Dragon Blade/Dragon Blast Discussion

[Atlas]

dragon blast/dragon blade is the current release (march 16) in japan and will be following the dark explorer english release in a few months. im a beginner/intermediate tcg player and im the most excited for this release than the upcoming dark explorers (due out may 9th).

this set introduces the brand new dragon type cards, which uses a combination of already existing energy cards which should bring out a variety of deck combinations. the new cards and their effects can be viewed here.


here are few of the cards im most excited to use:


1G Triple Energy: Search your deck for 3 different types of basic Energy and attach them to your Pokémon in any way you like. Shuffle your deck afterwards.
1G2C Drain Shower: 40 Heal 40 damage from each of your Benched Pokémon.

great setup card with good healing ability too



1L Energy Crush: 20x Does 20 damage for each Energy attached to all of your opponent's Pokémon.
1L2C Flash Impact: 80 Does 20 damage to 1 of your Pokémon, and don't apply Weakness and Resistance to this damage.

so this guy is like a mini mewtwo. it should be able to one shot any of the common water/fire/lighting decks that abuse energy.


1P Dangerous Scale The Defending Pokémon is now Asleep, Burned and Poisoned.
1P2C Aerial Ace: 50+ Flip a coin. If heads, this attack does 30 more damage.

this guy is gonna piss a lot of people off. gotta pack those full heals.


Ability Safeguard Prevent all effects of attacks, including damage, done to this Pokémon by Pokémon-EX (both yours and your opponent's).
1P2C Psychic: 50+ Does 10 more damage for each Energy attached to the Defending Pokémon.

fufufu, sup Ex pokemon


Ability Dust Toxin As long as this Pokémon has a Pokémon Tool attached, all Abilities from Pokémon in either player's hand, on the field, or in discard pile (other than Dust Toxin) stop working.
2P1C Sludge Toss: 60

another cool pokemon that will disturb most decks with its presence.

[Mekkah**]

Sadly, while most of these would be good if it weren't for the huge power creep, the fact is that there is one and they really cannot keep up. Needing to evolve on its own is a huge, huge downside with Catcher, strong Basics, and insanely fast Energy acceleration in the format, and then most of their attacks are also more "oh, that is kind of annoying" than "wow, this is really threatening". In particular, status effects simply aren't very effective because every deck runs at least 2 Switch.

Keep in mind these cards will PROBABLY not be in the same format as the HGSS block, which means there's no Vileplume. But there also won't be Junk Arm, I guess.

The only card out of these that I can see working is Sigilyph, but only when your opponent has no non-EX attacker available AND you don't have any Catcher targets on your bench.

[Maaf]

This is the only card i'm sure will be used in this set



Let's you search 2 Pokemon in your deck for a colorless, free retreat, will be a great starter when we lose Collector. For the rest, we'll have to wait for new format i guess.

[Mekkah**]

I dunno, a lot of decks have already let go of Collector. Pretty sure that if we keep Call of Legends then people will just keep using Dual Ball, Ultra Ball and Level Ball to get their Basics out and not waste their time using Emolga.

Pretty sure these will be used a lot:

Rayquaza-EX – Dragon – HP170
Basic Pokemon

[C] Heaven’s Call: Discard the top 3 cards from your deck, and if there are any Energy cards, attach them to this Pokemon.
[R][L] Dragon Burst: 60x damage. Discard either all Fire Energy or Lightning Energy cards attached to this Pokemon. This attack does 60 damage times the number of Energy discarded in this way.

When Pokemon-EX has been Knocked Out, your opponent takes 2 Prize cards.

Weakness: Dragon (x2)
Resistance: none
Retreat: 1

Bouffalant – Colorless – HP100
Basic Pokemon

Ability: Afro Guard
This Pokemon takes 20 less damage from attacks.

[C][C][C] Golden Break: 60+ damage. If the Defending Pokemon is a Pokemon-EX, this attack does 60 more damage.

Weakness: Fighting (x2)
Resistance: none
Retreat: 2

Tool Scrapper – Trainer

Choose up two Pokemon Tools attached to either player’s Pokemon, then discard them.

You can use any number of Trainer cards during your turn.

Mew-EX – Psychic – HP120
Basic Pokemon

Ability: Versatile
This Pokemon can use the attacks of all Pokemon in play as its own. (You still need the necessary Energy to use each attack.)

[P] Replace: Choose as many Energy cards attached to your Pokemon as you like, then reattach them to your Pokemon in any way you like.

When Pokemon-EX has been Knocked Out, your opponent takes 2 Prize cards.

Weakness: Psychic (x2)
Resistance: none
Retreat: 1

I also really want to like these but evolutions...

Ninetales – Fire – HP90
Stage 1 – Evolves from Vulpix

Ability: Bright Look
You can use this ability 1 time, when you play this card from your hand to Evolve a Pokemon. Choose 1 of your opponent’s Benched Pokemon and switch it with his or her Active Pokemon.

[R] Cursed Flame: 20+ damage. Does 50 more damage for each Special Condition on the Defending Pokemon.

Weakness: Water (x2)
Resistance: none
Retreat: 1

Roserade – Grass – HP90
Stage 1 – Evolves from Roselia

Ability: Le Parfum
You may use this Ability once during your turn, when you play Roserade from your hand to evolve one of your Pokemon. Search your deck for any one card and put it in your hand. Shuffle your deck afterwards.

[G][C] Tighten: 30+ damage. Flip 1 coin. If heads, this attack does 30 damage plus 20 more damage, and the Defending Pokemon is now Paralyzed.

Weakness: Fire (x2)
Resistance: Water (-20)
Retreat: 1

Devolution Spray – Trainer

Choose one of your Evolved Pokemon, then remove the top evolution card from that Pokemon. Return that Evolution card to your hand. (The Devolved Pokemon cannot evolve this turn.)

You can use any number of Trainer cards during your turn.

[zero2exe]

I'm kind of dissapointed that tool scrapper didn't come out in dark explorers. The whole eviolite/rocky helmet abuse there is now is just ridiculous .-.

[Mekkah**]

I don't understand/agree at all. Tool Scrapper is clearly from a set ahead. Getting cards ahead of schedule is an exception that only happened with a couple of (mostly irrelevant, in the big picture) cards. I saw people complaining we didn't get Heatmor in Next Destinies as well...what made you even think they'd do that? There was no hint towards it whatsoever. It's an unreasonable expectation.

And we don't really need Tool Scrapper right now anyway. Eviolite is a good card, but it's not really really huge. It can be Catchered around, and the only card that makes really good use of it is Zekrom (and to a lesser extent Mewtwo EX). Rocky Helmet isn't really used at all. Dark Claw will be good, but not worth putting Tool Scrapper in a deck for when you can just focus your resources towards KOing that Zoroark/Darkrai.

[zero2exe]

Originally Posted by Fat Mekkah

I don't understand/agree at all. Tool Scrapper is clearly from a set ahead. Getting cards ahead of schedule is an exception that only happened with a couple of (mostly irrelevant, in the big picture) cards. I saw people complaining we didn't get Heatmor in Next Destinies as well...what made you even think they'd do that? There was no hint towards it whatsoever. It's an unreasonable expectation.

And we don't really need Tool Scrapper right now anyway. Eviolite is a good card, but it's not really really huge. It can be Catchered around, and the only card that makes really good use of it is Zekrom (and to a lesser extent Mewtwo EX). Rocky Helmet isn't really used at all. Dark Claw will be good, but not worth putting Tool Scrapper in a deck for when you can just focus your resources towards KOing that Zoroark/Darkrai.

Maybe in your meta those aren't huge threats but in mine everyone packs either 4 eviolite - 4 rocky helmet (for a return damage strategy) and it's annoying missing a KO for 10 damage (even using pluspower) or being KO'd yourself because of those last 20HP rocky helmet takes away (and catcher won't do the trick since everything in the opponent's bench has one of those attached anyway). Either way I just mixed up dark explorers and the dragon set as a whole, later I found those were separate sets, still the whole point is that tool scaper would have been practical for what I need right now.
Take Shaymin Ex for example, that thing is supposed to be fragile with it's low hp for an Ex card, however add an eviolite to it and now it suddenly became tougher to beat. Now you need 130 damage for the KO which not every pokemon can reach in time (by in time I mean before shaymin destroys everything). I have yet to find a more effective way to deal with that than rebuilding my deck around Zekrom/Reshiram.
Other stuff like rocky helmet druddigon/lucario are a pain as well, getting 40 damage back for just attacking is a thing that only Gigas Ex would like .-. Oh right let's not talk about facing an Eviolite Gigas, that thing takes ages to beat... while it smashes your team in the process .__.

[rax]

Originally Posted by Fat zero2exe

Maybe in your meta those aren't huge threats but in mine everyone packs either 4 eviolite - 4 rocky helmet (for a return damage strategy) and it's annoying missing a KO for 10 damage (even using pluspower) or being KO'd yourself because of those last 20HP rocky helmet takes away (and catcher won't do the trick since everything in the opponent's bench has one of those attached anyway). Either way I just mixed up dark explorers and the dragon set as a whole, later I found those were separate sets, still the whole point is that tool scaper would have been practical for what I need right now.
Take Shaymin Ex for example, that thing is supposed to be fragile with it's low hp for an Ex card, however add an eviolite to it and now it suddenly became tougher to beat. Now you need 130 damage for the KO which not every pokemon can reach in time (by in time I mean before shaymin destroys everything). I have yet to find a more effective way to deal with that than rebuilding my deck around Zekrom/Reshiram.
Other stuff like rocky helmet druddigon/lucario are a pain as well, getting 40 damage back for just attacking is a thing that only Gigas Ex would like .-. Oh right let's not talk about facing an Eviolite Gigas, that thing takes ages to beat... while it smashes your team in the process .__.

Aside from eviolited Gigas, I haven't had trouble with any of those at all. What are you playing? 130 is a magic number for OHKOs --- if you can't hit it, you are going to have issues in all kinds of decks. The main metagame decks don't have trouble with it (Reshiram/Zekrom as you mentioned, Mewtwo, various cards that exploit weaknesses) and the most challenging lower-tier or rogue decks are usually also able to either hit it (Magnezone, for example) or prevent the opponent from dropping things like a Shaymin EX with Eviolite to begin with (Vileplume) or lock such a card from actually doing lots of damage (Vanilluxe) or just not try to take KOs at all (Durant).

If everyone in your meta is spending eight slots on Pokemon Tools, that should be exploitable. How to exploit it likely depends on what you are playing, though.

[zero2exe]

Originally Posted by Fat rax

Aside from eviolited Gigas, I haven't had trouble with any of those at all. What are you playing? 130 is a magic number for OHKOs --- if you can't hit it, you are going to have issues in all kinds of decks. The main metagame decks don't have trouble with it (Reshiram/Zekrom as you mentioned, Mewtwo, various cards that exploit weaknesses) and the most challenging lower-tier or rogue decks are usually also able to either hit it (Magnezone, for example) or prevent the opponent from dropping things like a Shaymin EX with Eviolite to begin with (Vileplume) or lock such a card from actually doing lots of damage (Vanilluxe) or just not try to take KOs at all (Durant).

If everyone in your meta is spending eight slots on Pokemon Tools, that should be exploitable. How to exploit it likely depends on what you are playing, though.

Well maybe the reason behind it is because we're playing with BW-onward now so we're missing on a lot of HGSS cards .-. Heck even Beartic is incredibly strong now D: and there's no mewtwo ex at the moment (I mean no one has pulled one out yet ._. ).
I was thinking about a core of Reuniclus / Cofagrigus to move damage counters around while using Reshiram and Kyurem as tech cards with outrage (either to tank or move damage counters to them to release the pain)

[rax]

Originally Posted by Fat zero2exe

Well maybe the reason behind it is because we're playing with BW-onward now so we're missing on a lot of HGSS cards .-. Heck even Beartic is incredibly strong now D: and there's no mewtwo ex at the moment (I mean no one has pulled one out yet ._. ).
I was thinking about a core of Reuniclus / Cofagrigus to move damage counters around while using Reshiram and Kyurem as tech cards with outrage (either to tank or move damage counters to them to release the pain)

If your meta is BW-on with no mewtwo I think most standard advice is not going to help; you've got a very different cardpool than those of us who play in tournaments or with simulators that assume access to all cards. :) That said Cofagrigus with dragons/Regigigas is actually pretty strong; not sure you need Reuniclus in that case, since it's catcher bait and a stage two, although if your meta doesn't run catcher very often you could probably get away with it. For extra bonus points, damagriigus or however that attack is spelled places damage counters rather than doing damage and thus bypasses rocky helmet :)

[zero2exe]

That's exactly why I wanted to use Cofagrigus to start with xD
I'll have to rethink about reuniclus since there's a lot of catchers flying around but damage swap is too good to pass it up, relocating 12 damge counters to a single benched pokemon only to move them against the defending pokemon (thus pseudo healing) is one of the deck's cores... then again reuniclus takes a lot of space X_x

[Novaray]

Some of the cards I'm most interested in


Card I believe is flying under the rader



[F] Sonic Cutter: 60 damage. Discard a Special Energy attached to the Defending Pokemon.
[W][F] Dragon Blade: 100 damage. Discard the top 2 cards from your deck.



The Boss of the set



[C] Heaven’s Call: Discard the top 3 cards from your deck, and if there are any Energy cards, attach them to this Pokemon.
[R][L] Dragon Burst: 60x damage. Discard either all Fire Energy or Lightning Energy cards attached to this Pokemon. This attack does 60 damage times the number of Energy discarded in this way.



Card that's getting some hype but I'm not buying it much



Ability: Versatile
This Pokemon can use the attacks of all Pokemon in play as its own. (You still need the necessary Energy to use each attack.)

[P] Replace: Choose as many Energy cards attached to your Pokemon as you like, then reattach them to your Pokemon in any way you like.



CaptKirby's new favorite card? Energy acceleration for a possible Fighting deck or any deck in that matter and it's a Terrakion, whats not to like?



[F][C] Rock Tumble: 50 damage. This attack’s damage isn’t affected by Resistance.
[F][F][C] Pump Smash: 90 damage. Choose 2 Basic Energy cards from your hand, then attach them to your Benched Pokemon in any way you like.

[Kalyst]

With Mewtwo EX facing some fire with the emergence of Dark decks, I think Mew EX earns some of it's hype. That, and its an improved Shaymin UL and combining it with Dynamotoring in Eels plus Rayquaza EX makes me think it has potential. Dedicated CMT decks post DEX will still pose Mew EX problems.

I'm kind of eyeballing that Manentric looks kind of promising... :o

[gabe lavail]

Big Cloak is an amazing card... One of those things that is more useful on Stage 2s, which is good because they need the support right now. Terrakion EX is a beautiful destroyer of gods. Finally a decent Fighting Engine. If you have two Terrakion in play, you can Cilan, get the energy you need to attach with Smash Pump. Next turn, SSU you active Terrakion, and attach an energy to your new active Terrakion. Rinse and Repeat. Not to mention it can be paired with things like Reshiram EX, since it states an type of basic energy.

Mew EX is overhyped. It is honestly just going to end up being a Mewtwo with less HP. You get countered pretty hard by X Ball, they need two energy to ko you, while you need three energy to KO them.

Hydregon has already won Japanese Nationals, so I guess it is going to have some sort of potential. I'm not quite seeing how yet, but it is preforming well. Ho-Oh EX and Rayquaza EX are interesting, but I doubt either will make great decks. Rayquaza might make it to tier 2, but the dual energy cost is going to kill it.

Well, I'd review more, but I'm late for class.

[Ditto]

I think Shedinja would be incredibly awesome if it didn't need to evolve from Nincada, and is still pretty good despite that I guess.



PokePower: Empty Shell - When this Pokémon is Knocked Out, your opponent doesn't take any Prize cards.

[P] Put 3 damage counters on your opponent's Pokémon in any way you like.

[FearZeCrawdaunt]

From the first post, I actually do really like the Dustox. Guaranteed 3 status is just a bitch. It only costs 1 energy and has 1 retreat. To really shine we'd need to keep an Item Lock option that isn't situational (Gothitelle being active, Zebstrika needing to attack). Vileplume+Dustox or at least Vileplume+Mew using Dustox as a See Off target would be pretty great. If there were only a way to protect Mew a bit better it'd be golden, but I kinda picture the deck only using Mew to scare off EX's, and it would rely on another attacker. You could even have Gardevoir sitting in back and run Accelgor DEX for Paralock. And Mew EX could make Accelgor function much smoother by having the option of just playing Mew EX down with an Accelgor on bench.

And yeah... the big guys are kinda obvious.

[Kalyst]

*shifty eyes* I've always wanted them to come out with dragon type so I have an over bias for "THIS SET MUST BE THE PWNZOORSS!!1!1111" That being said some of the Dragon types I probably wouldn't use sadly. I'd just collect them for the artwork and for the sheer fact that I have Dragon type cards and they actually exist instead of in my imagination.

For Rayquaza, you could just double Dynamotor and then drop off the Electric energies for a guaranteed 120 a turn (?) I dunno just musing.

Shedinja-I saw that and was like ololol Shed=ultimate troll. You see this? You see the back of my shell? No prize for joo XD

I cried when I saw Terrakion EX-whyyyyy must Dark decks get a thorn in the side? But I dont think that Terrakion EX will be coming for a while *crosses fingers*

[Ghornet]

You might want to include Milotic with its first move being like twins except better

it requires one water energy and it says Choose 3 cards from your deck, and add them to your hand

[theBEEZ KNEEZ]

all i know is that PIKACHU RULES

[zero2exe]

I'm looking forward at this one now


Blend Energy
Special Energy Card

While not in play, Blend Energy counts as C energy.
While in play, this card provides either W T F M type of Energy but provides only 1 Energy at a time.

Doesn't count as a basic Energy card.

I can see this working either on an Empoleon/Terrakion/Mew Ex deck or in a set with Garchomp for insane damage on both cases.

[jle1076]

This set is gimmicky at best. Like turbo shutdown is all that came from it besides Terrakion EX/Mew EX/Rayquaza EX. Terrakion will be good for energy raping pretty much

[girazard]

I'm looking forward to Darkrai/Hydreigon when this set comes out.

[Shinryu]

So...we have a new TCG subforum now? Never noticed it honestly since I usually just hang out in general discussion and usually don't venture far from it...

Anyways, Hydreigon and Garchomp/Altaria decks are the 2 I'm looking forward to the most, and in a BW-On era overall hopefully it will yield some more differing decks other than stuff like Zeels being dominant, then having the Darkrai EXs and Mewtwo EXs of the world take over. In general I dislike the whole trend to super big EXs, I thought we were finally breaking free of the Basic dominance like it was in SP and in the beginning it was ok (you still had big old Reshi and Zek, but it wasn't as bad), but now it's just arguably as bad, except the Pokemon are even bigger now with more power creep.