SM9 'Tag Volt,' Japan's December Set!

DragonFang101

Funky China Man
Member
if zekrochu gx is a good/decent card compared to the rest of the set, we can all kiss team up goodbye regarding its competitive viability. But considering
I'm not too sure about that. Zekrochu is an exceptional card when you look at all of its backup cards, which can add energy and reduce energy costs.
 

XCITE

Aspiring Trainer
Member
In all of those sets, Charizard is a high HP, high attack power card. If Pikachu and Zekrom are a main Pokemon, chances are good that they are at least a decent card when compared to others in the set.
zekrochu is downright bad compared to most of the cards in dark order. while set mascots are often good cards, its not always true. Take crimson invasion, and sun and moon base set.
 

DragonFang101

Funky China Man
Member
zekrochu is downright bad compared to most of the cards in dark order. while set mascots are often good cards, its not always true. Take crimson invasion, and sun and moon base set.
Zekrochu+Thunder Mountain+Vikavolt+Zeraora GX+Choice Band= Not downright bad at all.
 

XCITE

Aspiring Trainer
Member
Zekrochu+Thunder Mountain+Vikavolt+Zeraora GX+Choice Band= Not downright bad at all.
thunder mountain, while it does help, will only last for a short while. vikavolt is a stage 2 and you don't have a consistent way of setting it up(unlike rayquaza) and zeraora gx removes the good gx attack from zekrochu. While I think zekrochu would be a good tech in zeraora, I dont really see it as anything else, Mainly because of the 3 prize thing(and it is amazing tPCI found a way to balance one of their mechanics without killing it). downright bad is an exaggeration, but zekrochu isn't great either. Its definitely not going to get its own deck
 

DragonFang101

Funky China Man
Member
thunder mountain, while it does help, will only last for a short while. vikavolt is a stage 2 and you don't have a consistent way of setting it up(unlike rayquaza) and zeraora gx removes the good gx attack from zekrochu. While I think zekrochu would be a good tech in zeraora, I dont really see it as anything else, Mainly because of the 3 prize thing(and it is amazing tPCI found a way to balance one of their mechanics without killing it). downright bad is an exaggeration, but zekrochu isn't great either. Its definitely not going to get its own deck
While it is true that Vikavolt isn't a very consistent mechanism for energy accelerating, Thunder Mountain will help a LOT since you only need to play it on the turn that you will attack on. After that, your opponent can discard it with no detriment to your strategy. I think it definitely will get its own deck, but only time will tell.
 

skabobbin

Retired Trainer
Member
Yeah, I deserved that haha. I really don't like CGI so when something isn't, and I hate on it for that reason, I have to be called out on it ; )

Interesting information by the way. Now I am kind of warming up to SM9, mostly because of curiosity : p (I still don't expect much art-wise, but I have hope now). I did like the secret rares from the XY break era somewhat (especially that Steam Siege Gardevoir), a bit busy, but stylish. I have a soft spot for that old-school Ken Sugimori art-style so things get too busy for my taste quickly. Anyway, let's hope for something good!

Is it the artwork that you are saying is too busy, or mostly just how much text covers the picture? I feel like the artwork itself is lovely, but I'd agree there is a lot going on if you're referring to how much is hidden behind the attack text and such.
 

TheRealBro..

...
Member
Is it the artwork that you are saying is too busy, or mostly just how much text covers the picture? I feel like the artwork itself is lovely, but I'd agree there is a lot going on if you're referring to how much is hidden behind the attack text and such.

Yeah mostly that. I don't like the GX-card lay out with a lot of text, bars and an ugly silver/black/silver outer line (in my opinion). Now that I know this art is actually drawn and looked at them closer the art is indeed pretty nice, but it's somewhat hard to fully appreciate for me because the card as a whole is just too busy.
 

skabobbin

Retired Trainer
Member
Yeah mostly that. I don't like the GX-card lay out with a lot of text, bars and an ugly silver/black/silver outer line (in my opinion). Now that I know this art is actually drawn and looked at them closer the art is indeed pretty nice, but it's somewhat hard to fully appreciate for me because the card as a whole is just too busy.

I agree, I wish there was something they could do about the absurd amount of text that's now required for every GX, and seemingly more so for the tag team cards.
 

TheRealBro..

...
Member
I agree, I wish there was something they could do about the absurd amount of text that's now required for every GX, and seemingly more so for the tag team cards.

Me too. I guess they would have to simplify the TCG in order to reduce text. Something I as a collector would welcome ; ) It's just too much; an ability, a normal move and then a GX move. Couple that with art that covers almost the entire card and it gets messy.
 

momand

Aspiring Trainer
Member
charizard is pretty mediocre. pretty good ability, but terrible attack. it could have some synergy with blacephalon gx, but it's a stage 2

blastoise is just a nerfed deluge that doesn't really seem that good, also stage 2

erika's is interesting?? because steven's advice was decent if not good (iirc, i don't really play old format) in its respective format, i think we can expect it to maybe be a 1 or 2-of in certain decks.
 

lukkul

Aspiring Trainer
Member
a playable Charizard card that costs less to attack than Blastoise? Is this real life?
 

Ultragunner

Aspiring Trainer
Member
I like the Zard...

No energy in play... evolve into Charizard, attach 2 from deck with ability and 1 from hand = 180 damage without choice band
 

Kashvinder Mann

Aspiring Trainer
Member
Oh wow all 3 of them are quite playable in their own right. But yay a new Charizard card and one that's not bad for once (it can kill a Zoroark with an additonal fire and choice band). I can finally make a Charizard deck.
 
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FourteenAlmonds

Helipotile
Member
The Pokémon here don't seem too impressive to me at first glance. Both Charizard and Blastoise have potential, but I'd guess that they're not really going to be played much at all unless a deck does well somewhere.

I see them as sort of like the Feraligatr from Dragon Majesty. They're cards designed to please those few who want cards based on some starter Pokémon, but aren't going to be making any waves in the competitive scene.



Erica's Hospitality is sort of 'meh' too. It might get some popularity as a card that you have one or two of in a deck, but it seems sort of situational, like Copycat is right now. It's unfortunate that you can only use it if you have less than six cards in your hand, because otherwise it might have some good synergy with Unown HAND.

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Also, on a side note, can we please appreciate the art on that Blastoise??? It looks amazing!
 

DaLoc

Aspiring Trainer
Member
that charizard is playable (tier 3/4).

blastoise is kinda not relevant when we have quagsire plus aqua patch

Erica is decent, but is kinda overshadowed by Ingo and Emmett in the same set.
 

Frost

Ice/Fairy Stan Account
Member
If this set is sticking to promoting LGPE, I demand the TCG finally acknowledges Lorelei's existence. Almost every named character in Gen 7 has a full art but the first Elite Four member in the series gets radio silence after 23 years.
 

CynderDarkov

Aspiring Trainer
Member
I can get behind Erika’s Hospitality, although I can't guess exactly how good it will be. Normally I don't like cards that rely on something your opponent does, but most decks want to get 5-6 Pokemon in play as fast as possible, and even if they are playing around Erika’s Hospitality, well that's less Pokemon they're putting in play and could make things a bit easier.
 

TheRealBro..

...
Member
Look at these artworks (especially Blastoise). Now imagine these cards with a nice piece of Galaxy holofoil. Wouldn't that be great.. Well, they already look pretty great without it I guess. Some quality artwork!
 
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