RayEels (TCG)

RayEels
Rayquaza-EX and Eelektrik Types used Major cards Rayquaza-EX and Eelektrik Era 2012–2013

RayEels was a Pokémon Trading Card Game deck archetype popularly played in the 2012-2013 season. The deck's strategy revolved around charging Benched Rayquaza-EX with basic energies to power up its Dragon Burst Attack and knock out any opposing Pokémon in one attack. This deck was known for its straightforwardness and ease to play for beginner players. Rayquaza-EX was also, during its time, one of the few Pokémon that could knockout Pokémon-EX in one attack without accounting Weakness. RayEeels ranked 2nd place in the Seniors Division at the 2013 Pokémon Trading Card Game World Championships but, despite struggling against decks with Garbodor, had better results in other events beforehand. Runner-up of the Juniors Division Clément Lamberton's version was printed as a promotional World Championships deck, Anguille Sous Roche.

Strategy

Professor Juniper

Rayeels was similar to other decks that used Eelektrik's Dynamotor Ability to charge energy from the discard pile on benched Pokémon. However, Rayquaza-EX's attack not only discarded these energies but needed at least one energy attached to deal damage. Its Dragon Burst attack discarded either all or basic energy attached to it to deal 60 damage for each discarded card. At three energies (and one for the attack's requiriment), Rayquaza-EX dealt 180 damage and knocked out every Pokémon in the format.

The deck's goal was to have three to four benched Eelektrik, one active Rayquaza-EX with enough energies to attack and a benched Rayquaza-EX to be charged from Dynamotor the next turn. Professor Juniper and Ultra Ball were crucial Trainers in the deck, since the player wanted as much energies in the discard pile in the first turns. RayEeels could also use many supporting attackers thanks to using two kinds of energies and having energy acceleration. Post-Boundaries Crossed, Keldeo-EX and Float Stone were common for easily retreating Pokémon without attached energies.

Key cards

Super Rod

• Rayquaza-EX - Rayquaza-EX's Dragon Burst attack could constantly deal knockouts with the Dynamotor engine. Its Celestial Roar attack could also attach energies from the top of the deck at the risk of discarding valuable resources.
• Eelektrik - Each Eelektrik's Dynamotor could attach a energy to benched attackers. Eelektrik's Electric Ball attack was useful to knockout damaged Pokémon, though the deck usually had better secondary attackers.
• Keldeo-EX - Keldeo-EX's Rush In Ability made it easier to retreat other Pokémon despite Keldeo-EX's retreat cost.
• Float Stone - Useful at retreating any Pokémon in the deck.
• Super Rod - Super Rod recycled energy and often Pokémon that the deck would often lose by opposing Pokémon or discard with Trainer cards.
• Ultra Ball - Ultra Ball could discard energies on purpose and get any Pokémon in the deck.
• Level Ball - Level Ball could grab Tynamo and Eelektrik from the deck without any drawback.
• Skyarrow Bridge - Skyarrow Bridge allowed Rayquaza-EX and other Basic Pokémon with only one retreat cost to freely retreat.
• Professor Juniper - Professor Juniper could discard energies to later use Dynamotor and draw cards.

Typical decklist

Clément Lamberton's decklist at the 2013 World Championship

Quantity	Card	Type	Rarity
4×	Tynamo
4×	Eelektrik
3×	Rayquaza
1×	Raikou
1×	Victini
2×	Keldeo
1×	Dowsing Machine	I
1×	Energy Search	I
4×	Level Ball	I
3×	Pokémon Catcher	I
2×	Super Rod	I
4×	Ultra Ball	I
4×	Float Stone	I
3×	Tropical Beach	St	—
4×	Professor Juniper	Su
4×	N	Su
3×	Colress	Su
8×	Lightning Energy	E
4×	Fire Energy	E

Possible tech cards

Zekrom

The following cards are often used in RayEels in place of certain cards included in the above lists.

• Raikou-EX - Raikou-EX could deal 100 damage to benched Pokémon and snipe some opposing threats.
• Mewtwo-EX - Mewtwo-EX was a cheap attacker that could use any kind of energies and offered coverage.
• Zekrom - Secondary attacker that dealt decent damage for a non-EX Pokémon. Could turn matches either favorable or unfavorable when starting the game in the active spot, since it had 130 Hit Points but could not easily retreat.
• Victini - Strong counter to Pokémon, Victini was a non-EX attacker that could do 100 damage with two energies.
• Rayquaza - Rayquaza's Shred could damage immune Pokémon and knockout opposing Rayquaza-EX for Weakness damage.

This article is part of Project TCG, a Bulbapedia project that aims to report on every aspect of the Pokémon Trading Card Game.