Training Court – Rebel Clash Pokemon Review

Otaku

Training Court (SSH – Rebel Clash 169/192) is a bit forgettable.  I accidentally had it on the schedule as Training Center (XY – Furious Fists 102/111), albeit with Training Court’s set info and card number.

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Maybe that’s just me.  I do like Training Court as a card; it is a Trainer-Stadium that, once during a player’s turn, let’s that player put a basic Energy card from their discard pile into their hand.  While likely weaker early game, late game it lets you reuse the same basic Energy card(s) over and over again.  You’ll still have to find a way to attach the Energy, of course,  but you’ll have it.  Half an Energy Retrieval may not seem like much, but it can really add up turn after turn.  Of course, it can also backfire, as your opponent gains the same benefit because of your Stadium.

Training Court’s main issue is that there are just so many great Stadium cards right now.  It isn’t a better general-use Stadium than Chaotic Swell.  For almost generic Stadiums, we’ve got Galar Mine, Lysandre Labs, Power Plant, Shrine of Punishment, or Sky Pillar, assuming none of these lead to a conflict in strategies or needless redundancy.  If you are worried about having a basic Energy when you need it, there’s Viridian Forest.  As we get more specific in needs, we find some more worthwhile Stadium cards, like (but not limited to) the Prism Star Stadium cards.

I could see decks which already utilize Viridian Forest consider replacing one or two with Training Court, and when Viridian Forest eventually rotates from the Standard Format, it might become the go-to Stadium for decks that need to run on a lot of basic Energy, or need to rely on a few key basic Energy cards.  Please understand, however, we’re talking about the 2022 Standard Format, not the 2021 Standard Format, due to the Secret Rare printing of Viridian Forest from SM – Unified Minds!  That is plenty of time for something to come along and make Training Court obsolete, or at least, more niche.

In the Expanded Format, I don’t think Training Court has much of a chance.  If you’re not running a deck that protects against such effects, this Format has Field Blower.  It also has even more fantastic Stadium cards for Training Court to compete against.  The final nail in the coffin is the rest of the basic Energy support.  It is certainly plausible you’ll need to recycle basic Energy in a deck where you can’t do it via Ability, Supporter, or Item card… but that’s not enough save Training Court’s rating. 

Training Center is a great pull for the Limited Format.  I guess someone could theoretically run a no-Energy deck, or be insanely lucky with Twin Energy (and compatible attacker) pulls… but realistically, a serious deck is going be running on basic Energy, and will appreciate the recycling.  Running a deck with multiple types basic Energy cards is likely here, and Training Center makes that much more manageable.  There are also two other Stadium cards in this set; you may need Training Court just to discard an opponent’s Galar Mine or Turffield Stadium.

Ratings

• Standard: 3/5
• Expanded: 1/5
• Limited: 4/5

I really think Training Court is a good compliment to Viridian Forest.  There’s a risk the wrong one will show up (Training Court early game or Viridian Forest late game), but even then, there’s a decent chance you can still make use of them.  They don’t contain mind blowing effects, but good Energy management can be deceptively effective.

Vince

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