Scoop Up Net – Top 15 Pokemon Cards in Rebel Clash #4

Otaku

Before we dive into our 4th-place pick, let me stress: by this point, I believe a strong argument can be made for any card from the top four to be ranks #1 in the set.  Overall, these last four cards are just that good, though in different ways… and across different Formats.  Our 4th-place pick is Scoop Up Net (SSH – Rebel Clash 165/192; 207/192).  This is a Trainer-Item that lets you return a Pokémon that is not a Pokémon-GX or Pokémon V to your hand.  Any attached cards are discarded and no, Stages of evolution don’t count as “attached” cards, but as part of the Pokémon, so yes, you can use this to bounce an entire Stage 2 Evolution line into your hand.  Unless you used a shortcut such as Rare Candy, so the entire line isn’t there in the first place.

We know from past experience that bounce effects tend to be potent in Pokémon; you may or may not be able to immediately rebuild something, but at least you’re getting it out of the way, removing any damage or attack effects on it, and maybe getting a card worth “recycling” (playing it down again).  Acerola, AZ, Scoop Up Cyclone, and Super Scoop Up already exist in Expanded, with Super Scoop Up still hanging around in Standard; there have been times when all have been great cards, with Scoop Up Cyclone being among the few Ace Specs besides Computer Search, Dowsing Machine, and Scramble Switch worth using as Ace Specs.

Like AZ, Scoop Up Net only bounces the Pokémon and not any of the attached Energy or Tools.  AZ is a Supporter, but can target anything, but it still gives us an idea of how to use Scoop Up Net.  AZ was and is great for reusing coming-into-play Abilities and bouncing big Basic Pokémon… or even evolutions, though doing so well is trickier.  I remember running Landobats.  Some turns I’d bounce Landorus-EX.  Other times it was Crobat (XY – Phantom Forces 33/119), Shaymin-EX (XY – Roaring Skies 77/108, 77a/108, 106/108), etc.  I might be denying my opponent a Prize, cleaning up clutter, reusing an Ability, or some combination of the above!

Scoop Up Net can do most of this, even if only for single-Prize Pokémon.  I have no proven examples, but Wailord (SM – Cosmic Eclipse 40/168) is a single-Prize Stage 1 with 220 HP.  Galarian Zigzagoon and Galarian Obstagoon have already seen success, but before Scoop Up Net could join them; it should be interesting to see how much more they can do now.  Luxray (SSH – Rebel Clash 62/192; SSH – Black Star Promos SWSH023) can use its “Raid” attack to do 60 damage for [L], plus 100 if the attacking Luxray evolved from Luxio.  There are some tricks to speed Luxray into play, but even if those fall flat, just staggering the Evolution line could still allow for a rapid assault… and any time Luxray isn’t OHKO’d, Scoop Up Net bounces it!

These are not why Scoop Up Net is this high.  Remember how I mentioned AZ being used in the old Landobats deck?  None of the cards I mentioned were Pokémon V or Pokémon-GX.  Scoop Up Net works perfectly fine with Pokémon-EX, so all of those cards are perfectly legal targets for it to bounce.  No, I’m not telling you that Landobats is making a comeback, but you can now spam Shaymin-EX a lot easier.  You can also bounce any worthwhile Pokémon-EX attackers, including Mega Evolutions (use Eco Arm or Lana’s Fishing Rod to recycle Spirit Links).  Wailord-EX was once the start of a stall deck… so why not try it now that you can spam Max Potion or Scoop Up Net?

There are also numerous single-Prize Pokémon that may make worthwhile partners, though you do have to ask yourself if Max Potion can do the job better.  Where it definitely does not is spamming Shaymin-EX, and that really is the most important part here.  Even with no T1 Supporters, as long as Items and Abilities are working, players can still strive for explosive openings.  This includes cheeky (and often cheesy) donk decks, using the handful of Pokémon still capable of attacking T1, while spamming whatever offensive buffs they can to try for a OHKO T1 (a donk).

In the Limited Format, the only reason not to run Scoop Up Net is because you were fortunate enough to a big, Basic Pokémon V worth not only building your entire 40-card deck around, but that is literally your only Basic Pokémon (probably your only Pokémon at all).  I used to refer to this as a +39 deck, but Mulligan deck (or build) seems preferred.  Yes, I needed something to fill out this paragraph.  Not only is Scoop Up Net unable to target your Pokémon V, but you’d lose by Bench Out if it could and you did.  Everything else should include Scoop Up Net, if only to use as strange version of Switch.

Ratings

• Standard: 4/5
• Expanded: 5/5
• Limited: 5/5

Yes, my Standard Format score may be a tad generous.  No, that isn’t a typo; Scoop Up Net earns its maximum scores in Expanded and Limited.  The Standard Format is where I’m less confident in my Theorymon.  Coupled with the Standard Format receiving more focus than Expanded in terms of tournament play, I erred on the side of caution and made Scoop Up Net my 3rd-place pick (as opposed to 1st or 2nd).  While I wouldn’t want to see Scoop Up Net any lower and think there’s a good case for it being higher, that’s true of any card in our top four, so 4th-place is still good!