Trainer Lock?

[Barkjon]

So.... what is a trainer lock, anyways? I hear it mentioned everywhere (usually as a bad thing?), but I have no idea what it is.

 

[baby mario]

A Trainer Lock is when one or both players can't play Trainer cards.

Spiritomb AR and Kabutops MD do this with a Body, Dialga G does it with Deafen.

 

[FlamingJapaneseMan]

Trainer Lock: The act of using a Poke-power, Poke-body, or attack to prevent the opponent or both players from using Trainer cards. Very detrimental, especially early game and for Shuppetdonk or anything that runs lots of trainers.

Cards that Trainer lock are:

Spiritomb AR
Dialga G
Kabutops MD

 

[Barkjon]

Thank you both! i can see how trainer lock can both help and hinder you. But why don't as many people run Kabutops as they do Spiritomb? Is it because it is a Stage 2 (as opposed to Basic?), or am I just missing it?

 

[baby mario]

Not only is Kabutops a Stage 2, it's a Stage 2 Fossil, which makes it a pain to get out (no Call, Roseanne, or Great Ball for the Basic). If YOU are Trainer Locked by Spiritomb or Dialga, you can't bench Fossils at all (unless you get Kabuto MD out first). Trainer Lock is more effective the earlier it is played so you can stop set up with Rare Candy, Luxury Ball, and SP Trainers.

Add to that the fact that Kabutops attack, although decent, is nothing special for the cost.

 

[Barkjon]

True. I always forget fossils can't be searched out by Roseanne or Luxury Ball or bebe's...

 

[JBowroxmysox]

Baby Mario touched on it, but Kabutops's attack is revolting. It literally does effectively nothing in this format, where that damage will be Turn'd, Nidoqueen'd, Healing Breath'd, etc. It doesn't even do spread by itself; you have to run another line for that. You have to be able to OHKO things in this format, unless you're named Kingdra, who makes up for his low damage output by making that damage incredibly fast and allowing ridiculous consistency in the deck due to the discard.

Guess what Kabutops can't do.

That's right! Damage until Turn 3, by which time your opponent will have taken care of him.

Oh yeah, the other Trainer Locks are very effective though. Dialga's ridiculous amount of support as an SP (along with having an absolutely crippling Level X) and Spiritomb's awesome setup attack, along with searchablity and ability to be splashed, make them very popular and powerful.