(1) Japan's July Set Not BW10, but 'EX Battle Boost'

hunter994x

Boss Salamence
Member
The extra Ralts and Kirlia was probably because of Gallade. But they could have just put it in BW3 but they didn't for some odd reason.

Let's just hope XY era doesn't go the way of BW era. As in, we get most, if not all Pokemon.
 

MrSquarepants

Heavenly Illusion Star
Member
The planning was also pretty poor on EX and shiny choices.

Krookodile, Archeops, Shiny Items, Garbodor, and maybe Exeggcute all could have been more playable shinies or at least more meaningful.

Edit: I forgot Golurk. That was a pointless shiny. Reuniclus... Kind of. He was playable in some decks back then.

Now we have trios that are missing...

Shiny Samurott
Shiny Cobalion
Shiny Venusaur

Cause of knickknack item cards that are sparkly.
 

hunter994x

Boss Salamence
Member
The fact that Gen 5 was rushed may have had an effect too. Even if it wasn't, there wouldn't be a guarantee either though.

Stuff like all pseudos minus Tyranitar, Swampert being the only Hoenn starter not to appear, lack of the other two Regis, etc, probably bothers me the most. If not all Pokemon were going to appear, they could have at least completed some of these.
 

Metalizard

Aspiring Trainer
Member
^There's actually a jap promo (Plasma) Froslass which might be included in our English Megalo Cannon set...
 

hunter994x

Boss Salamence
Member
Metalizard said:
^There's actually a Japanese promo (Plasma) Froslass which might be included in our English Megalo Cannon set...

Better edit my post then. I didn't even know that existed. Thanks :p
 

Frost

Ice/Fairy Stan Account
Member
For giggles, I took the entire list of older Pokemon who appeared multiple times in the BW TCG era and tried to force as many unused older Pokemon into their places without changing the amounts of each type we've gotten. I left slots for Unova Pokemon, reprint cards and Lightning- and Dragon-type cards alone entirely. Obviously I put the most emphasis on the Pokemon last seen in the DPP-Platinum block, but I left out all of the Baby Pokemon because the TCG either goes all or nothing with them and in BW, it was nothing.

ND - Next Destinies, DE - Dark Explorers, DRX - Dragons Exalted, BC - Boundaries Crossed, PS - Plasma Storm, PF - Plasma Freeze, SC - Shiny Collection, MC - Megalo Cannon, EEB - Everyone's Exciting Battle, BW-P - Japanese BW-P Promos, BWP - English BW Promos

PF: 2 Eevee --> Spearow/Fearow
PS: 1 Zubat/Koffing --> Ekans/Arbok
PS: Ralts/Kirlia --> Abra/Alakazam (like in Mysterious Treasures)
BWP Riolu/BW-P Lucario/BW-P Machamp --> Geodude/Graveler/Golem
ND: 1 Growlithe/Arcanine --> Ponyta/Rapidash
SC: Piplup/BWP: Empoleon --> Seel/Dewgong
ND: 2 Lapras -> Shellder/Cloyster
ND: Ralts/Kirlia --> Drowzee/Hypno (Ralts/Kirlia still available via Shiny Collection slots)
BC: 1 Psyduck /Golduck --> Krabby/Kingler
DE: 1 Chansey/Chatot --> Lickitung/Lickilicky
ND: Gardevoir --> Jynx
DRX: 1 Swablu --> Tauros

SC: Teddiursa/Ursaring --> Sentret/Furret
BW-P Mew/PF Espeon --> Natu/Xatu
PS Skitty -> Girafarig
EEB: Tangela/Aron --> Pineco/Forretress
EEB: 1 Magmar/Magmortar --> Slugma/Magcargo
BC Snorlax -> Stantler
EEB Riolu/Lucario + PF Umbreon --> Larvitar/Pupitar/Tyranitar

Blastoise Deck: Squirtle/Wartortle/Blastoise --> Mudkip/Marshtomp/Swampert
MC: Houndour/Houndoom --> Poochyena/Mightyena
PF: Rattata/Raticate --> Zigzagoon/Linoone
BC: Togepi --> Swellow
DRX: 1 Roselia/Roserade --> Shroomish/Breloom
MC: Drifloon/Drifblim --> Meditite/Medicham
PF: Grimer/Muk --> Gulpin/Swalot
PS Squirtle/BW-P Wartortle --> Barboach/Whiscash
MC: Sneasel/Weavile --> Corphish/Crawdaunt
PS: 1 Riolu/Lucario --> Anorith/Armaldo
BWP Meowth --> Castform
PS: 1 Croagunk --> Chimecho
BW-P Magikarp/PF Vaporeon/Glaceon --> Clamperl/Huntail/Gorebyss
ND Articuno --> Regice
BC Makuhita --> Regirock

PS: 1 Riolu/Lucario --> Cranidos/Rampardos
BC: 2 Skarmory --> Shieldon/Bastiodon
BC Scyther/Tangrowth, PS Leafeon --> Burmy/Wormadam/Mothim
SC Eevee/DE Eevee --> Glameow/Purugly
EEB: Marill/Azumarill --> Finneon/Lumineon
PF: Sableye --> Spiritomb
BW-P Bulbasaur/DE Umbreon --> Skorupi/Drapion
BWP Jigglypuff --> Arceus

Unused Pokemon from pre-HGSS that I still couldn't fit: Omanyte/Omastar, Kabuto/Kabutops, Wingull/Pelipper from Arceus; Rhyhorn/Rhydon/Rhyperior, Goldeen/Seaking from Supreme Victors; Shellos/Gastrodon from Rising Rivals; and poor old Phione from Majestic Dawn.

This pointless exercise would have been much easier if I could have randomly had delta Pokemon back to make half of the existing Water and Fighting Pokemon into Metal, Darkness, Fire, Lightning or Dragon-types.
 

Metalizard

Aspiring Trainer
Member
^
MC: Sneasel/Weavile --> Corphish/Crawdaunt

I think you meant PF Sneasel and Weavile, right?

Anyway, I agree with you, sure, that could have been done, but for example:
DE: 1 Chansey/Chatot --> Lickitung/Lickilicky

The Chansey you're referring I believe is the one from the strength deck and chatot from the Tornadus/Thundurus gift set. How would it make sense in japan for them to release Lickitung instead of Chansey and then, a lonely Lickilicky in the gift set instead of Chatot?
Or like, switching the Mew Promo and one of the Espeon for Natu and Xatu wouldn't make much sense because of the time gap between their releases...
Also, I don't really count the cards from the National Beginning set, they only feature Ken Sugimori artwork (with the exception of the Grass/Fire/Water pokémon) and and some of those had already been used before (like Taillow)...

The list you made is only possible in the english release of those cards, it would be more complicated to do that in the japanese releases... What they should have done was plan the sets and the decks better to acomodate the highest number of pokémon possible... Like not being lazy in the National Beginning set, and use original artwork. And then, putting some of those pokémon in it instead of repeting pokémon...
Another example would be instead of making another Ralts and Kirlia to go with Gallade in Plasma Gale, they should have just put Gallade in PDHB; or since you're counting Shiny Collection, they would have to save Gallade until Megalo Cannon since Shiny Collection was released after SpiralForce/ThunderKnuckle... But Shiny Collection is a promo set and has a lot of reprints, so I don't count that set either... If they had made all-new cards, it would be a different story...
 

Frost

Ice/Fairy Stan Account
Member
Yeah, Metalizard, it wasn't supposed to be an exact strategy where all of the releases of the Pokemon line up perfectly. I tried to group the replacement Pokemon into the same sets/promos/etc. because that'd make the most sense obviously, but otherwise I was just trying to squeeze in older Pokemon into the same number of cards that they had already decided on using. Stuff like Lickitung and Lickilicky would be where better planning on the Japanese set designers' parts could have included everything without cutting or expanding anyone.

I counted the National Beginning Set because... why not? It takes just as much effort to slap on the Sugimori art for Stantler or Girafarig or whoever as it does to slap the Sugimori art of Taillow or Snorlax on a completely basic card. And the Plasma Gale/Storm Ralts and Kirlia in particular bug me because they could have been sacrificed easily in favor of other Pokemon, as even the BW era had Roggenrola, Boldore, Timburr and Gurdurr in a Japanese set without Gigalith and Conkeldurr.

P.S. Yep I meant PF's Sneasel and Weavile. Or ND's, really, since it doesn't matter. I didn't pay attention to the playability of the cards, so if I cut out something playable, just pretend I replaced the other version.
 

Metalizard

Aspiring Trainer
Member
Frost said:
I counted the National Beginning Set because... why not? It takes just as much effort to slap on the Sugimori art for Stantler or Girafarig or whoever as it does to slap the Sugimori art of Taillow or Snorlax on a completely basic card. And the Plasma Gale/Storm Ralts and Kirlia in particular bug me because they could have been sacrificed easily in favor of other Pokemon, as even the BW era had Roggenrola, Boldore, Timburr and Gurdurr in a Japanese set without Gigalith and Conkeldurr.

That's true. There definitely wasn't any need for another Ralts and Kirlia, but what can we do? PCL has been joking around this time...

But regarding the National Beginning set, that's why I don't count the Taillow card as being a real Taillow card in the BW era. I still pretend Taillow didn't got a card in BW because that card with reused Ken Sugimori art is a pathetic excuse for a card... Same with Pikachu, Meowth, the Voltorb line, Snorlax (well, these ones actually got BW cards but you get my point), Farfetch'd, etc... I don't count those cards because they're some of the laziest things PCL ever did...

edit: Yeah, speaking of Sneasel/Weavile and other pokémon which got more than 1 card, I think pokémon that appear in the new Unova dex of BW2, would maintain their newest cards (Lucario, Weavile, Muk, Drifblim, Lapras, Aggron, etc.) and the older ones would be replaced...
 

Frost

Ice/Fairy Stan Account
Member
Seel and Dewgong were in both HGSS AND BW2 and haven't received cards since Platinum-era. So unjust. :'(
 
Top