---------- Original Message ----------------------------------
From: "Charles Jameson" <cbjameson@dsl.telocity.com>
Date: Sun, 20 Feb 2000 19:34:42 -0600

>Hi Aaron! my name is C.J. and I have a rain dance deck.
>It centers around getting staryu and starmie out early, allowing time for mme to build up a blastoise. The articuno and poli-family for countering the weakness to electric. I dont have any more blastoises. Here's my deck:
>
>  a.. 4 squirtle
>  b.. 2 wartortle
>  c.. 1 Blastoise
>  d.. 4 staryu
>  e.. 4 starmie
>  f.. 1 Articuno
>  g.. 3 poliwag
>  h.. 1 Poliwhirl
>  i.. 2 rattatas
>  j.. 3 bill
>  k.. 1 prof. oak
>  l.. 1 pokeball
>  m.. 1 E.R.
>  n.. 2 super potions
>  o.. 1 pokemon trader
>  p.. 1 energy retrivals
>  q.. 1 pokedex
>  r.. 27 water energy
>Thank you. And by the way, I dont have many other trainers; I keep up 2 other decks.
>
>Yikes, a Rain Dance that needs alot of help! 

For those of you thinking of putting together a Rain Dance deck or have one that is struggling, pay attention!  Putting 1 or 2 Blastoise in your deck is not going to accomplish what a "Rain Dance" deck wants to do.  The theory is to Breeder out Blastoise on turn 2 and dump a ton of energy onto a heavy hitter (Articuno, Lapras, Blastoise, Dewgong) to deal a ton of damage early.  If your deck works tight...it should be faster than ANY haymaker!

Here are the "keys" to a good Rain Dance deck:

     4 Breeder
     4 Blasoise
     4 Bill
     4 Professor Oak
     4 Computer Search

These cards ensure your "dream draw" happens, as well as ensure you have plenty of Energy in your hand to keep your bruisers powered up.  Here's my favorite version of "Rain Dance"

4 Squirtle
1 Wartortle(only due to Devolution beam)
4 Blastoise
3 Articuno
3 Lapras
3 Scyther

4 Professor Oak
4 Bill
4 Pokemon Breeder
3 Computer Search
3 Energy Retrieval
4 Plus Power
1 Item Finder

For those of you who insist on playing "rain dance"...trade for these cards!! Remeber, you don't have to call your deck "rain dance" if you want to use water pokemon...there are plenty of other good strategies involving water type Pokemon that have nothing to do with the "Rain Dance" theory described above!

Hope this helps...have fun!
Aaron
>