Golem – Sword & Shield Fusion Strike 137/264
Date Reviewed:
January 17, 2022
Ratings Summary:
Standard: 2.00
Expanded: 2.00
Ratings are based on a 1 to 5 scale. 1 is horrible. 3 is average. 5 is great.
Reviews Below:
Vince
Still waiting for the entire set list of Brilliant Stars, so I found a couple more cards from Fusion Strike instead.
Golem has a feature that might make your opponent think twice of Knocking Out this Pokemon. It’s Desperate Blast ability states that if this Pokemon is in the Active Spot and is Knocked Out by damage from an attack from your opponent’s Pokemon, you can put 10 damage counters on that Pokemon. 10 damage counters is 100 damage, so that’s almost one-third of the maximum printed HP on a Pokemon VMAX. Rocky Helmet can even further place 2 more damage counters on top of the initial 10 counters! Double Edge costs FCC for 160 damage and also does 30 damage to itself, which I guess can make it easier for your opponent to KO Golem.
Except that it hasn’t been easy. Your opponent can move Golem to the Bench or inflict various special conditions such as Poison or Burn to KO Golem between turns, rendering its ability useless. Not to mention that you’re devoting deck space of a Stage 2 evolutionary line that’s designed to not last long on the field. I guess against most baseline Pokemon, it’d be an easy KO with Double Edge while Pokemon that gives up two prizes can still be KOed by a combination of Double Edge and Desperate Blast. Pokemon VMAX are beyond those two’s range unless they’re weak to Fighting. So, you’re somehow trading prizes favorably while giving up your own Pokemon. And there’s even Giant Bomb from Sun & Moon Unified Minds, Bursting Balloon from XY BreakPoint, and Rock Guard from BW Plasma Freeze in Expanded that can further aid on putting more damage counters should it get Knocked Out, putting around 16 to 20 damage counters when combined with those Pokemon Tools and the ability.
For Golem to be that desperate to see some play (even looking at the artwork!), it may be worth some experimentation, but I doubt it’ll go far in a tournament.
Ratings:
Standard: 2
Expanded: 2
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