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Among the Most Famous...
In 1999, the first promotional card debuted in the U.S. A 60 HP
Pikachu, black-star promo #1 was handed out through the recently formed
Pokémon Leagues across the nation, and it seemed to tickle enough fancies
that it managed to somehow find a way in almost everyone's deck.
And now, in 2003, over 50 black star promos have been released, plus
unnumbered promos, including foil stamped cards (which have a gold "W" stamp
on the picture) and bilingual cards (which include a unique Exeggutor and
Lucky Stadium with both English and Japanese text) that were handed out,
respectively, at the 1999 and 2000 Tropical Mega Battle tournament in
Hawaii.
But there are certain promos that draw more attention than others.
There are promos that seem to draw little attention, some that draw a lot of
attention, and others that seem to multiply to the point that they threaten
to cause a global hazard. Here's a look at some of the most famous and
notorious promos dating back to 1999...
Black Star Promo #1: Pikachu
Like I said, this was the first promo card ever released in the U.S.
Some people thought it would be so valuable they traded their treasured
Blastoises and Charizards trying to hoard as many as possible. They would,
however, end up disappointed.
There was a Black Star Pikachu that was and IS extremely valuable to
this day. It resembles the ordinary Pikachu except that it is marked with a
1st edition mark. This card was accidentally inserted into some of the
first Jungle booster packs ever made, and the problem was quickly
corrected. The 1st edition Black Star Pikachu is rarely seen, but if you
ever see one, be willing to trade a lot for it.
Black Star Promo #3: Mewtwo
Shortly after the Pikachu promo was released, 4 promotional cards
debuted together. Promos 2-5: Electabuzz, Mewtwo, Pikachu, and Dragonite,
were handed out (one per ticket) at movie theaters when you attended the
first Pokémon movie: Mewtwo Strikes Back. The Pikachu is probably the best
Pikachu to play in decks to this day, but the problem is that there really
never was a playable enough Raichu to bother with it. The Mewtwo, however,
received more attention. Because of the popularity of Computer Search and
Item Finder (two cards that can put energy in the discard pile for Mewtwo),
and because of the popular Hitmonchan's psychic weakness, Mewtwo entered the
competitive scene almost immediately. Unfortunately, in a competitive
environment, psychic attacking Pokémon are virtually unplayable today
because of Neo: Genesis Murkrow and Sneasel.
Black Star Promo #8: Mew
Mew was released as a foil card through
the
Fossil set in Japan. However, it was believed that Mew was "too special" to
be released through simply an ordinary expansion set, and it was to be made
rare and more "special" by being released through the Pokémon League.
Instead, a non-foil Mew was handed out by the tens, and hundreds, to kids
across the nation, and Mew remains to this day, probably the least valuable
promo card, and the most abundant promo card. You will occassionally see
players, still, to this day, with boxes, and boxes, full of Mew promo
cards. Some players and collectors actually DID wallpaper their rooms and
bathrooms with this card. Also, as a bonus, the card is horrible
unplayable.
Black Star Promo #15: Cool Porygon
This promo was different because it isn't a Porygon; it's a Cool
Porygon. It managed to confuse a lot of players, but in the end, we all
realized it wasn't worth playing and to ignore it. It was released with a
Nintendo 64 Pokémon set, but ended up being handed out through the league.
In interesting difference between older and newer Cool Porygons is that the
oldest of the Cool Porygons have a smaller black star on their side than the
newer ones.
Black Star Promo #17: Dark Persian
Dark Persian was already released in the Rocket set, and this card
has three simple differences:
1) Different artwork
2) Holographic
3) Different name for first attack ("Tempt" instead of "Fascinate")
There is a 4th difference in some of the promo Dark Persians,
though. Some of the Dark Persians that were released through Nintendo Power
have no HP. Instead of "60 HP" it reads " HP." Now, you can argue that
it can't be knocked out, but the card is so horrible anyway it's not even
worth bothering.
Black Star Promo #18: Team Rocket's Meowth
Team Rocket's Meowth is an insane card. With enough PlusPowers and a
darkness energy if necessary, it is possible to KO any Pokémon your opponent
plays on the first turn with it. Fortunately for modified, this card is no
longer playable. If it was, the team format would remain in a horrible
condition, with any player who opened with 1 Pokémon (sometimes even 2)
vulnerable to a TR's Meowth suicide attack to take out one of the players on
the team.
Black Star Promo #32: Smeargle
Smeargle has one of the most unique attacks because it can
permanently change the type of a Pokémon for the remainder of the game. You
can use its attack (Paint) to make a Sneasel with darkness energy take
damage from the darkness energy (as it no longer is a dark type Pokémon),
make metal cards, like Scizor, have their damaged reduced because of the
metal energy, or change their Pokémon to a type that your main attacker is
resistant to. Murkrow works well with Smeargle because Murkrow is resistant
to psychic, which allows Smeargle to make many cards vulnerable to Murkrow's
Mean Look.
Black Star Promo #42: Pokémon Tower
This card definitely affected the unlimited environment, threatening
to weaken the 3-4 Item Finder decks and the 4 Recycle Energy decks that
remain popular today. Pokémon Tower, combined with a heavy Energy Removal
line, is a powerful force against low energy decks that rely on Recycle
Energy, such as Clefable, Wigglytuff or Chansey decks.
Black Star Promo #45: Scyther
This Scyther is playable probably only in modified, but there it can
be a powerful force with either Dodrio or Neo: Genesis (Wild Growth)
Meganium.
Black Star Promo #49: Mew
This Mew was a lot different from the original in that it:
1) is not horrible
2) did not cause a global catastrophe
3) is playable in the modified format
Powerful evolutions dominate the modified format, and this is why Mew
is seen in every Espeon and Gengar deck people play in modified. It does
have a few enemies, such as Pichu (Neo: Genesis), Muk (Legendary), and
Tyrogue (Neo: Discovery).
Pre-release Clefable
Some people don't even know this exists. It is one of the oldest
promos and few copies of it were made.
Pre-release Raichu
Many people don't believe this card exists. It does, however, and is
probably among the most valuable of any Pokémon cards in the world, with a
price range from $1,000 - $3,000.
E3 Pikachu
The E3 video game show held anually in California released, in
1999, a promotional Pikachu card. This is also one of the more valuable
promos around today.
And there are more promos to be released. For now, we get to play
the waiting game.
-Jason Klaczynski
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Irremovable Scizor
(picture may not be the one used
in the below deck)
By now I would expect everyone to understand the power of Scizor in
modified. It's also a powerful card in the unlimited format, but of course,
it is difficult to escape the power ob the ubiquitous Energy Removal and
Super Energy Removal.
EcoGym is always one way of dealing with removal. Slowking is another. I
don't like EcoGym as much with Scizor in unlimited than I did with Steelix.
The reason is simply because you'll often have reason to play 2 metal energy
on a Scizor (to increase the damage it does), while a Steelix only needs one
metal energy to perform its strongest attack. When your opponent plays a
new gym, and Super Energy Removal, the Steelix only loses one metal, but the
Scizor often loses two. Another weakness of Scizor is that it can be
knocked out easily by two of Sneasel's Beat Up attacks. Steelix, having 110
HP, can actually survive two with help from a Gold Berry.
Now of course, Steelix may be the better card to play when it comes to
beating Energy Removal and Super Energy Removal. However, Scizor is simply
a stronger card. Its attack averages 70 damage if you get 4 metal on the
Scizor. Getting 4 metal on the Scizor is hard enough to do, but keeping
them on the Scizor is even harder. There is one way to do it, though. It
involves a combination of Brock's Ninetales and Brock's Protection. Using
Brock's Ninetales' Pokémon Power: Shapeshift, you can "evolve" it into a
Scizor. But before you do this- attach a Brock's Protection to Brock's
Ninetales. This will prevent your opponent from being able to remove the
metals that allow Scizor to become an unstoppable wall that is capable of
knocking out almost anything in play with a single attack. Although Scizor
is better when your opponent cannot play Energy Removal and Super Energy
Removal, you will sometimes be in situations in which the extra 30 HP is
important, and that is why you should not hesitate to at least play 1
Steelix in the deck.
The deck needs no other back up besides simple Igglybuff to ensure Slowking
does not stop you from playing vital trainers such as Brock's Protection,
and a Scyther, to give you a chance against beating Muk.
Pokémon (18)
3x Brock's Vulpix
2x Brock's Ninetales
4x Scizor
1x Steelix
4x Cleffa
2x Igglybuff
1x Tyrogue
1x Scyther
The reason you max out on Scizor is not simply so you can draw them easily,
it is this combined with the fact that Scizor can be discarded in numerous
ways: poison, sleep, paralysis, confusion (all end Pokémon Powers and cause
Scizor to be discarded, and yes, poison also shuts Shapeshift off, even
though the card says only paralysis, sleep, and confusion do.) You play two
Brock's Ninetales as you should seldom try to build two Scizor, and because
they can ruin opening hands when combined with Scizor.
Energy (11)
4x Metal Energy
3x Recycle Energy
2x Rainbow Energy
2x Warp Energy
Very low energy, as it is irremovable, of course. You need energy for
Scizor (and yes, rainbow allows you another flip for Heavy Metal) and energy
to Eeeeeeek with. Warp Energy is simply nice to have because of Murkrow and
other situations you may come across.
Trainers (31)
4x Computer Search
3x Lass
3x Item Finder
3x Super Energy Removal
3x Copycat
2x Professor Elm
3x Gold Berry
2x Gust of Wind
2x Brock's Protection
2x Pokémon Fan Club
1x Narrow Gym
1x Sprout Tower
1x Chaos Gym
1x Professor Oak
Most decks play 3 Gust of Wind, but this doesn't, as an irremovable Scizor
with several metal energies has few things that threaten it. Sprout Tower
actually is designed to prevent multiple attacks, either by Do the Wave or
Double Edge, from knocking out Scizor. You play 1 Professor Oak as you
should rarely have a hand worth discarding, considering the metal energy,
Brock's Ninetales, Gold Berry, etc. Energy Charge is an option, but
ideally, you should not need the cards.
This deck is one of the few decks that consistently beats Slowking/Sneasel.
Sneasel is simply not enough to knock out the Scizor, and Scizor is also
extremely effective against Slowking, being able to Snatch it active and
perhaps buy turns to build Scizor.
Of course, Muk is a different deal. Muk is very hard to beat with this
deck, and requires either a very fast Scizor, or knocking out all their
Grimers, and these two are usually both occurring when you are beating a Muk
deck.
-Jason Klaczynski |
