---------- Original Message ----------------------------------
From: LDeSocio@aol.com
Date: Sun, 9 Apr 2000 18:29:03 EDT

>   ------------Original Message --------------------------------
>   From Luigi DeSocio <ldesocio@aol.com
>   Date: Sun, 9 April 2000
>
>   
> >Hello Aaron!  I was wondering if you could tell me
> >some ideas on making my deck better.  I played
> >this deck in 3 tourneys and won one of them. I
> >just thought you would like to know.  Anyway
> >can you PLEASE help!
>
> >Here is my deck:
>   
> >Pokemon
>
> >==========
> >4x Blastoise (the bomb)
> >1x Wartortle (In case of Breeder shortage)       
> >4x Squirtle   (Blastoise has to come from somewhere)
> >3x Lapras    (Mr. Mime killer)
> >3x Articuno  (a.k.a. Mr. Freeze)
> >3x Seel
> >2x Dewgong
> >
> >Trainers
> >=========
> >4x Bill
> >4x Professor Oak  (I love this guy)
> >3x Computer Search  (When I can't find a Breeder or Blastoise)
> >1x Item Finder (Why let Trainers sit in the discard pile)
> >3x Gust of Wind (I screw my opponents with this
> >card and it's kind of funny)
> >3x Pokemon Breeder (So I can get Blastoise really quick)
> >3x Energy Retrieval (Why let Energy sit in the discard pile)
> >
> >Energy
> >========
> >19x Water Energy
> >
> > Strategy
> >==========
> >My strategy is to get Squirtle, Breeder, Then Blastoise
> >and pile on the energy. After that I pile on energies on
> >Blastoise, Dewgong, Articuno, and Lapras.
> >Most which are capable of doing 50 damage and
> >Blastoise 60!!!
> >
> >Question
> >==========
> >My friend want to know what is so bad about
> >Wartortle. I mean for 1 Water energy and 2
> >Colorless he can do 40 Damage! Blastoise has
> >to have all water energies to do his! So it comes
> >out...
> >Blastoise         Wartortle
> >======                    ============
> >3W 40 Damage          1W 2C 40 Damage
> >
> >I just wanted to know what you thought
> >about Wartortle!
> >
> >
> >Thank you for taking time to look at my deck.
> >If you or anyone else has suggestions please e-mail
> >ldesocio@aol.com.  Please post this in your deck
> >garage as well.
> >
> >
> >=========
> >Luigi DeSocio
> >
> >
> >=======
> >See Ya,
> >              Luigi
> >            
>
>
>

-------------

I just spent the other nite battling with the PoJo himself.  He first lulled me into a false sense of security with a fun deck, and then brought out his dreaded RainDance! 

After he beat me several times soundly (actually I won, but the PoJo signs my paychecks so I'm gonna keep kissing up) we got a chance to discuss RainDance strategy.  Mainly we spoke about Dewgong versus Gyrados.  After much analyzing of differences in weakness, energy requirements, and HP we came to the realization that the main difference is their pre-evolved forms... Seel and Magikarp.  Seel has twice as many HP as Magikarp, so Seel seems like the "Safe" choice while 'Karp is the choice of those trainers willing to "gamble" for more power.

After much thought, I've come to the conclusion they both ain't worth the space.  Beter choices exist, namely Lapras and Articuno.  With this thought... here's my fix!

4 Squirtle
1 Wartortle
4 Blastoise
4 Lapras
4 Articuno

4 Bill
4 Oak
4 Computer Search
4 Pokemon Breeder
3 Gust of Wind
1 Item Finder

19 Water energy
4 energy Retrieval

By removing the Seel line and increasing the Lapras/Articuno count to 4 each I actually freed up 3 slots for the deck!  With these spots I added another Search and Breeder to ensure optimal draws.  The final slot was filled with another Retreival to ensure your baddies remain pumped up (whoa, SNL flash back).

I hope these fixes help out.  On a final note I agree Wartortle is good, but not for the same reason as you.  I include a Wartortle to counter the effect of Mew's Devolution Beam, all the card drawing and Computer Searches make this one card viable.  However, comparing the attacks of Wartortle to Blastoise is silly.  RainDance decks use all Water energy anyway, so the 2 colorless energy of Wartortle is no big deal.  Also, Blastoise can use all that surplus energy this deck provides to deal as much as 60 damage, where Wartorle does a max of 40.  My vote is for Blasoise, hands down!

Hope this helps...have fun!
Aaron