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WE ACCEPT
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CARD
ANALYSIS CONT. |
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SNEASEL
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Hey everyone. I'm back. Today
I'm going to talk about a card that has been sickeningly popular since it's
debut in Neo Genesis; the only card that was banned from the new modified
format that's in a legal set; a card that discourages newer players from the
game because it is so powerful: Sneasel.
Fury Swipes
The first attack, although probably not necessarily one of it's best
qualities (although simply everything about Sneasel is good) is it's Fury
Swipes Attack. One colorless... 10x... you see small numbers, small energy,
and a lot of people overlook it. But it isn't just a 1 Colorless: 10 attack.
It's a lot better. If you know your probability, you know your chance at
heads are:
0/3 heads: 12.5%
1/3 heads: 37.5%
2/3 heads: 37.5%
3/3 heads: 12.5%
So you got a 7/8 chance at doing at least 10 damage, and a 50 percent chance
of doing 20 or 30. Of course, it's better than this because of darkness
energy.
With one darkness energy, Sneasel is transformed into a card that most
likely is going to do 20 or 30 depending on flips, still with that small
chance at 0 or 40, though. And that 50% chance at 30+ damage makes Sneasel
often get the lucky flip versus the baby to KO it in the early game.
Beat Up
And of course, it's second attack: Beat Up.
This attack is sick. It's ridiculous. It's why Sneasel is banned from
modified and it's why Sneasel is such a powerful card. Two energy, and when
you get that full bench (which is simply easy to do in a game with a lot of
card drawing) Sneasel as a 65.675% chance at 3+ heads out of 6 flips. Now,
with only 4 darkness energy, this can be difficult, but of course, you're
allowed to use rainbow energy to provide darkness. A lot of people do not
know this, and some of the people that do don't know the other part: the
rainbow energy doesn't give the +10 benefit that darkness gives. This is
because technically, while metal energy and darkness energy aren't basic
energy cards, they are basic energy, and rainbow provies basic
energy. So a Sneasel with one dark, and one rainbow can Beat Up, and would
get a +10 if it did any initial damage.
Look at some of the popular non-baby Pokémon:
-Rocket's Zapdos
-Sneasel
-Scyther
Rocket's Zapdos and Scyther go down all the time to the Sneasel. Sneasel
simply can one-hit KO anything with 70 HP. One dark gives it that extra 10
to need only 3 out of 6 flips, which is average flipping, and it simply will
happen most of the time.
With 60 HP Pokémon, it's not difficult to play 2 darkness energy so that
Sneasel only needs 2 heads, which significantly increases your chances at
knockout, giving opposing Sneasels and other 60 HP Pokémon little chance.
Remember that the extra 10 damage isn't always improving your odds. A
Sneasel with one dark and one rainbow has the same chance as a Sneasel with
two dark when it comes to KOing any ODD HP'd Pokémon. (30, 50, 70, 90, 110).
It's fast, it's powerful, but it's also very vulnerable to Energy Removal.
This is why Sneasel is so popular with EcoGym or Slowking. If you cannot
remove the energies of a Sneasel, you're in a bad position; Beat Up is
simply more powerful than any other attack compared to it's energy
requirements.
HP, Retreat, Weakness
Sneasel's 60 HP isn't the best, but for something that can take out
nearly anything that deals damage, it's enough. The free retreat is amazing,
especially since an SER can hurt the Sneasel. If it is removed, you can
retreat and Eeeeeeek with Cleffa or attack with something else. No weakness
is also extremely useful. It's hard to metagame this card. Lastly, the
psychic resistance, simply an unnecessary metagame to stop anything weird
like Mr. Mime from having a chance versus Sneasel.
Playing Sneasel
The most important thing to do when playing Sneasel is to protect it
from Energy Removal and Super Energy Removal. Either play it with Neo
Slowking, or play EcoGym and Energy Charge to try to protect and save all
your darkness energy and rainbow energy.
Also be aware of cards like Ditto, which can take out your Sneasel the turn
it is played with a double colorless. Ditto is the best metagame,
Pokémon-wise, for Sneasel.
Beating Sneasel
The simplest way to beat Sneasel is with energy removal, but when
you cannot play energy removal, your chances are Ditto, or Tyrogue.
I like Tyrogue because it needs 2 heads to take out the Sneasel. The 30
damage avoids Gold Berry (although your opponent will often play a rainbow
energy to trigger the Gold Berry) and multiple Tyrogues should always be
able to take down a Sneasel. Getting a Focus Band on the Tyrogue(s) is/are
extremely effective because it gives the Sneasel between a 1/4 and 1/5
chance at knocking out the Tyrogue.
Rating
In unlimited, I'd give Sneasel a near perfect rating of
9.5/10.
The only other card to get a perfect rating, in my eyes, would be Murkrow,
from Neo 1. |
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CLEFFA
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If you ask any good, competitive player what the best card in the game is,
you're probably going to get the same answer: Cleffa.
Cleffa's Strength
Since it's release in Neo: Genesis, nearly every deck has played 3,
or 4 Cleffa. The reason is simple: Card Advantage. Cleffa simply gives you
a new hand, for one colorless energy. It is a free retreating Pokémon with
a baby rule to help prevent your opponent from attacking. Cleffa is one of
the best things you can open with as your active Pokémon. Realize that the
30 HP is not necessarily a weakness- the old ways of Pokémon, with
Hitmonchan and PlusPowers are gone. Seldom will the Cleffa be knocked out
first turn. Think about what actually can do 30 damage on the first turn,
and then remember they need to flip heads to attack Cleffa.
Anyway, Lass is also a popular card nowadays. I've talked about
this before. Lass is a card that is going to slow your opponent down. You
will take away their Computer Search, their Oak, their Gust of Wind to buy
them time, their Energy Removal to slow you down, etc. But then your
options are also gone. Of course, this is where Cleffa steps in. You
Lass, leaving you and your opponent with few options, but then you Eeeeeeek
and can go off on them next turn, evolving, playing trainers, etc.
Nearly any deck that Top 8's at any major tournament plays 3-4 Cleffa.
It's a colorless Pokémon, of course attacking for one colorless. This makes
it attractive to any deck. It works with Lass, and against it, and since
it's release, it has weakened cards that destroyed opponent's hands, since
Cleffa would simply restore it.
Weaknesses of Cleffa
Of course, the card is vulnerable in some situations. Many
players fear Murkrow because if it uses Mean Look, Cleffa is unable to
retreat, and since it cannot do damage, it will only stay active while your
opponent, each turn, has a flip to try to 20 to any of their benched
Pokémon. Murkrow can finish off your bench, and eventually the Cleffa. Of
course, this isn't as powerful as it seems. Each turn they have the 50%
failure to do anything, and you can get a new hand every turn, and get your
Gust of Wind, Switch, Scoop Up, etc., eventually getting you out of the Mean
Look.
And if your Cleffas are taken out early- it's okay! Send up another
one, and Eeeeeeek again. By this time, your opponent has obviously gone
through a lot of their cards (and deck) to be able to KO the Cleffas, and
when you Eeeeeeek, you'll start drawing the many cards you have left in your
deck, and with all your options, you should develop the advantage over turns
with cards like Super Energy Removal. This is why so many decks play 4
Cleffa.
The bottom line, though, is that Cleffa belongs in every deck.
Rating
Rating Cleffa, from 1-10 (5 being average) is simple. In unlimited
format, it is the best card in the game, and gets a
10/10.
In modified, best card in the game, still.
10/10.
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DONPHAN
Neo Genesis |
Although not powerful in the unlimited format, Neo: Genesis'
non holo rare, Donphan, is a great card to use in
the modified format. Not only is it's expensive attack immune to cards that
would dominate it in the unlimited format, such as Super Energy Removal and
Scyther, but it is also a Stage 1, not a Stage 2, and because most modified
decks rely on a Stage 2- you have two advantages- one is the fact that in
general, it is easier to get an attacking Stage 1 than a Stage 2, and the
second, is the fact that a Stage 1 allows you more room for other cards!
What makes Donphan so good in modified, exactly? Well...
Stage 1
Like I mentioned above, Donphan is a great card, and an
evolution, but only a Stage 1 evolution. That means you will not be short
card slots for a Donphan deck, at least not as easily as you would be
building a Stage 2 deck.
Rapid Spin
Rapid Spin is a three fighting energy for 50 attack with a
bonus- not just a little bonus, but a big bonus. Switching both Pokémon is
advantageous for you because you did the damage. Here's why it's so
good in modified, again: Focus Band is used in every good deck in modified,
and Donphan is no exception. After a Rapid Spin, you can should out,
ideally, either:
a) A baby Pokémon, with a Focus Band, to dodge a hit
b) A high HP Pokémon, with a free retreat cost
At best, they have a 25% chance KO on your baby Pokémon if it stays active
with a Focus Band. And if they do take it out- oh well, you can send up
another! They'll need some REALLY lucky flips to take out multiple babies
(especially with focus bands) before your Donphan has torn up their
attackers.
The general idea is to to 50, send a baby out with a Focus Band, have it
stay in play, then next turn, retreat, attack, and repeat. It's a deadly
combination that is hard to get around, as they never get a chance to hit
your Donphan!
Now, as for the high HP Pokémon, it doesn't necessarily have to be high HP-
just something that can take a hit. For example, my Donphan deck plays
Noctowl. The deck that won the World Championship played Neo: Genesis
Slowking with it, instead. Both of these cards have the ability to stop
your opponent's trainer card options, removing any other ways they have to
attack your Donphan (like the popular Double Gust). I also play Pokémon
Center to remove damage from damaged Noctowls so that they are not
vulnerable to Neo: Genesis: Pichu's Zzzzap.
So how DOES Donphan get hit?
Well, nothing's perfect. A lot of Donphan decks lose because they
fail to flip Heads on the baby rule. Your opponent can leave a baby Pokémon
active, and if you cannot Double Gust something else, you are stuck with a
50% chance of having your Donphan stay out there to take a hit. And
although it is 70 HP, the grass weakness hurts, as things like Neo
Discovery: Caterpie are sometimes thrown in decks. This card can also one
hit KO your Phanpys.
Also, Double Gust. Although it is best to play Donphan with Slowking or
Noctowl, they can get lucky flips against your Slowking, or a lucky draw
against Noctowl, before you get a chance to take it away.
That's why it's good to have Gold Berry, or even Focus Band if they did have
something like Crobat, which can one hit KO your Donphan. Crobat is
Donphan's worst enemy in modified.
Beating Crobat
Crobat has all the advantages on Donphan. It attacks it's weakness,
it is resistant to it's type, and status effects are simply good versus high
retreat cost Pokémon. Your only reasonable way to beat Crobat is by using
back up Pokémon (like Murkrow) or by using the Neo: Destiny common,
Magnifier, to get around Crobat's resistance for a turn. Beating Crobat is
difficult, but not impossible. If you get going fast, try to get two dark
on a Murkrow so that you can Double Gust their Zubats, and Feint Attack them
for a knockout, before they even get a chance to evolve- and with cards like
Slowking or especially the free retreater Noctowl, it is not as difficult to
knock those Zubats out, because you have the ability to remove at least some
of their trainer drawing that gets their evolutions.
Other Stuff
I'd say the better Phanpy is the Neo: Destiny Phanpy. Not much
better, but better.
I, personally, believe Donphan works best in a deck with Murkrow and Noctowl.
Murkrow is great back-up, and can get some game-winning Mean Looks when
combined with 3 or even 4 Noctowls.
Rating
There isn't much to say about Donphan in unlimited.
Everything I've said here works in the modified format, which allows you to
use cards from Neo: Genesis and on, with the exception of Neo: Genesis
Sneasel. I'd give it a 3.5/10 in unlimited, but in modified, I'd
give it a
8.0/10.
Thanks for reading!
-Jason Klaczynski |
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Blastoise
(Base Set/Base Set 2)
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Hey everyone. This week I'm gonna look at one of our old favorites, base
set Blastoise, as well as the new Blastoise from Expedition. Here's some
interesting tips on base set Blastoise...
Unlimited Only?
Yes, although a lot of people hoped and hoped it would be
reprinted in the Legendary Collection, it wasn't. If it was legal in the
modified format, it would be great. Unfortunately, it is not. However, it
really isn't that bad in unlimited, in fact, back in the days of Fossil, it
was a dominating deck.
Rain Dance
What makes Blastoise so good is it's amazing, unique power.
No other Pokémon can allow you to attach so much energy in a single turn. A
single Blastoise in play can mean a ridiculous amount of water to come.
Decks built around Blastoise (and any deck with Blastoise should be focused
completely on it's power) must play a lot of card drawing, including
Computer Search, Professor Oak, Copycat, and Item Finder to maximize the
amounts of cards drawn, and abuse Blastoise's Rain Dance best.
By benching a Squirtle, you propose a potential threat of 60 damage
next turn by using Pokémon Breeder and 5 water energy. Not as hard to do as
it sounds, especially when you play the right amounts of card drawing.
Hydro Pump
Seems expensive, but with the attack it is not. Blastoise,
although made even stronger with back-up water Pokémon, has a very strong
attack, and enough HP to take a hit from a built Sneasel, which makes it
great in unlimited. But more makes it great in unlimited...
Advantages in Today's Format
In today's world of Pokémon, you need to be able to be fast,
you need to be able to use Energy Removal, and also not be hurt badly by
it. Blastoise does all of these things. With Rain Dance, Super Energy
Removal does not hurt the deck badly if you have enough water (and EcoGym
can make their Energy Removals virtually useless), and with enough water,
their isn't much of a downside for your Super Energy Removals that you
play. Also, it only takes two turns to get Blastoise doing 60 damage, just
make sure you're playing 4 Breeder, 4 Computer Search, and a fair share of
cards like Copycat, Oak, Item Finder, etc. like I mentioned above.
Pokémon to Use With Blastoise
Yes, although Blastoise itself is a strong card, especially
because of it's three water ability to KO baby Pokémon, there are cards you
should use with Blastoise.
One of them is Articuno. An expensive attacker, Blastoise makes
these powerful attacks actually useable. Enough heads on Blizzard and you
can actually take out some of your opponent's baby Pokémon that have been
their since the opening.
Yes, Blastoise is weak to lightning, which makes it and especially
it's weak Squirtles a target for cards like Rocket's Zapdos. Some people
have used Neo: Genesis Wooper to combat this. I think Articuno's absence of
weakness is enough; Wooper is too weak to bother using.
Rain Dance Combos
Nightly Garbage Run works better in Rain Dance than almost
any other deck. The deck is all about high energy and high HP. Blastoise's
three retreat cost isn't even much of a downside because of the fact that it
is possible to actually retreat it if you have enough water, and more
importantly that if you had the energy you'd be better off simply attacking
most of the time. And even if Slowkings come out on you, if your Blastoise
was out first, you don't need your trainers to win. But if trainer denial
isn't a problem by you, you can rely on trainer combos, such as...
Energy Flow / Pokémon Center. This combo is amazing and game-breaking.
Using Energy Flow, you return every water in play to your hand. Then,
Pokémon Center your damaged Pokémon back to 0 damage, with no downside, as
the water energy all comes back using Blastoise's Rain Dance. Energy Flow
is one of those forgotten about cards, but if you play this combo, people
certainly will remember what it does.
Of course, cards like Gold Berry are important to keep your high HP
Blastoise alive, and to maintain an advantage as long as possible. Also,
Neo: Discovery Igglybuff to prevent quick Slowkings from stopping your
ability to draw and get Blastoise out.
Rating
In unlimited, the only format Blastoise is legal in, I'd give it a
7.0/10.
It's not as strong as it used to be simply because fast Slowkings and
Sneasels can take away your ability to get going. However, with Igglybuffs,
and some Energy Removal, you should be able to get your Blastoise out, and
from that point, it is not as difficult to maintain your advantage. |
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BLASTOISE
(Expedition)
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Well, here's the second of the two Blastoises. Which is better? Let's find
out.
This one's legal in modified?
Yep, this is a brand spankin' new card, and is allowed in the
modified (Neo: Genesis and on, excluding Neo1 Sneasel) format. And it's
great in modified, although not as great in unlimited. There's reasons for
this. I'm gonna talk about it in both formats.
Jet Stream
This Pokémon Power, actually now named "Poké-Power" is
amazing in any format. Although it is basically a weaker version of Super
Energy Removal, the fact that you can do it every turn Blastoise is active
makes it extremely powerful. Now, of course, you're worried about the
downside, maybe thinking it's an even tradeoff, as you both lose an energy.
Wrong. You choose your energy. You choose theirs. Combined with Neo:
Genesis
Recycle Energy
(which was also released as a foil promo), this Poké-Power becomes exrtemely
productive. You can bring this card back to your hand everytime you flip
Heads, then re-attach it for next turn. If you don't get the heads, use
your energy attachment to build another Blastoise. This is the type of
card, in modified, you win by building multiple of, eventually overwhelming
your opponent. Of course, in modified, that can be said for a lot of cards.
Energy Cannon
There's a simple reason this Blastoise is great in modified
and not even worth considering in unlimited: it's the high energy cost of
the attack. In unlimited, you must have some strong defense against Super
Energy Removal and Energy Removal that are ran in so many decks. Either a
cheap attack, an energy manipulating attack/pokémon power (like
base
Blastoise's Rain Dance), or a game-breaking attack that is worth protecting
from Energy Removal by building a whole deck to prevent it (with cards like
Slowking or Brock's Protection). However, this attack requires a minimum of
three energy, two being water, and has a maximum amount of 60 damage
capable. In modified, this average attack is alright because the Poke-Power
is one of the only forms of Energy Removal in the format. In unlimited,
there's better forms of Energy Removal, and there's also better forms of
attacks.
What Will This Card Beat and Have Trouble Against?
In modified, this Blastoise is about as anti-Steelix as you
can get. Steelix is popular in modified because of the absence of one of
it's enemies, Super Energy Removal. Well, Blastoise can surprise those
players thinking their Steelix is safe. In the long run, they run out of
metal energy, and are not able to do enough damage to you, making it an easy
win for Blastoise. Also, Tyranitar has trouble against this unless it gets
enough favorable Tramples flips before you remove it's energy.
And of course, it's still good versus basic energy attacks on popular
stage 2's such as Crobat. What it isn't powerful against is cards that can
attack for one or two energies, especially colorless energy, as they can
build their Pokémon using only Recycle Energy, in which Jet Stream literally
does become something that neither helps nor hurts you. Then, it's up to
Blastoise's attack, which isn't the best, to do it's work.
Retreat Cost/ Weakness
Unlike base Blastoise, this Blastoise's retreat cost is only
two. Since the deck should be playing 3-4 Recycle Energy, retreating is
always an option.
It is also weak to lightning, which makes a deck based around this
Blastoise have almost NO chance versus an Ampharos deck that can get a
Zapdos going. There is almost no way to stop a build Zapdos in modified
with your Blastoise, and since Neo: Revelations Ampharos is still somewhat
popular in the modified format, many people have been relucant to play this
card.
Rating
In unlimited, this card simply does not have what it takes. It gets
devoured by the Energy Removals.
4.5/10.
In modified, it seems to be a card that will make many of your games either
favorable or unfavorable depending on the deck you are playing against.
Still, a good card.
7.0/10
for modified.
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Neo: Genesis Pichu is one of those cards that is great in both modified and
unlimited. There are simply Pokémon Powers in every format. Although Neo:
Genesis Slowking was recently banned in modified, Pichu is still very useful
in modified against many decks. Let's look at unlimited, first...
Unlimited Decks Pichu Destroys
A deck that is popular where I live is a focused Chansey
deck. It relies on Unown N to reduce Chansey's self-damage from
Double-Edge, and plays Ditto to counter Sneasel, and Igglybuff to counter
other Unown N and Slowking. Pichu can be trouble for this deck, especially
if they bench Igglybuff when they have no use for it. That is simply a free
chance for prizes.
Another is the dreaded Slowking. Against a Slowking deck the first
thing you should try to do is get a Pichu on the bench with a Focus Band on
it. Don't wait to get the Focus Band- they'll eventually get Slowkings
which can stop your Focus Band. Try to get 2 if you play 2. If it works
out, you'll take out 2-3 Slowkings eventually by repeatedly Zzzaping.
And another is Typhlosion. Some people still play Rain Dance. And a
lot of people simply play random cards that have Pokémon Powers. In
addition, let me note that Pichu does not have to take down a Typhlosion,
but it can set up for a knock out. For example, say they have a powered
Typhlosion with a Gold Berry. Although you have a full bench and a Sneasel
with two darks, you'll probably be short of the knock out and end up hanging
your Sneasel. Not good. When you Zzzap, however, you make it, basically,
an 80 HP Pokémon, and require only 3 Heads (out of 6) for Sneasel's Beat Up
to knock out the Typhlosion. If you play by probability, you'll win more
games. You'll also wonder why it exists sometimes, and doubt it, but it
will win in the long run. =)
Pichu in Modified
A lot of debate goes on whether Pichu is more useful in
modified or unlimited. It really depends. One thing, for sure, is that
Pichu is more played in modified. This may be because there are less
Pokémon Power stopping options in modified, and people are playing Focus
Band already (which works great with Pichu) or it could just be a big
coincidence. =)
Typhlosion shows up in modified, too. But Entei/Magcargo shows up
more! Pichu is Entei/Magcargo's enemy. It plays anything it can to beat
Pichu. It plays Healing Field. It plays Gold Berry. Some play metal
energy. Pichu is best in Kingdra when a Zzzap allows a one-hit knockout
using Kingdra's Genetic Memory (Mud Splash) to take out the Magcargo or
Entei.
But there are more, like Noctowl, which goes down to only 3 Zzzaps.
This is where getting a Focus Band on Pichu quickly is very important, as
the Noctowl(s) can take it away if you don't play it the first chance you
get.
Also, cards like Expedition Blastoise, Expedition Vileplume, and
more. Although not every deck is very weak to Zzzap, it is useful against
almost any deck.
Flexibility
Like I just said, Zzzap is useful against almost any deck.
Few decks play no Pokémon Powers (these include decks like Ampharos, Kingdra,
Crobat), and although these decks are popular, every deck you play against
is not a popular deck. In fact, most decks won't be. And even if the deck
does not play powers, you've only wasted 2 deck spots, and those will make
up for themselves as soon as you butcher an Entei/Cargo with Zzzap.
People play Pichu in their unlimited Slowking decks to take out
Igglybuff. Yes, it damages your own Slowking with 40, but this often means
nothing, because decks that play Igglybuff do not play their own Pichus
(this would be an obvious conundrum), and because Slowking protects itself
from Gust of Wind.
Focus Band
The reason Pichu works well with Focus Band is because you
will often need multiple Zzzaps to take down Pokémon with powers. You will
often be trying to do this with only Zzzap, often because the cards you are
damaging are both benched and in pairs. Examples are Slowking (now only in
unlimited) and Noctowl.
Rating
Personally, I actually do believe Pichu is a stronger card in
unlimited now that Slowking has been banned in modified. And Slowking is
very popular in unlimited.
I'd give Pichu a
8/10
in unlimited
and a
7/10
in modified.
Thanks for reading. Try Pichu out.
-Jason Klaczynski |
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