Thread #59169923
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Germinating Edition
>I want to learn the game, where do I begin?
Download PTCGL at https://tcg.pokemon.com/en-us/tcgl
The game has a quick tutorial and a bunch of decent decks to get you started against other beginners or against the AI. Some of those decks are very close to meta too. You can also go to your local game store and see if people are playing Pokémon.
>I know how to play, how do I make my own deck?
You have a decent beginner's guide at https://www.justinbasil.com/guide
There's also the old /tcg/ guide at https://imgur.com/a/W4NkOu6
After that, look up meta decks and try to reverse engineer them to see how things work.
>Where to find meta decks?
For big irl events, go to https://limitlesstcg.com/decks
For online events, go to https://play.limitlesstcg.com/decks?game=PTCG
For japanese events, go to https://pokecabook.com/archives/1417
Previous thread: >>59138735
Old /tcg/ pastebin: https://pastebin.com/Ge95YuMA
Rotation:
March 26th for online and April 10th for physical.
https://www.pokemon.com/us/pokemon-news/2026-pokemon-tcg-standard-form at-rotation-announcement
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I initially wrote this card off but after using the zygarde ex deck to complete my dailies I've been converted. This card is really fun and I'll be looking out for more fighting attackers to use with in future sets. At least until they print another broken gardevoir card.
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I might be retarded. I spent like $40 while drunk over the weekend on key cards on live. I've gotten about a third of the roughly 2k codes loaded in and I've already got more than enough of the currency to build and maintain more than a dozen decks through rotation.
Mostly I'm tired of copying+pasting codes. Tapu Meganium is fun though.
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>>59170487
I can, yes. But so far I've received them all in a list of codes format. Which beats the pictures of 20+ at once I got one time for another game, but is still not suuuuper convenient.
The ones that physically get mailed to me, I'll just scan in via qr code. Only 10 at a time is annoying but whatever, now I can play during downtime at work.
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I'm seeing one piece drama on twitter now, and of course it's an Italian. I know YGO has the Italian shark and cheater problem too, but I don't really recall any sharking or cheating problems in this game. I wonder why.
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I love Dragapult. Love it. Can't get enough. Love me some Pult. Take four prizes in one turn and then Boss my cat or my bird and there's nothing I can do about it. Feels good.
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>have a Mega Froslass/Starmie deck with a Drakloak draw engine just for funsies
>have noticed that if I put Dreepy on the board early the opponent will almost always sperg out and use resources to take it out
>I set up my Froslass and grin menacingly
Really that easy bros
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as someone who does not play the game:it seems slow-paced to only be able to play one energy card per turn
are you meant to spend turns setting up before the more intense combat begins, or are the non-fully-evolved basic mons supposed to do lighter damage before things ramp up
or both
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>>59171079
Most decks are able to attack by turn 2 or 3.
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>>59170784
Here is mine. It's pretty normal. I dont like to use Carmine in decks that don't use the discard pile.
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>>59171411
I'm still clinging to Lucario, I think it has a lot going for it even with the Psychic weakness. You can run away with a lot of games because of Solrock, and even Alakazam is winnable because you only need to make a Lucario at the end to finish them off.
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>>59171766
NTA but most Zam decks include an enhanced hammer or two. With the Lunatone engine and Lucario's acceleration you don't want to be replacing all of your basic energy with special energy either.
You are right in that Rocky Fighting gives Alakazam a headache but it's far from an autowin.
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It's unreasonably satisfying to catch a Zam player cutting their Hammers.
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>>59170286
Even a single energy acceleration is huge nowadays, as lots of megas and EXs only need two to attack. And with things like this you dont need to commit energy early and risk getting your basic with energy on it sniped.
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>>59170706
Sauce: voices in my head
>>59171130
So you're only attacking on your 3rd turn onwards? That sounds retarded.
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>>59172037
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTeo6KiwjGM
Schizo
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>>59172113
Yes, mega froslass? Even if its just regular froslass you'd want it evolved ASAP, no reason to wait until turn 3 to start putting damage counters on the board.
>>59172170
>YGO
Opinion discarded. Also it makes no sense at all that one of the biggest TCGs ever "isnt a TCG".
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>>59172749
>Scared of Lucario matchup
>Only has two good matchups
>Basically only played because it plays well into PultNoir.
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Pult player takes like a minute for each Drakloak choice, does a lot of shit when he is about to lose.
Finally makes a smart move and uses Unfair Stamp and takes 4 prizes.
I use Hariyama to bring their Meowth to the front to take my last 2 prizes and he concede just before I attack.
Is this just a thing with Live players or is just Pult players who are like little babies without an ounce of respect for their opponent's time?
PS: I was using the fox because Live has some mission thingy and wanted me to use Fighting pokemon.
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>>59173212
Dragapult/Dusknoir is the worst version by far now. It doesn't beat anything. Its only "positive" match is only 51% because Alakazam's board is full of 50-80 HP mons at any given point.
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>>59173644
They'll have to make a fat 170 HP one prizer, to put it out of range of Dusknoir + Munki, with an ability that straight up says "damage counters cannot be placed by effects of attacks" so Dragapult has to commit to gusting it.
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>>59173661
The problem is, dusknoir isn't the top dog. It's blaziken/pult. Any energy issues pult had is solved with blaziken.
They can just cycle pults, it doesn't matter two blazikens take the energy from the GY and back unto a pult again. And it's a two prizer. PTC fucked up by not making blazikens ability exclusive to fire energy.
Honestly it might be bearable if they make something that negates terra passive. The terra passive was a stupid fucking design and giving a pokemon the ability to cleave the bench, while being immune to it, itself is stupid. Or lower the HP of pult. 320 is fucking stupid. Megas have almost the same amount of HP and they are 3 prizes, with no immunity from bench cleave, and almost the same amount of damage and the only meta deck that does damage counters outside of pult is alakzam which can't hit the bench anyways.
But also it just deals too much damage for only two energy with no drawbacks. It's just fundamentally too strong.
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>>59173724
It got me to master league in Live, it's alright. Going Salvatore into Mega Starmie is often too much to deal with. It did okay against Dragapult and Lucario. Replace one Meowth with something like Dipiti or a Budew, I keep forgetting to remove one.
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>>59171031
Seems like you had a turn between those plays. The dragachad gave you a chance and you threw it away.
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kekd
why is it called that anyway? is it just because it's a jankbox of random basics?
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>>59175267
"Slop" as internet slang originated in 4chan, tho.
>>59175244
It has no identity on its own, it's just a bunch good value ex basics slapped together, depending on your matchup you will change attackers. In magic terms it would be called goodstuff.
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>>59175267
"Slop" as internet slang originated in 4chan, tho.
>>59175244
It has no identity on its own, it's just a bunch of good value ex basics slapped together, depending on your matchup you might choose a different attacker to dump your energy on. In magic terms it would be called goodstuff.
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>>59175376
>>59175244
I prefer the name "Fat Kids"
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>>59175615
>basics = kids
>bigger than most basics = fat (for basics/kids)
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I hate all of these pro players and content creators shilling their metafy guides. It comes across like they're pulling their dicks out of their mouths and saying "Here, you have a suck. It's so good you'll pay me for it."
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>>59176944
>>59176741
/acg/ is the DM thread yeah, and we're pretty willing to talk about it, it's just hard to play it. Surely that will change when anon finishes his simulator.
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>>59177422
You could bring it up there. I think some people do play it, and it might garner interest regardless.
>>59176944
>Doesn't look like there's much discussion for DM though. Checked 4plebs
There's actually a fair bit about it; it's brought up a couple of times minimum each thread. The problem is that within /acg/ everyone just shortens it to DM, which you might imagine makes searching the archives for it a pain given all the other posts on /tg/ talking about a different kind of DM.
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>>59177893
Difference is TCG players play several TCGs.
It's like having a shitfit at a local card shop when someone starts talking about another TCG that's not pokemon at a pokemon event.
As long as the thread doesn't derail for 30+ posts, you shouldn't be shitting yourself in anger that someone needed guidance in finding a general for another TCG because this thread is dead as fuck outside of bitching about this fucking game.
This was obvious overlap and overreacting kneejerking by saying tennis is a equivalent to asking where to find a general about another TCG is retarded just like you.
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What do we think about strixhaven so far? I think these cards with powerful spells are just bait to garner interest while being mediocre at best.
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>>59178675
Magic has been beyond redemption since shortly prior to covid. Harry Potter at home doesn't change that.
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>>59170827
What CCs do you guys watch for PTCG content/info/learning? Azul is obnoxious and ldf/ftw are alright but just do rogue decks. Can't think of anyone else who consistently uploads or streams PTCG content.
The PTCG community is so damn small compare to other TCGs despite it being bigger in events I don't get it. Even here this general is dead af while the yugioh generals are fast
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>>59179420
I don't know an answer to this question, especially the question about YGO. Everyone knows of, but nobody plays YGO here. Same goes with Pokemon. The only Pokemon stuff that really goes on here are card shows and the TCG that's by far the most popular is MTG. This thread comes up weekly in the general too.
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>>59179420
Point of entry is non existent for pokemon. That's the problem. TPC doesn't give a shit because they are making money hand over fist regardless. They don't give a fuck if it's collectors or players buying their shit. Frankly, they have seen more sales from the collectors than the players probbably do.
Pre faggot paul, pokemon TCG sets weren't selling out and staying off shelves.
Like I detailed my process getting back into the TCG and it's been genuinely awful. You're going out begging strangers to bring their playables on events you want to be in, and they don't have them so you're waiting another week and hoping you have enough if you don't buy it online and waiting 2+ weeks to get them. TCG player has predator vendors who will try to sneak a 20 dollar shipping charge on a $1.20 sale.
There are no available cards. The meta is literally dragapult and that's it, you can play other shit for variety, but if you net deck, which most people do, it's dragapult or accept you will probably lose to the netdecker with no shame and will dragapult.
The only thing that makes it palatable is the concept the pult might brick and you can beat it based on that alone and that's it.
You might see more life if this was in /tg/ instead of it's own dead fucking board dedicated to 12 autists who want to post softcore porn of pokegirls all day.
Doesn't help the TCGL app is designed like dogshit. Redeeming codes isn't fun, it's a genuine chore, its bugged, and never works properly, and the ranking system was made for fucking children where all you need to do is waste enough time to hit master, it's not a show of skill to be a master, it's just how much time if you're shit you're willing to put in.
But YGO is filled with the greasiest motherfuckers alive. The type you know aren't allowed to be around kids. So that might be the distinction. My locals are active enough desu.
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>>59179703
My local Target a few days ago.
You can get everything you need as long as you're patient.
Also you have said multiple times that you are in Massachusetts (or at least New England). I am not telling you where my store is. If you live NWB you should ask around. Our LGS is Fridays and we have a Challenge next week. That is all I am going to say.
>t. Bellibolt/Olive fag.
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>>59179714
Also, I am posting this with a ~25% chance I know who you are. I am not going to bring up local drama, but if you are who I think you are, you need to chill tf out and just come tomorrow. You know how to ask for bulk from us and will have a good time.
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>>59179777
There was someone who came into our store's discord last week looking f or Pokemon cards and went on a fucking tear because the store wasn't open due to the owner's kid being sick. The thing is that we don't even do Pokemon on the night he was trying to come in. Everyone was very confused and we tried to help the guy out.
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>>59179703
>>59179766
I mean it's not just about watching to learn, but and/also entertainment. Like a lot of the rogue decks I see them play I've never seen before
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>>59179714
I'm all set. I got what I needed, it was just a monumental pain in the ass to get. I've been playing in locals for the past few weeks already.
Also no 100% we have not met. I'm in Rhode Island and I've stayed in state for my whole experience.
I am just speaking personally and objectively as a point of entry. It's lowkey a pain in the ass and I can see casuals getting deterred if they are looking to drop into a store, getting the basics and trying out a cheap deck to see if they like the game.
Plus the places I frequent and go to, they know me because I've been doing TCG games for like 15 years now on and off - the owners know me outside of perhaps one place. I'm not about to burn bridges over the availability of pokemon cards. That's insane. I'm just autistic and socializing with people I never met is difficult which is why I dislike asking strangers for playables. I always come off as an autistic spaz and I hate it.
>>59179787
And no, I can 100% garauntee this was not me. I might seem like an angry sperg here, but I'd never behave that way IRL. This is my dogshit method of venting my frustrations and then I move on and act normal in real life.
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>>59179838
I might go. It really depends on my cash situation. 70 buy in is steep just because we got pre-release happening the same month so I'm budgeting my broke ass for those as well.
I'm an absolute sucker for sealed events, so pre-release is my bread and butter.
You planning on participating in the tourney or just vibin for casual games and trades?
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>>59179886
Bro, not the chuuni tourney player. I would do the same and egg them on to join the tourney.
I wish you luck though, if something changes and I get good OT or some shit I'll drop something to say I'm going. But I'm not banking on it ATM.
>>59179912
Never seen an event try to just go even or for a loss. But also in my mind, I get the understanding the hall will prob be 10% for TCG player base and trading and 90% for vendor space and other event activities. Idk how prolific or how big of a turn out smaller events like these take for players.
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>>59179827
>I am just speaking personally and objectively as a point of entry. It's lowkey a pain in the ass and I can see casuals getting deterred if they are looking to drop into a store, getting the basics and trying out a cheap deck to see if they like the game.
NTA
I dont think you can just drop at a random LGS and get everything you need if you are brand new, for any TCG.
Precons usually suck (if they dont they'd might be sold out), meta card singles will be sold out, other players will not have loads of commons laying around when they go play weeklies if you didnt ask anyone previously.
That is if you even drop by on the weekly tourney day and time, showing up randomly would not work at all.
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>>59180337
If you've ever tried searching on youtube in the past 5 years you know it doesn't do that anymore. It gives you 3-9 results then absolutely off topic shit afterwards
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>>59180352
Ive been doing exactly what I said and I always find like ten 30mins+ footage of pokemon live for the deck at the top.
To not mess with my personal watch history I open a private tab, have AD block extension and thats it.
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>>59180359
Forgot pic
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>>59180587
For what it's worth, the first attack might be playable. It's basically a cheaper, better (9 vs 7) Tera Tatsugiri on a stage 2 mega. You could even afford to throw in the single prize Delphox for a draw engine since you're already running fire and scoop up this or some shit once you get the value and it takes a hit in return. Seriously doubt it would be meta, but it's enough to play with.
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>>59180537
What if we went back to the era where abilities were disabled on pokemon if they were affected by a status?
I see they keep trying to add shit like confusion, burn, poison back into the game. Idk if paralysis or sleep are still in this game at all.
But that would be pretty sick.
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>>59180835
On the one hand they always make Darkrai meta.
On the other hand megas have been a huge failure because not a single one is above tier 2 and they're all held back by having instaloss matchups, and Darkrai will instaloss to Ogerpon decks while likely having no Pult techs beyond being able to maybe run Munki so who knows.
Ray is probably the best hope for a mega to be good since it'll either have no weakness or lightning weakness in a format with zero lightning.
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Hey /tcg/ I've recently moved to Japan and I think pokemon tcg would be a nice way to meet nerds like me (I'm not built for tachinomi convos)..
Can you please recommend me a fun beginner deck for a retard casual like me?
Also, anyone here living in Fukuoka and has any local recommendations?
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>>59180893
>Ray is probably the best hope for a mega to be good since it'll either have no weakness or lightning weakness in a format with zero lightning.
Oh god please.
Also Im praying for an useable mega scizor. dont even need to be top meta, but at least on par with say garchomp.
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ohno not the hype
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ow the edge
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>dark already has like a dozen good single prize attackers
>new Malamar might be good if mega malamar is playable
>Zarude is okay
>chi-yu is good
And then you have two megas that just say ‘lol ur knocked out bucko’. For all the bitching that people do about purple cards they should really dedicate a sliver of that seething for black cards as well.
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>>59180020
Sure but if there's no player limit you could count on probably 200+ players at a convention in a large city. Make it $50 and you'd all but guarantee it. And breaking even still brings very likely customers into the venue who might not have otherwise shown up, which is worth quite a bit.
I mean none of it is a huge difference, just feels unnecessarily high.
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>>59181080
>Night Ray: 110. Add 110 damage if one of your benched pokémon has damage counters.
>Abyss Ray: If your opponent pok+emon has a special condition, knock it out.
Poison/Burn deck?
The 280 and grass weakness hurts this a lot.
I guess it can one shot Grasspon with 2 energies as long as you play Risky Ruins or Froslass while using the 3 energy move to knock out big targets, but the 280 hp makes it easy target.
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>>59181692
It's getting worse
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>>59181687
Is not only a worse Moon, in the current format, is direct competition against Mega Sharpedo because both will use the same energy engine.
Mega Sharpedo needs to be poisoned (Fez), equipping Mochi and damaged (Tox) to hit 310, but without it, it will still hit 270.
Mega Darkrai will hit 220 with Risky Ruins, Tox (stupid idea since it needs Tox too) or Froslass while needing some of the status abilities from the bench to Ko using 3 energies. Is almost a complete downgrade from Mega Sharpedo, it's only upside is that it can KO higher hp enemies and is a basic, but a basic that needs 3 energies to KO something higher than 220 hp is not better than a Stage 1 that needs 2 energies to hit 270 or 310 with more setup. It doesn't help that as a Stage 1 mega, the shark has 330 hp while ray only has 280 hp.
I guess it can be used as a tool against the big targets that Mega Sharpedo can't deal against, but that's a big if.
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>>59180537
You can potentially bench stage 2 pokémons without needing their evolution, but you know, this one is a stage 2 too.
The way I can think of using this, is by abusing the tera stadium to remove it from play after benching the stage 2 I want to use, but I may as well build that stage 2 from the start instead of relying on this stupid fox.
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>>59181753
Also choice in Psychic support attacker in the current meta is really shit
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>>59181759
Baby Clefable is decent. Needs 2 energy to copy the opponent so it can one shot many things for cheap, especially since that deck can use Lillie's Clefairy to deal against dragons (Pult).
The things it can't deal against can be left to Mega Clefable.
The deck is not that good, but is the hardest Psychic attacker besides zam which attack is an effect so it can't use weakness.
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>>59181672
>Poison/Burn deck?
nah
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>>59181823
But those decks makes the risk worth taking it while Mega Darkrai looks like shit.
>>59181829
Dark Bell only works against non dark pokémon.
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>>59181899
You won't only have dark pokémons in that deck since none of them can give status conditions with an ability.
If using Dark Bell, then using Froslass is better.
If not using Dark Bell, then Risky Ruins should be a good alternative.
It won't be a good deck anyways.
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>>59181929
that happened constantly in the XY era because they didn't seem to realise in playtesting
>pokemon requires you to skip an attack to play it
>only has one attribute
>that attribute is [absurd overkill] for 5 energy with a drawback
is not useful
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>>59181966
yeah it was funny to see them be like
>watch out here come new cards to make the mighty pokemon-ex tremble in fear!
>it's just bigger, clumsy, more shitty pokemon-ex
>9 out of 10 players are just playing the exact same yveltal-ex list for 6 months afterwards
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>>59181672
>Risky Ruins or Froslass
Chi-yu is too good to not be using the toxtricity engine.
>>59181822
>N's Zoroark
Mochi+munkidori will still let it hit for 280 if you get lucky and set up a perfect board
>toxtricity extra damage onto the bench
>poison your own darkrai with pecharunt-ex
>move 20 off the active to their zoroark
>swing for 260
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>>59182382 (ME)
Correction, it needs 2 energies to hit that.
Darkrai has hard matchup against all the grass decks, Rocket Mewtwo/Spidops deck (Articuno), other dark decks and rogue decks that has cards immune to abilities like Mega Clefairy.
I really can't see Mega Darkrai thriving in the current meta, at most I can see it as a tech added in the shark deck.