Woooohoooo! My local Toys R Us got all screwed and put the Gym Challenge
cards out early. I decided to do a Top 10 for the cards included in the
expansion. Here it goes:

10. Lt. Surge's Electrode
    Shock Blast is a nice Power. Yes, it will eventually KO you, but    
that extra 20 damage to your opponent can be real nice. Shock Bomb     is a
good move too, capable of 60.

9. Fervor
   Touchdown! Fire decks can really benifit from the ability to get a    few
Fire energy cards when you need 'em. Since most Fire creatures    must
discard energy, getting some more is really effective.

8. Koga's Beedrill
   A one-shot, 50/50 70 damage isn't perfect, but it's still darn    good. A
Breeded Koga's Weedle, plus a DCE can give you that    possible 70 on turn
two though. And that's too good to turn down!

7. Erika's Venusaur
   Would be rated higher if Wide Solar Beam did more damage, but    Growth
makes it dangerous fast. And the ability to do 20 to two    enemy benched
Pokemon is pretty sweet.

6. Koga's Ditto
   Awww, no Transform. But Giant Growth is sickeningly sharp! A now 80   
HP, 30 damage for a DCE Pokemon is quite good.

5. Sabrina's Kadabra
   With a PlusPower, it's broken. The low HP is a bit of a downer,      
though.

4. Rocket's Zapdos
   Can you dig it, baby?! Plasma makes it possible to do a whopping 70    on
turn three! Yes, you'll do 30 or 40 damage to yourself, but        Defender
and, yes, Super Potion can clear it away. Excellent card!

3. Sabrina's Alakazam
   The Power lets it abuse other great Psychic attacks, and the attack   
can do 60 for PCCC. Nice!

2. Rocket's Mewtwo
   3 outrageous attacks! You can soak up some damage, then throw it    back
at your opponent with Juxtapose. Or you can put them to sleep    with
Hypnoblast. Maybe you'll want to hit them with a solid Psyburn    for 60? So
many options. Call in the National Guard- we have a       broken card on the
loose!

1. Sabrina's Golduck
   Coooool! As always, Psychic gets a splashable Water monster out of   
Golduck. With Challenge!, you can load up the bench, then your       Active
can use a bench- damaging attack, like Dugtrio's Earthquake.    Retreat that
Active in favor of Golduck. Damage Shift not only        heals your bench,
it does 60 to the Defending Pokemon! All of that    for an attack cost of
PP!

Now time for special awards for cards that may not be that good, but stand
out-

Most Screwed-Up Card:

-Chaos Gym
Your Trainers are my Trainers, pal!

Most Energy-Intensive Card:

-Blaine's Arcanine
Can you say "Charizard's cousin"? Well, the other attack ain't that   bad,
though.

"I'm Gonna Kill Myself!!!" Card:

-Koga's Arbok
I do damage while I steadily KO myself with joyous poison! Yippee!

Weirdest Attack:

-Koga's Zubat's Group Attack
Yes, I get to do 40 damage to you for only GC! Plus, you can't penetrate my
40 HP! And I've got three more of these on the bench! Hahahahahahahaha!!!

That's all for now. Happy card-playing, dude!

The Rocket
eliterocket_tr@hotmail.com