G'day Pojo,
I was recently thinking about archetypes and I realised one thing they all
have in common. Limited family groups. Don't believe me? Well look at so
common pokemon layouts in each deck.

Raindance
-Blastoise family
-Articuno (for hay Raindance) \ Gyrados (for power rain dance)
-Lapras (see Articuno) \ Dewgong (see Gyrados)

Haymaker
-Fossil Magmar
-Scyther
-Electabuzz \ Hitmonchan

Wigglytuff
-Wigglytuff family
-Scyther
-Fossil Gastly

As you can see all of these archetypes are only based around three families.
Of course the number varies from deck to deck but most archetype deck have
about three families. Ok so what inspired me to write this article is that
maybe there is a connection between archetypes having limited numbers of
family groups and the fact that all these archetypes are so damn strong.
Take for example the pokemon section in my brother's deck (before I fixed it
up for him)

-3 Charmander
-2 Charmeleon
-1 Moltres
-2 Ponyta
-3 Seel
-2 Dewgong
-3 Squirtle
-2 Wartortle
-1 Articuno
-1 Lickitung

Now I think anyone who has had a bit of experience playing Pokemon would
realise that this pokemon line up needs so work. Why? I my opinion it's
because it's to "messy", with 7 different family groups in it there is
hardly any chance of drawing the pokemon you need.

Now here's what the pokemon line up looks like now,

-4 Charmander
-3 Charmeleon
-4 Seel
-3 Dewgong
-3 Lickitung

As you can see the pokemon line up is now much better, mainly because I've
limited the family groups so he is more likely to draw the pokemon he needs.
Also part of the reason is because there is some strategy-use Lickitung to
stall while powering up Charmeleon \ Dewgong - instead of it just being a
bunch of cards thrown together.

Ok now for the lesson to be learned, the reason (IMHO) archetypes are so
powerful is because they limit the number of family groups used. What does
limiting the family groups do? It makes a deck more consistent because
there's more chance of drawing the pokemon you need. If a deck is consistent
it often plays consistently which is good if it makes your deck win
consistently but if it make's your lose always there is something that needs
to be fixed in it and if you fix it that's good too. So next time you feel
in a "tweaking" mood, look at your deck, if it has tons of different family
types try taking the no down to 3-4 families. If it works great if it
doesn't, well it's been something to think about.
Merryfred. Mail me @ merryfred@hotmail.com
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