personally am glad I have traded to get four Scythers on hand, because they fit well in just about any deck.

Secondly, drop Koffing. He is good, you're right, but you don't really need more status effects in this deck, and the slots will come in handy. Actually, use one of these slots right now for a Fossil Muk. The ability to shut off Powers is excellent in some situations. ClefairyDoll runs one in her Dark Muk deck, and she seems to add one in when she fixes DkMuk decks for others-- and I think she just might know something about playing this sort of deck.

2) Hmmm trainers. We loves 'em. Okay, we've got two spaces, and we will probably make more by dropping energy. Start by adding an Oak. Now add in some Nightly Garbage Runs. Yes, I know you only have one-- put it in and try to get more. 3 will be sufficient, 4 is optimal. Item Finder is also yummy, and you want it, but I'll go easy on you and only recommend 1 at this point. (Hint: You can trade with kids younger than you, you know.) Hmm... Potion is okay. But not 4. 3. At this point we're just about done.


3) Drop as much energy as you need to fit in what you want, down to about 11-12 grass energy. Keep in mind that none of your Pokemon needs more than two Energy cards (energy CARDS, not energy) to attack... you can get away with a shockingly low amount.

***

14 Pokemon:

4 Grimer
3 Dark Muk
1 Muk
3 Erika's Dratini
3 Scyther*

29 Trainers:

4 Oak
3 Bill
3 Computer Search
1 Item Finder*
3 Nightly Garbage Run*
3 SER
3 GOW
3 Potion
4 PlusPower
2 Switch

17 Energy:

13 Grass Energy
4 DCE

***

Cards marked with an asterisk (*) are ones that you indicated were difficult to obtain, but that I felt was neccessary to add anyway, in reduced quantities to make it easier on you. Of those, the one I'd worry least about is Scyther. Get the trainers first, as those will be the most helpful, and continue to use Lickitung or Koffing until you can get some Scythers.


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