After having slogged through countless recent poorly written trash piles
of "Top Lists"(no offense to the good list writers, you know who you
are.) in an attempt to gleen some usefull information, I
decided that you people deserve something for your troubles. I am Lord
Gothmog, and I have for you a list of Pokemon and Trainers which are
good. This list will be formed of my opinions, and mine alone, and will
be informitive, well-writen, and I will not exhibit signs of
Poke-Newbie-ism, such as "Charizard rools!" "nrg" or
"this crd SUX!!"
There will not be any unresearched attacks, assumptions, or glaring
errors. I've decided to go with an element by element aproach, then
trainers. Enjoy.
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Grass
Honorable Mention: Dark Muk, Dark Vileplume, Dark Wheezing.
Dishonorable Discharge: Bellsprout.
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#5 Dark Golbat: Ten damage to an opponent's pokemon of your choice is a
nice power, especially since you apply weakness. Resistence too, but
that isn't an issue until Neo comes out. Flitter is an excellent attack
to accentuate that power. Hit points aren't great though. The fighting
resistence is nice, but I see more promo Mewtwos than Hitmonchans. I
like the no retreat cost as well. Use rocket Zubat though.
#4 Dark Arbok: Stare is interesting. Shut down that Blastoise for a
turn. No swap for Alakazam. No trans for Venusaur. No real point. Use
Goop Gas attack and the next attack which is... Poison Vapor! Which is
good. Used in combonation with Dark Golbat, you could seriously beat
bench. Automatic poison is great, making the damage go from 10 to 20 on
the active. Handy. Two retreat isn't good, neither is Psychic weakness
and no resistence. Oh well.
#3 Muk: Poke power Poke power Poke power. Shut down Dark Vileplume,
which is VERY good. Blastiose is gone. VERY good. Alakazam, Venusaur, Mr
Mime, and countless others. VERY GOOD. Sludge is pretty nice for the
cost. Two retreat isn't good. 70 HP is average. Psychic weakness is bad.
But everything else is All good.
#2 Beedrill: This guy whomps. Stage 2 is a down, 80 HP should have been
90 or 100, but 40 for three grass and chance for poison? Sweeeeet. Free
retreat and fighting resistence round out this excellent Poke.
Twineedle's not good though. Don't use it if you don't have to.
#1 Scyther: I hate this card. I play it still though, because it's good.
It's just good overall. I think you all know why. If you don't, why are
you reading this? Go eat a Twinkie or something.
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Fire
Honorable Mention: Base Magmar, Dark Charizard, Rapidash.
Dishonorable Discharge: Charizard.
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#5: Ninetails: While taking quite a long time to power up, Fire Blast is
just plain devestating. Lure is also good for bringing out High
Retreat-Cost Energy-Less Pokemon from you opponent's bench, or to stall
while charging Fire Blast. 80 HP is high for a Stage 1, One Retreat cost
is good for a Stage 1 also.
#4: Moltres: The only Fire Poke on my list that has it's own Archetype.
Simply put, Wildfire is great, Dive Bomb isn't. If you've got that many
energies on him, then you should do Wildfire. 70 HP is good, not great.
Two Retreat is kind of odd since he's a flyer. But fighting resistence
and no weakness are very nice.
#3: Arcanine: Let me see, 100 HP, 80 damage for two fire and two
colorless(with 30 to itself, no biggie. that's what Defender is for.
Golden Nut too, when Neo comes out in English.), and a Flamethrower? Why
is it that I never see this guy on top lists? Three Retreat is pretty
bad, but it's not enough to down it. Plus Growlithe is a fairly strong
basic, with 60 HP and one Retreat.
#2: Promo Arcanine: This guy is better, seeing as how he's much faster,
and in today's world of rampent Haymakers. 70 HP is fair for a Stage 1,
and a 1 Retreat is very good. Let Growlithe accumulate some damage while
putting energy on him, then evolve and blast them with Flames of Rage.
#1: Fossil Magmar: This guy is a great Fire Haymaker card. 10 damage for
1 energy with a coin flip for damage . Kind of like agility, except your
opponent flips. Then for two fire, it does 20 with a chance of poision.
Darn good. 70 HP is Hay-Perfect, plus a 1 retreat cost, which is a very
nice bonus.
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Fighting
Honorable Mention: Base Machop, Hitmonlee.
Dishonorable Discharge: Machoak(what were they thinking?!)
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#5: Rocket Machop: Did someone just go "splash?" It was this guy. 20
for
a dce is good, plus 30 next turn with a rainbow/fighting energy. 50 HP
isn't good, and Psychic weakness is horrifying. Overall, a good card for
splashing.
#4: Sandslash: I like this dude. Stage 1's not bad. 20 for two colorless
is nice. Fury Swipes is also very nice, like Marowak's Bonemerang,
except better, in my opinion. 70 HP is good. 1 retreat is very good.
Weakness to Grass is...horrible. That's the main reason this guy is
fourth.
#3: Machamp: Yes, that's right, Machamp. He IS NOT THAT BAD. I like the
Poke Power, the attack is good for the energy, and 100 HP is quite good.
Now, he is very very weak to Energy and Super Energy Removals. But later
on, if translations hold, you will be able to play a Stadium Card that
places a very strict usage law on ERs and SERs. Just Poke-Breed from
Machop, and go from there.
#2: Dark Machamp: I think this guy has a bit more potential. A
Two-for-30(Two Fighting energy for 30 damage, duh) First Attack is
sweet, especially when Poke-Breeding from a Base Machop. Fling is good,
I think. Example: Dark Machamp Active. Opponent's Charizard active. Both
fully energized. No Bench. Charizard is ready to kill you next turn and
draw the last prize. You play a PokeFlute(yes, and you'll see why) to
ressurect a Base Porygon onto their bench. (this player is vastly
ignorent. I mean, who in their right mind plays Charizard?!?) Fling the
Charizard, they have no choice but to send out Porygon. They draw, no
basic, your turn, BAM! Mega Punch. See, now this guy is fairly good,
isn't he? Situational, but good.
#1: Hitmonchan: 20 damage for one Fighting energy. 40 Damage for 2
Fighting and one Colorless. 70 HP. This is why Fighting is not entirely
a dead color.
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Electric
Honorable Mention: Jolteon, Promo #1 Pikachu, Movie Promo Pikachu.
Dishonorable Discharge: Base Voltorb.
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#5: Dark Raichu: Thanks for fixing that horrid Fossil Raichu, Wizards.
Three energy instead of four makes all the difference. Evolve from Movie
Pikachu, and you've got turn-two 30+ Possible 10 or 20 Bench damage. Not
too shabby if you ask me. One retreat is good, 70 HP is just average. I
like it.
#4: Raichu: Pretty speedy little guy. 80 HP is nice for a stage 1. One
retreat cost is good. Put down a lightning energy on Pikachu,(movie) do
Recarge, evolve, DCE, agility...Think up your own strategies. Thunder is
okay-ish.
#3: Base Electrode: Previously rendered unplayable by base Voltorb,
Electrode now has the oppertunity to murder water decks everywhere.
Three Electric Energy, MAYBE ten yourself. That's good. Plus 80 HP! One
retreat! AND Buzzap! Hello and where have you been all my life?! Oh...In
the binder, cus of Base Voltrob.
#2: Dark Jolteon: This is one of those cards that makes me short out the
keyboard with drool. 20...for one...with smokescreen effect...Droooool.
Now, 50 HP is a definate downer. But if you use Promo Eevee, you evolve
one into Dark Jolteon, and search your deck for another to back it up,
if you have more Eevee on the bench. The effect will make sure it
doesn't get killed for a while either.
#1: Electabuzz: I hate this card. But it's good. You all know why.
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Psychic
Honorable Mentions: Fossil Ghastly, Gengar, Alakazam.
Dishonorable Discharge: Base Ghastly.
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#5: Dark Hypno: Good cardage right here. 20 for one. Sweet. Plus Bench
Manipulation can really kill some decks. Use Poke Flute and Challenge to
rustle up some bench. 60 HP is bad, so is 2 retreat, but you pay a price
for good cards.
#4: Fossil Haunter: Wow. I guess Fossil has redeeming value after all.
Transparency is one of the BEST Poke Powers on the block. Nightmare is
an excellent compliment to it, so your opponent has to flip heads, then
you have to flip tails in order for them to do anything to you. No
retreat is phat, 50 HP is to be expected, because of the power.
#3: Dark Kadabra: Wow. Psychic types have great Pokemon Powers. I love
Matter Exchange. Discard worthless paper, get valuable platinum. Plus
Mind Shock is just broken. 30, for two, and it gets past resistance. Ow!
Granted, no weakness either, but it still does a lot of damage anyway.
Two Retreat is bad, so is only 50 HP, but it's still a great line.
#2: Dark Alakazam: From great to better. Teleport Blast is great. I
built a deck around this guy, Fossil Haunter, and Persian once. Tele
Blast, send out the no-retreat Pokémon.. You get the idea. 30 for three
is good, and you get to switch IF YOU WANT (stress that), to protect his
low HP. Mind Shock is also great, providing 10 more damage for one more
energy, which can make all the difference. Three retreat isn't good, but
you can switch with Tele Blast. 60 HP is the worst part, but like I
said. Tele Blast.
#1: Movie Mewtwo: I hate this guy. But he's good. So I play him.
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Water
Honorable Mention: Gyarados.
Dishonorable Discharge: Base Magikarp.
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#5: Poliwrath: Well, 90 HP is just about average. 3 retreat is
expectable, but still not good. Weakness to Grass is bad. But Whirlpool
is GREAT. 40 damage, for two water energy, adn two colorless, with an
energy card discard of your choice. I love it. And, it can do 50 with
Water Gun, but that's only if you need to, really.
#4: Lapras: Good card, I think. Basic, with 80 HP, can do 30 for 3
energy, plus confuse ray is cool. 2 retreat is workable. Not much else
to say, except watch out for Buzz.
#3: Articuno: Oh yeah. 30 damage for 3, with chance of paralysis, plus
Blizzard is great. Get a lucky coin, and you can really hurt your
opponent's bench. 70 HP is okay, 80 or 90 would have been better. Two
retreat is okay, fighting resistence is great, plus NO weakness!
Excellent!
#2: Dark Blastoise: If you can get out a Blastoise and a Dark Blastoise
in the early game, it's pretty much all over. 70 damage for 4 energy.
Rocket Tackle is good when you don't want to overkill, and you might
prevent attacks. 70 HP is a little low, but a 2 retreat is slightly
better than Base. Look out, an Electabuzz! Boow, Hydro Cannon for 70,
he's gone.
#1: Blastoise: Need I say anything? Well, in case I do, here: 100 HP.
Best Pokemon Power of all time. Can do up to 60 damage. The almighty
king of Water Pokemon. Got that?
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Colorless
Honorable Mention: Clefable, Pidgeot, Ditto.
Dishonorable Discharge: Dark Persian.
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#5: Dodrio: Retreat Aid is cool, it can help a whole lot. One less
retreat cost is not to be taken lightly. It can mean a whole game. Plus,
with 70 HP, no retreat cost, and resistence to fighting, it's not a bad
attacker with Rage, either. It can do max, 60 damage. Not too shabby.
#4: Lickitung: Low energy cost colorless wall. The only thing I would
change is the 3 retreat cost. Otherwise, 90 HP, 10 for 1 with possible
paralysis, plus Supersonic is okay too. Stall for time.
#3: Tauros: Nobody notices this guy, because of only 60 HP. But look
closer. Stomp is excellent, and so is Rampage. Stomp untill you can
Rampage, and you're set. Heck, with Full Heal energy you could Rampage
till the cows come home.
#2: Chansey: Nothing really nessisary to say, but I will anyway. 120 HP,
yet a 1 retreat. Oh yeah. I love this card, and I even play it in my
haymaker. Couple DCE, send him out, Double Edge almost anything to
death, do it again, or Scoop him up. Plus Scrunch is good, because you
can avoid damage while charging Double Edge.
#1: Wigglytuff: Hoo boy, I hate this card, because it works so well. 60
damage for 3 colorless(with a full bench), with no drawback. Insane. 80
HP, two retreat cost are both about average. Lullabye isn't really
useful though.
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Trainers(note: instead of listing the best[CPU Search, Prof. Oak, etc.]
I'll be listing the best underated trainers)
Honorable Mention: Full Heal, Gambler.
Dishonorable Discharge: Pokeball.
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#5: Pokemon Center: So what if it gets rid of all the energy on the
damaged Pokemon? Put it in an Alakazam or Venusaur deck and move the
damage or the energy! Or use it in a stall deck with low energy.
#4: Revive: Works like Digger for Rage Pokemon. Revive an Eevee(Dark
Flareon), a Growlithe(Promo Arcanine), Tauros, Doduo(Dodrio), charge up
some energy, Rage away. Or use revive, then Scoop Up. There are worse
cards.
#3: Digger: Not as bad as it seems. I can think of at least 4 good
Pokemon with Rage type attacks. If you use this card with one of them,
then there's no drawback. Either you do more damage with the attack, or
less damage is needed to be done. My brother has an insanely good deck
built around this priciple(so don't think about stealing the idea and
saying it's yours. it's his).
#2: The Boss's Way: Go directly to your deck. Chose one Dark evolution
from it. Do not pass GO. Do not collect $200. But seriously, Pokeball
and Pokemon Trader are more restrictive, in a different way, because one
requires a coin flip(UGH!) and the other requires a Pokemon in you hand
already. If you have a deck with Dark cards in it, this is for you.
#1: Rocket's Sneak Attack: In my opinion, a game reversing trainer. One
trainer, back into the deck of your opponent, may not seem like much,
but it is. It could be an Oak, or a Comp. Search, or whatever would win
the game for them next turn. And away it goes. Plus you get to see their
hand, so you can use multiples of RSA in a turn. No drawbacks to this
card.
And that is the end of my long ranting What's on Top list. You can
contact me at lord_gothmog0@hotmail.com
HOWEVER, your emails must be
well written, describe why you are writing, how you got the address, and
must contain more than 1 line. If you are an idiot who goes around
writing one-line emails with no frame of reference to what you are
writting about, don't email me. That is all.