Pokemon Home

Pokedex

Price Guide Set List

Message Board

Pokemon GO Tips

Pokemon News

Featured Articles

Trading Card Game
- Price Guide
- Price Guide
- Card of the Day
- Professional Grading
- Killer Deck Reports
- Deck Garage
- William Hung
- Jason Klaczynski
- Jeremy's Deck Garage
- Johnny Blaze's Banter
- TCG Strategies
- Rulings Help
- Apprentice & Patch
- Apprentice League
- Spoilers & Translations
- Official Rules
- Featured Event Reports
- Top of the World
- An X-Act Science
- Error Cards
- Printable Checklist
- Places to Play

Nintendo Tips
- Red/Blue
- Yellow
- Gold & Silver
- Crystal
- Ruby & Sapphire
- Fire Red & Leaf Green
- Emerald
- SNAP
- Pinball
- TCG cart
- Stadium
- PuPuzzle League
- Pinball: Ruby/Sapphire
- Pokemon Coliseum
- Pokemon Box
- Pokemon Channel

GameBoy Help
- ClownMasters Fixes
- Groudon's Den
- Pokemon of the Week

E-Card Reader FAQ's
- Expedition
- Aquapolis
- Skyridge
- Construction Action Function
- EON Ticket Manual

Deck Garage
- Pokemaster's Pit Stop
- Kyle's Garage
- Ghostly Gengar

Cartoon/Anime
- Episode Listing
- Character Bios
- Movies & Videos
- What's a Pokemon?
- Video List
- DVD List

Featured Articles

Pojo's Toy Box

Books & Videos

Downloads

Advertise With Us
- Sponsors
- Links

Chat

About Us
Contact Us

Pojo's Pokémon Card of the Day

virusyosh	Hello, Pojo readers! Today we're reviewing an EX version of many peoples' favorite Pokemon, and one that is certainly going to be a fan favorite. Today's Card of the Day (and #9 on our countdown) is Mew-EX.   Mew-EX is a Basic Psychic Pokemon-EX. Psychic-types are somewhat rare these days, with only Mewtwo-EX seeing significant play in the type, though you'll occasionally see Sigilyph and Gothitelle as well. As a Pokemon-EX, your opponent takes 2 Prize cards from knocking out Mew, so Mew better get a lot done in its time in your match. Mew only has 120 HP, which is a rather poor score for a Pokemon-EX, considering most of them fall within the 170-180 HP range. Realistically, 120 HP means that Mew is easily knocked out by many powerful metagame threats, including Hydreigon DRX, Garchomp DRX with a single Altaria in play, Zekrom and Zekrom-EX, and Terrakion. Psychic Weakness means that Mew can be easy prey for Pokemon like Mewtwo-EX and Sigilyph, provided they attack Mew first. However, due to Mew's Psychic typing, Mew can also take out Mewtwo-EX if it is able to attack first (though admittedly has issues with Sigilyph due to its Safeguard Ability). Rounding out Mew's bottom stats, no Resistance is to be expected, and a Retreat Cost of 1 is easily payable, although kind of strange, since most Mew cards in the past have had free Retreat.   Mew has an Ability and a single attack. Versatile allows Mew to use ANY attack of a Pokemon in play, provided it has the correct Energy requirements. This is a great take on Mew's video game adaptability, and can easily translate into success in the TCG. Since many common decks (Eelektrik variants, Darkrai/Hydreigon, Garchomp/Altaria) share many common Energy types, Mew can easily emulate other strategies in your deck, or even turn your opponent's attacks against them. Due to these facts, Mew is a very potent secondary attacker.   Mew's own attack, Replace, allows you to rearrange the Energy on your Pokemon in any way you like for a Psychic Energy. While Energy rearrangement can be very powerful (such as Shaymin UL's Celebration Wind), chances are you'll have to be very careful about using this attack, since you'll be leaving yourself open to a 2-prize deficit if your opponent can take advantage of Mew's low HP.   Modified: 3.75/5 Mew is just as versatile as its Ability suggests: it can be anything you want it to be, as long as it's on the field. With unlimited possibilities, Mew's attacking prowess is very difficult for your opponent to counter. In fact, Mew's Psychic typing and ability to copy attacks makes it an excellent Mewtwo-EX counter, as Mew can deal tons of damage easily to the larger genetic cat. On the other hand, Mew's low HP score makes it very susceptible to the metagame's prominent threats. Overall, Mew is a high-risk, high-reward Pokemon that requires a bit of thinking and adaptation to use effectively.   Limited: 5/5 All Pokemon-EX are great in Limited, and Mew is no exception. While it's a bit harder to make the most out of Mew's Versatile Ability, the new Blend Energies in Dragons Exalted really help with this. Additionally, Replace can be really useful if you find an opening to use it. While Mew requires some skill to use effectively in Limited, you should still include it due to its decent HP score (for this format, anyway) and wide application of use.
Otaku	Stats Mew EX is a Psychic-Type, allowing it to tap Psychic support, hit Psychic Weakness, but have to worry about Psychic Resistance. The mixed blessing is that Mewtwo EX (BW: Next Destinies 54/99, 98/99) has already shaped this metagame so that Psychic Weakness is minimized in most decks save for Mewtwo EX itself. Mew EX enjoys being a Basic Pokémon EX in a format that for now seems built for them; despite the sting of losing Pokémon Collector and Dual Ball, they still have Eviolite, Prism Energy, Skyarrow Bridge, and a few others on top of the usual benefits of being a Basic Pokémon. Of course, Mew EX is worth two Prizes when KOed, like any other Pokémon EX. Unlike most other Pokémon EX, it only has 120 HP, putting it within OHKO range for many decks, though requiring some effort. The easiest is to exploit its own Psychic Weakness, since that means any attack hitting for 60 points of damage before other effects can score a OHKO. The lack of Resistance is a bit disappointing but Resistance is still a rare bonus and less a mandatory feature, so it doesn’t really hurt the card either. Last for Stats we come to the Retreat Cost, which being a single (C) Energy requirement is easy to pay, and can be completely eliminated with Skyarrow Bridge. Effects Mew EX posses Versatile (an Ability) and Replace (an attack). Versatile is the focus of the card; it allows Mew EX to use (including meeting all costs) any attack in play on either side of the field. This can lead to some interesting (but often risky) combos stacking attacks, but is mostly useful for allowing Mew EX to access attacks from a lesser Pokémon while enjoying its status as a Basic Pokémon EX while at the same time having the option of throwing any easy-to-pay-for attacks from your other side of the field back right back at your opponent. This is an amazingly potent Ability, but I don’t know if the rest of the card will be enough to support it. Replace appears to only be useful on occasion; when you have nothing better to copy and need to shuffle around your Energy, it’s there. Why you couldn’t find something better to copy is a tough question; attacks this format are often quite friendly to off-Type Energy, most Energy acceleration we have is compatible with Mew EX, and giving up an attack to set-up is risky enough given that Mew EX only has that 120 HP. I suppose there will be the exceptionally rare occurrence where Mew EX is stuck Active and can’t attack for worthwhile damage, and all you can do is cut your losses and move its Energy to other Pokémon as well. Since Mew EX isn’t likely to survive more than one strong attack, such a move would likely be an attempt at recovering from a misplay. Usage Mew EX is one of the minority of Pokémon EX twice over; of the 12 unique Pokémon EX we have received so far only one other has HP below 160 (and in fact 180 is the most common amount), and only one other has an Ability. Shaymin EX (BW: Next Destinies 5/99, 94/99) clocks in at 110 HP, but has found some use in decks as a quick finisher due to its Revenge Blast attack and favorable Type-matching against Terrakion (BW: Noble Victories 73/101, 99/101) and Terrakion EX (BW: Dragons Exalted 71/124, 121/124). Darkrai EX (BW: Dark Explorers 63/108, 107/108) has seen much play due to its Dark Cloak Ability backed by formidable HP, Typing, and attack. Can a small, Ability focused attacker work? Shaymin EX can be a bit more than a finisher, but only when facing Grass-Weak Pokémon (and preferably Terrakion EX); since it has to take Prizes fast as Shaymin EX is a 2HKO at best, like Mew EX. Will “Versatile” live up to its name and help Mew EX anchor decks and/or slip into them as a variable attacker? The answer is a resounding… “Maybe!” Versatile has appeared before on the predecessor of this card, Mew ex (EX: Legend Maker 88/92), one of the “old school” Pokémon ex which functioned almost identically to Pokémon EX but spelled it differently and not considered the same thing for card effects. Mew ex was the star of Mewtrick (also spelled “Mewtric”), which was potent enough to become one of the 2006 World Championship Decks because if won the 15+ age bracket. If you need details, click here to read Ness’ (Jason Klaczynski’s) own deck report, which is pretty authoritative since he’s the one who won with it. Using it as a template and some decent reasoning skills, we can determine the best approaches to Mew EX usage. If a deck has a fantastic attack that isn’t too exclusivist with its requirements (Energy or otherwise), Mew EX can copy it, becoming either an “extra” copy in a deck built around the former or a counter to it. Being the “fifth” copy is less effective if the Pokémon in question is a Basic with more HP, owing to cards like Revive, but if it is an Evolution, has less HP, and/or being a Psychic-Type version is advantageous, there you go. For building a deck around Mew EX, we see that being copies 5+ while still tapping Basic Pokémon support is a sensible strategy, again especially if Mew EX provides Type matching opportunities. Some Pokémon the deck runs will be there for a toolbox approach, as was done with Mew (HS: Triumphant 97/102), which to be fair was inspired by earlier Mew ex shenanigans as well. Players counting on Safeguard will not like it when Mew EX copies an attack that bypasses protective effects, like “Shred”. The last and probably most risky approach is to try to combo actually attacks. If there is nothing lost by Mew EX being forced from the Active slot, KOed and replaced by a successor, etc. then the risk is more manageable. Some interesting attacks that place effects on the attacking Pokémon, however, can be transferred to more worthwhile attacks; the risk of the whole combo being reset by a Pokémon Catcher and essentially wasting your previous attack make me question that as a deck focus. When it works it is effective, but a savvy player will find a way to disrupt it. Speaking of disruption, that’s like to be a requirement for Mew EX focused decks; it’s a small Pokémon and needs the protection, and using attacks from opposing Pokémon that can’t use said attacks themselves is rather delicious. Energy acceleration is iffy; if it is already part of the deck, keep it, but if it isn’t, the smattering of play-testing I’ve witnessed tells me it isn’t worth it. Prism Energy and Double Colorless Energy already provide a great way to speed up Mew EX on its own. In Unlimited, unless there’s a combo I am not thinking of that lets this win first turn, its not going to see much play. If you’re playing more for fun with friends (which to be fair is kind of likely, given Unlimited isn’t exactly a big tournament format), or if the first turn win/control decks should somehow get taken down a peg, Mew EX should totally replace Mew ex in older builds, and become a good, solid deck. It is a top pick in Limited for the obvious reason; not only does the average HP drop, making Mew EX go from puny to beefy, but it can fit into most any deck (copying the attacks of whatever else you’re running) and since players have such incentive to make their decks focus on largely Colorless attacks, you have good odds of being able to copy your opponent as well. Just remember the usual caveat; Pokémon EX are still worth two Prizes when KOed, and here that is half your starting Prize amount! Ratings Unlimited: 1.5/5 Modified: 4/5 Limited: 4/5 Summary Mew EX could be a “false start”; the “mutually assured destruction” factor may protect it from Mewtwo EX, or it may scare people away. The raw speed and damage output of the format might be enough that versatility is trumped by staying power. Personally I expect it to at least have one solid deck and be the occasional surprise attacker, and its appearance in assort winning Japanese decks reassures me I have set the bar low; I find it most likely to become another popular and potent Pokémon EX. As for my own rankings, it took fifth place. Please check out my eBay sales by clicking here. It’s me whittling away at about two decades worth of attempted collecting, spanning action figures, comic books, TCGs, and video games. Exactly what is up is a bit random. Pojo.com is in no way responsible for any transactions; Pojo is merely doing me a favor by letting me link at the end of my reviews.
Jebulous Maryland Player	Mew EX   Mew EX is a Basic Psychic Pokemon with 120 HP.  It has a weakness to Psychic and 1 retreat cost.  I'm sure people will combo this guy with Skyarrow Bridge.   'Versatile' is an ability that lets Mex EX use and Pokemon's attack in play (yours and your opponent's).  You still have to pay the correct cost to use them.  This opens up a lot of comboing abilities.  People may run maximum Blend Energies if they want to be able to use opponent's attacks.  You could also just let Pokemon sit on the bench and use their attacks.  Honestly I have thought about what to combo this card with.   'Replace' costs 1 Psychic energy and lets use move your Energy on the field around in any way you like.  This is the replacement of Shaymin after rotation (though it is an attack, not an ability).  It does no damage, so you will need to think about whether it is worth it to put him in danger to shift energy.   Mex EX can have decks built around it or be splashed in a deck to be used like Shaymin.  If splashed, a Psychic energy is needed, so it is not as splashable as Shaymin. Plus the whole '2 prize' thing.  Decks built around it... that's a bit tougher.  I see it as you want to use powerful attacks, but not lose the Pokemon that has them.  So if you use a non-EX's attack, if Mew EX gets knocked out, you are down 2 prizes instead of 1.  It must be worth it if you want that situation. Another situation is Mex EX using another EX's attack (on your side). Why not just use that Pokemon instead.  It will have more HP, so there is no need to let Mex EX take the fall.   That's just what I've been thinking about.  I know you can use your opponent’s attacks, but can you build a deck around that?  How do you know their attacks will be easy to pay for?  With so much variety, you can't prepare for everything (Dark, Dragon, Electric, Fighting, Water, and Fire decks, I'm sure you all can pick out the ones most used for each type).   I need to think more about it, but I still like the ability (I like it more than its own attack).   Modified: 4/5 Limited: 3.5/5 Combo's With: ...   Questions, comments, concerns: jebulousthemighty@yahoo.com -----