Skip straight to the scores and summary for a concise overview.
Please note that while I denote δ Delta Species Pokémon
by adding a δ to the end of their name, but that said symbol is
not actually part of their name for gaming purposes. For
example, a “Pokémon δ” can Evolve from or into a non-Pokémon δ,
so long as no other rules are being broken. That is, I can
Evolve Dratini δ into a Dark Dragonair, plain
Dragonair, of the “Dragonair δ”. I cannot,
however, Evolve a Dark Dragonair into a Dragonite δ
or a Dragonair δ into a Dark Dragonite.
Name:
Umbreon δ
Set:
EX Delta Species
Card#:
17/113
Types:
Darkness, Metal
Stage:
1 (Evolves from Eevee)
HP:
70
Weakness:
Fighting
Resistance:
Psychic
Retreat:
C
Poké-Body:
Delta Moon
When
your opponent attaches a Special Energy card from his or her
hand to 1 of his or her Pokémon, put 1 damage counter on that
Pokémon. This power can’t use more than one Delta Moon Poké-Body
each turn.
Attack:
(DM) Feint Attack
Choose 1 of your opponent’s Pokémon. This attack does 30
damage to that Pokémon. The attack’s damage can’t be
affected by Weakness, Resistance, Poké-Powers, Poké-Bodies,
or any other effects on their Pokémon.
Name:
Eevee δ
Set:
EX Delta Species
Card#:
68/113
Type:
Metal
Stage:
Basic
HP:
50
Weakness:
Fighting
Resistance:
None
Retreat:
C
Attack:
(C) Metal Scoop [10]
Search your discard pile for a (M) Energy card and attach it
to Eevee.
Name:
Eevee
Set:
EX Delta Species
Card#:
/113
Type:
Colorless
Stage:
Basic
HP:
50
Weakness:
Fighting
Resistance:
None
Retreat:
C
Attack#1:
(C) Call for Family
Search
your deck for a Basic Pokémon and put it onto your Bench.
Shuffle your deck afterward.
Attack#2:
(CC) Rear Kick [20]
Attributes:
Umbreon δ is a Stage 1 δ Delta Species Pokémon. It
Evolves from Eevee. This set contains two different
Eevee: one normal Colorless version and one δ Delta Species
version. Both have 50 HP, a Fighting Weakness, and a Retreat
Cost of one. Of the actually Eevee δ, Metal Scoop
suffers since it is an attack, and the most likely time to use
it is early game before any Metal Energy are in the
discard pile, and it only affects actual Metal Energy
cards. The “plain” Eevee has two “okay” attacks. I
recommend neither, due to the superiority of EX Unseen Forces
Eevee with “Energy Evolution” for Modified. Said Poké-Power
allows you to search for an Evolution matching an Energy card
you attach from your hand to said Eevee. Using Metal
Energy (or any card that provides it), you may search for
any Eeveelution that is part Metal (which is all five Eeveelutions
that aren’t Pokémon-ex in this set). Just be careful since this
Eevee has only 40 HP. For Unlimited use, the Blackstar
Promo with Chain Reaction or Neo Discovery version with a coin
flip determined Energy Evolution may be better: note that the
Chain Reaction Eevee is to be run alongside either of the
Energy Evolution Eevee. The question is whether or not
to risk the slightly lower HP for the better reliability of the
newest version (I feel it is: Tyrogue and most Pokémon
threats can OHKO both of them anyway). You didn’t think I’d
start changing this part this late in the game, did you?
Returning to Umbreon δ itself, it is a Dual-Type Pokémon:
both Darkness and Metal. This may be the ultimate Type
Combination; you can get the damage bonus from Darkness
Energy cards and the damage reduction from Metal Energy
cards. Darkness Weakness quite rare: only 10 cards have it (and
they don’t see a whole lot of play). What is nice is there are
no Darkness Resistant Pokémon. The Metal aspect increases the
amount of vulnerable Pokémon by 17, but adds 25 Resistant
Pokémon. Additionally, there are no Dual-Resistant or Dual-Weak
cards that match both types.
Umbreon δ
has a mere 70 HP. While not the lowest for a Stage 1, even in
Modified, those that are lower tend to have fantastic or unique
Abilities… or else are a major hindrance for the card, often
making it “bad”. Looking at the actual figures, 70 HP is the
most common for a Stage 1 Pokémon that isn’t a Pokémon-ex and
doesn’t Evolve. That still doesn’t make it good, though. This
low means most serious attackers will be able to OHKO you unless
you are at full health, and many even if you are. Additionally,
the effect of Metal Energy becomes more critical for
defending against the weaker, early game attacks as they can
more easily overwhelm you while at the same time you get less of
a benefit late game since the Metal Energy will likely be
superfluous. That is, you are dependant upon Metal Energy
to survive early in the game, and late game it won’t offer any
real safety.
With
such a low HP, the Fighting Weakness of Umbreon δ becomes
a serious concern: most Fighting types will be able to OHKO you,
except for some Basics. Some will be able to do so very, very
quickly, even if they are small, only-played-to-Evolve Basics
like Mahukita.
The low
HP also makes the Resistance all the more important. It doesn’t
suffer as badly as Metal Energy since it’s a flat -30 all
the time (well, against the specified type). Psychic Pokémon
seem to almost randomly hit it big, being feared one minute then
forgotten the next (Gardevoir ex, Dark Hypno,
etc.). With Resistance having become such a rarity, this is
very good to have; with a few real Metal Energy cards,
you should be able to fend off several Psychic Pokémon.
Finally, we come to a Retreat Cost of one. This is the second
best retreat cost in the game; even if a “naked” Umbreon δ
is forced active, you should be able to bench it with ease. Of
course, given the HP score and Pokémon, a free retreat cost
really was needed. Just be careful, since you’re more apt to
have Special Energy cards attached to it.
Abilities:
Umbreon δ has a Poké-Body and an Attack. The Poké-Body,
Delta Moon, is so close to being quite good. As is, it is
“okay”: when your opponent attaches a Special Energy card to a
Pokémon, that Pokémon gets damaged. It places a damage counter,
so it can’t be blocked with things like Metal Energy,
though it is only for an attachment from hand. Given the heavy,
heavy use of Special Energy, I think they could have let it
apply to any attachment of it (not many cards can attach Special
Energy cards aside from the normal once-per-turn attachment from
hand anyway),. The real problem is the power doesn’t stack.
It’s worded so that only one Delta Moon can be used. If it
stacked, it could have been its own deck type.
The
attack is similarly disappointing. Feint attack is a great
attack… when it does fair damage for Energy into it. The attack
allows you to target any of your opponent’s Pokémon, and ignore
any effects that would alter damage on that Pokémon. Choosing a
target is good, and is usually worth losing 5 to 10 points of
damage. The ability to bypass most damage reducing effects is
also worth 5 to 10 points (not more since you lose out on
Weakness, which will occasionally matter). Well, you need to
meet two different colored Energy requirements on a Stage 1.
Simply put, that’s worth about 40-50 points of damage. So once
again, the attack meets only the minimum projections. A minimum
that I have nearly abandoned since Pokémon that follow it tend
to be underpowered. Additionally, Feint Attack has a hard time
making use of Darkness Energy cards, since the damage
bonus from that card won’t apply to Benched Pokémon.
All in
all, these two abilities are “okay”, but they really needed a
stronger ability to go with them.
Uses
and
Combinations:
Well, it’d be a lot better if the Poké-Body stacked. Why?
Well, as is, of course you’d want 1 copy for an Eeveelution
δ deck, but that’s it. Now, if the body stacked, it still
wouldn’t heavily be played in an Eeveelution δ deck,
because you just don’t have that many Eevee available.
It would have just meant that Umbreon δ could have seen
play as a back-up Stage 1 line in some other decks… which really
could have used it. I mean, these are decks that either won’t
exist or will be very, very obscure because they are not really
worth it with this card as is.
Ratings
Unlimited:
1/5-Even if you want to do a Pokémon δ deck, you’re better off
backing it with Neo Genesis Slowking. Run a single copy
for an Eeveelution δ deck. Don’t run an Eeveelution
δ here. Get the message?
Modified:
2/5-This is a general score: other decks that can use the card
exist, and technically any deck can get a little benefit out of
it. Just not enough benefit to justify running it, for the most
part. The exception being, of course, an Eeveelution δ
deck; such a deck would want one copy.
Limited:
3.5/5-Assuming you get the needed Energy to attack, it’s pretty
sweet: this set is lousy with Special Energy, and a bench
hitting attack that can ignore damage reducing effects is
great. Even without the Energy, it’s tempting since so many
other players will end up triggering the power a few times.
Summary
Simply
put, this card feels underpowered, but is still important to an
Eeveelution δ, and if you have a deck that places a lot
of damage counters from other effects… it might be worth it.
-Otaku
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