Crayola's Revenge at High Point

Crayola's Revenge v1.1
East Coast Pokemon Super Trainer Showdown Qualifier
Oak Hollow Mall, October 14th, 2000
High Point, North Carolina
32 Players, Single Elimination

Hi it's me Daniel Duterte. I went to the High Point STS Qualifier on the 14th and had an awesome time! It was about a two hour drive as my dad drove me and my bro to the mall (major props to my dad, he had a major league cold and still took us there, thanks a bunch!). We had our doubts that this was really a mall but when we reached the place my expectations were fulfilled. It's was really cool.

The Wizards and DSL staff were really courteous and super cool. That's Pokemon Central where you sign up and stuff. It wasn't as crowded as I thought, so luckily we actually got in!

After signing up I met up with some players from Waldenbooks' Pokemon League back in Raleigh. I signed up for a t-shirt and it was really cool and everyone from our league was sporting it. Of course some people had special stuff on the back, so I was kinda pissed, but who cares!

Okay, so now it's time for some fun. I walked around to be familiar with the place. At the league zone I met the guy playing in Erika's Challenge who called himself Impostor Professor Oak. He was really cool and played really well. My bro got drawn for it and he got Trapped first turn! That sucks!

Now I decide to go to the create a card. I got my materials and made something I did at Pokemon League: Dark Wigglytuff. It reads something like this:

Dark Wigglytuff
90 HP Colorless Pokemon (Evolves from Jigglypuff)
Pokemon Power - Battle Cry: Once during your turn (before you attack), you may search your deck for a Basic Pokemon and put it on your Bench (you can't use this Power if your bench is full.) This power still works when Dark Wigglytuff is Asleep, Confused, or Paralyzed.

3: Tsunami - Does 20 damage plus 20 for each of your benched Pokemon. Don't apply Weakness, Resistance, and any Pokemon Powers.

Weakness: F, Resistance: P - 30, Retreat -1
They said it was already broken, but it's not wise to anger a Wigglytuff... - Lv 40, #40

I'm using the same deck I used in my last tournament at Games Galore minus Celedon Gym. I went undefeated that weekend so I was feeling pretty confident.

Pokemon (14)
4 Jigglypuff
3 Wigglytuff
3 Scyther
3 Movie Promo Mewtwo
1 Erika's Dratini

Trainers (32)
4 Bill
4 Professor Oak
4 Computer Search
3 Item Finder
4 PlusPower
3 Gust of Wind
2 Rocket's Sneak Attack
2 Lass
3 Nightly Garbage Run
3 Scoop Up

Energy (14)
7 Psychic Energy
3 Full Heal Energy
4 Double Colorless Energy

Must I go over the strategy of a Wigglytuff deck?! Get Wigglytuff as soon as possible charged with PlusPower to boot with searching cards, disruption, and standard support trainers and Pokemon. It's not that hard! Anyway, let's get on with it.

At Deck Check I'm in line and behind me is Tracey from League. I get up and I clear deck check and so does she. Unfortunately, my bro didn't because he left a Squirtle in the car. He doesn't have extra black covers so he has to take off the covers and then grab a Water Energy and put it in and he was the last to register. That sucked for him. I'm in my seat and I'm ready to go!

Round 1 vs. Some non-archetype
It's hard to recall this match, I forgot to bring paper and pencil. Something quick happened and it was over quickly with a Wigglytuff
Record 1-0, Prizes: Nuthin...

Round 2 vs. Haymaker variant
If I recall he was using a standard Haymaker and I got my Wigglys out and had plenty of PlusPowers and Item Finders to boot.
Record 2-0, Prizes: 4 Gym Heroes Booster Packs

Round 3 vs. my Bro
Well, we have a joint collection. I busted my Wigglytuff out and rolled his Squirtles and had PlusPowers to boot his Articunos, but he just conceded since he thought I had a better chance of going all the way and to get lotsa boosters. And mainly because he wants me to win the Color Gameboy since I always use his, hehehehe.
Record 3-0, Prizes: 12 Heroes Booster Packs, Invite to New Jersey, and I think a hat.

Round 4 vs. Clefable Hay
He started with a Scyther and I had Jigglypuffs and a Scyther. I let a Jigglypuff get slaughtered, but not without having several pounds done to him. I send another Jigglypuff with a full-up bench, but decided not to evolve to Wigglytuff just in case his Clefable got support. His turn he Oaked but didn't get a basic and I PlusPowered for the win.
Record 4-0, Prizes: 24 Heroes Booster Packs, Invite to NJ, hat, Pokemon ETCG for Gameboy, and a t-shirt!

Wow, this is turning out great! Anyway, I finished early and so I watched some of the championship match behind me with Fred from Pokemon League playing in it! All the people from Waldenbooks watched and cheered him on! He also won the match! 36 boosters for him! That's really great! Co-leader of "Team Walden" won the 15+ flight! Maybe I could win too...

Round 5 vs. Sponge
This started slow! I got a lone Scyther and he a Movie Mewtwo and Ditto. I Lassed early so he couldn't discard anything and we just went back and forth playing disruption stuff and he was charging up his Ditto. For 10 minutes I went without a basic. He had begun to assault Scyther and I got a Scyther and a Scoop so I did that and a few turns later I turned up a Computer Search for an Oak. Got some basics, but he played Narrow Gym, so I was in a rut. He had roughed up my Scythers and I had a Jigglypuff and Mewtwo benched. He rolled me with his Hitmonchans and Dittos. I held him out for 10 minutes with Lullaby (I think), and he then he scooped up and the Jigglypuff got killed. I tried to stall out with Jigglypuffs and Erika's Dratini for a tie, but he seemed to have lots of Gusts and with one or two prizes to go he had a Chansey ready for battle but got nothing. Time was called and I got screwed. And that's where it ends for me...
Record 4-1, 2nd Place in 11-14 flight!

Of course, I'm not complaining, I had a blast! Got a bunch of boosters and some really cool stuff! Unfortunately, as far as I know, that's the best anyone from Team Walden has done. But everyone had loads of fun!

What did I learn from this? I think I learned that there are Pokeholics like me who are excellent at the game and I'm not a lone freak. I learned that the Wizards staff were awesome to hang with. And I think what happened was I got kinda too much cushion in Round 5 because I was concerned with winning the 2nd straight tournament, but then again maybe the cards weren't coming. That's how it is in Pokemon.

- Props to the Staff at the event for being very courteous and cool
- Props to the staff at Zone 3, especially MT Jeff, MT Faye, Melissa, and some black haired guy with glasses (sorry, didn't get your name!) for being very cool to talk to (BTW, MT Jeff thinks Maple Bars aren't donuts either) ;)
- Props to all the people from Waldenbooks for cheering me on in the championship!
- Props to Fred for winning his 15 and over flight and for making the Waldenbooks T-shirts
- Props to Gretchen the lady at Waldenbooks who runs League for getting a day away from the majority of us
- Mad Props to my dad for driving me and my bro all the way from Raleigh to High Point with his cold and everything

- Slops to "Impostor Professor Oak" who battled my bro at Erika's Challenge, he Trapped him twice in a match and my bro lost, well, maybe that deserves props instead, hehehe
- Slops to Californication because hearing that CD gets very annoying because it always sounds the same... Lord...
- Slops to WotC for not having this at Crabtree Valley Mall in Raleigh! Why do I have to drive all the way to High Point!?!?

"In both cards and dance, soul and rhythm are the secret. Hey that sounds pretty cool! Maybe I'll become a poet!" - Imakuni?, Pokemon ETCG