We have a badass couple right here.
Let me just say that typically this isn't my style, and would be really feel-bad for me, because there are already so many Greninja GX cards. I hate to adulterate the scene with any more of them. However, I had said to myself that I could make an even better one, and thus the production began.
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Greninja GX has a really unique ability, that does something very intuitive for GX style cards (given their Prize bounty—when knocked out). The effect of {Magic Water Rebirth} gives up a single prize for balance, while allowing the player to retain their majestic GX Pokemon for another round. They will still collect two Prize cards if-and-when Greninja GX is knocked out, but I still feel that it's essential to balance to give up an additional one for the effect (for good measure).
This ability works super intuitively with Hydro Pump GX, as it allows a player to build up energy for another turn before unloading their supreme attack. Super Frog Kick is the go-to combat alternative that seeks to provide power with gracefulness. It's not exactly intuitive with the build-up for the GX attack, yet provides great power, in versatility, with great responsibility. I think the [Mist Slash] Greninja GX is way over-powered, and over the curve. And I'm just not trying to do that here with this design.
The composure for the [Hydro Pump GX] attack breaks modern conventions, but I think it does so very stylishly. It's more of a throwback to the old school classic Hydro Pump attack, with added power (in Bench damage) that reflect the grandeur of the GX title. It is a super-powered Hydro Pump—and it captures that essence very well—with great balance and execution.
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Stage 2 Greninja plays the perfect backup as a combat tricks card. Its combination of attacks provide speed, power, and tactician. [Close Combat Ninjutsu] is straight to the point power, cut-throat versatility, with the prime capabilities of cutting-off all Weakness. Given that it somewhat lacks immense power (a three-turn KO in many cases), it puts the player at an intriguing even-ground in competition with very strong Grass Pokemon. That even ground though would be all I'm looking to provide here. It preserves the aspect of challenge, which is what makes the game fun.
I don't find it's typically the style to give Greninja a super-power attack (costing 4 Energy or more)—but once again I was compelled to break convention—and do it with great style in Hydro Vortex. Its effect is like a paradox. It at first would seem like both effects do the same thing, but the first is circumvented a Double-Colorless Energy, and the second punisher on Double-Colorless Energy use. They are in-fact very different, and work in very different ways. Yet both can provide great technical support.
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For Frogadier, I had the plan for an entertaining {Ability} design, in of contrast of the combat tricks designs I had planned for the other member of this family. I typically like to alternate between design styles (Ability cards—plain text/combat tricks designs) because I believe the contrast is important for sanctity. The {Disappearing Ninja Trick} Ability I had conceptualized as an effect that would super-punish the target aspect with a double-benefit. In lieu of this, if Frogadier is affected by a Special Condition, it not only gets a free retreat, but gets a free full healing as well. I think that it's really neat, and exactly the kind of thing that Stage 2 building decks need to give them more fair-ground in their uphill battle climb to the Stage 2 level.
As a fun fact, I envisioned Frogadier as a teenager when making this design. Its primary attack is a chump jab (legendarily akin to teenagers). The Ability is like when you go to ground him, but then he just jumps out the window, and heals all damage from himself as he goes out to do whatever he wants. LoL that this Ability also works with the Imakuni supporter. I guess that's like when grandpa asks if he wants to come over to stay the week with him. He'll take him fishing—and they'll go to the arcade, and have Sbarro pizza.
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Not much to add about Froakie. I had to keep it simple, so I just decided to roll with a light combat trick in [Study Move]. It enables the vulnerable basic to dodge really powerful attacks, when say paired up against Pokemon EX or GX, but comes at an elevated energy cost (which I am kind of deliberating on—if is too much).
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