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Otaku |
Name: Rare Candy
Text: Choose 1 of you Basic
Pokémon in play. If you have a Stage 1 or Stage 2 card that
evolves from that Pokémon in your hand, put that card on the Basic
Pokémon. (This counts as evolving that Pokémon.
First some rulings:
Q. Can I use Rare Candy to place a
Stage 2 onto a Basic Pokemon?
A. You can use Rare Candy to evolve a Basic Pokemon into a Stage 1
or Stage 2. This essentially counts as your "Evolution" for that
Pokemon that turn, although it's not restricted by the first turn
the Pokemon is in play. The Stage 1 reference is because the card
works on the turn the Basic is played (not 1st turn of the game
though). (Sep 11, 2003 PUI Rules Team Meeting)
Q. Can I use Rare Candy to evolve Pichu into Raichu EX?
A. No, Rare Candy states if you have a card that "Evolves From"
your Pokemon. Pikachu does not say that it "Evolves From" Pichu,
so Rare Candy will not work in this situation. (Sep 11, 2003 PUI
Rules Team Meeting)
Q. Can I use Rare Candy on the first turn of a game (when Pokemon
are not normally allowed to evolve)?
A. No. There is nothing in the card that allows it to break this
rule. Nothing evolves on the first turn of the game! (Sep 11, 2003
PUI Rules Team Meeting)
Q. Can I use Rare Candy on a Pokemon's first turn in play? For
example, can I place down a Wurmple and then use Rare Candy on the
same turn to evolve it into Dustox or Beautifly?
A. Rare Candy doesn't allow you the first turn of the game, but it
does allow you to evolve a Pokemon the first turn it is in play.
(Sep 11, 2003 PUI Rules Team Meeting)
So what does that make this? A
powered-up Pokémon Breeder (just not as powerful as many
thought). First, some of you may be thinking “Wait, there are
Pokémon, like Neo Discovery Eevee that have powers that let them
evolve the first turn!” While that was true under WotC, Nintendo
has ruled that there is no first turn evolution by any means.
While This is upsetting to Eevee, Erika’s Clefairy, and Giovanni
players, the rest of use aren’t affected by it, since that is how
this card was supposed to work. You’ll also note that apparently
is does count as your “evolution” for that Pokémon for the
turn (sorry Dark Crobat and devolution deck players).. Yes,
this means that the combo I mentioned for Gardevoir ex
shouldn’t work. A pity, but that was more or less me trying
to come up with something good for my review. v_v That combo not
working as well as I had hoped doesn’t really change the
ratings-it was sort of an obscure “icing on the cake” thing. :P
Another seeming contradiction is that Pichu (for example) can’t
evolve into Raichu ex. The logic behind it is somewhat
fuzzy, but I’ll leave that to the experts (I have 4 exams this
week and am tying to do this review in about 1/3 my normal time).
We don’t know yet if this can get around Fossil Aerodactyl’s
Pre-Historic Pokémon Power.
So what does this do? As I said, it’s
a suped-up Breeder. This pumps up Evolutions across the board,
and all the Pokémon evolutions with single energy attacks are
giggling with delight now: unless their Basic form is the only
Pokémon you draw first turn, you can more or less ignore the fact
you have to make a Clefable start as a Clefairy, or a Weedle to a
Beedrill. On your second turn, your opponent winces as out of now
where, you bench then Rare Candy a Slowpoke to a Slowking, my
favorite, Oddish to a Dark Vileplume. >:D Also, evolutions that
have an energy cost of CCC can use Boost (or DCE for the CC
attacks) to go at it right away! Basically, this change requires
players to think more carefully, since a Stage 2 can now appear
“out of thin air”, more or less.
Ratings
Unlimited: 4/5-Why so high, it
just gave a whole lot of evolutions a shot in the arm. Weedle is
so easy to KO, but most recent Beedrills are actually quite
sturdy, and that’s just one of a dozen, most likely.
Modified (all potential
candidates)/TMP, 2-on-2: 4.5/5-Less revolutionary here, but
more or less just as valuable: nearly all decks use evolutions and
thus can make use of this powerful card. We also have some better
ways to get this and an evo in hand at the same time than we did
prior to the Nintendo sets, which is why Breeder was less favored
their (always seemed to Eeeeeeek and get it or the Stage 2, but
never both).
Limited: 3/5-sort of a
“variable” stage 1 if you draft multiple Stage 2s… note I didn’t
say to run all you draft, just that you can be a bit riskier in
your choices.
-Otaku |
