Chaos Gym
Gym Challenge
Reviewed October 18, 2000 by the Jason Klaczynski – 3 Time World Champion
Reviews Below:
Chaos Gym
“Strategic.”
10.18.00 Chaos Gym is just amazing, even in Prop15.
Power in Trapper
While people who have never seen a real trapper in action continue to say it has flaws, the flaws can be got around. First, let me clear up some things with Trapper..
It’s hard to pull the combo off- I am so sick of hearing this! You do NOT need the 3 card combo to destroy your opponent’s hand! A 5 card hand can be snuck attack twice (you’ll get 2 trainers), then Trapped, a 6 card hand can be trapped twice, it isn’t that hard to do when you’re playing 4 Item Finder and 4 Trap. A 4 card hand is Snuck Attack and Trapped, people do not always need to be Imposter Oak Revenged, even if they have a large hand. Trapper can still do great leavingyour opponent with one card in their hand to, you do not NEED to get that last grass energy, since the threat is two cards (allowing Comp Search and Item Finder) next turn.
Going second will lose- People talk about the terrible disadvantage of going 2nd with Trapper. It makes it slightly harder if they’ve Oaked a few times, and filled their bench, to best prepare for the Traps, but you still destroy their hand and get the Wiggly out turn two. Yes, Wigglytuff. Anyone that thinks that Hitmonchan and Magmar are the “Trapper” Pok�mon need to realize how absolutely stupid that is. One KO a turn to all the good stuff with PlusPower, that’s something Buzz, Chan, and Magmar can’t do.
It can’t make a recovery- Anyone that plays a Trapper knows its ridiculously annoying you Trap someone’s hand away and then they draw an Oak. It is very hard to make a recovery, in fact, nearly impossible when they get the removals, but that’s what Chaos Gym before.
If they do get lucky (since I believe Luck is the most important thing in beating a Trapper) and draw an Oak, they have a 50% chance it fails. Now, with a 40 Trainer deck, you would think Chaos Gym would really hurt you, it doesn’t as bad as you’d think. First of all, a failed PlusPower doesn’t help your opponent, it just fails, your opponent cannot use cards that stay in play. A nice strategy is to try to Item Finder and Comp Search and turn your hand into a lot of PlusPowers, and if possible, another stadium and Oak. That way, when they come down to one basic you can play a different stadium, getting rid of Chaos Gym, and Oak to get everything you need to win, and if you have to, put another Chaos Gym out. If you know you can get another Chaos Gym you can try this strategy even if you seem a few turns away from a win, it’s a nice strategy. Chaos Gym gives your opponent a 50% that their Item Finder or Computer Search will work, if it does, they have another 50% chance to take with the Oak they get, which is normally what is gotten, except when there isn’t one available in the discard. (Then people improvise, Bill or something is okay..) Watch out for other Stadiums, those put Chaos Gym in the discard with no flip.
When to Play Chaos Gym
Play it when you have the big advantage, for example, your opponent has a one card hand, you have a powered Wiggly and full bench against a Scyther, Hitmonchan and Magmar. Get as many PlusPowers in your hand as possible, then play Chaos Gym. Their lucky draw will need more luck to help.
In Trapper- Why Would I Play Chaos Gym if I Need to Constantly Stop Their Hand?
You can still play the Sneak Attacks with a 50% chance of working if you’re looking for an Item Finder or Comp Search, or sometimes an Oak. Some people will wait for another stadium before trying to Oak because if it fails, it hurts, and it allows you to Oak, but your deck will be low in Trapper if you have the Chaos Gym out. Don’t worry about getting tails with a Sneak Attack, your deck is so slow that adding any trainer back is worth it. You can play Traps if you’re desperate, but those have a 25% of working, not really worth it. Just try to Sneak Attack when they get two cards, remember, a Computer Search and Item Finder needs to work to get the card, then the card gotten needs to work, too.
It Will Be Good at the STS?
Yes, in Prop15, many people won’t waste space on other stadiums. 3 Chaos Gym will be very nice, their failed Oaks are your succeeded Oaks. If you try to plat fast, get it out on turn 1 or 2, it can hurt. Put out the Narrow Gym, Oak, Chaos Gym, you gotta love that.
My Rating (1- Almost completely useless, 5- Average, 10-Totally broken)
This is a very nice card, it’s only major weakness is to other stadiums, but when out, not only does it have a 50% to stop your opponent’s trainers, it can give them to you. That’s nice, that’s very, very nice. It is great in Trapper, but don’t underestimate it any type of deck. I’d give this amazing card a 9.0.
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