We end the week with the latest
Heracross.
It
has a good 80 HP for a Basic Pokémon.
It can’t Evolve, so it’ll need
it.
Heracross is a Grass Pokémon, which
is good due to its first attack
referencing Grass Pokémon.
Its Fire Weakness could be a
problem: it ensures even an early open
by a Fire Pokémon can OHKO it.
The lack of Resistance is
disappointing, but unfortunately common.
The two Energy Retreat Cost is a
small problem: its pretty draining and
you’ll want to avoid it if at all
possible.
All in all, this is a solid but
hardly brilliant start.
Like the other cards this week,
Heracross has two attacks.
Like most of the other cards, if
the first attack was a Poké-Power, even
a one time use one, it’d be a must for
certain decks.
Green Draw is a bit pricey, but
can snag you upwards of six cards.
It
requires some work, but you can get this
off second/third turn and basically
trade it for a solid set-up.
The second attack is pretty
standard Pokémon fair: (GCC) with a base
damage of 30 is poor, but that’s only
one in eight possible results.
Most of the time you should score
50, which is a bit low but manageable
and every now and then a good 70.
So this may be the strongest card we’ve
seen this week.
I can only see it working in a
mono-Grass,
as a potential opening Pokémon for
Sceptile with Wild Growth: an early
set-up will give you a way to replenish
your hand before you start slugging it
out, and
Heracross is just big enough and
hits just hard enough to work.
It might also work with
Meganium Prime, again as a barely
adequate brawler and decent opening
Pokémon.
Your first turn, sadly, will be a
waste.
Second turn you should live just
long enough to get off a solid draw, and
if your opponent doesn’t step up and go
aggressive you might salvage
Heracross.
Ultimately, it’s a passable card.
It is not great, but it just
might do the job.
Give it a try just to make sure,
but only if you have time and patience.
If you’re playing Limited and can
afford to run enough Gras Energy to
support it (and that isn’t much since it
only needs one), it is a solid brawler.
If it’s your only Grass Pokémon
it won’t wow you but at least hits hard
enough in a slower format, and if you do
have at least a decent Grass presence,
you can get a good draw or two out of it
before it is KO’d.
Ratings
Modified:
2.5/5
Limited:
3.5/5
