Alolan Sandslash GX Analysis

Hey Potown readers! Its Reid here bringing you my first article on Potown. As I just got back home from the Dallas Texas Regional Championship I take a dive into the new Alolan Sandslash GX box. With today being the release of the new Alolan Sandslash GX we get a closer look at the second Pokemon being brought into the TCG game from the new Sword and Shield set (codes from the box can be bought right here on our website). We will have additional topics about a certain deck list that can drastically change the meta of the Pokemon TCG game and stick around till the end as we will have a recap of from Dallas and talk about the winning List. 

The Alolan Sandslash GX box contains 

It’s a water type Pokémon with 200 hit power. It is a stage 1 and evolves from Alolan Sandshrew. 

Ability 
Needle Guard:
If this Pokemon is your Active Pokemon and is damaged by an opponent’s attack, put 3 damage counters on the Attacking Pokemon.

[W][C][C] Icy Breath: 120 damage.

[W][C][C] Needle Storm GX:
This attack does 100 damage to each of your opponent’s Pokemon with any damage counters on it. (Don’t apply Weakness and Resistance for Benched Pokemon.) (You can’t use more than 1 GX attack in a game.)

Weakness: Metal (x2)     
Resistance: none       
Retreat: 2

While we take a look at Alolan Sandslash we will also be looking at Misty and Lorelei Tag Team trainer, this is a card that will make the deck even stronger. Misty and Lorelei Tag Team Trainer says “Search your deck for up to 3 Water Energy cards, reveal them, and put them into your hand. Then, shuffle your deck. When you play this card, you may discard 5 other cards from your hand. If you do, during this turn, your Water Pokemon may use their GX attack even if you have used your GX attack”.

With the combination of Alolan Sandslash GX and Misty and Lorelei you will be able to GX multiple times a game which can deal 200, 300, and even 400 damage counters to all of your opponents Pokemon that already have any damage counters on them.  

4 Alolan Sandshrew 

4 Alolan Sandslash GX 

3 Larvesta 

3 Volcarona GX

2 Dedenne GX 

1 Ditto Prism Star

4 Welder 

4 Cherish Ball 

4 Pokegear 3.0 

4 Fire Crystal 

3 Professor Oak's Setup 

3 Pokemon Communication

2 Mallow and Lana 

2 Giant Hearth 

2 Choice Helmet 

1 Misty and Lorelei 

1 Viridian Forest 

1 Pal Pad 

8 Fire 

3 Water 

All Pokemon GX have one GX attack per game some being stronger than others but with Misty & Lorelei it allows water Pokemon to use their GX attack for a second time. With the opportunity to use your GX attack for a second time it gives you the chance to deal 200 damage to all of your opponents Pokemon that have damage counters on them. With the opportunity to GX twice it opens the opportunity for you to take all 6 prizes in one turn if you are able to strategically place the damage around. 

In order for Alolan Sandslash’s GX attack to put damage on your opponents Pokemon, they must already have damage on them. Volcarona’s ability allows damage to be put out with its ability. 

Volcorona’s Ability says “Once during your turn (before your attack), you may discard a fire Energy card from your hand. If you do, put 2 damage counters on 1 of your opponent's Pokémon”. With this ability it allowed the Alolan Sandslash GX attack to take effect on whichever Pokemon you dealt damage to with Volcarona GX’s ability. 

Why I know it’s odd to play fire energies in a water deck in this case it makes sense, you discard them to place damage with Volcarona GX as well as being able to get turn one attacks off using welder. Not only is welder strong because it allows you to attach double fire energy to one Pokemon but it allows you to draw three cards to increase the size and strength of your hand.  This makes the deck insanely strong as dealing a lot of damage turn one comes with ease. 

Next we take a look at Lapras V Max. Lapras V Max is a strong attacker that comes in the new Sword and Shield set. Also in set come support cards for the deck such as Frosmoth, Evolution Incense, and Air Balloon. 

3 Snom 

3 Frosmoth 

3 Lapras V 

2 Lapras V MAX

2 Silvally GX

1 Type Null 

1 Ditto Prism Star

1 Dedenne GX 

1 Palkia GX 

4 Quick Ball 

4 Professors research

4 Cynthia

3 Evolution Incense 

3 Viridian Forest 

2 Pokemon Communication

2 Energy Retrieval 

2 Fishing Rod 

2 Air Balloon 

2 Great Catcher 

1 Reset Stamp 

1 Mallow Lana 

1 Lady 

12 Water

This attack does 30 more damage for each [W] Energy attached to this Pokemon.

Ability - As often as you like during your turn, you may attach a Water Energy card from your hand to 1 of your Benched Water Pokemon.

You must discard 1 card from your hand in order to play this card. Search your deck for a Basic Pokemon, reveal it, and put it into your hand. Then, shuffle your deck.

Search your deck for an Evolution Pokemon, reveal it, and put it into your hand. Then, shuffle your deck.

Select up to 2 Pokemon and 2 basic energy cards in your discard pile and shuffle them into your deck.

The Retreat Cost of the Pokemon this card is attached to is [C][C] less.

Discard your hand and draw 7 cards.

This Pokemon allows you to attach as many water energies from your hand per turn as you would like. Being able to do this increases the amount of damage that your Lapras V Max will be hitting for. This Makes your deck attack faster and stronger as you don't have to wait and attach one energy per turn.

Why I know Silvally being in the deck is a weird addition because it’s an easy 2 prize for your opponent to great catcher up and kill but it makes the deck more consist as you’re guaranteed to have at least 5 cards in hand. This increases the amount of cards you see per turn, and the more cards you see the more energy you’ll see to attach.

Palkia is a strong basic attacker. For 3 colorless energy it hits for 60 + 20 for each water energy you have attached to it. The first attack also allows you to move energy from your benched Pokemon to the Palkia, while all his attacks are good the main purpose for it is his GX attack. For 3 water and 2 colorless energies your Palkia will hit for a base damage of 150 and shuffles all your opponents energies into their deck. 

We saw some pretty fascinating decks make their expanded debut as Giratina Garchomp weezing took the win piloted by Florida player and team member of CutorTap Hunter Butler. As well as Regirock Sableye and Sceptile GX Vileplume make top 8 finishes. 

2 Weezing 

2 Exeggcute 

1 Naganadel & Guzzlord GX 

1 Noibat 

1 Noivern GX 

1 Dedenne GX 

1 Shaymin EX 

1 Mimikyu 

1 Giratina 

1 Comfey 

4 VS Seeker 

4 Ultra Ball 

3 Mysterious Treasure 

3 Battle Compressor 

3 Trainers Mail 

2 Field Blower 

2 Great Catcher 

2 Float Stone 

2 Roxie 

2 Chaotic Swell 

1 Cherish Ball 

1 Rescue Stretcher 

1 Computer Search 

1 Choice Band 

1 Fighting Fury Belt 

1 Professor Sycamore 

1 N 

1 Guzma 

1 Acerola 

1 Faba 

4 Double Dragon Energy 

3 Lightning Energy 

In top cut we saw this deck destroy two Gardevoir & Sylveon GX decks one being in the top 8 and the other in the finals. How did it overcome the weakness that Gardevouir & Sylveon GX hits it for? Easy, it simply out speeds it. With the double dragon energy and Tapu Koko prisms ability “Dance of the Ancients” the energy attachments come with ease, then the damage output of Roxie and discarding two weezing the damage comes out to be a perfect 260 knockout. The deck has proven to be powerful in both the standard and expanded formats. 

With the next regional being Collinsville in the expanded format there’s still plenty of time for more thought to be put into these decks. With water decks uprising decks like Reshiram & Charizard GX and Blacephalon GX will start to die down and see less play. It’s never too early to start testing so I suggest as soon as prerelease start you jump on our website and get yourself those Alolan Sandslash GX PTCGO codes before they sell out and start testing PTCG online to not only increase your skills but become comfortable with the deck and find out the best 60 cards available. I hope everyone enjoyed reading my article and enjoyed the lists I’ve shared for the coming up decks as well as the Dallas regional recap. See you next time! 

*As always purchase all PTCGO codes from our website and you can even use promo code Reid5 for 5% off at checkout.