One of the things that can make or break a card is how versitle it is. For this
reason Scyther is looked on to be one of the best cards, if not in the top three
of all times. But there's another form of versitility that sometimes gets
overlooked, though not that often by those that know what to look for. That
aspect is splashability. Now what Splashable means is that you can add in a card
to a deck that has a color other than it's own. All colourless pokemon are like
this, as are several other cards that carry a colorless attack, i.e. Scyther's
Slash for three colourless. There's been a new type of splashability that's
become more prominent lately, even if it did start back in Jungle in a small
way. And that's cards that can use other types of energy to do attacks. The card
I mention that started it is the Exeggcute/Exeggutor line in which for a single
Psychic energy you could either have a free sleep attack or Mr. Fuji. While
decent cards this aspect wasn't played much, though it received a boost with
Fossil. Psyduck/Golduck offered us a chance to mix water and psychic, two hard
colors to mix due to high energy needs, especially with the anti-trainer
possibilities of Psyduck. Then came the ultimate of psychic splash cards...Dark
Golduck. This truly united the two colors together with a chance to work
together. Now with Gym out we recieved two lines that were able to mix their own
color with psychic to effect. The lesser of the two is the Erika's Exeggutor
line, which is still a force in itself with a free demi-Oak attack added in. The
better of the lines is the Sabrina's Venomoth line that can use both grass and
psychic energy to ultimate effect. At needing only one for each attack it can
fit into a pshyic or grass deck easily and for maximum effectiveness. In the
near future with Gym Challenge only a short time away we'll be getting another
steller splash card in Sabrina's Golduck. So what does this all have to do with
a Card tip? Simple, psychic is the easiest color to splash this side of
colourless...or more precisely it's the easiest to splash into. For instance, I
have a deck that mixes MP Mewtwo, the D. Golduck line using Fossil Psyducks, as
well as some Sabrina's Venomoths. Together they form an awesome three color
combination that can wreck havoc on just about anything, either with simple beat
down attacks, Psyburn and Super Psy, or with disruption attacks, Headache and
Sonic distortion. With a little grass energy added you also have a pokemon
capable of working as a personal potion without having to waste the space for
the trainer. Psychic is a truly versitle colour to work with, especially with
the variety out there and the mix of outside colors. I'm just here to offer some
suggestions for what pokemon can be used in the mix, though when adding psychic
pokemon I'd have to say stick to 'Haymaker'types such as MP Mewtwo, Jynx, and
the soon to be released Rocket's Mewtwo. Sabrina's Gastly is also a good mix as
he has an excellent cheap attack that can screw over a pokemon, especially mixed
with energy removal. So try your own mixes and see what comes out of it. If we
eventually get Neo and Neo two there will be other new combinations, especially
in the latter thans to Kabutops and Omastar...but that's for another article.
All comments, gripes, and other such yelling can be sent to dr_dem@yahoo.com
I'd also love to hear any other mix ideas you might have. Dr Dem