Please
note that unless otherwise specified, the review is done
with respect to the Modified format.
Name:
Cradily
Set/Card#:
Sandstorm, 3/100
Type:
Grass
Stage:
Stage 2 (Evolves from Lileep)
HP:
100
Weakness:
Fire
Resistance:
None
Retreat:
CC
Poké-Body:
Super Suction Cups
As long as
Cradily is your Active Pokémon, your opponent’s Pokémon can’t
retreat.
Attack#1:
(C) Lure Poison
Before using
this effect, you may switch the Defending Pokémon with 1 of your
opponent’s Benched Pokémon, if any. The Defending Pokémon is
now Poisoned.
Attack#2:
(GCC) Spiral Drain [50]
Remove 2
damage counters from Cradily (remove 1 if there is only 1).
Name:
Lileep
Set/Card#:
Sandstorm, 42/100
Type:
Grass
Stage:
1 (Evolves from Root Fossil)
HP:
80
Weakness:
Fire
Resistance:
None
Retreat:
CC
Attack#1:
(C) Influence
Search your
deck for Omanyte, Kabuto, Aerodactyl, Lileep, or Anorith and put
up to 2 of them onto your Bench. Shuffle your deck afterward.
Treat the new Benched Pokémon as Basic Pokémon.
Attack#2:
(CC) Time Spiral
If your
opponent has any Evolved Pokémon in play, choose 1 of them
and flip a coin. If heads, remove the highest Stage
Evolution card on that Pokémon and have your opponent
shuffle it into his or her deck.
Name:
Lileep
Set/Card#:
Sandstorm, 42/100
Type:
Grass
Stage:
1 (Evolves from Root Fossil)
HP:
80
Weakness:
Fire
Resistance:
None
Retreat:
CC
Attack#1:
(CC) Amnesia
Choose 1 of
the Defending Pokémon’s attacks. That Pokémon can’t use that
attack during your opponent’s next turn.
Attack#2:
(GC) Headbutt [30]
Name:
Root Fossil
Set/Card#:
Sandstorm, 92/100
Type:
Trainer Card
Sub-Type:
None
Text:
Play Root Fossil as if it were a Basic Pokémon. While in play,
Root Fossil counts as a (C) Pokémon (instead of a Trainer
card). Root Fossil has no attacks of its own, can’t retreat,
and can’t be affected by any Special Conditions. If Root Fossil
is Knocked Out, it doesn’t count as a Knocked Out Pokémon.
(Discard it anyway.) At any time during your turn before your
attack, you may discard Root Fossil from play.
Poké-Body:
Spongy Stone
At any
time between turns, remove 1 damage counter from Root Fossil
Attributes:
There is currently only one Cradily. As such, it doesn’t have
to compete with itself, but neither can it try to fit into
pre-existing decks in place of other Cradily. It is a Stage 2
Pokémon, evolving from Lileep, which is special in that it
evolves from Root Fossil, a Trainer. Root Fossil is sometimes
used in decks to stall, so that does present some “TecHing”
opportunities if Rare Candy is also in the deck… but back to the
lower stages. It’s Root or nothing unless I made a gross
oversight (I am not mentioning a few obscure combos). As for
the Lileep, both have solid stats and good uses, and Rare Candy
is also an option. Jumping back to Cradily, remember that it
would be better as a Basic or Stage 1, and as such should be
“pumped up” accordingly. We see it is a Grass Pokémon-not a lot
of Grass Resistance about, though neither does Weakness. The HP
is acceptable: once again just a touch above what I consider to
be the “lowest non-harmful” (which is 90 for a Stage 2). As for
Weakness, we get Fire, which is pretty bad since I have seen
several promising Fire decks and there is one well established
one (Blaziken/Exeggutor). Resistance is none, the worst you can
get. Retreat is 2, which is neither good, nor bad: it’s not
going to hurt too much to pay it, but it’s not something you can
do without some forethought.
Abilities:
The Poké-Body is nice-cutting off the ability to retreat is
always frustrating for opponents. Lure Poison is also
wonderful-reliable bench manipulation is so rare in Modified,
and you get to Auto-Poison, all for just (C). It’s like a
two-for-one deal. Last up is Spiral Drain, a solid
attack. (GCC) should yield 35, but we get 50. Not only do we
get 50, but we get an effect to top it off; you get to remove up
to two damage counters from Cradily. Now, all of these have
been good separate, and unlike yesterdays cards, they all form
sick support for each other! Though I am sure you have all
figured out, just in case some are tired, let me say it: you
grab something that can’t hurt you much with Lure Poison,
then attack and heal with Spiral Drain until its KOed
while Suction Cups strands them up front. Not an
unbreakable lock, but nasty none the less.
Uses/Combination:
Low Pressure System would of course tack on a welcome extra 10
HP for Lileep and Cradily-one might consider one or two Mirage
Stadiums with it, just in case you come up against Muk ex. As
usual, I suggest backing it with Xatu from Sandstorm to keep it
nice and healed, though in this case it is not as vital, since
the card can heal itself. Roselia could help power them up
faster. Anything else? Ah yes: you might consider Memory
Berry, since both Lileep have useful attacks.
Ratings
Unlimited:
2/5-Why so high? I think it might barely have a shot, just
because it’s such a self contained combo, and even just the
first attack (in the face of massive energy removal) is still
easy to use. With Slowking behind it, it could prove
surprisingly strong…
Modified:
4/5- I think bad luck is the only reason this isn’t played. It
is so sweet on paper… you saw all I listed. As a bonus, while
one of the two top decks will shred it, the other top deck (Gardevoir/ex),
hates it!
Limited:
4.5/5-I am not going to penalize it for being hard to draft, as
that doesn’t seem to make sense, since a suitably rare but
powerful card could be a 1/5, but win you the game. Also, if
it’s a starter deck draft then you probably could get it anyway.
As for the high score, not only is there the normal sick combo,
but the lower stages become much better.
2-on-2:
4/5-It is harder to strand two feeble Pokémon up front. On the
other hand, you can partner this with something else to help KO
them faster.
TMP:
3.5/5-I believe it only would target one opponent’s active. On
the bright side, you could once again combo it easily.
Summary
-Otaku (nintendotaku@hotmail.com)
