Blaine's Charizard

"Complicated."

11.13.00  I'm very sorry that I haven't been able to get a card done for so many days, I've been very busy with school and preparing for the STS!  I have been playing in the STS format a lot recently, and have been experimenting with some new decks.

After playing this many games, my feelings on Prop15/3 have changed again. All 15/3 games I played yesterday were longer than normal games, and there wasn't less strategy, it seemed like there was the same amount of thinking, maybe more. There's not as much hand destruction and almost no quick wins, where a player doesn't have a chance to do something, and I think 15/3 has it's advantages, but it still has disadvantages. I'm still not even sure if I'm for it, right now I'm neutral, since I've seen it make the game more fun, but also more lucky.. but who knows, we'll see what happens at the STS. Most important about the 15/3 format, though: it's fun!

And just so everyone knows, this is an evaluation on Blaine's Charizard, not Blaine's Charmanders and Charmeleon. I will mention them, but I will have a look at the Charmander, and maybe Charmeleon, separately, eventually. I just try to mention the earlier stages, when I do an evolution.

As always, you guys pick the next card of the day! Vote at the bottom of the page!

Roaring Flames- Anti Scyther

There IS an error on this card, and the card is to be played as though the fighting energy symbol is a fire energy symbol. This goes for sanctioned tournaments. Unlike non-holo Dark Vileplume, this fighting/fire sign mix-up was errated by Wizards.

What's interesting about this attack is, with ONE(there was an error before, I wrote two) fire energy, Scyther, Rocket's Scyther and Pinsir can be knocked out. You do lose all your energy with this attack but one fire discarded for 40(80 to popular grass Pokemon) is something to not be worried about, plus Flame Jet is only two. And there's always Blaine.

For those of you who are wondering about the "if all fire energy cards attached to Blaine's Charizard provide two fire energy, discard all of them," a Buzzap'ed Electrode is an example of when that text means something.

Flame Jet- Two Energy for a TF Attack?

TF, if you're wondering, is my little term for "Tail-Fail." A Tail-Fail Attack/Trainer is anything like Recycle, Farfetch'd's Leek Slap, or Tickling Mahcine. If you get tails, it does absoloutley nothing. I would hate to use an attack that cost more than one energy for such a risk, but with heads, it can really do some serious damage, and can target ANY of your opponent's Pok�mon. You can take out any Pok�mon that are weak and essential to the deck with it. For example, the Rain Dance that still plays Base Squirtles. (Those died a while ago, in my opinion.) If you manage to successfully Flame Jet the Squirtle, you get a prize, and screw up your opponent's plan.

You can also just go after anything, weaken it, so you can K.O. it when it comes out with anything else. Remember, all this is assuming you can flip heads.

Flame Jet does NOT apply weakness and resistance. This is a disadvanatge to you, as nothing (yet) has resistance to fire, and things that do won't be that popular in future decks, anyway.  If Flame Jet did apply weakness/resistance, it would be a little better, as the benched Scyther would not be safe.

Weakness/Resistance/Retreat

The weakness to water shouldn't be a big deal. Rain Dance is even less popular now because of Rocket's Zapdos. If you are afraid of Blastoise and Artiucuno, Cinnibar City Gym can protect it, but I don't think you should have to try to elminate it's weakness.

The Resistance to Fighting is useful against Chan, and the one Brock's Rhyhorn (the rare one) that is appearing in more and more Hays.

The retreat is high, and I think Switch is the solution for that.

Stage 2, 100 HP

Stage 2's are hard to get out, since they require two other cards, and with all the work of getting it out, you'd hope it would have a high HP. 100 HP isn't bad, but it just can't do enough damage without a coin flip, or burning all it's energy. It's kind of like Lt. Surge's Electabuzz, as it needs the right timing, coin flips, and has to waste all it's energy to do damage.

Weakness / Resistance / Retreat

The weakness to water doesn't mean much, but Rain Dance is still around. he three reteat cost hurts, especially since it's best attack discards all it's energy.

Charmander/Charmeleon

The Charmander is awesome! A colorless attack that can deal 40 to Scyther, and Kindle is great, this brave little Charmander can go face-to-face with a Wigglytuff and Kindle away it's Colorless. (and possible realize they had another in their hand and get smacked to the moon.)  The other Charmander, with Tail-Slap, isn't too good, I would never consider using that in ANY deck, since the other one with Slash is just better, that's the easiest way to look at it.

The Charmeleon isn't great, it's something that you could actually use instead of just breedering, but it's pretty much totally coin flip reliant, but then again, isn't everything?

Will it be Good at the STS?

Nah, it really won't be too good anywhere. It burns it's energy with it's first attack, the other is 50% no effect. Isn't that enough bad stuff to make you not want to play it?

My Rating (1- Almost completely useless, 5- Useable, 10-Totally broken)
Just like I mentioned above, it burns all it's energy or has a 50% of it's attack failing. It's Stage 2, which is hard to get out, and it just really isn't good. It can get it's butt kicked in any tournament, but don't be afraid to just have fun, and try new cards out.

Afterall, it's all suppose to be fun, isn't it?  

I think this Charizard deserves a 4.5. You'd expect better from Stage 2, but it does have a great advantage on Scythers!
~Jason Klaczynski

~Jason Klaczynski