Is the Pokemon TCG Dead?

PoohBear-Ex

Aspiring Trainer
Member
Honestly I think the TCG is on an upswing right now.
Seems like a lot of the Pokemon channels and people are getting way into it.
I mean Effing Pewdiepie, although he made a joke video about pack openings, people are obviously getting interested again.

I think we will see an upswing, just from the fact that Pokemon cards are becoming trendy, and almost hipster again, and even when those people leave, I think you will still have people stick around.
 

SotS

Cycling the Stress Away
Member
It's really cool to read that the game is growing. Though it also solidifies the knowledge that forums are no longer used by many, and that bit sucks. I thought that the game was dying out, judging by online activity these days.
 

Card Slinger J

Aspiring Trainer
Member
Mr.Muffin said:
This is also one of the best format in recent years. It is diverse, balance, and doesn't have 1 deck that is a definite best. I wouldn't say this is my favorite format because I haven't been that active because of school, and Hearthstone has happened, but this is definitely great. Every set a new contender comes in to the ring, and that is what I love about this game.

I'd agree with you If it weren't for the simple fact that Pokémon-EX's have been ruining the game since the release of BW: Next Destinies. Isn't the Pokémon Trading Card Game supposed to be about the aspect of evolution instead of de-evolution like what we have now? Having a single creature become more powerful over time isn't something that other major TCG/CCG's currently have. Buying time, building up energy, doing quick attacks, playing Trainer cards, all of that, to get your amazing Swampert or Pidgeot out and doing heavy attacks creates excitement. They're cool. They're big. They don't put up with sass.

During the first introduction of the new Pokémon-EX, they drastically changed the competitive scene. We got Mewtwo-EX in the first wave, which is arguably the best Pokémon-EX ever printed. Competitive decks revolved around this one single card. Obviously, powerful decks will consist of powerful cards, but it created a slight disparity, being that this card was so good, that it's best counter was itself. Since Mewtwo-EX could also be played in every single deck, it was nonsense if you entered a tournament without Mewtwo-EX.

Now, even throughout the lifespan of the BW era, things were still a mix of Evolutions and EX's. A powerful deck consisting of Empoleon, Milktank, and Dusknoir even made it to the World Championships. Since then, however, even utility Stage 2 Pokémon have simply vanished from competitve play. Why? Because EX's are just better. They're Basic Pokémon, can be played instantly, you can start with them, have high HP, and potentially heavy attacks and/or disruption.

Even Stage 1 Pokémon are generally used for utility purposes only, like Phantom Forces's Bronzong and XY's Aromatisse. An influx of Pyroar usage was seen, because it was a consistent way of stopping EX Pokémon from dominating everything, along with "Safeguarders", like Suicune and Sigilyph. Even so, EX's were given tools to nullify even these Pokémon, like Genesect's Red Signal, and the Supporter Lysandre.

With all of these tools for EX's, Stage 2's are virtually unplayable. Every set of Pokémon releases some neat, and sometimes unique, Pokémon that have a lot of potential. Examples are XY Greninja, Delphox, Primal Clash's Swampert, Rhyperior, and many others, but will most likely fail to see play, because even with Rare Candy, it's just not enough. Granted, every card set needs cards that shine to a broad range of people, like casual players, collectors, and just even having filler cards is needed, to help keep things fresh, and adding value to rarer cards. However, we are reaching the point to where if you are not running mostly EX Pokémon in your deck, you're losing.

This is not meant to come off as looking into the nostalgic days of Rain Dance Blastoise, or Fire Spin Charizard. This is more to highlight a problem that can cause stagnation to a unique aspect of this card game that made it unique to all others. If I wanted to just slap down big creatures and win games, I'd rather play Yu-Gi-Oh!. If you want diverse and balanced formats in the Pokémon TCG look no further than DP-On, MD-On, and HGSS-On. The problem with BCR-On is that it provides little to no Stage 2 support with lots of Stage 2 hate cards. Level Ball and Tropical Beach were essential to Stage 2 decks last format which were both rotated out with no replacements for them and there's no problem with keeping Pokémon-EX as long as support for evolutions comes back.
 

Pikachu6319

Scooby
Member
Just a small note here, there are people, like me for instance, that never got the infamous Tropical Beach. I've never been in a position to enter anything to get it. That would make stage 2 Pokemon less feasible for me than for someone who could get it.

Aside from that though, the point still does seem to stand. EX's are the big things here, and this trend was seen long before Next Destinies, but it wasn't as prevelant. In the R/S/E/ era at least most of the EX's had to evolve first, like Blaziken EX. Now We have 'evolved' Pokemon like Trevenant EX and Magnezone EX wandering around like nothing.

The thing is, the 'anti-evolution' curve is only half the problem. Mewtwo EX is a basic regardless. So is Darkrai EX, as well as lots of other legendaries. I'm sure not all EX legendaries are a problem, but I know Mewtwo EX has been highly revered and criticized for its power and no evolution boost or anti evolution thing is going to effect it. There has to be other answers to minimize this kind of thing.

But you know, the fact we're even willing to spend the time and effort to offer our opinions about subjects like these prove one thing, at this point in time the Pokemon TCG is NOT dying. If it were we wouldn't even care to discuss this.
 

Maximinn

Aspiring Trainer
Member
Pikachu6319 said:
The thing is, the 'anti-evolution' curve is only half the problem. Mewtwo EX is a basic regardless. So is Darkrai EX, as well as lots of other legendaries. I'm sure not all EX legendaries are a problem, but I know Mewtwo EX has been highly revered and criticized for its power and no evolution boost or anti evolution thing is going to effect it. There has to be other answers to minimize this kind of thing.

It's odd how we just got a whole bunch of Stage 2 Pokemon with exciting new abilities and ancient traits in the new set and almost none of them are going to be playable because the big EXs will just run them over. The rotation won't even save them since Seismitoad EX and Yveltal EX will still be here. It's like they can't decide whether they want EXs or Stage 2s to be the main players.
 

Toro Rosso

Pokemon Racer
Member
I'd say it's both growing and shrinking at the same time. The current sets makes the game a little more towards balance. I mean, most of the EXs were pretty broken in the B&W era, especially with most of the staples. Now, TPCI wanted us to slow the game and released Stage 2s that are decent. However, they still introduced the most broken EX with Seismitoad. Because of that EX, we'd see a lot less players being enthusiastic in playing against a deck that can potentially lock you out of your staples.

It'll really depend on the next few sets to see if the reset button has truly been pushed or we'll just end up with Seismitoad EX till we're sick of it...
 

Broken Pokemon EX

Aspiring Trainer
Member
In response to the whole EX issue. I think rotation to XY-on will really help the game next format. We lose a lot of the big EXes that have dominated for years, Garbodor, and also most importantly lose HTL/Virbank which has been a huge staple for big basic/EX decks. And with some of the stage 2 support we have gotten recently (teammates, fan club, training stadium, soon the Delta Evolution ancient trait cards, etc.) the game could make a very positive shift after the summer.

I would agree that EXes have taken a lot of the fun out of the game. Though the format right now is the most diverse and balanced it's been in a while, the deck selection still is basically Big Basics/EXes that swing for a lot. Fairies is probably the only "set up" deck that is currently viable, and even that is pushing the term set up. I'd love to see a transition to a more set up based format with intricate strategies rather than the "drop basic EX, attach one energy, swing for huge amounts" type of format we have had for years now.
 

PoohBear-Ex

Aspiring Trainer
Member
I'd actually love the return of LvX pokemon, and just make them... bigger I guess?
Ex's being that "I want good power now"
LvX's being "I'm willing to wait for even more power"
 

Broken Pokemon EX

Aspiring Trainer
Member
I agree about Lv. X's. TBH I was hoping the Mega Evolution mechanic would be basically a reprint of the Lv X mechanic since that card mechanic was almost a perfect reflection of how the actual Mega Evolution mechanic works in the game.
 

Toro Rosso

Pokemon Racer
Member
Broken Pokemon EX said:
In response to the whole EX issue. I think rotation to XY-on will really help the game next format. We lose a lot of the big EXes that have dominated for years, Garbodor, and also most importantly lose HTL/Virbank which has been a huge staple for big basic/EX decks. And with some of the stage 2 support we have gotten recently (teammates, fan club, training stadium, soon the Delta Evolution ancient trait cards, etc.) the game could make a very positive shift after the summer.

I would agree that EXes have taken a lot of the fun out of the game. Though the format right now is the most diverse and balanced it's been in a while, the deck selection still is basically Big Basics/EXes that swing for a lot. Fairies is probably the only "set up" deck that is currently viable, and even that is pushing the term set up. I'd love to see a transition to a more set up based format with intricate strategies rather than the "drop basic EX, attach one energy, swing for huge amounts" type of format we have had for years now.

There are other decks that are still viable than the Fairy Box you've described. Bronzong/Steel is also quite popular and as well as the Fighting Stadium. Heck, Donphan is a Stage 1 and it has seen massive popularity as well. I'd say that the current format is quite diverse in the way we approach Pokemon but unfortunately, so long as Seismitoad EX is still viable, the unbalance is still quite real.
 

Card Slinger J

Aspiring Trainer
Member
And to make matters worse Trevenant EX isn't good enough as a counter against Seismitoad EX for Stage 2 decks to get their early game setup going with Rare Candy since your opponent can slap Weakness Policy onto Seismitoad EX and not have to worry about a 2HKO from Wood Blast or they can play Enhanced Hammer/Crushing Hammer to discard a DCE attached to Trevenant EX which would buy the Seismitoad player enough time to draw 2 prizes off of Trevenant EX with Intimidating Mane Pyroar.
 

AAA

Gen III Nerd
Member
Over here in Canada we have a tourney called PokéMUN Days on the first monday of every month at our local uni, MUN. About 50 people show up every month, the population of people within an hours commute of the uni is ~20,000 so at that ratio 1 in every 400 people around play TCG enough to participate in tourneys. So I guess you're in a dead zone.
 
Top