News Japan's SM3 Sets for the 20th Movie Feature Ho-Oh and Necrozma!

BENDsli

Aspiring Trainer
Member
A lot of people keep mentioning M Charizard EX being insta-benched by Ho Oh GX and being energized by Kiawe, but you'd have to have hit a DCE and Max Elixir/2 Max Es and a basic/3 Max Es AND a Float Stone/Switch/a free retreater in the active on your first turn (if you go second) in order to even get the M Zard straight onto the bench as fast as possible
 

TapuPower

Aspiring Trainer
Member
I wonder how powerful Marshadow is, oh wait. Tiny green flaming angry toddlers are always strong when it comes to Pokemon logic.
 

Kontoleon

Aspiring Trainer
Member
This card is broken. This card will make the player going first have a HUGE advantage in the game.
Come on this card hav many counters. Tapu lele can counter this card surer easy. 6 *20=120 i know 120 is no enought but
1rst and opponents can hit good enough 1rst turn
2nd is no attack turn

Is no broken card from sure
 

crystal_pidgeot

Bird Trainer *Vaporeon on PokeGym*
Member
Come on this card hav many counters. Tapu lele can counter this card surer easy. 6 *20=120 i know 120 is no enought but
1rst and opponents can hit good enough 1rst turn
2nd is no attack turn

Is no broken card from sure

I say its broken for a number of reasons. First this card gives the player going first a huge advantage because you get a mon with four Energy on your first turn, not including your normal attachment. A Flareon-EX with five Energy turn one is huge. Second, it places more importance on opening hands. Ultra Ball finds a Tapu Lele, which finds this card and since you can't attack on your first turn, you get all the advantage while your opponent is left to respond. The card places too much pressure on your opponent's first turn. The third reason is it has unhealthy interaction with cards like M Mewtwo-EX.

The biggest issue here is the advantage the player going first gets since the text ending your turn doesn't matter here and you pretty much get four Energy for free, not including other cards like Max Elixir and your attachment for the turn.
 

Lanstar

The Cutest of Ladies
Member
I say its broken for a number of reasons. First this card gives the player going first a huge advantage because you get a mon with four Energy on your first turn, not including your normal attachment. A Flareon-EX with five Energy turn one is huge. Second, it places more importance on opening hands. Ultra Ball finds a Tapu Lele, which finds this card and since you can't attack on your first turn, you get all the advantage while your opponent is left to respond. The card places too much pressure on your opponent's first turn. The third reason is it has unhealthy interaction with cards like M Mewtwo-EX.

The biggest issue here is the advantage the player going first gets since the text ending your turn doesn't matter here and you pretty much get four Energy for free, not including other cards like Max Elixir and your attachment for the turn.

"Broken" Isn't exactly the word I'd describe it, but I do get the issue of the card being unbalanced to the advantage of the player going first. I wish there was an extra clause that states that you cannot play this card on the 1st turn of the game.

Otherwise, I could see lots of creativity going on with "Kiawe box" decks! I'd like to pair it with AT Golurk somehow, and many other high energy attackers. Maybe use the promo Regirock to keep the energy safe, too.
 

PrimalLugia

Lugia Prism Star please
Member
If they only did this with the English sets too. Collectors are happy, and players are happy.

And stunning illustrations!!


edit: And that Porygon Z ability can be very good! Can highly disrupt your stage 2 GX like decidueye if forest of giant plants is discarded!
 

Clamtrak

Aspiring Trainer
Member
Why does it seem every Porygon-Z card has something that involves devolving your opponent's Pokemon and why does it always suck? At least it's a cool looking card.
 

Coolpilot

Bisharps don't know 'bout my Togekiss
Advanced Member
Member
Ooo, I like that ability on Porygon-Z. Useful for spread decks, though not likely to see play in Standard (except maybe with Necrozma). Still good for other formats, like Cubes, though!

Plus, I just love Porygon-Z. <3
 

SharKing

I won't bite... much.
Member
Pokémon Card Lab is killing me here. Porygon-Z is my favorite Pokémon, but it keeps getting these uncompetitive cards. And this latest one... wow, does it suck.

That Ability might seem interesting at first, but there are two major flaws I can immediately see with it. For one, it sends the devolved cards right back to the opponent's hand. That means they can just play 'em right back down after your turn, so you'd have to either put enough damage on something before devolving it so it dies right there or be ready to follow up with hand disruption (something like N) in order to get anything out of it (even then, the latter might fail).

This is exacerbated by the second major flaw: it's a Stage 2 Pokémon. This forces you to either use a Rare Candy or, if you want to use something like Devolution Spray, wait another turn by playing the Stage 1 Porygon2 first. Both of these are a major hassle and a strain on precious deck space, and if you ask me, that Ability's just not worth it.

Do I even need to go into how worthless that attack is? Just read it yourself and let it be its own damning testament.

PCL, would it kill you to make this Pokémon playable for once?
 

Hunga

Oh no! Rotation in sight
Member
I think Porygon Z has potential.
Okay, you can't drop Porygom and then use a rare candy for an instant Porygon Z anymore, like back in the days (I feel old).
BUT there are enough supporters that shuffles hands back into the deck.
And keep in mind, Pokémon GX are evolutions too (some of them), so in a rotated format with less Pokémon EX and when the focus might be back on stage 1 & 2 Pokémon, this could work as a nice tech!
 

Shishigami

Aspiring Trainer
Member
So will 1st Edition stamps be returning after being absent for the first two main Gen 7 sets? I'm assuming that they aren't going to be judging by the booster box stock art.
 

rayray369

RayRay
Member
I LOVE how they're making so many Pokemon with abilities that activate when evolved. I think this encourages more evolution Pokemon and a slower meta.

As for Porygon 2, I think this card will be a great tech for decks with Vikivolt GX or Necrozma GX. Especially with the popularity of stage 1 GX Pokemon, a well played Porygon 2 could be devastating. I was just playing against a deck the other day that used Espeon EX's attack that devolves Pokemon paired with Umbreon GX. My opponent loaded up at least 60 damage on my Lycanroc GXs and then devolved and consequently knocked out the Rockruffs. Brilliant and creative strategy there!
 

wakeruncollapse

Aspiring Trainer
Member
This is a fantastic change for Japanese booster boxes. Currently in the SM block, approximately 75% of booster boxes from the main expansions held an SR or better. That'd mean on average, a booster case of 12 boxes would now carry three additional SR/HR/UR cards. It'd be an even better swing for the SM+ sets, where the expected pull ratio for SRs or better is 50%. If included for SM3+, that set just took a big swing towards being collectable again.
 
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