If you find the review is too long, skip straight to the
Ratings and Summary!
Name :
Mr. Stone’s Project
Set :
EX Dragon Frontiers
Card# :
77/101
Rarity :
Uncommon
Type :
Trainer
Sub-type:
Supporter
Effect Text:
You can play only one Supporter card each turn. When you
play this card, put it next to your Active Pokémon. When
your turn ends, discard this card.
Search your deck for up to 2 basic Energy cards show them to
your opponent, and put them into your hand. Shuffle your
deck afterward. Or, search your discard pile for up to 2
basic Energy cards, show them to your opponent, and put them
into your hand.
Attributes:
Mr. Stone’s Project is a Supporter, and thus faces steep
competition for use in Modified, though not so much for
Unlimited. The reason being that, as the rules text on all
Supporters says, you can only use one a turn. Decks have to
straddle the fine line between running
enough that they are playing one per turn for at least the first
half of the game, but not having so many that they keep getting
stuck with handfuls of cards they can’t use for several turns.
Also,
with the advent of Holon Transceiver and the assorted
Holon
Supporters (collectively referred to as the
Holon
Trainer Engine or
Holon
Engine), it’s a bit harder to get played as a non-Holon
Supporter. The synergy of those cards lets them get played over
what would seem to be a superior non-Holon counterpart.
Abilities:
Mr. Stone’s Project let’s you get up to two basic Energy
cards from either the deck or the discard pile. This is a nice
bit of flexibility, since early game its deck thinning (and
helping you set up, though in what is often a marginal manner)
while late game you may find yourself actually short on Energy
and needing this so you can power up and attack! First released
in EX Emerald, I’ve had time to see it used, and now realize
this is a solid card.
Uses
and
Combinations:
When we first reviewed this card when it was brand new, I was
disappointed that it merely got basic Energy cards. Having seen
it in action and how the game has progressed, I see now that
there are indeed decks where it is well worth a Supporter slot
to ensure you have the exact two basic Energy you need (well,
unless they are already attached or in Prizes). This can make
utilization of the three Holon Energy
easier and you’ll notice that some of the cards that break the
“one Energy attachment per turn” rule only work with basic
Energy cards, another possible use for it.
There
are some alternatives to using this, though, and I would be
remiss if I didn’t mention them. Cast Away gets you a
Supporter (thus replacing itself), a basic Energy card, and a
Pokémon Tool, so it is good for a deck wanting to get its Energy
out faster. Energy Recycle system is a non-Supporter
that can let you recycle one more basic Energy card by returning
it to your deck or one less going directly to your hand.
Energy Search is a handy way to thin your deck, or rather,
to “safely” eat up space if your deck somehow has everything you
think it needs but is under 60 cards. Still, while doing only
half of half the options of Mr. Stone’s Project, it is
not a Supporter. Holon Farmer is a Supporter that lets
you recycle Energy and Pokémon. Lady Outing lets you get
three Energy cards from deck, so long as each is a different
kind of basic Energy. Finally Power Tree gives you
repeated basic Energy recycling, one card
a turn, so long as your discard pile lacks any Special Energy.
Many of these shouldn’t be used unless Mr. Stone’s Project
would in some way clash with the rest of the deck. For example,
if you are already very Supporter heavy, then Energy Search
would be a better candidate. A few are probably better choices
than Mr. Stone’s Project for most decks: Cast Away
really is a nice card.
Ratings
Unlimited:
1/5 – Most Energy isn’t basic, and it tends to be easier to use
a recursion card like Town Volunteers to send upwards of
five Pokémon or basic Energy cards back to your deck then draw
it out with a Professor Oak than mess with this.
Modified:
3/5 – As stated, I finally see it has its place in certain
decks.
Limited:
5/5-This thins your deck and makes running multiple Energy types
easier. It is also a not uncommon to run low on Energy in this
format since you won’t have constant draw Trainers replenishing
your hand.
Summary
Mr.
Stone’s Project
is one of those cards that seems a bit weak at first glance but
when actually used proves to be just right: good enough to be
handy for many decks, but not something most decks will feel
they have to run.
