It's time for Extended

With all the discussions of new formats, I find it strange that nobody yet has suggested the option of 3 different formats where one of them is the Extended Format. This format could help the Pokémon TCG in many areas, especially those with players who haven't played since the beginning, but don't buy bucketloads of the newest sets either. My Extended format doesn't work the exact same way as the Extended format in Magic, but it's inspirated by the same idea. Feel free to give the format a better name.

Unlimited
Base Set On, with all Promo cards etc
Banned: Birthday Pikachu, Ancient Mew

Extended
Gym Heroes to Legendary Collection, with Promo cards #20 and on
Banned: Sneasel, Slowking, Birthday Pikachu, Ancient Mew

Modified
Expedition On, with all Best Of Promos and Ruby/Sapphire Black Star Promos
Banned: None yet

Why Extended?
This format is perfect for the players who haven't bought a lot of the newest expansions and can't (or don't want to) play Modified, but still don't want to play Unlimited with much-hated cards like SER, Slowking and Sneasel. It's also great for bringing back older players and for creating a calmer play environment.
Feraligatr will of course be a big star, but with Legendary Collection legal, it won't be as strong as it was on its peak. But almost. But who cares anyway? I did hate Feraligatr while he was going crazy in the old Modified format, but when I look back now, I realize that this format was when this game was at its peak in popularity and intensity.

Why Gym Heroes On?
I chose to drop only the first 4 sets, because frankly they are the only sets that are too broken. Rocket has IOR, Dark Muk and Dark 'Plume, Fossil has Ditto (UGH!), Jungle has Scyther and Wiggly and Base Set has it all. Literally.
The Gym Expansions also need to be included because the Pokémon there are actually playable in this format. In today's formats, the Gym Pokémon are pretty much useless. They're banned in Modified and they don't stand a chance in Unlimited, they're all shoe box cards. Which is a shame, because the Gym expansions are filled with imaginative and interesting Pokémon.


Nintendo will never like a format that bans the newest expansions
Of course they won't like it - if it's the only format available. The standard Modified format should be used for tournaments like Stadium/Gym Challenges and Worlds, but there are still many events that Extended could suit for. League Play, Side Events at big tournaments, Professor Championships, etc.

It's still a bad and silly idea.
No, it isn't.

Sets split up

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Base Set
Jungle
Fossil <-- Classic
Rocket
Promo #1 - #19
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Gym Heroes
Gym Challenge
Neo Genesis
Neo Discovery <-- Extended
Neo Revelation
Neo Destiny
Legendary Collection
Promo #20-42
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------------
Expedition
Aquapolis
Skyridge
EX: Ruby/Sapphire <-- Modified
EX: Sandstorm
EX: Dragons
Best of Promos
Ruby/Sapphire promos
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Classic + Extended + Modified = Unlimited

 

That's actually not a bad idea for one of the older gyms. Certainly harder to work out in a newer gym like ours with new players, but possible nevertheless. We'll try some new formats like this in the coming month and see how it works out.

 

trash exchange +misty's wrath + .........

The desire to find ways of using all those old cards is in us all. Its why the UK is about to go EON. I'm not sure that it requires an official format: after all we'll just argue over it I'd propose that we use block formats eg Gym only, Neo Only. With a little bit of tinkering as to bannings and inclusion/exclusion of the SI, LC sets and promos. In the end my advice would be to do whatever is best for your local players. You may get it wrong but no one can say that you didn't try.

In these rudder less times we can do whatever we like.... (especially outside the USA where we barely have a boat)

I suspect that if PUI look at any of these discussions over formats it is with a wry grin before returning back to whatever they are currently doing.

 

Feraligatr will own your extended format without slowking, muk, or other disruption to tear it down

 

Not necessarily. There's also Rocket's Zapdos, and Extended would indeed have Muk, thanks to LC. I know, Feraligatr's weakness is Grass, not Lightning, just making the point that there IS viable anti-Water. Not to mention all the possible rogue Koga and Erika decks that won't be so rogue anymore.

 

Crobat would still work, as would Muk. But yes, Feraligatr would be a threath as always. But let's think about how many people still would like to play this format. To use their beloved Gym cards and to play the game like it was in 2001.

 

My three formats:

Unlimited
Modified (Expedition on)
Ex Modified (RS on with 4 set issues at least)

 

Gym Block: Arcy Rules
Gym+Neo : Gatr Rules..format is Gatr vs anti-gatr.
Wotc Neon: Scizor Rules, MagCargo very strong. Rage gatr v good against anti-scizor
E block: Scizor rules
Eon: Scizor rules?? well at least for a little while
Exon: uncertain.. have to see what Dragons brings.

 

Oh believe me! IN Exon Salamence and possibly Magcargo EX will rule all!!! Ampharos EX will be there too!!!

BTW- I think Extended should simply be a Modified of the last 8 (not 4) sets or possibly the last 10 =/

 

Well i LC shuld be in the new Modifyed for sure, so LC-Sandstorm shuld be a good thing.