---------- Original Message ----------------------------------
From: Isaura Jaramillo <isaura@bellsouth.net>
Date: Sun, 23 Jan 2000 20:08:40 -0800

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>Sorry vulpix but your sharing the spotlight with a dog and a horse.
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>Pokemon: 15
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>3  vulpix
>2 9tale
>3 growlith
>2 RK9
>3 Ponyta
>2 Rapidash
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>Trainers: 23
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>2 Oak
>3 Bill
>4 S. Potion
>3 ER
>2 SER
>3 Mr. Fuji  (I think he's better than scoop)
>2 Energy search
>4 Energy Retreaval
>3 CPU Search
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>Energy: 19
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>4 DCE
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>15 Fire energy
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>Strategy: C'mon, I think my deck is self explanitory. I use rapidash's
>swift to stall for a while. Then whoever I get pumped first will go on
>the attack 9tales or RK9.
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This is a deck I feel could greatly benefit from a course at "Aaron's School of Higher Pokemon Learning", so lets go to work.  On one hand I can see this deck building plenty of heavy hitters, a big problem for many decks.  On the other hand I see this deck as an "auto-loss" to any water type deck.  The changes I'll recomend are geared twords fixing the decks weakness as well as make it more reliable.

Pokemon
Hmmm...according to rule #2 the deck is short on basic pokemon.  With only 9 basics you're bound to mulligan which will in turn give your opponent a 2 card advantage.  Even if you got say 1 Ponyta in your opening hand, 2 hits from a Hitmonchan would make for a quick game.  Also playing with 3 different evolutions is bound to cause some problems...such as drawing an Arcanine when you needed a Ninetales.  As a result I usually play just 1 evolution line, in this case I feel Ninetails is the best choice due to the awesome Fireblast attack.  No deck is safe from an 80 damage attack and thus a powered up Ninetales will win you many matches.  The problem is getting him powered up, which is no short order when it requires 4 fire energy.  Use Magmars cheap attacks and high HP to buy yourself time to Super-Size 9tales on the bench.  Regardless, these pokemon still suffer to a water deck which is why I had to add a color to this deck.  Electabuzz fits the bill as it makes Sushi out of m!
ost water decks.  The fact that "Buzz is the best basic in the buisness is just a nice bonus.  There is still room for a few basics, so I added one Lickitung and one Moltres.  Lick can help buy time much like Magmar and brings a Psychic deck to a screeching halt, and Moltres Wildfire attack can sway a stalemate in your favor.
Trainers
To be honest mine are pretty generic.  They serve to help keep cards and energy in hand so you can power up Ninetales.  Cpu is there to ensure can find a Vulpix early or to ensure you have Ninetales when you're ready to evolve.  Scoop Up is nice due to the abundance of high HP, low energy Pokemon and acts as a switch when you want to bring up the next Pokemon quickly.  Use Energy Removal mainly on DCE, a turn 2 fully charged Wigglytuff with a full bench can be SCARY(as I learned the hard way over the week-end)

4 Fossil Magmar
4 Vulpix
3 Ninetales
4 Electabuzz
1 Moltres
1 Lickitung

4 Bill
4 Energy Removal
3 Scoop UP
3 Computer Search
2 Professor Oak
3 Energy Retrieval

7 Electric Energy
17 Fire Energy

Hope this helps!  Have fun!
Aaron
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