Know your Archtypes!!

                  By Dr. Crash Landon


I've been a Deck Mechanic here at Pojo.com since November, and have been
playing Pokemon since long before that. In these past 18 months, I've been
able to identify no less than 10 different reoccuring deck themes. While
some are far more common than others, like Haymaker, the rest are worth
noting too because they DO turn up. If you want the edge, you should be able
to spot each type by a certain few key cards. Here are the Archetypes:

   Haymaker- The classic baddie of the bunch. Centers itself around
powerful Basic Pokemon with quick, efficient attacks. Jungle's Scyther gave
Haymaker a big push, knocking Farfetch'd out as the Anti-Fighting contender.
Few players were prepared for the onslaught of pain so early in the life of
this CCG, spreading the legend of Haymaker far and wide. Fossil contributed
Muk to this deck, giving Haymaker the capacity to meta-game against
Raindance and WallStall decks. This deck is still a major power in
Tournaments across the country, although players are learning to defend
against it better now.
   --What to look for in Haymaker: Hitmonchan, Electabuzz, Scyther, Energy
Removal, Scoop Up.

   RainDance- A big obvious in the "'What kind of deck could kick major
butt?' Department". Blastoise's Raindance ability lets you supercharge your
benched Pokemon in nearly one turn, giving speed a new name in Pokemon.
Jungle did little to aid Raindance, as most players passed over Vaporeon.
Fossil changed it for the better however with both Lapras, an 80HP warhorse,
and Articuno a high-powered flyer with no Weakness and Resistance to
Fighting. Highly hated, and feared even more, Raindance continues to be the
scourge of players everywhere.
   --What to look for in Raindance: Squirtle, Blastoise, Professor Oak,
Pokemon Breeder, Gambler.

   WallStall- To combat the lethality of the first two major Archetypes,
players soon concocted a deck that could laugh at damage and capitalize upon
popular Weaknesses. WallStall was born, employing the monolith of merriment,
Chansey and the damage redistribution skills of Alakazam. Going not for the
kill, but rather the decking, this archetype was found to be a difficult
matchup. Jungle gave WallStall the boost it needed in the form of Mr. Mime,
perhaps the most unlikely wall of all. Fossil didn't have a dramatic impact
on WallStall strategies, but it did give players an excellent batch of
backup players like Hypno and Lvl.17 Haunter. WallStall is less prevalent on
the scene today, having been thwarted somewhat by Muk.
   --What to look for in WallStall: Chansey, Alakazam, Mr. Fuji, Pokemon
Center, Impostor Professor Oak.

   Potpourri- Popularized by PokeMaster, Scott Gerhardt, Potpourri takes
the strategy behind Haymaker, swirls in some heavy metagaming and comes
forth as a fresh archetype that is quick and versatile. By using Basics from
typically 3 different colors, Potpourri prepares itself for the likelihood
of encountering both the opponent's Weaknesses and Resistances, altering its
strategy accordingly. Potpourri contains a mix of many Pokemon from all the
current sets thus far. It's evolution has come to the point where, as long
as the fundamental strategy is held to, most combinations of attackers
works.
   --What to look for in Potpourri: Fossil Magmar, Electabuzz, Lapras,
Scyther, Energy Removal, Gust of Wind

   TuffStuff- This deck actually goes by numerous names, Insane Wiggly,
Viagra, WildWiggly...etc. The strategy is universal however. A player tries
to capitalize upon the speed and efficience of Wigglytuff's "Do the Wave"
attack by loading his bench up with Basic Pokemon and evolving Jigglypuff as
quick as possible. The usage of Energy Removal and Lass to eliminate any
troublesome comebacks has proved to be a powerful approach. Jungle brought
forth the TuffStuff deck in primitive forms, not quite including the
Trainers into the gameplay. Fossil gave it Mr. Fuji, a severely needed boon
and Muk for those who worried about Raindance and WallStall.
   --What to look for in TuffStuff: Jigglypuff, Fossil Magmar, Hitmonchan,
Lass, Super Energy Removal, Mr. Fuji.

   AeroMew- A recent phenomenon, now that Wizards of the Coast has made
openly available its Promo Mew card. While a bit frail in the HP area,
leveling out at a paltry 30, Mew's abilities can be crippling. He can
decimate an opponent whose active Pokemon is loaded with Energies and can
De-Evolve the enemy as well. A few ambitious folk saw the combo possibility
in Mew's Devolution Beam and Aerodactyl's Primitive Power and set forth to
carve a new archtype, albeit with mixed success. The combo takes time to
erect and is nearly useless against a Potpurri or Haymaker deck. With risks
running as high as these, AeroMew has seen only limited usage and is
unlikely to swell in popularity as new sets are issued.
   --What to look for in AeroMew: Mew, Mysterious Fossil, Gust of Wind,
Scoop Up, Pokemon Trader

   Benchpress- This deck archtype refers to any deck whose goals focus on
the opponent's Reserves, rather than the active Pokemon. With only Base set
out, this type was dreamed of, but almost never carried out. As new sets
emerged, the capacity to cripple an opposing bench became easier and some
tried valiantly. The downside to any Benchpress deck is that it's highly
suicidal; giving up your own Pokemon to gain an advantage is a large gambit.
Jungle gave people little to work with except a new better Pikachu and a
watered down Electrode. Fossil broke the mold with plenty of backfield
operatives though, such as Hitmonlee, Gengar, Hypno, Articuno and the new
Raichu.
   --What to look for in Benchpress: Jungle Pikachu, Articuno, Hitmonlee,
Defender, Professor Oak

   Speedrill- Maybe not as much an archtype as an adjustment of strategy
for a different set of parameters, Speedrill takes the Raindance engine and
goes it's own way with a vengeance. Using the Pokemon Breeder school of
success, Speedrill slams Beedrills, Scythers and other nasties out while
greatly taking advantage of the Fighting Resistance and free retreat costs.
Beedrill's attacks are strong, but a bit costly and unreliable. This and an
overwhelming presence of Fossil Magmars in other decks may be the main
factor in why Speedrill hasn't taken off like Raindance. Beware of a very
swift variant on the rise which uses multiple Computer Searches, Professor
Oaks and the like to set itself up for an overwhelming advantage in one
turn. Victims have called this version Greedrill.
   --What to look for in Speedrill: Weedle, Scyther, Ditto, Pokemon
Breeder, Mr. Fuji, Gambler, Professor Oak

   Liquid Plumber- This is a cute name I once heard a 16 year old call his
Energy Drain deck. The notion is that it "drains" the opponent with stuff
like "Whirlpool" and "Hyper Beam". This name is even better since these
decks usually showcase Water type Pokemon as their main go-getters. Cute
monikers aside, it's always been more of a hobbyist's deck than a major
tournament contender. The concept is sound; use big attacks which deplete
Energy at the same time, but getting to this point is an arduous task at
best. The Pokemon featuring this power are all Stage 1's and 2's, which
usually fall prey to Haymaker and Potpourri long before they reach their
pivotal point. Jungle added pretty much nothing to this strategy, but Fossil
gave it a good kick in the pants by adding Articuno and Golduck to player's
arsenals.
   --What to look for in Liquid Plumber- Polywag, Dratini, Psyduck, Energy
Removal, Item Finder, Pokemon Trader.

   Agility- Aptly named, Agility features just that: Pokemon who can avoid
their next attacks. This is not a dependable strategy by ANY means, and is
recommended only to those with a lot of experience or time on their hands.
The main thrust behind Agility is that, on the average, 50 percent of your
opponents attacks will be negated. While a bonus, yes, the Pokemon boasting
such skill are on the weak side, Base set Raichu and Rapidash being amongst
the best. Their attacks offer little in return and you can only hold off for
so long. Only very low, often nonexistent, retreat costs add sparkle to this
deck's sales pitch. Jungle gave us Rapidash to work with, and Fossil brought
the new Haunter, a unique, dark horse to Agility. You won't see this style
often, but when you do, it has the potential to be very frustrating.
   --What to look for in Agility: Ponyta, any Pikachu, Fossil Haunter
(Transparency), Energy Removal, Gust of Wind

   EnergyTransit- The mean green machine. Many players know that the combo
potential of Venusaur's Energy Trans Power is a gold mine in the proper
prospectors hands. Focusing on big green giants and massive card drawing,
this archtype can pack a punch out of left field. This deck is usually very
straightforward, loading up big guns early on, like Scyther and Pinsir, and
evolve Venusaur when you can. It's only once Venusaur comes that an
unexperienced player gets a lesson. A favorite tactic is to load as much
Grass Energy onto an Exeggutor as possible and do a "Big Eggsplosion" for
massive damage. This deck also lends itself well to using Pokemon Center and
will occasionally sport Psychic types as backup, like Mr. Mime. Jungle gave
it the push it needed with tons of floral fiends. Unfortunately Fossil only
hindered this approach to victory with Muk and Aerodactyl, the deck's two
worst nightmares. Not rare to see, but not common either.
   --What to look for in EnergyTransit: Bulbasaur, Exeggcute, Scyther,
Pokemon Center, Pokemon Breeder, Mr. Mime.

   Overnight Bag- The last deck archtype. This one's only an archtype by
default, meaning that it shows up fairly often, but that's as far as it
goes. You've seen this deck. Almost every 9 year old with a turned up collar
has it. You open with your Electabuzz, he slams out his...Horsea?? You down
the Horsea in one fell swoop, he retaliates with a...Mankey? The seesaw of
stupidity goes on until you, with a look of sincere regret in your eyes,
kill his last Drowzee and thank him for the...um...challenging game.
   This type is named so because it contains just about every card the
player owns, likes or found sitting on the counter after everyone else
scoured their packs for the good stuff and left the chaff behind. No
strategy, no rhyme or reason, just 60 cards (Not always that even) and a
puzzled kid who doesn't understand why his trusty Meowth let him down.
   --What to look for in Overnight Bag: Who can honestly say? Perhaps an
easy victory and a touch of remorse to sour the day.
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