'Tidal Storm' and 'Gaia Volcano' Japan's Next Sets! [9/22]

[signofzeta]

We need a Gyarados EX, because there is a Mega Gyarados. To date every Pokemon that mega evolves has an EX card and I see no reason for that trend to stop. For similar reasons Gardevoir, Mawile and Sableye will have EX versions too. There is also an image of Absol EX on the front page of Pokebeach along with M. Absol EX.

I agree we'll probably see a Raichu EX too. What I want to know is if the primal pokemon will be an additional set of cards in the set or fill the place of a mega pokemon in this set.

So, when we get this set in the US, who wants to bet we'll either have three theme decks (to match three starters) or two starter decks that will combine two of the starter types, like maybe water and fire? They could even turn around and make it part fighting with Swampert and Blaziken evolving into fighting types.

Depending on what is in the set, the theme decks may be 3 of them, with Sceptile, Blaziken, and Swampert as the cover cards, or 2 of them, with Groudon and Kyogre as the cover cards. What I can tell you is that it will most likely be Groudon and Kyogre that is pictured on the playmats, no matter if the theme decks are based off the starters or the legendaries.

 

[ThunderSloth]

New Kyogre and Groudon EX hype anyone? I hope they're playable/ have good abilities and groudon will have fighting support, so that makes it a little more playable if it's god awful like its predecessor.

 

[Pikachu6319]

Have I missed something? I don't recall anything about playmats.

I don't think the theme decks will be based on Kyogre and Groudon, not unless they plan on making regular versions of them in addition to EX versions and the primal versions. Not that it wouldn't be feasible I suppose. Water/grass for Kyogre, Swampert and Sceptile and fire/ground (for Blaziken and Groudon, This was in fact the basic structure of the Ruby/Sapphire theme decks (though Sapphire lacked Sceptile it could have easily supported one and obviously Kyogre and Groudon were also lacking).That would mean no fighting versions for Swampert and Blaziken but that is kind of a long shot anyway.

 

[ShadowMoses05]

There's literally a picture of a Gallade EX card on the front page right now.

Did you even read the scroll over text??

No sorry I didn't see it, it's white text on a little blue background. It was really hard to read.

 

[GadgetJax]

Did you even read the scroll over text??

No sorry I didn't see it, it's white text on a little blue background. It was really hard to read.

Don't worry about it. I intentionally made it white as a little joke. I do like Gallade-EX quite a bit, but it seems a bit too coincidental that he got revealed around the same time as M. Gallade. Still waiting for Vileplume-EX and Froslass-EX though!

 

[signofzeta]

Have I missed something? I don't recall anything about playmats.

I don't think the theme decks will be based on Kyogre and Groudon, not unless they plan on making regular versions of them in addition to EX versions and the primal versions. Not that it wouldn't be feasible I suppose. Water/grass for Kyogre, Swampert and Sceptile and fire/ground (for Blaziken and Groudon, This was in fact the basic structure of the Ruby/Sapphire theme decks (though Sapphire lacked Sceptile it could have easily supported one and obviously Kyogre and Groudon were also lacking).That would mean no fighting versions for Swampert and Blaziken but that is kind of a long shot anyway.

...which is why I said "dependng on what is in the set".

All theme decks come with playmats, you know, those cheap paper ones. The odds are that the playmat will feature Groudon on one side, and Kyogre on the other, no matter if the theme decks are based off the legendaries or the starters. I forgot to mention that they are 2 player playmats.

Look at most theme deck playmats starting with Black and White. They always show a picture of the theme deck cover cards. Emerging Powers has a picture of Krookodile on one side, and Scolipede on the other. Next Destines theme deck playmat has Reshiram on one side and Zekrom on the other. Black and White has Serperior, Emboar, and Samurott as theme deck cover cards, but yet they have Reshiram and Zekrom on the playmat, so I would guess that even if the first ORAS set theme decks were the starters, Groudon and Kyogre would be on the playmat.

For theme decks before black and white all the way back to diamond and pearl, they had a 1 player playmat, and usually contains a larger picture of the theme deck cover card, and a smaller picture usually taken from one of the booster pack images. The rulebook/cardlist always has a picture of one of the theme deck cover cards, for example, for HS Triumphant, Mamoswine is shown on the Rulebook side, while Nidoking is shown on the Cardlist side. For sets, like Heartgold Soulsilver and Diamond and Pearl, the theme decks are based off the starters, but yet the rulebook/cardlist shows a picture of Ho-oh and Lugia, and Dialgia and Palkia respectively.

I pretty much have bought every single theme deck starting from Platinum Supreme Victors, with Ember Spark, Mind Flood, Green Tornado, Blue Assault, and Toxic Tricks missing. I also bought older ones. I also keep the packaging and all the playmats, rulebooks, strategy inserts etc, so I know what is shown on the playmats, so I have a strong feeling that the playmat will show Groudon and Kyogre, even if the theme decks are based off the starters, and Kyogre and Groudon themselves aren't in the decks. Black and White theme decks didn't have Reshiram nor Zekrom in them but they had pictures of them on the playmat just because they are the cover pokemon of the respective video games. I, however, won't guarantee that the starters or the legendaries are confirmed to be the theme deck cover cards. All I can speculate on is which Pokemon will be shown on the playmat based on the numerous theme decks I bought.

 

[Photonkrios95]

The one reason I don't think they will is that unless we hear something different there are only two megas in the entire Pokemon lineup. So we'll see two primals and four megas.

But, going by XY which was the last split set, wouldn't we only get, the Primal (Mega) + Its EX, and 2 other EX's in each Japanese set.

But then, assuming that the Primals don't take the Mega slot, we'd get Primal + its EX, a Mega + its EX and 1 other EX, in each 2 Japanese sets.

 

[SilentlyFreezing]

Medicham EX and Mega Medicham EX please.

 

[Pikachu6319]

@Signofzeta; I've bought every theme deck too, and to be honest I never paid attention to the paper playmats, which is probably why I didn't know what you were talking about. I take out the cards, coins, and card box and toss the rest away, I'd like to keep the outside packaging but I always seem to destroy the box to get to the cards.

@Photonkrios95; my bad, I didn't mean to say two megas in the entire Pokemon lineup, I meant to say two primals in the entire Pokemon lineup, referring to the fact that so far Kyogre and Groudon are the only primals in the entire game so far. Even if we get both Primal Kyogre and Primal Groudon in the first ORAS set there are no others they can plan on to our knowledge.

 

[signofzeta]

@Signofzeta; I've bought every theme deck too, and to be honest I never paid attention to the paper playmats, which is probably why I didn't know what you were talking about. I take out the cards, coins, and card box and toss the rest away, I'd like to keep the outside packaging but I always seem to destroy the box to get to the cards.

@Photonkrios95; my bad, I didn't mean to say two megas in the entire Pokemon lineup, I meant to say two primals in the entire Pokemon lineup, referring to the fact that so far Kyogre and Groudon are the only primals in the entire game so far. Even if we get both Primal Kyogre and Primal Groudon in the first ORAS set there are no others they can plan on to our knowledge.

Packaging opening novice haha.

I wouldn't say that I destroyed the packaging, unless it is that one flap that is glued to keep the packaging shut. Out of all the theme decks I opened, I haven't ripped any of the packaging, and the outer layer stays intact. I wouldn't say the same for fold creases.

 

[pokemonFTW23]

So cool. Honestly, people always hate on the shiny bordered megas, except why hate? Besides that there is great artwork, and perhaps they might stop that. Same how HGSS set was amazing, except the secret rare unown thing was crap. Literal crap. Doesnt matter. At least they look cool.

 

[Carpey]

So cool. Honestly, people always hate on the shiny bordered megas, except why hate? Besides that there is great artwork, and perhaps they might stop that. Same how HGSS set was amazing, except the secret rare unown thing was crap. Literal crap. Doesnt matter. At least they look cool.

I like the artwork on each of the secret Mega Pokemon so far, because the gold looks really nice instead of regular black borders. I really do. But, I abhore that they look exactly the same as the regular Mega Pokemon. No different textures, no different colors, no different artwork. We don't even get the English letters like how Japan gets Japanese in their secrets, and nobody could be bothered to simply just flip the artwork or something. Nothing. Also nothing really pops at when you pull the secrets. I've seen too many times where people don't even notice they got a secret until somebody that has a sharper eye on the cards tells them.

I have to agree with you on the Alph Lithographs though. That was way worse.

 

[GadgetJax]

We don't even get the English letters like how Japan gets Japanese in their secrets,

In Japan, standard Megas use English for the attacks, while the gold ones use Japanese. In America, Japanese is used for both the standard and gold megas. My guess is that they originally planned to have english names used for the gold megas, but couldn't because M. Kangaskhan and M. Charizard Y used odd names for their attacks, "Gan Gan Punch" and "Guren Dive". It probably wouldn't have made sense to use a different name for the attack on the Gold Megas, so they just used the Japanese text instead for the Gold Megas. Not wanting to change a formula they already established, the Pokemon Company International used the same concept for Furious Fists, and will most likely continue this trend for Phantom Forces.

 

[Kalyst]

We don't even get the English letters like how Japan gets Japanese in their secrets,

In Japan, standard Megas use English for the attacks, while the gold ones use Japanese. In America, Japanese is used for both the standard and gold megas. My guess is that they originally planned to have english names used for the gold megas, but couldn't because M. Kangaskhan and M. Charizard Y used odd names for their attacks, "Gan Gan Punch" and "Guren Dive". It probably wouldn't have made sense to use a different name for the attack on the Gold Megas, so they just used the Japanese text instead for the Gold Megas. Not wanting to change a formula they already established, the Pokemon Company International used the same concept for Furious Fists, and will most likely continue this trend for Phantom Forces.

They were probably just too lazy honestly. If they get the files in to translate but then have to go the extra mile to have to redo the lettering with the English iteration/translation, why bother? After all, the Japanese text on English in the US has no bearing on what the physical card text says and doesn't hurt making the secrets in English text to match the English translation. Its just TPCI's pure laziness. If they can do the bare minimum, they will. *points to how Tangrowths thousand lashes was completely off center* But like you said, since they've already been doing this its likely not going to change for the next set...though I am curious if it will change come ORAS or if they'll just keep it the same

 

[MrSquarepants]

I decided to be smart and preorder some boxes early. Boxes were still available but the Metagross promo box are closed for preorders. Guess there will be a fair amount of hype...

 

[GadgetJax]

*points to how Tangrowths thousand lashes was completely off center*

It wasn't. It was just lined up to Mega Drain. See?