OK. Let me explain. I know you've been patiently waiting for your
appointment. I know you sent in the request a while ago, but it wasn't ME
who interfered with the process. It was her!!

    (Looking at secretary) Don't give me that scowl. I don't know what
you've got against this guy, but you can't go around losing people's
appointment slips out of spite. If you do that they'll have to go see
Satoshi or Spike or someone and well Spike's Vulpix can be a bit testy some
days.

    Look, don't be angry. She's evil and if it weren't for red tape and a
general overpopulation in Hell, the devil would have come to claim her long
ago. I've learned to accept her sinister machinations with a grain of salt
and keep a crucifix around my neck for emergencies.

    (Back to secretary) So what's the problem with this guy? Is he an
ex-boyfriend or something? You don't like his voice. What's his voice got to
do with anything?? And put that stun gun back in your purse. I see you
reaching for it.

    Let's go into my office. I know you've been awaiting this for some time
now. It's her fault, really. Now let me see the deck and I'll get to
business.


>Yo! Hey Crash. How's it going? You are great. I sent my deck a few 3....4
>weeks ago but don't rush I understand your office is.............the way it
>is and well what you can do I give my thanks. My name is Tim and I have a
>really great haymaker with Aerodactyl. My strategy is to mainly get an
>Aerodactyl by turn two and get out Pokémon so I don't use Aerodactyl. I
>also
>look for weaknesses and resistances and use them to my advantage. I mean
>for
>once I want to win the tournament at my local comic book store. I always do
>bad and usually end up losing to these kids that always win using Sponge,
>Raindance, Potpourri Haymaker, and Fire decks. I need some help with the
>trainers because I'm not sure what to take out or put in. PLEASE help me to
>make this deck to make it the best:
>
>Pokémon (12)
>4 Electabuzz
>3 Hitmonchan
>3 Scyther
>2 Aerodactyl
>
>Trainers (31)
>3 Computer Search
>3 Mysterious Fossil
>2 Scoop Up
>3 Bill
>2 Prof. Oak
>3 Energy Removal
>3 Energy Retrieval
>3 Lass
>4 Plus Power
>2 S.E.R.
>3 Gust of Wind
>
>Energy (17)
>3 Double Colorless
>7 Electric
>7 Fighting
>
>How I play:
>          I usually want to start out with Electabuzz for an easy paralyze.
>Then get Aerodactyl out turn two and screw the opponent. I use E.R. and
>S.E.R. to stall and power up. I'm a little clueless so help me out. When It
>comes to winning I always win but in tournaments I get so
>Farfetche'd!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (LOL)
>
>P.S. I also need some help of what to do with the Pokémon too of what to
>take
>out or put in because I had Hitmonlee but took him out and made changes.
>Thanx so very much. Tim


     Hmmm. It seems ok. As far as the Pokemon go, it's standard Haymaker
issue. There's nothing wrong with that, but everyone has learned to counter
this combination by now. Magmar takes out Scyther, Wigglytuff can knock out
Electabuzz well enough and Promo Mewtwo kills Hitmonchan in one hit.
     The problem lies not in the deck, but everyone elses. See, this is a
classic case of people using the Meta-Game to their advantage. The Pokemon
TCG has evolved far past just Haymaker and Raindance. With other archetypes
like Potpourri, TuffStuff and DamageSwap being used a lot more, Haymaker has
lost its edge. It's still effective, no doubt, but you've got to really play
it quickly and ruthlessly, and even then you may get meta-gamed to death.
New archetypes like DarkMuk, Cleaner and Moltres Stall can eat Haymaker for
lunch.

     Another possible reason could be that Haymaker is just not your thing,
man. Every player has a different style of playing and certain decks lend
themselves well to certain people. For instance, I'm nearly without peer
using a Wigglytuff deck, and I'm quite good with Speedrill, but if you
handed me a Raindance deck, I'd be so lost. I just cannot play Raindance the
way I wish I could. I understand every principle and can build a deck that
looks incredible on paper, but in my hands, it just flounders like a dying
Magikarp. Perhaps Haymaker is not your thing. For a good read and more
insight into this phenomenon, you should check out the Pojo's Featured
Article by Tyler Grund on Inner Decks. It's dead on accurate and you may
rethink your strategy.

     How are you under pressure? In friendly play, there is very little at
risk. You lose. So what? But in a Tourney, there's more at stake. Some
people thrive in a highly competititive environment. Others buckle at the
first threat of a loss. I don't know you nearly well enough to say which you
are. What you need is a deck that really clicks with you. A deck that you
feel proud to carry. Haymaker is good, but most are just carbon copies of
each other and there is no uniqueness to make it truly yours. If you made a
deck, personalized it to the way you feel comfortable playing, tried it out
in friendly play, tuned it and THEN entered a Tournament, then perhaps the
outcome would be a lot different. A positive outlook and high confidence are
key to claiming victory in competitions.
     I sat down and made a Wigglytuff deck that I'd never seen anyone else
play before, part Wiggly, part Stall. I tested it out with friends and it
shined like a diamond. Feeling good, I entered a small tournament and took
first place. The following week, I went to a larger tourney and took second.
My final round loss showed me some flaws in the deck and I corrected them.
But this is why it clicks with me, it's MINE.

     If Haymakers are really your thing though, I'll do my best to fix what
you've brought me. But think about what I said. It's straight from
experience and all the other Deck Mechanics and pros will agree
wholeheartedly with what I say.

     So now let me see about this deck. Like I said, it looks like pretty
much every Haymaker. This is the big problem since everyone knows what to
expect. So maybe you can switch it around a bit. Instead of Hitmonchan, add
Promo Mewtwos or Fossil Magmars. Potpourri and Haymaker are not that far
apart, and the overlap allows you to work with both philosophies. Another
good move would be the inclusion of some Dittos. These guys prove their
worth time and time again.

      With the Trainers, it's all status quo. I'd drop one Lass for another
Super Energy Removal and replace the Energy Retrievals with Nightly Garbage
Runs. The regular Energy Removals can come out for another Bill, another
S.E.R. and a 3rd Oak or 4th Gust of Wind.

     The Energy is how it should be, so that's not the problem. You should
probably add a couple Full Heal Energies because poison and paralysis are
growing in popularity now. Other than that, nothing to say.

      Umm. Hmm. This is the point where I usually give a recap and slam out
the revised decklist, but this is a bit different than all the other cases
thus far. The deck, as you gave it to me, should stand on its own, give or
take a few very minor changes. However you've said it doesn't always work as
it should. This means you just need to become more intimate and make it
"yours". I cannot tell you how to do that because I'm not you.

      My prescription is to think about what I've said. It's very good
advice, just ask any other Mechanic. Try to patch the deck up as I've
suggested and see if that doesn't change things for you. If you're still
having problems, borrow someone else's deck and play a few matches. Borrow a
whole assortment of decks to try your hand at different styles. I really
think you may find the deck that's right for you by doing this. Once you
have a clue about your "Inner Deck", try to build one if you've got the
cards and see where it takes you.
   The game is evolving rapidly right now. Team Rocket gave players a lot to
think about, especially with the Meta-Game. It's more than Haymaker and
Raindance now. Think about what people are playing in your area and plan
around it, find the deck that's magic in your hands and kick some tail!

       I can't pronounce you cured, but at least you know what you need to
do. You're free to go, but you should most definitely avoid my secretary.
She's obviously got something against you. Cover your rear as you go, that
stun gun hurts like the dickens!

       I can hear her sharpening her nails out there, better hurry, and
think about what we discussed!!!

         SLICE!!! WRIP!! SHRED!!!

     ...oooohhhh...she got him. That's never pretty to watch. I should
probably call the janitor now...owwwwww.

                          Good Luck!!!
                        Dr. Crash Landon
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