'Blue Impact' / 'Red Flash' Japan's XY8 Sets, Next Set Block Titled 'XY: BREAK!'

Cristianno Martins

I didn’t do it!
Member
1. After thinking for a while, now I also think 80/160 is not enough, but 240 is a bit too unrealistic for that attack cost, imo. A tiny increase of 10 damage would have been enough (90/180), considering that since it needs its spirit link, it won't be able to easily use a Muscle Band and 180 is the magic number for regular EXs... But there are other pokémon (like the bats) that can help increase that damage.

Yeah, 240 is very unrealistic for only 2-energy-cost/potentially-2-energy-discard attack, even on a mega, and that was why I thought the mega would need a 3-energy attack cost, instead of two (as I mentioned). Now, 3 energy for 200+ on a mega, and having to discard those, wouldn't make this card so broke, once other cards, like Landorus-EX discarded around 3 energies to hit for at least 150 damage, meaning a cost/value of 50 damage per energy, and Landorus-EX was only a basic EX (meaning it had access to a lot of other gadgets). Better than that, Blaziken from FUF did 150 to anything on your opponent's side of the field and only discarded 2 energies: a c/v of 75 damage per discarded energy, having the upside of hitting the bench if you want. I mean, hitting for 80 per energy that you send to the discard pile, and without any other extra effects (not doing damage to the bench, not burning, not accelerating energy to your bench, not always hitting for weakness) makes this a very mediocre Mega, in my opinion. There are far more interesting cards to play that have a better chance to help you even though rarely OHKO'ing something, like MManectric, for example.

2. Did you really expected that? I mean, seriously, this is a new block, Ancient Traits are gone and even if they weren't, this set would have another pair of ancient traits based on some other greek letter instead of reusing the already existing ones...

Although I suggested it could have omega barrier as its ancient trait, it didn't have to necessarily be the same trait: we already saw a lot of pokemon that have different attacks or abilities, but in the end those attacks or abilities had the same effect during the game: Noivern's echolocation and Cinccino's smooth coat are basically the same ability, as well as Seismitoad quacking punch and Dragonite's deafen. So, some <insert_greek_letter_here> <insert_cool_name_here> trait could also have a similar effect to omega barrier, right? Even if the effect of this new trait could only be activated when the pokemon is the active one, similar to what happens with wobbuffet, this would already be a much better card to play.
 

sagen888

Shine on you Crazy Diamond
Member
I'm kinda disappointed on these Houndoom and M-Houndoom cards (and keep in mind I say this with a heavy heart since I like Houndoom a lot). I mean, I understand TPCi is trying to keep the game balanced, and I even thought I expected M-Houndoom to have 1 less energy requirement in order to retreat than Houndoom (which it does), I was really expecting at least one of two things to come with it:

1. Houndoom having the option to discard all fire energy attached to it to do, at least, 240 in damage. Even if it required 3 energies attached to it to attack (and I would be very impressed if the last energy would have been a colorless one), those energies could be streamed through the use of blacksmith + the energy attachment for the turn, or using 2 burning energies and one energy attachment -- which could help to keep two other burning energies to eventually be attached to a M-Houndoom being build on the bench. Attacking for only 80/160 would keep fire-weak mons in check, but it would be a very bad card to keep a stream of KO's if matched against any other types (including mons that naturally resist fire). And, I mean, 160, while potentially discarding 2 energies, is horrible, specially in a format where cards like Dragon M-Ray can hit 300 discarding the same amount, and still is kinda resistant to fire...

2. I really REALLY hoped M-Houndoom came with the omega barrier trait: having basically the NEED to keep those burning energies in play, and currently having no way to recover them from the discard pile, without at least a way to protect those energies from being removed from play is a big downside of this card. I mean, I understand it is possible to avoid losing the energies through hammers if you play it combined with vileplume, but Xerosic and Team Flare Grant are probably gonna be seen a lot of play on an XY-on format so heavily reliant on special energies =(
I believe ancient traits are canned as of XY 8 in favour of the new BREAK cards, so Houndoom was never gonna get one anyways. Correct me if I'm wrong though.
 

Pinecone

A Pinecone on the Beach
Member
I was just thinking about how Houndoom is also affected by the less talked about side to Parallel City. Maybe a deck puts the -20 damage on Houndoom and uses the bench reduction to take prizes off the board. At -20 M Houndoom EX can't OHKO EX even with a Muscle Band. It's going to be interesting to see how Parallel City shakes out because the -20 for Water, Grass, and Fire side could be huge, even at the cost of limiting one's own bench, and of course the power to limit an opponent's bench. The stadium can be really versatile in a deck that is able to deal with both sides.
 

TyrantrumTantrum

The angriest fossil
Member
I'm not hating the artwork, but I'm not not hating the artwork either. It's a weird feeling.
I like the regular Houndoom's artwork better.
Wait for the Mega FA, i cant wait... the way theyve made MAmpharos and MSceptile look, these are gunna be Awesome, just wish MMawile got a FA, and Tyrantrum... *sigh*
 

Buyo

Aspiring Trainer
Member
I'm a little sad Typhy doesn't have an energy acceleration ability (or just an ability in general), but this art is really cool! And I'm mostly just happy that out of all of the fire types that could have fit in those 3 spots, it ended up being the ones I was hoping for!
 

Dêâthbêâm

Activator of the deathbeam
Member
That would be a good card with things like Swampert or whatnot, able to hit 240 for 1.

Each Swampert would undo the previous one, unfortunately.

W.h.y. d.o.e.s. T.y.p.h.l.o.s.i.o.n h.a.v.e. 3 r.e.t.r.e.a.t. c.o.s.t.? Hmmmm?!? I guess it's heavy ballable, but still, it's not that slow... Honestly, to do Typhlosion justice, the card should have 200hp and do 1 colorless for kill everything. Jokes aside, I can see this card working with blacksmith and the new burn energy. I'll certainly be proxying out a version of this (probably tomorrow or next month...).
 

Donphan_Wins

Aspiring Trainer
Member
Well folks, I predicted it in a few comments in some of the previous posts about XY8. I said we would get Typhlosion, and we got Typhlosion. I now have a chance to make Cyndaquil viable in competitive play, and that is darn well what I'm going to do. I'm going to find a way to make Massive Eruption broken. This format is either about 1-shotting everything, or 2-4 shotting everything while maintaining a lock or disruption. This thing 1-shots. Gosh i'm happy. I've been waiting 4 or 5 years for a Typhlosion, and I'm going to play the fool out of this card. Thank you Japan!!!!!!
 

redsky22

Aspiring Trainer
Member
Well folks, I predicted it in a few comments in some of the previous posts about XY8. I said we would get Typhlosion, and we got Typhlosion. I now have a chance to make Cyndaquil viable in competitive play, and that is darn well what I'm going to do. I'm going to find a way to make Massive Eruption broken. This format is either about 1-shotting everything, or 2-4 shotting everything while maintaining a lock or disruption. This thing 1-shots. Gosh i'm happy. I've been waiting 4 or 5 years for a Typhlosion, and I'm going to play the fool out of this card. Thank you Japan!!!!!!

I would rather play swampert ex it does the same thing its a basic and doesn't discard energy it shuffles them back in to the deck.
 

Arcane Potato

Aspiring Trainer
Member
Each Swampert would undo the previous one, unfortunately.

W.h.y. d.o.e.s. T.y.p.h.l.o.s.i.o.n h.a.v.e. 3 r.e.t.r.e.a.t. c.o.s.t.? Hmmmm?!? I guess it's heavy ballable, but still, it's not that slow... Honestly, to do Typhlosion justice, the card should have 200hp and do 1 colorless for kill everything. Jokes aside, I can see this card working with blacksmith and the new burn energy. I'll certainly be proxying out a version of this (probably tomorrow or next month...).

The Burn Energy certainly would help. ALOT. Free energy destroys and 130 damage! That will seriously slow your opponent. If Inferno Fandago is still usable
 

Frosty

Bleh.
Member
I..that artwork
there is so many cards in this set that I want just for the artwork alone!
Why isn't anyone else drooling over the artwork!!?
 

Donphan_Wins

Aspiring Trainer
Member
I would rather play swampert ex it does the same thing its a basic and doesn't discard energy it shuffles them back in to the deck.

Let me tell you why Typhlosion is better.
1. Mud Flood is requires 3 energies, Massive Eruption only requires 1.
2. Mud Flood looks at the top 4 cards for 40 damage each energy, and typhlosion looks at the top 5 and does 80 damage for each energy.
3. You take 2 prizes for knocking out Swampart, who had no 1 shot potential, and you take 1 prize for knocking out Typhlosion, who has lots of 1 shot potential.
GG.
 

redsky22

Aspiring Trainer
Member
Let me tell you why Typhlosion is better.
1. Mud Flood is requires 3 energies, Massive Eruption only requires 1.
2. Mud Flood looks at the top 4 cards for 40 damage each energy, and typhlosion looks at the top 5 and does 80 damage for each energy.
3. You take 2 prizes for knocking out Swampart, who had no 1 shot potential, and you take 1 prize for knocking out Typhlosion, who has lots of 1 shot potential.
GG.

typhlosion is a stage two there is no way your getting it out turn 2 or turn 1 with all the locking of items and all and with the current fast passe meta it will die before you get it set up. I would love to see typhlosion get use don't get me wrong I just think there are better cards out there.
 
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Lanstar

The Cutest of Ladies
Member
Let me tell you why Typhlosion is better.
1. Mud Flood is requires 3 energies, Massive Eruption only requires 1.
2. Mud Flood looks at the top 4 cards for 40 damage each energy, and typhlosion looks at the top 5 and does 80 damage for each energy.
3. You take 2 prizes for knocking out Swampart, who had no 1 shot potential, and you take 1 prize for knocking out Typhlosion, who has lots of 1 shot potential.
GG.

The issues about Typhlosion:
-It is a stage two, which means you'll need a few turns and some decent investment to get it out compared to a Basic EX.
-The Attack discards all the 5 cards, instead of shuffling them back into your deck like Mud Flood.

Now, that isn't to say Typhlosion is less better than Swampert EX... However, It kind of reminds me of the notorious Heatmor from Plasma Storm, whose "Fiery Licks" required 3 energy, and discards 4 cards, doing 50 damage for each fire energy. People made crazy luck-centered rouge decks with it that had around 40 or so energies for consistency!

Now, whether the Eruption attack is worth using to a point of building a deck around it, that I wouldn't know... Though it might take more effort to do that than Heatmor, due to the issues of getting stage 2 Pokemon out these days.
 

The Poke Tactics

Just a Pokemon fan.
Member
Wow! Awesome art and awesome attacks especially Typhlosion. I hope next expansion,Meganium is next.
Massive Eruption,I can build a Fire Deck for that.
 
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