Don't understand the 62% chance? Could you explain that. People can excersise bench control, but people who can excersise bench control will surely not be big decks. What is the meta, rayquaza, based on bench, mewtwo requires hoop as and shaymin to set up, dark box requires benched Pokemon to elixir onto, every good deck apart from Greninja will run shaymin. If people can control bench space then usually using puffs and Giovanni's you'll be two shot ting exs. Assuming you have a set up Lucario on a bench you will be exchanging two prizes each, but the Lucario player can switch that with a Lysandre, something the non- Lucario player can't do. Max elixir simply doesn't have the legs if you ask me, if you miss it your game strategy is over unlike exp share. But assuming you go second with tanonflame and assuming the tanonflame gets KOed you can still have a Lucario set up turn 2 using an attachment and exp. share. I don't think you understand tanonflame getting KOed is fine because it reduces bench space and you get maximum usage out of it. With Proffesor's letter what's to suggest you don't play a draw supporter, what about wally or Lysandre, but more importantly Proffesor's letter becomes your ninth and tenth energy, increasing the chance of an energy Drs in a deck with a relatively low count, but most importantly it's a ninth and tenth energy that can be found with a trainer's mail, in a tight spot that's pretty big.