I haven’t actually caught up with my class work, but between
frustration, the need to review, and a few other
problems I am rapidly trying to review this card. As such,
please forgive typos and such.
Name:
Feraligatr ex
Set:
EX Unseen Forces
Card#:
103/115
Rarity:
Pokémon-ex
Type:
Water
Stage:
2 (Evolves from Croconaw)
HP:
150
Weakness:
Lightning
Resistance:
None
Retreat:
CCC
Poké-Body:
Overpowering Fang
As long as Feraligatr ex is your Active Pokémon, each player’s
Pokémon (excluding Pokémon-ex) can’t use any Poké-Powers or Poké-Bodies.
Attack#1:
(WC) Tsunami [30]
Does 10 damage to each of your opponent’s Benched Pokémon.
(Don’t apply Weakness and Resistance for Benched Pokémon.)
Attack#2:
(WCCC) Sore Spot [70+]
Does 70 damage plus 10 more damage for each damage counter
on the Defending Pokémon.
Name:
Croconaw
Set:
EX Unseen Forces
Card#:
38/115
Rarity:
Uncommon
Type:
Lighting
Stage:
1 (Evolves from Totodile)
HP:
80
Weakness:
Psychic
Resistance:
None
Retreat:
CC
Attack#1:
(CC) Bite [20]
Attack#2:
(WWC) Aqua Sonic [50]
This attack’s damage isn’t affected by Resistance.
Name:
Totodile
Set:
EX Unseen Forces
Card#:
78/115
Rarity:
Common
Type:
Water
Stage:
Basic
HP:
50
Weakness:
Lightning
Resistance:
None
Retreat:
(C)
Attack:
(C) Splatter
Choose 1 of your opponent’s Pokémon. This attack does 10
damage to that Pokémon. This attack’s damage isn’t affected
by Weakness or Resistance.
Attributes:
Feraligatr ex a Water Pokémon, which is nice since almost
all Fire Pokémon are Weak to Water and rarely have been an
ignored type plus few Pokémon are Resistant (though the number
is growing) to Water. It is also a Stage 2 and a Pokémon ex.
What this means is that it should have access to some of the
most powerful effects available: that is, without making it a
“broken” card. Since you have to use at least two cards to get
it into play (Totodile and either Croconaw or
Rare Candy), plus it has all the problems faced by a
Pokémon-ex (multiple cards that can’t be used on it or will have
diminished effects plus cards that are designed specifically to
hamper its performance), it will need its 150 HP. This is a
good, solid amount. The only thing higher for a Stage 2 Pokémon
ex is 160, so next to the highest is pretty great. It will let
you survive attacks from several smaller Pokémon, and even
fellow Stage 2 Pokémon ex will usually need two hits against a
healthy specimen.
Lighting (Electric) Weakness might be a problem: it’s not the
most played type, but right now, it’s still common enough to be
a concern. Even with its HP being so high, all a Lighting-Type
Pokémon needs to do is score 80 damage to OHKO our boy. No
Resistance exists to balance it out, but peeking ahead, it might
be justified in this case. The last of the “Bottom Stats” is
the retreat cost, and Feraligatr ex has a hefty cost of three.
Anything over two generally means you won’t want to pay to
retreat unless you have no choice but to do so or lose the
game. Even giving up a prize might not be worth it, since
Feraligatr ex will then become a big fat target on the bench
and be eating up space.
As stated earlier, Feraligatr ex comes from Croconaw
who comes from Totodile. This set’s Totodile is
passable, being able to hit any opposing Pokémon for 10 points
of damage, and having more or less standard Attributes
otherwise. Croconaw is reasonably solid, with all around good
Attributes for a Stage 1 that still has another Evolutionary
option available. An inexpensive first attack and a solid
second attack that ignores Resistance: not too exciting, but not
bad.
Abilities:
Now for the meat of the card. Its Poké-Body shuts down opposing
Poké-Powers and Poké-Bodies. Most decks rely heavily on one,
the other, or both. This Poké-Body only work works while it’s
Active, so it will also have to be the main hitter.
This it can do well. Its Tsunami attack has a slight damage
bonus – (WC) would normally yield 25 points of damage – made
nicer when you consider it also has a free effect: nailing all
of you’re opponent’s Benched Pokémon for 10. Of course, this is
also a Stage 2 and a Pokémon-ex, so after factoring those things
in, this is more or less “fair”.
Sore Spot is definitely an exploitative attack. The more hurt
the opponent is, the more damage is done. The base damage is
70, which is fairly nice for (WCCC), which should normally yield
about 45 points of damage. The fact that it has a positive
effect means this is great, even for a Stage 2 Pokémon-ex.
All these Abilities have great synergy. Given Feraligatr’s
size and ability to slow an opponent’s set up, this will likely
make things very hard on the opponent: most Basics won’t have a
lot of HP, and as such two Tsunami will likely take out the
active and leave the others in bad shape. The one’s that
survive are then very likely to be taken out with single shots
from Sore Spot as they will all ready be damaged.
Uses and
Combinations:
I know many have tried to make this into another Turn 2 Control
deck, but being a Stage 2 it seems to unreliable.
A nice thing to take advantage of with Feraligatr ex
would be the Colorless Special Energy that works with Pokémon
ex. Boost Energy can be used to pull of Sore Spot turn
2. Cyclone Energy can be used to power up for Sore Spot
while allowing Tsunami to spread itself out more: if the
Defending Pokémon has 10 HP left, you might as well bring
something new up so no damage is wasted (as you’ll still hit the
Bench for the needed 10 damage).
Ratings
Unlimited:
1.5/5-Although its been ruled that anything that affects both
Poké-Powers and Poké-Bodies will also shut down Pokémon Powers
and this format is has some of the sickest Pokémon Powers in it
on non-Pokémon-ex, it also has fast Lighting Pokémon. It
doesn’t help that it can’t be paired with Neo Genesis
Slowking to put the hurt on the opponent, since an active
Feraligatr ex would shut down Mind Games.
Modified:
3.75/5-I can definitely see some strong decks coming out of this
card. Even if it sets up a little slower than a true Turn 2
Control deck, it’s got the brute strength many Turn 2 decks
lack.
Limited:
4.25/5-Assuming you can pull a full line of it this beast will
be incredibly hard to overcome. With the lack of Trainer
Support inherent to this format, reliance on Poké-Bodies and
Poké-Powers is even more pivotal to the game. Just remember
there are some nasty Lighting Pokémon in the set and that at two
Prizes, an opponent who is already set up might be able to trade
blows efficiently enough to topple it for the win.
Summary
An interesting card I look forward to seeing developed to its
full potential. It lacks the “cheap” feeling of Turn 2 Control
decks since it won’t totally lock the opponent down unless said
opponent is very slow at setting up, plus it has a little more
power to it than many other “Control” Pokémon (as you’d expect
from a Stage 2 Pokémon-ex).
