Greetings!

First of all, I have to say I really appreciate the response to my Cinder deck. From what I've seen, it seems like people talk about it a lot, and I've even heard of some people copying it with good results. Gee, I hope I haven't created an archetype =)  (not a chance, really--Cinder isn't unique enough by far to qualify as an archetype. At least I don't think so.)

In that spirit, then, here are a couple of decks of mine. First of all, we have my current version of Cinder. I decided I could dial the energy down a bit further to add in a few more trainers. The resulting deck plays very well, is more versatile, and has not energy-screwed me yet. The two trainers added are simple--another Energy Retrieval and Item Finder--yet that second Finder has won me more than one game, and Energy Retrieval insures that I've no energy problems.

CINDER v. 3.1

4 Vulpix
3 Ninetales
3 Growlithe
2 Arcanine
4 Magmar
1 Kangaskhan
3 Bill
3 Oak
2 Computer Search
2 Item Finder
4 Energy Removal
3 Energy Retrieval
2 GOW
3 PlusPower
19 Fire Energy
2 DCE


Okay, keep in mind this is 21 energy TOTAL... in a NINETALES deck. So I don't want to hear any griping about low amounts of energy in any deck I fix. =)

Next we have the deck I played at Pokemon League last weekend. I decided I was tired of playing Cinder each and every week, though I probably will go back to it next Saturday. Plus, I really liked the idea of making a deck with all the Mews and Dark Gyaradoses I'd gotten from the fine folks at League. So I built a deck at 2:30 in the morning with the help of a couple friends of mine who happened to be online at that exact hour.

"I HAVE SIX DARK GYARADOSES! BWAHAHAHA!!" v. 1.0

        2 Kangaskhan
        4 Scyther
        4 Mew
        3 Dark Gyrados
        4 Magikarp (TR)
        2 Gust of Wind
        4 PlusPower
        2 Super Energy Removal
        2 Energy Removal
        3 Bill
        3 Professor Oak
        2 Computer Search
        8 Psychic Energy
        12 Water Energy
        1 Rainbow Energy
        4 DCE


Looks fun, no? It was! It also did pretty well, surprisingly. There's a few of my standby trainers that didn't make it in due to lack of space (guess which ones) but still, it was very solid. I don't see Dark Gyarados used very often, and I fail to see why--he's not bad. Other highlights:

-Winning a game first-turn by KOing a TR Charmander with a Magikarp and two PlusPowers

-Taking down a Mewtwo with a Mew and a PlusPower

-Knocking out an Exeggutor with Final Beam

-Knocking out another Exeggutor by devolution (what a rush THAT is)

So, if you've got a binder bulging with Mews and a few more Dark Gyarados than any decent person needs... cobble them together into something like this! I was going to use Computer Error, but I thought better of it. =)

Questions? Comments? Tourette's Syndrome? Send 'em all to me at spike@pojo.com


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