Broken Lizard
New Member
As PUI prepares to launch it's main OP programs at the beginning of October, one question has players hanging in suspense: What will the new Modified Format be?
Despite a number of opinions and assertive claims as to PUI's plans, we clearly don't know what the format will be. In one of his posts, MTJimmer hinted that *someone might be listening* to our wishes. Perhaps then it is not too late to look at the two most likely possibilities in more depth. Some suggest that the format include cards from Expedition on (EON), while others favor R/S on (EXON)
By now we all know that the two new EX sets contain a lot of excellent Pokémon to use in our decks. However, the trainers and special energies are a far different story. Trainers can be divided into different groups, based on broad functional categories. These categories are shown below. The cards printed in blue are available in the EON Format, while those in orange are available in both EON and EXON.
Recursion/Recovery:
Power Charge (Exp)
Super Scoop Up (Exp)
Time Shard (AQ)
Town Volunteers (AQ)
Undersea Ruins (AQ, Stadium)
Power Plant (AQ, Stadium)
Fisherman (SK)
Lure Ball (SK)
Underground Lake (SK, Stadium)
Energy Restore (Exp, R/S)
Disruption:
Super Energy Removal 2 (AQ)
Desert Shaman (SK)
Mirage Stadium (SK, Stadium)
Energy Removal 2 (Exp, R/S)
Healing:
Full Heal (Exp)
Moo-Moo Milk (Exp)
Pokémon Nurse (Exp)
Healing Berry (AQ)
Pokémon Park (AQ, Stadium)
Hyper Potion (SK)
Lum Berry (R/S)
Oran Berry(R/S)
Potion (Exp, R/S)
Double Full Heal (SS)
Positional Control:
Warp Point (Exp)
Energy Switch (AQ)
Pokémon Reversal (Exp, R/S))
Switch (Exp, R/S)
Search:
Dual Ball (Exp)
Master Ball (Exp)
Professor Elm’s Training Method (Exp)
Apricorn Forest (AQ, Stadium)
Forest Guardian (AQ)
Pokémon Fan Club (AQ)
Seer (AQ)
Traveling Salesman (AQ)
Relic Hunter (SK)
Apricorn Maker (SK)
Fast Ball (SK)
Fisherman (SK)
Mystery Zone (SK, Stadium)
Oracle (SK)
Star Piece (SK)
Pokeball (R/S)
Pokenav (R/S)
Lady Outing (R/S)
Energy Search (Exp, R/S)
Lanette's Net Search (SS)
Wally's Training (SS)
Draw:
Bill’s Maintenance (Exp)
Copycat (Exp)
Mary’s Impulse (Exp)
Professor Oak’s Research (Exp)
Juggler (AQ)
Ancient Ruins (SK, Stadium)
Underground Expedition (SK)
Professor Birch (R/S)
Attack:
Multi Technical Machine 01 (Exp)
Strength Charm (Exp)
Fighting Cube 01 (AQ)
Darkness Cube 01 (AQ)
Fire Cube 01 (AQ)
Grass Cube 01 (AQ)
Lightning Cube 01 (AQ)
Memory Berry (AQ)
Metal Cube 01 (AQ)
Psychic Cube 01 (AQ)
Water Cube 01 (AQ)
Crystal Shard (SK)
Miracle Sphere Alpha (SK)
Miracle Sphere Beta (SK)
Miracle Sphere Gamma (SK)
Mystery Plate Alpha (SK)
Mystery Plate Beta (SK)
Mystery Plate Gamma (SK)
Mystery Plate Delta (SK)
Defense/Evolution:
Weakness Guard (AQ)
Rare Candy (SS)
Special Energy*:
Crystal Energy (AQ)
Warp Energy (AQ)
Bounce Energy (SK)
Cyclone Energy (SK)
Retro Energy (SK)
Rainbow Energy (AQ, R/S)
Multi Energy (SS)
*Metal and Darkness Energies not included because, since there will always be Pokémon of those types, these will be rereleased and available in EVERY official format.
When looking at this list, it becomes immediately obvious that the available tainers and special energies in EXON Format are extremely limited, so much so that many strategies are no longer available. In fact, the limited search and draw power virtually guarantees that the EXON Format would be dominated by Ex-BBP's and a few quick stage 1 Pokémon. By the time the opponent found her evolutions, the game would already be lost! Basically, the single winning strategy would be the simplest and least interesting: "straight beatdown". In short, this format would be boring.
Conversely, EON Format allows a far richer metagame environment. The strategies employed would be far more diverse. The game would be more fun and more interesting. It would therefore generate more excitement and attract more players!
Now, some will say that PUI/Nintendo will focus on immediate gain, and be unwilling to allow cards that do not directly generate higher profits. After all, WotC has already paid its fees to produce the Expedition, Aquapolis and Skyridge sets. Any further purchases of those cards would not add to Nintendo/PUI's bottom line.
Some will say that the WotC sets have limited availability, thus disadvantaging newer players. This may be somewhat true, but in reality those sets are still available on the market, and trading can easily fix the problem (this is a Trading Card Game!). Players can always buy newer cards, and use those to trade for any older cards they may need.
That said, I think PUI will be look beyond the surface economics. After all, Expedition, Aquapolis and Skyridge are less than a year old! Players who have stuck with this game through the transition should be rewarded for their loyalty to the brand. Many younger players can not afford many cards at once, and have slowly amassed cards using their allowance money. Is it really fair to tell them that they can no longer use cards purchased less than a year ago in the big 'Premier Tourneys'?!
I maintain that the damage to player goodwill would far outweigh any short term profit boost from the exclusionof the WotC cards.
Clearly, players will need to buy the Nintendo sets to remain competitive: just look at all the 'must have' new Pokémon!
In the end, it seems clear: EON Format is the fair way, the right way, the smart way to go. EON will help retain players and recruit new ones. The format would be good for players, and in the end good for Nintendo/PUI and the game itself.
[edit: Edited to fix mistakes...had problems cutting and pasting. My original point remains unchanged.]
Despite a number of opinions and assertive claims as to PUI's plans, we clearly don't know what the format will be. In one of his posts, MTJimmer hinted that *someone might be listening* to our wishes. Perhaps then it is not too late to look at the two most likely possibilities in more depth. Some suggest that the format include cards from Expedition on (EON), while others favor R/S on (EXON)
By now we all know that the two new EX sets contain a lot of excellent Pokémon to use in our decks. However, the trainers and special energies are a far different story. Trainers can be divided into different groups, based on broad functional categories. These categories are shown below. The cards printed in blue are available in the EON Format, while those in orange are available in both EON and EXON.
Recursion/Recovery:
Power Charge (Exp)
Super Scoop Up (Exp)
Time Shard (AQ)
Town Volunteers (AQ)
Undersea Ruins (AQ, Stadium)
Power Plant (AQ, Stadium)
Fisherman (SK)
Lure Ball (SK)
Underground Lake (SK, Stadium)
Energy Restore (Exp, R/S)
Disruption:
Super Energy Removal 2 (AQ)
Desert Shaman (SK)
Mirage Stadium (SK, Stadium)
Energy Removal 2 (Exp, R/S)
Healing:
Full Heal (Exp)
Moo-Moo Milk (Exp)
Pokémon Nurse (Exp)
Healing Berry (AQ)
Pokémon Park (AQ, Stadium)
Hyper Potion (SK)
Lum Berry (R/S)
Oran Berry(R/S)
Potion (Exp, R/S)
Double Full Heal (SS)
Positional Control:
Warp Point (Exp)
Energy Switch (AQ)
Pokémon Reversal (Exp, R/S))
Switch (Exp, R/S)
Search:
Dual Ball (Exp)
Master Ball (Exp)
Professor Elm’s Training Method (Exp)
Apricorn Forest (AQ, Stadium)
Forest Guardian (AQ)
Pokémon Fan Club (AQ)
Seer (AQ)
Traveling Salesman (AQ)
Relic Hunter (SK)
Apricorn Maker (SK)
Fast Ball (SK)
Fisherman (SK)
Mystery Zone (SK, Stadium)
Oracle (SK)
Star Piece (SK)
Pokeball (R/S)
Pokenav (R/S)
Lady Outing (R/S)
Energy Search (Exp, R/S)
Lanette's Net Search (SS)
Wally's Training (SS)
Draw:
Bill’s Maintenance (Exp)
Copycat (Exp)
Mary’s Impulse (Exp)
Professor Oak’s Research (Exp)
Juggler (AQ)
Ancient Ruins (SK, Stadium)
Underground Expedition (SK)
Professor Birch (R/S)
Attack:
Multi Technical Machine 01 (Exp)
Strength Charm (Exp)
Fighting Cube 01 (AQ)
Darkness Cube 01 (AQ)
Fire Cube 01 (AQ)
Grass Cube 01 (AQ)
Lightning Cube 01 (AQ)
Memory Berry (AQ)
Metal Cube 01 (AQ)
Psychic Cube 01 (AQ)
Water Cube 01 (AQ)
Crystal Shard (SK)
Miracle Sphere Alpha (SK)
Miracle Sphere Beta (SK)
Miracle Sphere Gamma (SK)
Mystery Plate Alpha (SK)
Mystery Plate Beta (SK)
Mystery Plate Gamma (SK)
Mystery Plate Delta (SK)
Defense/Evolution:
Weakness Guard (AQ)
Rare Candy (SS)
Special Energy*:
Crystal Energy (AQ)
Warp Energy (AQ)
Bounce Energy (SK)
Cyclone Energy (SK)
Retro Energy (SK)
Rainbow Energy (AQ, R/S)
Multi Energy (SS)
*Metal and Darkness Energies not included because, since there will always be Pokémon of those types, these will be rereleased and available in EVERY official format.
When looking at this list, it becomes immediately obvious that the available tainers and special energies in EXON Format are extremely limited, so much so that many strategies are no longer available. In fact, the limited search and draw power virtually guarantees that the EXON Format would be dominated by Ex-BBP's and a few quick stage 1 Pokémon. By the time the opponent found her evolutions, the game would already be lost! Basically, the single winning strategy would be the simplest and least interesting: "straight beatdown". In short, this format would be boring.
Conversely, EON Format allows a far richer metagame environment. The strategies employed would be far more diverse. The game would be more fun and more interesting. It would therefore generate more excitement and attract more players!
Now, some will say that PUI/Nintendo will focus on immediate gain, and be unwilling to allow cards that do not directly generate higher profits. After all, WotC has already paid its fees to produce the Expedition, Aquapolis and Skyridge sets. Any further purchases of those cards would not add to Nintendo/PUI's bottom line.
Some will say that the WotC sets have limited availability, thus disadvantaging newer players. This may be somewhat true, but in reality those sets are still available on the market, and trading can easily fix the problem (this is a Trading Card Game!). Players can always buy newer cards, and use those to trade for any older cards they may need.
That said, I think PUI will be look beyond the surface economics. After all, Expedition, Aquapolis and Skyridge are less than a year old! Players who have stuck with this game through the transition should be rewarded for their loyalty to the brand. Many younger players can not afford many cards at once, and have slowly amassed cards using their allowance money. Is it really fair to tell them that they can no longer use cards purchased less than a year ago in the big 'Premier Tourneys'?!
I maintain that the damage to player goodwill would far outweigh any short term profit boost from the exclusionof the WotC cards.
Clearly, players will need to buy the Nintendo sets to remain competitive: just look at all the 'must have' new Pokémon!
In the end, it seems clear: EON Format is the fair way, the right way, the smart way to go. EON will help retain players and recruit new ones. The format would be good for players, and in the end good for Nintendo/PUI and the game itself.
[edit: Edited to fix mistakes...had problems cutting and pasting. My original point remains unchanged.]
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