Baby Mario
2010 UK
National
Seniors
Champion |
Electrode (Plasma Freeze)
Compared to other formats I have played, there are two
things I really miss in the current one: two things that
brought stability and consistency to any deck that chose
to run them. The first is a card that is capable of
searching out multiple Basics (eg:
Roseanne’s Research, Pokémon Collector), and the second
is some form of splashable
Pokémon-based draw (like Claydol
GE or Uxie LA). Sure, we do
have Pokémon that let you draw cards, but they are
either relatively ineffective (Musharna
NEX) or require their own deck (Empoleon
DEX): what we lack is a general consistency booster that
could fit in practically anywhere.
So, step forward Electrode PLF, the latest candidate for
the role. If it can do a decent job, it won’t matter
that it’s a 90 HP Stage 1 with Fighting Weakness and a
very mediocre attack (Electro Ball does a vanilla 60
for three Energy). The
Retreat cost of one is positively good on a Pokémon of
this type, meaning that it isn’t too much of a liability
if it gets dragged active. Everything depends on how
good the Magnetic Draw Ability is.
Unfortunately, it could be a lot better. Magnetic Draw
is really a cut-down version of the identically-named
PokéPower on the old
Magnezone Prime card, or an
Ability version of the Bicycle Trainer, depending on how
you want to look at it. Once per turn, it enables you to
draw cards until you have four in your hand. If it were
six cards, then I could see Electrode getting a decent
amount of play, but the fact is that hand sizes rarely
decline to the point where Magnetic Draw will be able to
earn its keep turn after turn. In fact, it may even
encourage poor play, such as wasting resources or
benching unnecessary Pokémon in order to justify its
presence on the Field. To be more effective than
Musharna (a card that really
doesn’t see much play at all), you would need to have
regularly a hand size of two or fewer cards, and that
just isn’t happening under most circumstances. Most
decks are simply better off using the space for adequate
Supporter counts, or even running Bicycle itself for
those rare occasions when the hand is depleted.
I suppose it can be used as a hedge against late-game N,
but again that seems to situational to be worthwhile.
Apart from that, Electrode may find a spot in decks that
are designed to play recklessly and burn through the
hand (Weavile/Exeggcute),
or decks that can really be crushed by late-game N and
need to draw constantly into needed cards (Accelgor
variants that have to recycle their attackers and Double
Colourless Energy). Sadly, though, Electrode is just not
good enough to fulfil the long-awaited role of universal
consistency crutch.
Rating
Modified: 2.75 (Pokémon-based draw at last . . . but too
severely nerfed to be all
that useful outside of a couple of decks)
Limited: 4 (I’d take almost any form of draw here)
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