Pokémon TCG: Sword and Shield—Brilliant Stars

MasterBall Vs. Computer Search

S

sonicjms

Member
What do you guys think is the better play, Master Ball or Computer Search. For those who don't know, the new master ball allows you to search your deck for a Pokemon and put it in your hand without restrictions such as flipping or discarding.
 
A lot of Pokemon can be retrieved by Level, Plasma, and Heavy, and for everything else Ultra Ball. Maybe if you need to be really conservative with your cards, Master Ball might be a good play to grab a Pokemon, but Computer Searching for a Supporter or Trainer at the right time is tough to beat.
 
Master Ball is just a bad card. Its a waste of a Ace Spec. There are so many better ball engines and if you are playing a Pokemon heavy deck, then Pokemon Communication is a better option. Master ball would be better if it were like Luxury ball.

Computer Search is a far superior card is you put the 2 side by side. Still if the discard cost is too steep for your deck, you have better Pokemon search options. With a card thats pretty much searchable with Skyla, I'd rather have my clutch card be something better.
 
I always think of an Ace Spec as a game changing card.. a card that you use because there's just nothing like it in regular cards available.

Master Ball is not that card.. it's not a game changer. It doesn't do anything special and your opponent definitely doesn't need to worry whether or not you have it in your deck or not.

Computer Search however, is a game changer, and has won thousands of games for thousands of players.
 
I have to agree with the above 3. There are almost no decks that lose out on something important by discarding cards. Computer Search is too useful and too good compared to a card like master ball.
 
Master Ball would be great in a deck that has zero consistency issues. It's not a bad card by any means, it just hasn't found a use yet. Sigilyph/Trubbish could probably benefit from it, but I'd rather use life dew in that personally.
 
ProfRedwood said:
I have to agree with the above 3. There are almost no decks that lose out on something important by discarding cards. Computer Search is too useful and too good compared to a card like master ball.
Click to expand...

Not to mention that even if there was such a finicky deck, it could probably tech a single Exeggcute PLF to cut the cost by 50%(which would also help with Ultra Balls, SERs, etc.)
 
Master Ball was a theme deck Ace-Spec, it really is unplayable, and the WORST Ace Spec created. It should have been able to grab ANY of your Pokemon from your deck OR discard, but even then it would still be bad.
 
Master Ball should've been able to search your Deck or Prizes for a Pokemon (replacing it with whatever), since Master Ball is supposed to catch a Pokemon without fail.
 
Master Ball will only be worth it is some combo for it is released or if it remains legal long enough for the better options to go away (and new ones aren't introduced).

Well... there is one other way, but it is unlikely. During the e-card (or is that card-e?) sets that came out under WotC, we received a few cards where the "Ball" family of cards basically became a sub-class of "Normal" Trainers (...they weren't called "Items" back then). If we got a Pokémon or Supporter that did good stuff with cards that have "Ball" in the name, allowing you to easily spam Master Ball, it could be worth it even up against Computer Search. Oh, and if we got stuff like Holon's Castform again.
 
Don't think I'd go as far as to call Balls a subclass. I thought there was more support but a pokepedia search only showed me Apricorn Maker. :confused: In this format, that card could be really good but I think the situation is the same. Back then, we would have rather played Copycat, POR, Juggler. Now, we would end up playing Juniper, N, even Skyla and Bicycle.
 
Honestly, Master Ball has decent potential. However, it has to be in a deck which needs the Pokemon search which are on way to many cards to count. In other words, Master Ball is a victim of power creep where there are options that are better than it in general. There's Ultra Ball which while it forces you to discard 2 cards, it does otherwise the same thing as Master Ball and its not an Ace Spec. Team Plasma Ball searches for a Team Plasma Pokemon and its not an Ace Spec. Computer search forces you to discard 2 cards to get any card and not just a Pokemon. Master Ball is basically a searcher with no restrictions. Well, couldn't Ace Specs be 1 copy per Ace Spec and not just 1 Ace Spec per deck? Then, this card would see a lot of play.
 
ShadowCard said:
Don't think I'd go as far as to call Balls a subclass. I thought there was more support but a pokepedia search only showed me Apricorn Maker. :confused: In this format, that card could be really good but I think the situation is the same. Back then, we would have rather played Copycat, POR, Juggler. Now, we would end up playing Juniper, N, even Skyla and Bicycle.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I forgot the reason I treated the "Ball" family of cards as an organized family of cards was Apricorn Maker and their number - when all have similar mechanics (...variations on "search the deck for a Pokémon") and finally had even that one piece of support... but that is a bit too generous. Then again isn't that what made the Holon Engine a "thing"? One good search card that was used with several other average-to-good Supporters that also had related names and mechanics?

Also Apricorn Maker wasn't powerful enough when it was originally released and I wasn't implying it would be now, either; just some support in the vein of that card. It would also probably require some other components as well. I am well aware I was giving us a "long shot". :wink:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top