Returning to the TCG, suggestions?

[Okirion]

Not sure if this is the right forum >_>

Hey, some of you from the NY/MA area may know me and my mom, Emma and Heather, and I'm looking to get back into the TCG and I need some suggestions.

1. What are the 'basic traits' of the most-played decks right now? I usually play anti-metagame decks. I can make cards that hardly ever get played powerful with the right combinations.
2. What are the current 'allowed sets' (dur I forgot the actual term) for modified? Is there a place I can view set order anywhere?
3. I heard Worlds just ended. What will that change?
4. Last one... is eBay the best place to buy cards? Should I just buy packs and boxes or buy the cards I need individually?

Thanks and I hope to see some of you again soon.
PS: Are there any cards of the Legendary Birds my mom could play with? She LOVES them and she used to have a 3-type bird deck which I know meant a lot to her.

 

[marill95]

the zapdos/moltres/articuno line just came out in Majestic dawn and they arent too bad, the metagame right now is pretty much bench damage.

 

[BloodDraek]

the zapdos/moltres/articuno line just came out in Majestic dawn and they arent too bad, the metagame right now is pretty much bench damage.

not really

1. really the new format is so incredibly unstable that there is no deck that controls the metagame. The 2 decks that are being overhyped right now are kingdra and AMU (3 pixies).
2. The allowed sets are

Diamond and Pearl
Mysterious Treasures
Secret Wonders
Great Encounters
Magestic Dawn
Legends Awakend (best set in the format)

3. Worlds didn't really change much
4. I don't buy from Ebay I wouldn't know. For starting out, I would say buy a box of the latest set Legends Awakend (biggest and best set) from the internet and buy the better trainers (Bebe's search, Roseanne's research, Team Galactic's Wager, warp point)

 

[PokemansForGeeks]

1. The basic traits of today's decks are fast and powerful with cheap damage. By this, I mean energy accleration (Leafeon lv.x, Typhlosion) is going to be big. Alos, many attacks do like 60-100 for only 2-3 energy which is ridiculous.

4. Buy a box of new cards and trade around for good deck cards. Ebay might be good for some stuff but I've never had a positive experience there.

 

[SirKibbleX]

Don't listen to eBay naysayers. It's the cheapest and most reliable way to get cheap cards. For starters, almost every deck needs/plays Great Encounters Claydol and Baltoy; its drawing Pokepower is very nearly broken. Buy two of each. Roseanne's Research x4, Bebe's Search x4, Night Maintenance x 3, 3 Team Galactic's Wagers, and 4 Call Energies will be the required trainers for almost any deck idea.

If you're going to buy a box, Legends Awakened is the set to get, it's going to have a lot of great cards and you can probably figure out some great strategies. It's looking like the next set's metagame is going to be a lot more balanced, so there's really nothing we can say yet.

 

[Paperfairy]

Good luck, this is easily the most difficult game to return to.

Baltoy and Claydol from Great Encounters are now staples, usually run 2-2. BloodDraek answered the other questions well.

as far as purchasing, in your position, it would be best to purcahse boxes. When you decide on a deck to play and you have tested extensively with proxies/online, use eBay to locate single, rare cards that you require for completing the deck.

Contact me with any more questions - I will do my best to assist.