Pokémon TCG: Sword and Shield—Brilliant Stars

CAC Contest: Old school Pokemon (Complete)

Thing is, I can tell already that your entry would not do well. I am very critical about badly worded cards. Besides, I'm already very far behind in grading the entries. I'll consider, but be advised that if I do accept it, you should not expect a high score.
 
I will edit my post,when are gonna be another tournament of creating,if you tell me when I will be the first one to enter,i will edited it now.Thank you.
 
I don't know yet when I will start another contest, but it will probably be soon after I finish judging this one, assuming that ever happens.
 
Time I got this show on the road!

SlimeyGrimey:
Grimer:
Name: 3 points.
Picture: 2 points. Interesting, but not quite descriptive enough. Is it bright or dark? Where in the picture is Grimer? How big a pipe is this?
Type: 5 points.
HP: 5 points.
Weakness/Resistance: 5 points.
Retreat Cost: 5 points.
Attack 1: 15 points. Looks like some of the attacks we'll see in EX: Dragons...
Attack 2: 13 points. Not bad, but this Grimer can't do damage. I would have made this attack do 10 or 20 damage.
Rarity: 3 points.
Explanations: 8 points.
Strategy: 0 points. This is why you should keep these separate -- your strategy section was great for Muk, as your score will show, but you didn't even touch on Grimer.
Card score: 64 points.

Muk:
Name: 3 points.
Picture: 2 points. A little better than on Grimer, but I didn't think it was good enough to deserve a 3. Is it daytime? Nighttime? Can you tell? How big a ball of sludge?
Type: 5 points.
HP: 5 points.
Weakness/Resistance: 5 points.
Retreat Cost: 5 points.
Pokemon Power: 13 points. A nice effect, but can you use this if Muk is knocked out? As written, it's hard to tell. If you can, there are small balance issues (you're discarding an Energy that would be discarded anyway), but it's not that major. Actually, it could lead to a combo or two...
Attack: 15 points. Very interesting. I couldn't grade this quite in the usual way, by comparing damage + effect to cost and evaluating overall balance. It does bring up images of Magcargo, although there are some not-so-subtle differences, the biggest one being the search option. Overall, the attack seems powerful, but balanced.
Rarity: 2 points. Especially with that attack, this guy deserves to be Rare-Holo.
Explanations: 8 points.
Strategy: 6 points. Good, but you left out some major combos. First off, as written, the Power would probably be usable even if Muk is Knocked Out. That being the case, this card makes a tricky combo with any Pokemon with the Life Drain attack. Muk provides the Poison and, on a lucky coin flip, Life Drain provides everything else. Also, since this guy can increase your Energy, he would make an interesting partner for Gardevoir ex. You could also combo with Harvest Bounty (Expedition) Venusaur, to make this attack more effective.
Card score: 69 points.

Entry score: 67 points.
Not bad! A few minor shortcomings, but a very good standing. I hope to see you in a future contest.
 
I'll have to discuss your scoring rubric on AIM some time... it looked pretty good (considering I ahve been working on one for card reviewing for I don't remember how long and it's still not done... one thing I think might need discussing is your rarity score... I generally find that, if they were trying to be "fair" (perhaps that's too antiquated a term now) then rarity would best be used for separating cards by complication, not power: otherwise, you risk making it a rich person's (or thief's...) game. That's one of the things that really hurt Pokemon in the early days, and still messes up Yu-Gi-Oh. If rarity must exist, as I said, it works well when applied to complexity: this makes it easier for people to get into the game, as they don't have to bust there brains figuring out Poke-POWER typed in point 3 font. :p Cards should otherwise be designed with balance in mind: jsut becuase a card is a common does not mean it should be weak, nor should rare cards be over-powered because they are rare. Whil it is annoying getting near useless rares (Devolution Spray or Clefairy Doll, anyone) it may be worse to get only one viable card in a pack (as early Yu-Gi-Oh players well know).
 
Like you said, we can discuss this on AIM, but I'm actually thinking about removing that section for future contests.
 
Bullados:
Magikarp:
Name: 3 points.
Picture: 3 points.
Type: 5 points.
HP: 5 points.
Weakness/Resistance: 5 points.
Retreat Cost: 5 points.
Pokemon Power: 10 points. Hm. Half the time, this Power does nothing. 1/4 of the time, you get a limited version of Professor Elm's Training Method. The remaining 1/4 of the time, you don't get to attack. Considering the rest of the spread, the two-heads effect needs to be better -- such as actually evolving Magikarp. Yes, I am aware that this is Magikarp...
Attack: 15 points. Interesting, isn't it, that this is more powerful than any Magikarp other than Giovanni's ever got, in terms of max damage? Seems about right for the cost -- (W) for 10-30.
Rarity: 2 points. First off, I thought other Magikarp were usually Common -- I'll have to look that up. Second, since this guy evolves, it doesn't make much sense for him to be a Rare. Usually, the Basic of an Evolution line is either Common or Uncommon. In this case, I'd have said Uncommon.
Explanations: 0 points. Sorry, but you didn't explain any of the things you were supposed to explain.
Strategy: 7 points. Missed one. This guy's a prime candidate for a Memory Berry/Recall combo.
Card score: 60 points.

Gyarados:
Name: 3 points.
Picture: 3 points.
Type: 5 points.
Weakness/Resistance: 5 points. I never understood why Gyarados cards used to have Grass Weakness...
Retreat Cost: 5 points. Hard call, actually -- it's lower than most, but I ultimately decided it makes sense.
Pokemon Power: 12 points. Interesting -- a very slightly powered-up version of Strikes Back. The only question left unanswered is whether Special Conditions shut it off. If you had written it as a Poke-Body, that question would have been answered by the wording, as Poke-Bodies default to no.
Attack: 15 points. Again, interesting. Doubling the damage against a different type is an interesting maneuver. If I were to strictly analyze cost vs. damage, I'd say it was overcosted, but it's not by enough to warrant a deduction. The multi-color cost was an interesting approach...
Rarity: 3 points. Right on target.
Explanations: 8 points. And some very good extra arguments, too. Are you on a debate team? You seem to be very good at supporting arguments.
Strategy: 8 points. Good ones. There's always that classic combo for all Gyarados, Memory Berry/Recall + Flail (or, in your line's case, Super Flail). There's also Multi or Crystal Energy, for the same general purpose as Rainbow Energy.
Card score: 72 points.

Entry score: 66 points.
Not bad. Messing up the Explanations on Magikarp hurt you, but everything else was very good. I hope to see you in my future contests. Sorry I took so long to grade you.
 
TheDeuce:
Dratini:
Name: 3 points.
Picture: 3 points. Sounds entertaining.
Type: 5 points.
HP: 4 points. A little high -- all other Dratinis have had 40.
Weakness/Resistance: 5 points. An unusual choice on Resistance, but it makes sense.
Retreat Cost: 5 points.
Attack: 30 points. A fun mechanic. A little new, but not too -- I've made cards myself with this one. And not too strong or too weak, either.
Rarity: 3 points. Simple, not too strong.
Explanations: 8 points. Looking ahead, are we? Always a good direction to be looking in.
Strategy: 8 points. I like the way you think.
Card score: 74 points.

Dragonair:
Name: 3 points.
Picture: 3 points.
Type: 5 points.
HP: 5 points. I almost took off, before I saw your explanation of the lowered HP.
Weakness/Resistance: 5 points.
Retreat Cost: 5 points.
Attack 1: 15 points. Nice. A healing attack with an interesting twist.
Attack 2: 15 points. Continuing the theme from Dratini, a type-changing, balanced attack. Nicely named, too.
Rarity: 3 points. This guy could possibly be an uncommon, but the rarity you chose seems to make more sense.
Explanations: 8 points.
Strategy: 8 points.
Card score: 75 points.

Dragonite:
Name: 3 points.
Picture: 3 points.
Type: 5 points.
HP: 5 points.
Weakness/Resistance: 5 points.
Retreat Cost: 4 points. It may be a balancer, but it's a little too high, even so. I would have made it 2.
Pokemon Power: 8 points. A very creative idea, and well-worded, but it's a bit broken. Especially in E-on, where most decks are two-colored.
Attack: 15 points. I noticed that, in this case, the type stays changed. That could be important in a few situations.
Rarity: 3 points.
Explanations: 8 points.
Strategy: 8 points.
Card score: 67 points.

Entry score: 72 points.
Very good, TheDeuce! A few very small mistakes kept you from getting a perfect score, but you still did very well.
 
The first two Magikarp were both Uncommon (Base set Flail and Tackle, and Rocket set Tackle and Rapid Evolution). I'm not sure about the last few. Again, the rarity was based upon the original Magikarps, and how this one was much more powerful than those ones were.
 
Ok. Thing is, my main beef was that we were talking about a basic with a Stage 1 -- a rather weak Basic, too. There just didn't seem to be enough there to justify making it a Rare. Truth to tell, though, it wouldn't have made a difference in your overall score.
 
Last edited:
Time to get a little closer to finishing the judging on this thing!

CaptainObviousx1:
Articuno:
Name: 3 points.
Picture: 3 points. You sure you weren't intending this to be Imakuni?'s Articuno?
Type: 5 points.
HP: 5 points.
Weakness/Resistance: 5 points.
Retreat Cost: 5 points.
Attack 1: 15 points. An Articuno with hand disruption -- interesting.
Attack 2: 10 points. Nothing wrong with the attack, per se, but two different attacks with hand disruption? That's a little much.
Rarity: 3 points.
Explanations: 8 points.
Strategy: 7 points. Very good, but you missed a few easy combos. For example, anything that can take advantage of cards being in the discard pile, like MP Mewtwo/Mewtwo ex or Feraligatr.
Card score: 69 points.

Entry score: 69 points.
Very good work, Captain! Making one of the attacks a little different would probably have clinched it for you!
 
Only two entries left to grade, and here's one of them.

Pidgeotto Trainer:
Pidgey:
Name: 3 points.
Picture: 3 points.
Type: 5 points.
HP: 5 points.
Weakness/Resistance: 5 points.
Retreat Cost: 5 points.
Attack 1: 12 points. The first part needs a slight reword, and you forgot to capitalize Pokemon. Interesting form of deck search, though.
Attack 2: 15 points. Nothing to say, really -- it's as simple as attacks get.
Rarity: 3 points.
Explanations: 8 points.
Strategy: 8 points.
Card score: 72 points.

Pidgeotto:
Name: 3 points.
Picture: 3 points.
Type: 5 points.
HP: 5 points.
Weakness/Resistance: 5 points.
Retreat Cost: 5 points.
Attack 1: 10 points. Nice attack, but the wording's a little clumsy.
Attack 2: 10 points. Again, interesting attack, but the wording's clumsy.
Rarity: 3 points.
Explanations: 8 points.
Strategy: 8 points.
Card score: 65 points.

Pidgeot:
Name: 3 points.
Picture: 3 points.
Type: 5 points.
HP: 5 points.
Weakness/Resistance: 5 points.
Retreat Cost: 5 points.
Pokemon Power: 13 points. Now that's fun. A coming into play Power that's like using a Super Scoop Up on your opponent. Watch your capitalization, though.
Attack: 13 points. A bit of a popular mechanic, but it makes sense. You only lost points because the sentence with the protection effect is worded a little clumsily. It's not too clumsy, though, so I only took off 2.
Rarity: 3 points.
Explanations: 8 points.
Strategy: 8 points. Very impressive!
Card score: 71 points.

Entry score: 69 points.
Gee, there seem to be a lot of entries with this score! Seriously, though, good job, and I hope to see you in my next contest. The cards were all very good -- it was pretty minor things that burned you.

I think I'll be able to grade the last entry later today. If so, I'll also post the final placings.
 
Last edited:
Actually, I was intending for it to be a promo card, but then I saw that promo cards weren't legal for this CAC. 69/75 is great for my first attempt though. ^_^
 
I completely forgot! Time to finish this. ShadowCacnea, finally, here are your scores:

ShadowCacnea:
Rhyhorn:
Name: 3 points.
Picture: 0 points. You forgot!
Type: 5 points.
HP: 4 points. You're right, most Rhyhorns have 60 HP. However, cards of a Pokemon that can damage themselves tend to have a little more HP than other cards of the same Pokemon. 70 would have been right for this one.
Weakness/Resistance: 5 points.
Retreat Cost: 4 points. If the HP had been higher, this would have gotten full credit, but a 3 Retreat on a Pokemon with 60 HP just doesn't make sense. SK Rhyhorn had 60 HP and a 2 Retreat, just to give an example.
Attack 1: 15 points. Interesting, and it seems balanced enough.
Attack 2: 14 points. The wording seems just a little off, but the attack itself seems balanced enough, and it makes sense.
Rarity: 3 points.
Explanations: 8 points. Very good, and even a bit of extra stuff.
Strategy: 8 points. I almost took off for the reference to Wizards rules, before I thought to look at when you wrote this -- at that point, Wizards rules were still alive.
Total score: 69 points.

Rhydon:
Name: 3 points.
Picture: 0 points. Can't give you points for something you didn't do.
Type: 5 points.
HP: 4 points. It'd be fine, if it weren't for that Body. As is, though, 90 would have made more sense, even though this guy does do some self-damage.
Weakness/Resistance: 5 points.
Retreat Cost: 5 points. Would have been lower, if it weren't a balancer -- SK Rhydon had a 2.
Pokemon Power: 15 points. With the stats this card has, it becomes a little unbalanced. But the ability itself is balanced enough.
Attack: 12 points. This is one complicated attack! The Power makes the coin flip part a little confusing, but it's not too hard to figure out. Well, after looking closely at my source on proper costing, I've decided that I think this attack is a little bit too undercosted. Really, though, it's more that the attack's so complicated.
Rarity: 3 points.
Explanations: 8 points.
Strategy: 8 points.
Total score: 68 points.

Entry score: 69 points.
And with that, the judging is finally complete! My next post, which should be a little later tonight, will have the final standings.
 
Well, I have them, at long last -- the final standings. Here are the top 10, including the 3-way tie for 3rd place:

1st place: TheDeuce, with 72 points.
2nd place: Carrington388, with 70 points.
3rd place: PidgeottoTrainer, with 69 points.
3rd place: ShadowCacnea, with 69 points.
3rd place: CaptainObviousx1, with 69 points.
6th place: SlimeyGrimey, with 67 points.
7th place: Bullados, with 66 points.
8th place: Tonu, with 65 points.
9th place: scizorulz87, with 64 points.
10th place: ShadowOfTyranitar, with 62 points.

As you can see, it was a close contest -- the top 10 were all in a 10-point range. Thanks to everyone for entering, and for being so patient with me. I hope to see everyone who entered in my next contest. Don't worry, next time, I'll actually be on time with the judging, I promise.
 
Back
Top