Chris again, this time with the fourth single card review in my series: Neo

Genesis Jumpluff. This is where I'll teach you to fix the problems or abuse

the privileges...Look below for statistics of the card...

** 70 HP- Recently, 70 is the cut-off to see if it's good. But, there's

always Focus Band and Gold Berry to help out with this card.

** Bottom Stats- Weakness: Fire. No major threat here because recently Fire

isn't popular. Resistance: Fighting. Very good to prevent Hitmonchan and

family. Gust out a Fighting so they can barely hurt you. Retreat: NONE?!?! A

Stage 2 Evolution card with free retreat?! TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT!! This card

is meant to be retreated very often, as I'm going to explain it as a "Hit and

Run" card.

** Stage 2 Evolution- Simply use a trainer that's friend to you and me:

Pokemon Breeder. Start with a Hoppip of your choice (preferably Genesis), and

only place on your bench when you have Jumpluff and Breeder in your hand,

because it is major Gust of Wind bait. Then, next turn, Breed up to Jumpluff.

You could always go through Skiploom, but I feel that it wastes a whole turn.

** Attacks- Sleep Powder and Leech Seed. Let me start by saying that Leech

Seed is not intended to be used every turn! The far superior attack on this

card is Sleep Powder, which does 20 damage, and guaranteed Sleep for 1 Grass

Energy! This leaves a small 50% chance of being attacked by it next turn,

without aid of Switch, etc.

STRATEGY SECTION:

    ### In a deck, be sure to include Gust of Wind with Jumpluff. Send out a

Sneasel from your opponent's bench (preferably not charged with enough

energy), then Sleep Powder it until you either KO it, he retreats by means of

Switch, or you retreat to something very powerful for the speedier Prize.

    ### Jumpluff is the King of Hit and Run. Even though its negative

condition is great, it still lacks firepower, its attack only doing 20. Here

is how to use it:

    1.) Retreat your active if Jumpluff isn't it.

    2.) Use Sleep Powder to make opponent rethink attaching more energy,

because it is not a good idea to attach energy to a Pokemon with low HP.

    3a.) Either use Sleep Powder again next turn, OR

    3b.) GET OUT OF THERE!

    4.) Once you finally decide to escape the scene, send out something very

powerful such as Chansey for the simple Prize. Just soften down the Defending

Pokemon until it has 80 or less HP, so Chansey can plow it down.

Jumpluff is NOT meant to be used against something with the capability to

inflict serious amounts of damage. I advise strongly to only use Jumpluff

when a simple cheap Gust of Wind can get out something defenseless. Then

soften it up, and beat it down. Also, Leech Seed should only be used in these

2 situations: Either the Defending Pokemon is already asleep, or the 20

damage will Knock Out the Defending Pokemon.

    For an aggressive hit and run, attach a Plus Power or 2 to Jumpluff for

an attack that does 40 damage and guaranteed sleep for 1 Grass Energy!

    Below is an idea for a deck, with Scyther also in there if Jumpluff can't

be used.

4 Hoppip (Neo: Genesis)

3 Jumpluff

4 Chansey

3 Scyther

4 Breeder

4 Plus Power

4 Gust of Wind

4 Defender

4 Gold Berry

4 Oak

4 Focus Band

4 Super Energy Removal

4 DCE

10 Grass

If anyone tries this deck, or wants to send comments or ideas for a future

"How to Use" article, send them to me at Baboonskin@aol.com. Have fun!

                                                        -Chris