Toxtricity V (Rebel Clash) and Toxtricity V (Promo) Pokemon Review

Otaku

Toxtricity V (SSH – Rebel Clash 072/192, 182/192) is today’s subject, along with Toxtricity V (SSH – Black Star Promos SWSH017). 

It was an unplanned two-in-one review for reasons that will become apparent.  As Pokémon V, these two will likely have better stats and/or effects than if they’d been baseline versions of Toxtricity.  They give up an extra Prize when KO’d and have to deal with anti-V effects.  An added bonus is they’re Basics, instead of a Stage 1 like Toxtricity (SSH – Rebel Clash 069/192), which is a Stage 1.  Though Stage 1 cards do have their own tricks, SSH – Rebel Clash didn’t change how being a Basic is the best Stage, and has been for most of the game’s history.

[L] Typing is arguably the best Type right now, due to their fantastic support. It also has solid long-term prospects for Weakness, though decks like Pikarom means [L] Weak decks are rare in the metagame right now.  210 HP is typical for a Basic Pokémon V; its reasonably solid for a two-Prize Pokémon.  [F] Weakness should be worse, but I’m still being proven wrong on Falinks/Falinks V decks; there are a few decks I didn’t anticipate doing well, though.  No Resistance is the worst, but is typical, so moving on we see a Retreat Cost of [CC].  Not too high, but not comfortably low.  Plenty of answers for it, though, like Air Balloon, Zeraora-GX, or Switch.

Both Toxtricity V know two attacks, with one requiring only one Energy and the second [LLC]. Toxtricity V (SSH – Rebel Clash 072/192, 182/192) needs [L] in order to use its “Poison Jab” to do 20 damage and Poison your opponent’s Active.  Its “Electric Riot” requires [LLC] to use, and does 90 damage base, but its effect text states the attack does another 90 if your opponent’s Active is Poisoned.  You’re not building a deck around Poison Jab, but if you can’t afford Electric Riot at least its inexpensive and a potential trigger for the bigger attack’s bonus damage.  As for Electric Riot itself, 90-for-three is poor, but 180 (190-ish including Poison) for three is fairly good, but with the right [L] or Poison support, it can be great.

What about Toxtricity V (SSH – Black Star Promos SWSH017)?  “Energize” costs [C] and lets this Toxtricity V attach a [L] Energy from your discard pile itself.  [LLC] pays for “Venom Slap” to do 120 damage plus Poison.  In a way, both of these attacks are quite similar to Poison Jab.  Venom Slap is literally a bigger version, but with a better damage-to-Energy return that nearly puts it into good 2HKO territory; support will squarely put it there, and even open up the chance of pricey OHKO’s.  Energize is like Poison Jab in that its somewhat decent, but only worth using when the big attack isn’t available.  It’d be so much if it could at least attach to the Pokémon of your choice, but you’re just using it as a lead-in to Venom Slap…

…or “G-Max Riot”.  Wait, where’d that attack come from?  Thanks to the Limitless Online Series Qualifier #3 and #4 tournaments, results for which can be found here, we already have an idea of how these cards ought to be used.  Both Toxtriciy V are partners of and lead-ins to Toxtricity VMAX.  We’ll properly review Toxtricity VMAX on Friday. For now, know it’s a typically-sized [L] Type Pokémon VMAX and it’s “G-Max Riot” attack is just a stronger version of Electric Riot.  Garbodor (SSH – Rebel Clash 118/192; SSH – Black Star Promos SWSH025) provides an easy, reusable way to Poison your opponent’s Active during your turn.

You also have the usual [L] Type support.  Thunder Mountain {*} and Tapu Koko {*} make your big attack a single turn trick if you can use them both on the same turn.  Electropower provides extra damage.  Zeraora-GX provides a free Retreat for anything with [L] Energy attached, and something with a GX-attack, should you have the opportunity to use it.  Boltund V is another alternate attacker, which shouldn’t have surprised me but it did (yeah, I really missed the boat on our new electric puppy).  Oh, and don’t forget four Speed [L] Energy.

No official results for Expanded and I’ve still been busier than expected, failing to get recent firsthand experience via the PTCGO.  Consulting my schedule, that doesn’t look likely to change anytime soon.  Since I love to speculate, however, I think this deck has potential here.  Not as much as in Standard, for the usual reasons.  There are so many other strong decks here, many of which can lock down the Items and/or Abilities that really help a deck like this.  However, there’s more combo opportunities here, like Hypnotoxic Laser and Virbank City Gym.  The thing that worries me, though, is Marshadow-GX.  It isn’t everywhere, but it almost could be, if we reach enough [F] Weakness to justify it.

Only Toxtricity V (SSH – Rebel Clash 072/192, 182/192) is legal for the Limited Format, and if you pull it, you should run it.  Theoretically, you could pull enough other great cards that don’t play nice with it, and so be better off running those, but you’re already lucky just for pulling a big, Basic Pokémon V at a Limited Format event.  Especially in the current climate.  Toxtricity V should work well in a Mulligan deck, backing up a mostly [L] non-Mulligan deck, and even without Toxtricity VMAX.  Your may be able to overwhelm you before you take four Prizes, but they’ll need both luck and skill.

Ratings

Toxtricity V (SSH – Rebel Clash 072/192, 182/192)

• Standard: 3/5
• Expanded: 3/5
• Limited: 4/5

Toxtricity V (SSH – Black Star Promos SWSH017)

• Standard: 3/5
• Expanded: 2/5
• Limited: N/A

The promo Toxtricity V isn’t as good as the one from SSH – Rebel Clash, but it looks like they’re a solid team together.  Venom Slap is there when Electric Riot isn’t cooperating, either due to an incomplete setup or anti-Special Condition effects.  Of course, both are serving as lead-ins to Toxtricity VMAX.  Toxtricity V (SSH – Rebel Clash 072/192, 182/192) almost has enough to be part of a deck on its own, or rather it does but that deck can’t compete with the VMAX version.