Since there was no Chat last week, MT_Pat and MT_Mike regaled us with a
summary of the Pokemon events at the Origins gaming convention last weekend.
The Professor Challenge and Team Multiplayer tournaments went well and were very successful. We also have more news on Worlds and the unfortunate
cancellation of the Expedition (aka Card-E) prerelease tournament that was scheduled to take place. Finally, we have a bit of updated GenCon
information for you as well.
Enjoy,
- CHRISBO
ORIGINS CONVENTION REPORT:
master_trainer_pat says, "A quick summary of the main Origins events..."
master_trainer_pat says, "The Professor Challenge on Saturday was really
successful, with over 80 Professors competing. The one complaint seemed to
be that it went too long. We started at 10am and it went past midnight"
master_trainer_mike says, "Thank you all who came and especially Steve and
Dan and Sensei and GymleaderPhil and all the others who helped us run these
events and the Leagues."
master_trainer_pat says, "The first Team Multiplay event on Sunday also went
really well from our standpoint"
master_trainer_mike says, "I need to learn to make my events a bit
shorter......doh"
master_trainer_pat says, "40 teams signed up and we saw some really unique
decks and strategy goin' on."
master_trainer_mike says, "We learned a lot from it. Enough so that the
latest version of the rules 1.3 will be going out today."
master_trainer_pat says, "this event also suffered from being too long for
most folks...especially since it was on Sunday the last day of the con and
people needed to drive home afterward."
master_trainer_mike says, "The biggest change in the new rules is that each
round is now 50 minutes instead of an hour and each player will set out 2
prizes each (4 per team) instead of six. This is in an attempt to shorten
the length of each round a bit."
master_trainer_mike says, "Also, for now Team Rocket's Meowth is still
allowed."
master_trainer_pat says, "This was directly responsible for a couple changes
we made to the Team Multiplay rules"
master_trainer_mike says, "With each team only having 4 prizes, this card
won't be used quite so freely."
master_trainer_mike says, "Besides, this is still playtesting and we need
some more data."
master_trainer_pat says, "The Pokemon Arena event was again very popular
with people who wanted something to do between tournaments or who just
wanted to play for a chance at some cool promos and foils. We had over 130
people sign up."
TEAM MULTIPLAYER FORMAT:
master_trainer_mike presents the speaker with question #42 from mt_icecold:
What do you mean Tr' Meowth is still allowed, you can't ban it, that'll kill
my TR Meowth Dark Ursaring deck!?!?!?!
master_trainer_pat presents the speaker with question #43 from
matthewssandslash:
Isn't TR's Meowth WAY too powerful in TMP?
master_trainer_mike says, "One event is not enough to get full data from.
While we saw several people playing it, and it is good, it also makes you
lose a prize, AND it didn't seem to win any games for any teams."
master_trainer_pat says, "Many players at the event wanted to ban TR Meowth
due to its power. I feel that it is powerful but no one has shown that they
can win with it every time and that it belongs in every deck."
master_trainer_mike says, "If it is just a strong tech card it will stay,
much like Cleffa. If we find that it wins games too often it will go, like
Sneasel. Now that each team only has 4 prizes, giving up a prize card with
TR Meowth is something players will be a bit more cautious about. However,
we are running more events so that we can get more data and see. Banning a
card is a big deal and not done arbitrarily."
master_trainer_pat says, "Especially now that you only have 4 prizes, if you
want to trade, go for it. If you get stuck at the beginning of the game with
TR Meowth as your only Pokemon against Tyrogue (who is great in this format)
you are going to be cat dust in no time."
master_trainer_mike presents the speaker with question #66 from
pigdeon_of_death:
Re: 43: Hold it, TR's Meowth ends pretty much any possibility of a comeback.
You could have a 2-Metal Steelix and it would, on average, get KO'd by a
TR's Meowth with a Darkness.
master_trainer_mike says, "Yes, but the player using the Meowth would also
lose a prize. Like we said, we do not ban lightly. We need more data before
we make any decisions. Meowth seems to be a good tech card but it doesn't
seem to win you the game either."
master_trainer_pat says, "That's not what we saw at the event itself...I saw
comebacks from it...I saw it sit in players' hands, I saw it fail to KO
several Pokemon. Realize that you still have to flip heads for damage...with
an average of 12 pokemon in play and an average of 6 heads out of those
flips that's 40 damage to a Steelix with 2 metal."
master_trainer_mike presents the speaker with question #60 from chrisbo:
Since the new TMP v1.3 Rules provide for only 4 prizes per team, does that
mean you're going to shorten the deck size to 40 cards also?
master_trainer_mike says, "Nope, for now it will still be 60 cards for
constructed and 40 cards for sealed."
master_trainer_mike presents the speaker with question #46 from mt_icecold:
Will there ever be a 3 Person team battle, where one person will be rotated
out at each battle but only 2 decks will be used?
master_trainer_mike says, "No plans at this time."
WORLD CHAMPIONHSIPS:
master_trainer_mike says, "The schedule of side events for Pokemon Worlds is
being revised and will be updated later today. We are moving the 2 team
events (we added one) to the morning (since they go longer)."
master_trainer_mike says, "We also have the sad duty to tell you that the
Expedition PreRelease tournament had to be canceled. Very sorry to say this
but due to production issues the cards just couldn't get done in time. We
are offering some very cool prizes for one of the events though that is
taking place in its place. The chance to win Expedition cards before anyone
else in the world!"
master_trainer_pat says, "Whoa...how's that for some stuff to think about!"
master_trainer_mike says, "Again details will be posted soon."
master_trainer_mike presents the speaker with question #49 from
pigdeon_of_death:
Can you tell us the sort of planned side events for Worlds, and any
possibility of unplanned side events?
master_trainer_mike says, "The new schedule will go up tomorrow."
master_trainer_mike presents the speaker with question #61 from
puritys_echidna:
are all the team events at worlds going to be sealed deck?
master_trainer_mike says, "Nope, there will be a scheduled constructed event
and a scheduled sealed."
master_trainer_mike presents the speaker with question #48 from marril2000:
sorry to hear how the Expedition prerelease was canceled, but by any chance
will they be on display kind of like Neo Genesis with the ECSTS2?
master_trainer_mike says, "Yes there will definitely be a display about
Expedition so you can see some of it before anyone else."
master_trainer_mike presents the speaker with question #45 from articjedi:
is there going to be an erika's challenge like at the WCSTS2?
master_trainer_mike says, "Nope, but there will be numerous side events and
activities to do."
master_trainer_mike presents the speaker with question #68 from
mysticzapdos_x:
Can people who've already won trips, invites, etc. to Worlds still play in
the meat grinder if they feel like it?
master_trainer_mike says, "No they can not, sorry."
master_trainer_mike presents the speaker with question #24 from
monkeyman8889:
IF someone from 11-14 age group turned 15 but they got top 8 at a STS still
play?
master_trainer_mike says, "Not in the main tournaments. The invitations
given out to Top 8 finishers form the 2001 STS's are simple courtesy
invitations since we didn't have the Challenge series at that time. There
will not be any grandfathering being done for these courtesy invitations. If
a player is 15 or older by the time of Worlds, there will be plenty of other
events they can play in."
master_trainer_mike presents the speaker with question #25 from bubbi_guru:
I see that Steve Sperling of New York received a plane ticket to worlds for
being top20 DCI ranked in the 15- category. Does this mean the top8 of prior
STS's will also receive Plane tickets?
master_trainer_mike says, "Nope. Some of the top ranked DCI players in the
world earned trips. Only a few of them. Once again, the STS finishes are
given invitations as a courtesy. Not the same thing."
master_trainer_mike presents the speaker with question #54 from bubbi_guru:
[RE: Q25] How was this decided upon? what factors?
master_trainer_mike says, "Guys, first of all, this is internal stuff, kay?
A small number of top rated players from DCI were given trips and a larger
number were given invitations."
GENCON GAMING CONVENTION:
master_trainer_pat presents the speaker with question #32 from mt_icecold:
Whats with GenCon, I heard there's a card E prerelease at GenCon but there's
nothing posted about it on the tournament schedule?
master_trainer_pat says, "We're still hoping to make it happen, but we
didn't want to put it on the schedule if we didn't know for absolute sure
that we would have the cards by then."
master_trainer_pat says, "We are planning to add another Sept. 1st Modified
Team Multiplay event at Gen Con when we are there. It is a recent addition
so we're going to have to post flyers around the convention and rely on all
of you to spread the word. We don't know the date yet, but you'll be the
first to know...or the second. The first one was such a success that we want
to try it again."
master_trainer_mike presents the speaker with question #51 from yoshi1001:
any news on GenCon?
master_trainer_mike says, "We have a schedule Team Multiplay sealed event on
Saturday. We will try to have a Team Multiplay Constructed event and
hopefully an expedition pre-release as well. There are also scheduled
modified and unlimited constructed events too."
master_trainer_mike presents the speaker with question #69 from yoshi1001:
If you mange the Expedition event at gencon, will the cards not be legal in
Modified until the set comes out since they are still prerelease?
master_trainer_mike says, "Correct. They would not be legal in Modified."