Pokémon TCG: Sword and Shield—Brilliant Stars

DeckBuilding like a CHAMPION . . .

The Supes said:
All people who have listed themselves as gten or over are losers, joke or not.
Click to expand...

Either that, or we like making allusions to awesome hip hop songs from the early 00's :thumb:

It's kinda funny you failed to call out the people who called themselves 1's, even though they take just as much humor in this as we do. :cool:

But I am interested in the self-improvement quality of this post, so I'll throw in my critique:

In my opinion, it is too easy to qualify as "9" or even "10." The way I see it, in any TCG, you have a pyramid-like distribution of skill level on the 1-10. Although I am honestly clueless how to qualify 4-7, here's how I'd qualify 8-10 and 1-3:

-A very small group of the most legendary players, who have won the biggest tournaments (10).
*I'm thinking of National and World champions when I say "legendary."

-A group of about 50 people who are recognized inter/nationally as huge threats at any venue (9).
*"Name" players.

-A group of a a couple hundred who are solid players that often do well (8).
*A good chunk of worlds invitees over the years, and even a few people who have never seen worlds invites.


-A very hazy, ambiguous range of players from "below average" to "good" (4-7).
*The absolute minimum it takes for anyone - anywhere - to earn a Worlds invite is a "6."

-The thousands of consistent league-goers (3).
-The thousands/tens of thousands of occasional league-goers (2).
-The tens of thousands of non-experienced casuals who make up the bulk of card purchases (1).
 
Last edited:
At my State, WI, I'm a 10. Only Pooka and the Ennocentis (if they played enough) I think could beat me consistently in a mirror match.

At my Regionals I'm a 9. No one would like to face in the early rounds, and know it will be a tough match if they face me in a Top Cut.

Nationally I'm an 8.5, although I don't like the description you gave for 8. At that point I think the only thing holding you back is experience or some untangible aspect of the game. Maybe making a crucial misplay in a tough match vs. a 8.5> opponent or not getting the best list for your deck and style. Which are my two of my down falls.

Another one thing I lack is having a team to consistently playtest with. After every prelease I see so many deck possibilities that I would like to try out but can't get to them all. When I finally do choose a deck I like, it's a bit too late to perfect the list.
 
The really difficult thing here is that it's hard to pull deckbuilding from tournament results a lot of times. A lot of the determining factors used here for "deckbuilding like a champion" scales include how well people do at TOURNAMENTS- which is a somewhat different beast. There are people who are better in-game, than in deck construction, and so on.

I see a lot of people saying they are 9s and 10s, but I have seen 0 evidence that would lead me to rally believe that. How about some instances where YOUR list has won a nationals or done well, or how you made a new archetype or tech or SOMETHING. If you're really a 9 or 10 or close to in terms of deckbuilding, then you should be known and your decks should have won a lot of glass by now.

no, were just REALLY good at this game. sorry you're not a ten man.
Click to expand...

Zach called himself a 10, but he also has half his name in a worlds deck called RAMbolt. It's almost impossible to deny some kind of skillful deckbuilding when he is credited with half the name of a world champion's deck.

Among other things. I'm not confirming or denying if he is or isn't a 10 in my books, but he is on Lafonte and he definitely has a strong argument- unlike nearly everyone else who has said they were good deckbuilders. I said I was sort of a ten on the old scale, but not if it needed to include flawless setup every game and only losing to good players. On a new scale? Who knows. I don't really care, I know I'm confident in my own abilities, however good they are, to run my own inventions and lists and succeed with them, and that's the bottom line.

9, 10, a billion, whatever- the rating doesn't matter. You're as good a deckbuilder as your decks perform. So I want to see some evidence of good list performances, especially over time and in multiple metagames, environments, etc. to really have me believe in that kind of score rating.

If you're really trying to say you're a 9 or a 10 and you haven't had similar accomplishments with your lists, you're probably being laughed at by those who have. Why are people who call themselves 9s and 10s in deckbuilding BUYING lists from people like me???
 
The Supes said:
The 00's? WE HAVE NOT YET LEFT THE DECADE.

Ugh. Why is that I feel old and I'm only 18? WHY!?
Click to expand...

No offense but you need to stop being so proper, then you won't feel old at 18.

If you haven't figured out that some people like to poke fun at some serious Pokegym threads then this is your wake-up call.

Another thing that could help determine your rating in this thread is your POP rating. I'd say the top 50 are 10s. Some don't deserve a 10, but they are there as they have an easy Metagame. So aren't Top 50 there but deserve a 10 here, Jimmy Ballard, Zach Ficher, etc.

Then 50-125ish are 9s. These could consistently top cut at Nationals if Nationals stays at 64 Top Cut.

Then 8s are 125-175. They Top Cut at their BRs/CCs maybe even States and Regionals. But at Nats they can't Top Cut as they get beat by 9s and 10s in the later rounds.
 
Yeah, they'll rate themselves a 10 on the gym and then actually buy a list off of me (not that this is unwise, as it seems like people who make the investment in lists have usually a 1000%+ profit margin if done correctly, paying 25 dollars for a list and winning a regional or national, etc. is definitely a smart decision) or other people.

How can one view themself as a 9 or 10 level deckbuilder and still not run their own decks or refrain from buying others' lists.
 
Responding to Vergel's post, although you may have not targetted me:

This is my third year playing:
1ST year: I Top 4 at my Regionals with my Flygon Ex DX/ Metagross DX deck. I had Metagross Ex and Latias* as my techs, which got me there. I scooped to Big Chuck after laying 7 Prizes and then forgetting to attach to Flygon EX D and taking a Prize when I couldn't attack.
At Nats I went 6-3 losing Round 1 to a misplay I noticed 5 seconds right after I made it, a bad match-up in Arcanine Ex/Houndoom, and a deck failer.

Last year I didn't like the whole G/G dominance so I skipped Nats, got Top 16 at Regionals.

This year I'm around 100th place in US Masters. Could be higher but skipped BRs. Then bad match-ups, drawing 5 with Rowan, getting T1 by Big Chuck Round 5 have kept me from doing better in Top Cuts, not putting Uxie in my deck even after Pooka suggested it.
 
The Supes said:
The 00's? WE HAVE NOT YET LEFT THE DECADE.

Ugh. Why is that I feel old and I'm only 18? WHY!?
Click to expand...

If you REALLY wanted me to, I could've said "shortly after the turn of the millennium." :thumb:

But yeah, I actually think that the title of the thread is appropriate for describing 9's and 10's: "DeckBuilding like a CHAMPION"

There is almost a ton of intelligent deckbuilding invested in a national or world champion's list - here are your 10's.
There is often a ton of intelligent deckbuilding invested in a regional champion's list, but more room for wackiness - here are your 9's.

By the OP, it seems like anyone can get into the 8+ camp, and or the 9+ camp. Part of the process of evaluating your skill is recognizing not only who you are _above_, but who you are _below_.

So now to really answer the question:

By RA's post, I see myself as a 10: my lists are almost always at the pinnacle of consistency, and I tend to have very good showings with them as a result; however, "10" has implications of perfection/near-perfection, and that doesn't suit me at all.

I take a lot of pride in the products I come out with, but there's also much room for improvement!
 
Last edited:
supes chill out man i gave myself a 10 on the pokegym skill level challenge or whatever, no reason to call me a pompous loser!

as ryan already said i have my username along with the great Bolt (hes a 10 btw) on a printed and distributed Pokemon TCG World Championship winning deck, and that was in my rookie season. no big deal. i'd still consider myself in the lower to mid "10" since i think jimmy is better than me.

i miss '07 :(
 
hmmm id say im a 8.9(still have NEVER won any event and played 10yrs, just top cuts) =(
 
I would say that me and some of my friends in my division, (Alex, Justin and his siblings, Me, Dylan, Robby and Sam) are 7-8s. The only person in my Division and Area that I would say is a 9 is M1(Mike Diaz) who won 6 cities and always gives me a difficult match when I face him.

Also Rogue Archetype don't title this DeckBuilding like a champ name it Playing like a champ or something like that because DeckBuilding like a champ is different(like Iron Chef). A player can be an amazing Deckbuilder but be a terrible player and Vise-Versa.

And lol to the dude who said Lafontghey is so 2006.
 
Last edited:
The Supes said:
^^ No, you are just pompous.





I can make as many jokes about the USSR as I want, and yes, I know that you don't like it, I've heard all about it. ;] But I don't care.
Click to expand...

First off, I don't know what you're talking about. I think we've talked like once and it was prior to you establishing your little gathering. Second, you're being selective and narcissistic by saying your joke is any mightier than mine (or anyone else's) and judge us differently than you judge yourself.
 
I'm only a 7 or 8 deck builder, but I don't have a league, or anyone around me to playtest against. Most tournaments I go to, I get given a deck by a friend that day, and learn it 30min before the tournament starts. I've gone X-0, or X-1 in swiss at every tournament this and last season. So, I suppose that I'd qualify as a 9 or 10 in terms of peoples reaction when they see my name in pairings.
 
DarkJake said:
First off, I don't know what you're talking about. I think we've talked like once and it was prior to you establishing your little gathering. Second, you're being selective and narcissistic by saying your joke is any mightier than mine (or anyone else's) and judge us differently than you judge yourself.
Click to expand...

Word got around.

In any case, I'm not sure what you mean? Did you make a joke?

I wish we could be friends :[
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top