My opponent and I are just getting back into the game. We have agreed to build 2 decks of each color to replace our circa 1999 decks. We are not playing in tournaments (or even at the local store for that matter). Just against each other, but we are both very competitive. There are so many possibilities available now that I was not sure where to start with my first blue deck. I used to play Blastoise but was thinking of maybe switching to a Kingdra and would welcome your input?
Pokemon: 20
4 Horsea (EX Team Rocket Returns)
3 Seadra (Legends Awakened)
3 Kingdra (Legends Awakened)
2 Baltoy (Great Encounters)
2 Claydol (Great Encounters)
1 Azelf (Legends Awakened)
1 Azelf LvX (Legends Awakened)
1 Pachirisu (Great Encounters)
2 Unown G (Great Encounters)
1 Regice (Legends Awakened)
Energy: 18
10 Water
4 Multi
2 Recycle
2 Call
Trainers: 22
1 Amulet Coin (Tool)
3 Castaway (Supporter)
4 Celio's Network (Supporter)
1 Cynthia's Feelings (Supporter)
1 Dawn Stadium
1 Energy Root (tool)
1 Gold Berry (Tool)
1 Miracle Berry (Tool)
1 Nightly Garbage Run
4 Pokemon Breeder
3 Roseanne’s Research (Supporter)
1 Warp Point
General Strategy: Use Kingdra for steadily whacking my opponent and have a couple other guys available to address specific situations that may cause problems. Use some Pokemon Tools (retrieved by Castaways) to block bad things that my opponent tries. Obviously, it is important to get get Kingdra out and rolling and also to get Claydol out quickly.
Pokemon: 20
4 Horsea (EX Team Rocket Returns):
[1] Water Plant - Search your discard pile for up to 2 Water Energy cards, show them to your opponent, and put them into your hand.
[WW] Swift (30) This attack's damage isn't affected by Weakness, Resistance, Poke-Powers, Poke-Bodies, or any other effects on the Defending Pokemon.
Hopefully, I never have to use Horsea's attacks and am able to immediately move up. Nice card recycle (which would help fuel (eventually) Kingdra's Dragon Pump). But again, attacks are probably never used?
3 Seadra (Legends Awakened):
[W] Aqua Pump (30+) You may discard up to 2 W Energy cards from your hand. If you do, this attack does 30 damage plus 10 more damage for each Energy card you discarded.
[1WW] Waterfall (50)*
These attacks are even OK if there is a holdup on getting Kingdra out and the Aqua Pump sets up Kingdra's Aqua Stream.
3 Kingdra (Legends Awakened):
[0] Aqua Stream (10x) Search your discard pile for as many W Energy cards as you like, show them to your opponent, and this attack does 10 damage for each W Energy card you chose. Put those cards on top of your deck. Shuffle your deck afterward.
[W] Dragon Pump (40+) You may discard 2 cards from your hand. If you do, this attack does 40 damage plus 20 more damage and does 20 damage to 1 of your opponent's Benched Pokemon. (Don't apply Weakness and Resistance for Benched Pokemon.)*
While I am used to only having 2x of my stage 2, the Pokemon Breeder seems to argue for a 3rd Kingdra? This is obviously my main attacker. Several of the tools are intended to support at least one iteration of Kingdra. Both attacks seem good and complement each other. And Dragon Pump can whittle away at an opponent's benched pokemon that have powers that irritate me. Plus I do not think that I have ever played a guy that did damage based on how many (energy) cards are in my discard pile--so that might be a fun change.
2 Baltoy (Great Encounters):
[1] Psychic Balance - If you have less cards in your hand than your opponent, draw cards until you have the same number of cards as your opponent. (If you have more or the same number of cards in your hand as your opponent, this attack does nothing.)
[1F] Spin Turn (20) Switch Baltoy with 1 of your Benched Pokemon.
Needed for Claydol who seems to be mandatory now in all decks? Nice possible card draw (which would help fuel (eventually) Kingdra's Dragon Pump). And a fairly easy way to get him out of harm's way (but that assumes I can get a multi-energy on him).
2 Claydol (Great Encounters):
Cosmic Power - Once during your turn (before your attack), you may choose up to 2 cards from your hand and put them on the bottom of your deck in any order. If you do, draw cards until you have 6 cards in your hand. This power can't be used if Claydol is affected by a Special Condition. (Poke-POWER)
[1F] Spinning Attack (40)
Based on my limited reading, he seems ubiquitous now? And he works nicely with Kingdra's Dragon Pump.
1 Azelf (Legends Awakened):
Time Walk - Once during your turn, when you put Azelf from your hand onto your Bench, you may look at all of your face-down Prize cards. If you do, you may choose 1 Pokemon you find there, show it to your opponent, and put it into your hand. Then, choose 1 card in your hand and put it as a Prize card face down. (Poke-POWER)
[P] Lock Up (20) The Defending Pokemon can't retreat during your opponent's next turn.
In case I need something from my prize cards.
1 Azelf LvX (Legends Awakened):
Psychic Aura - Each of your P Pokemon has no Weakness. (Poke-BODY)
[P] Deep Balance - Choose 1 of your opponent's Pokemon. Put 1 damage counter on that Pokemon for each Energy attached to all of your opponent's Pokemon.*
In case my opponent brings out a Lake Boundary stadium, I can use this guy and make them pay if they are ahead of me on energy. And can finish off any their bench guys with powers that are causing problems.
1 Pachirisu (Great Encounters):
[1] Call for Family - Search your deck for up to 3 Basic Pokemon and put them onto your Bench. Shuffle your deck afterward.
[1] Smash Short (10+) If the Defending Pokemon has a Pokemon Tool card attached to it, this attack does 10 damage plus 30 more damage. Discard that Pokemon Tool card, look at your opponent's hand, and discard any Pokemon Tool cards of the same name you find there.
Just in case my opponent is playing their blue deck. And can help me get set up more quickly if I am struggling to get basics out (although I would find that a little hard to believe with my trainers).
2 Unown G (Great Encounters):
GUARD - Once during your turn (before your attack), if Unown G is on your Bench, you may discard all cards attached to Unown G and attach Unown G to 1 of your Pokemon as a Pokemon Tool card. As long as Unown G is attached to a Pokemon, prevent all effects of attacks, excluding damage, done to that Pokemon. (Poke-POWER)
[1P] Hidden Power (50) If Unown G has any damage counters on it, this attack's base damage is 10.
My opponent plays A LOT of poison. This should help me.
1 Regice (Legends Awakened):
Regi Move - Once during your turn (before your attack), you may use this power. Discard 2 cards from your hand and choose 1 of your opponent's Active Pokemon that isn't an Evolved Pokemon. Then, you opponent switches that Pokemon with 1 of his or her Benched Pokemon. This power can't be used if Regice is affected by a Special Condition. (Poke-POWER)
[1WW] Ice Reflect (50) If Regice was damaged by an attack during your opponent's last turn, the Defending Pokemon is now Paralyzed.
Disrupts my opponenet and helps Kingdra's Aqua Stream. Thought about maybe even going with 2x of this guy?
Energy: 18
10 Water - The main engine for this deck.
4 Multi - For all my "off-suit" special purpose guys.
2 Recycle - Helps with needing to retreat guys. And can provide 1/2 a free Gust of Wind for Regice.
2 Call - In case I am struggling to get started.
Trainers: 22
1 Amulet Coin (Tool): If the Pokemon Amulet Coin is attached to is your Active Pokemon at the end of your turn, draw a card.
Helps with drawing cards to support Dragon Pump.*
3 Castaway (Supporter): Search your deck for a Supporter card, a Pokemon Tool card, and a basic Energy card. Show them to your opponent, and put them into your hand. Shuffle your deck afterward.
Three for one seems like a good deal?*
4 Celio's Network (Supporter): Search your deck for a Basic Pokemon or Evolution card (excluding Pokemon-ex), show it to your opponent, and put it into your hand. Shuffle your deck afterward.*
Get the pokemon that I need.
1 Cynthia's Feelings (Supporter): Shuffle your hand into your deck. Then, draw 4 cards. If any of your Pokemon were Knocked Out during your opponent's last turn, draw 4 more cards.
Could really work nicely with the card manipulation from the various pokemon.*
1 Dawn Stadium: Whenever any player attaches an Energy card from his or her hand to G Pokemon or W Pokemon, remove 1 damage counter and all Special Conditions from that Pokemon.*
Mostly a defensive card for me as my opponenet has an uncanny knack for using a stadium card to negate my special powers/tricks. Thought about using a Glacia's Stadium instead?
1 Energy Root (tool): As long as Energy Root is attached to a Pokemon, that Pokemon gets +20 HP and can't use any Poke-Powers or Poke-Bodies.*
A little extra protection for one of the Kingdras.
1 Gold Berry (Tool): Attach Gold Berry to 1 of your Pokemon that doesn't have a Pokemon Tool attached to it. At any time between turns, if there are at least 4 damage counters on the Pokemon Gold Berry is attached to, you may remove 4 of them and discard Gold Berry. At the start of each turn, if there are at least 4 damage counters on the Pokemon Gold Berry is attached to, remove 4 of them and discard Gold Berry.
A little extra protection for one of the Kingdras.
1 Miracle Berry (Tool): Attach Miracle Berry to 1 of your Pokemon that doesn't have a Pokemon Tool attached to it. At any time between turns, if the Pokemon Miracle Berry is attached to is Asleep, Confused, Paralyzed, or Poisoned, you may remove all of those effects from that Pokemon and discard Miracle Berry. At the start of each turn, if the Pokemon Miracle Berry is attached to is Asleep, Confused, Paralyzed, or Poisoned, remove all of those effects from that Pokemon and discard Miracle Berry.
Again, my opponenet likes to play a lot of poison.
1 Nightly Garbage Run: Choose up to 3 Basic Pokemon cards, Evolution cards, and/or basic Energy cards from your discard pile. Show them to your opponent and shuffle them into your deck.*
Mini-reset in case I get in trouble.
4 Pokemon Breeder: Put a Stage 2 Evolution card from your hand on the matching Basic Pokemon. You can only play this card when you would be allowed to evolve that Pokemon anyway.
Maximize probability of getting Kingdra out fast.
3 Roseanne’s Research (Supporter): Search your deck for up to 2 in any combination of basic Pokemon and basic Energy cards, show them to your opponent, and put them into your hand. Shuffle your deck afterward.
Two for one seems like a good deal?
1 Warp Point: If your opponent has any Benched Pokemon, he or she chooses 1 of them and switches it with his or her Active Pokemon, then, if you have any Benched Pokemon, you switch 1 of them with your Active Pokemon.
A little disruption or a saving switch for me.
Clearly, I do not have the experience that most of you have. So, I am open to your suggestions.
Pokemon: 20
4 Horsea (EX Team Rocket Returns)
3 Seadra (Legends Awakened)
3 Kingdra (Legends Awakened)
2 Baltoy (Great Encounters)
2 Claydol (Great Encounters)
1 Azelf (Legends Awakened)
1 Azelf LvX (Legends Awakened)
1 Pachirisu (Great Encounters)
2 Unown G (Great Encounters)
1 Regice (Legends Awakened)
Energy: 18
10 Water
4 Multi
2 Recycle
2 Call
Trainers: 22
1 Amulet Coin (Tool)
3 Castaway (Supporter)
4 Celio's Network (Supporter)
1 Cynthia's Feelings (Supporter)
1 Dawn Stadium
1 Energy Root (tool)
1 Gold Berry (Tool)
1 Miracle Berry (Tool)
1 Nightly Garbage Run
4 Pokemon Breeder
3 Roseanne’s Research (Supporter)
1 Warp Point
General Strategy: Use Kingdra for steadily whacking my opponent and have a couple other guys available to address specific situations that may cause problems. Use some Pokemon Tools (retrieved by Castaways) to block bad things that my opponent tries. Obviously, it is important to get get Kingdra out and rolling and also to get Claydol out quickly.
Pokemon: 20
4 Horsea (EX Team Rocket Returns):
[1] Water Plant - Search your discard pile for up to 2 Water Energy cards, show them to your opponent, and put them into your hand.
[WW] Swift (30) This attack's damage isn't affected by Weakness, Resistance, Poke-Powers, Poke-Bodies, or any other effects on the Defending Pokemon.
Hopefully, I never have to use Horsea's attacks and am able to immediately move up. Nice card recycle (which would help fuel (eventually) Kingdra's Dragon Pump). But again, attacks are probably never used?
3 Seadra (Legends Awakened):
[W] Aqua Pump (30+) You may discard up to 2 W Energy cards from your hand. If you do, this attack does 30 damage plus 10 more damage for each Energy card you discarded.
[1WW] Waterfall (50)*
These attacks are even OK if there is a holdup on getting Kingdra out and the Aqua Pump sets up Kingdra's Aqua Stream.
3 Kingdra (Legends Awakened):
[0] Aqua Stream (10x) Search your discard pile for as many W Energy cards as you like, show them to your opponent, and this attack does 10 damage for each W Energy card you chose. Put those cards on top of your deck. Shuffle your deck afterward.
[W] Dragon Pump (40+) You may discard 2 cards from your hand. If you do, this attack does 40 damage plus 20 more damage and does 20 damage to 1 of your opponent's Benched Pokemon. (Don't apply Weakness and Resistance for Benched Pokemon.)*
While I am used to only having 2x of my stage 2, the Pokemon Breeder seems to argue for a 3rd Kingdra? This is obviously my main attacker. Several of the tools are intended to support at least one iteration of Kingdra. Both attacks seem good and complement each other. And Dragon Pump can whittle away at an opponent's benched pokemon that have powers that irritate me. Plus I do not think that I have ever played a guy that did damage based on how many (energy) cards are in my discard pile--so that might be a fun change.
2 Baltoy (Great Encounters):
[1] Psychic Balance - If you have less cards in your hand than your opponent, draw cards until you have the same number of cards as your opponent. (If you have more or the same number of cards in your hand as your opponent, this attack does nothing.)
[1F] Spin Turn (20) Switch Baltoy with 1 of your Benched Pokemon.
Needed for Claydol who seems to be mandatory now in all decks? Nice possible card draw (which would help fuel (eventually) Kingdra's Dragon Pump). And a fairly easy way to get him out of harm's way (but that assumes I can get a multi-energy on him).
2 Claydol (Great Encounters):
Cosmic Power - Once during your turn (before your attack), you may choose up to 2 cards from your hand and put them on the bottom of your deck in any order. If you do, draw cards until you have 6 cards in your hand. This power can't be used if Claydol is affected by a Special Condition. (Poke-POWER)
[1F] Spinning Attack (40)
Based on my limited reading, he seems ubiquitous now? And he works nicely with Kingdra's Dragon Pump.
1 Azelf (Legends Awakened):
Time Walk - Once during your turn, when you put Azelf from your hand onto your Bench, you may look at all of your face-down Prize cards. If you do, you may choose 1 Pokemon you find there, show it to your opponent, and put it into your hand. Then, choose 1 card in your hand and put it as a Prize card face down. (Poke-POWER)
[P] Lock Up (20) The Defending Pokemon can't retreat during your opponent's next turn.
In case I need something from my prize cards.
1 Azelf LvX (Legends Awakened):
Psychic Aura - Each of your P Pokemon has no Weakness. (Poke-BODY)
[P] Deep Balance - Choose 1 of your opponent's Pokemon. Put 1 damage counter on that Pokemon for each Energy attached to all of your opponent's Pokemon.*
In case my opponent brings out a Lake Boundary stadium, I can use this guy and make them pay if they are ahead of me on energy. And can finish off any their bench guys with powers that are causing problems.
1 Pachirisu (Great Encounters):
[1] Call for Family - Search your deck for up to 3 Basic Pokemon and put them onto your Bench. Shuffle your deck afterward.
[1] Smash Short (10+) If the Defending Pokemon has a Pokemon Tool card attached to it, this attack does 10 damage plus 30 more damage. Discard that Pokemon Tool card, look at your opponent's hand, and discard any Pokemon Tool cards of the same name you find there.
Just in case my opponent is playing their blue deck. And can help me get set up more quickly if I am struggling to get basics out (although I would find that a little hard to believe with my trainers).
2 Unown G (Great Encounters):
GUARD - Once during your turn (before your attack), if Unown G is on your Bench, you may discard all cards attached to Unown G and attach Unown G to 1 of your Pokemon as a Pokemon Tool card. As long as Unown G is attached to a Pokemon, prevent all effects of attacks, excluding damage, done to that Pokemon. (Poke-POWER)
[1P] Hidden Power (50) If Unown G has any damage counters on it, this attack's base damage is 10.
My opponent plays A LOT of poison. This should help me.
1 Regice (Legends Awakened):
Regi Move - Once during your turn (before your attack), you may use this power. Discard 2 cards from your hand and choose 1 of your opponent's Active Pokemon that isn't an Evolved Pokemon. Then, you opponent switches that Pokemon with 1 of his or her Benched Pokemon. This power can't be used if Regice is affected by a Special Condition. (Poke-POWER)
[1WW] Ice Reflect (50) If Regice was damaged by an attack during your opponent's last turn, the Defending Pokemon is now Paralyzed.
Disrupts my opponenet and helps Kingdra's Aqua Stream. Thought about maybe even going with 2x of this guy?
Energy: 18
10 Water - The main engine for this deck.
4 Multi - For all my "off-suit" special purpose guys.
2 Recycle - Helps with needing to retreat guys. And can provide 1/2 a free Gust of Wind for Regice.
2 Call - In case I am struggling to get started.
Trainers: 22
1 Amulet Coin (Tool): If the Pokemon Amulet Coin is attached to is your Active Pokemon at the end of your turn, draw a card.
Helps with drawing cards to support Dragon Pump.*
3 Castaway (Supporter): Search your deck for a Supporter card, a Pokemon Tool card, and a basic Energy card. Show them to your opponent, and put them into your hand. Shuffle your deck afterward.
Three for one seems like a good deal?*
4 Celio's Network (Supporter): Search your deck for a Basic Pokemon or Evolution card (excluding Pokemon-ex), show it to your opponent, and put it into your hand. Shuffle your deck afterward.*
Get the pokemon that I need.
1 Cynthia's Feelings (Supporter): Shuffle your hand into your deck. Then, draw 4 cards. If any of your Pokemon were Knocked Out during your opponent's last turn, draw 4 more cards.
Could really work nicely with the card manipulation from the various pokemon.*
1 Dawn Stadium: Whenever any player attaches an Energy card from his or her hand to G Pokemon or W Pokemon, remove 1 damage counter and all Special Conditions from that Pokemon.*
Mostly a defensive card for me as my opponenet has an uncanny knack for using a stadium card to negate my special powers/tricks. Thought about using a Glacia's Stadium instead?
1 Energy Root (tool): As long as Energy Root is attached to a Pokemon, that Pokemon gets +20 HP and can't use any Poke-Powers or Poke-Bodies.*
A little extra protection for one of the Kingdras.
1 Gold Berry (Tool): Attach Gold Berry to 1 of your Pokemon that doesn't have a Pokemon Tool attached to it. At any time between turns, if there are at least 4 damage counters on the Pokemon Gold Berry is attached to, you may remove 4 of them and discard Gold Berry. At the start of each turn, if there are at least 4 damage counters on the Pokemon Gold Berry is attached to, remove 4 of them and discard Gold Berry.
A little extra protection for one of the Kingdras.
1 Miracle Berry (Tool): Attach Miracle Berry to 1 of your Pokemon that doesn't have a Pokemon Tool attached to it. At any time between turns, if the Pokemon Miracle Berry is attached to is Asleep, Confused, Paralyzed, or Poisoned, you may remove all of those effects from that Pokemon and discard Miracle Berry. At the start of each turn, if the Pokemon Miracle Berry is attached to is Asleep, Confused, Paralyzed, or Poisoned, remove all of those effects from that Pokemon and discard Miracle Berry.
Again, my opponenet likes to play a lot of poison.
1 Nightly Garbage Run: Choose up to 3 Basic Pokemon cards, Evolution cards, and/or basic Energy cards from your discard pile. Show them to your opponent and shuffle them into your deck.*
Mini-reset in case I get in trouble.
4 Pokemon Breeder: Put a Stage 2 Evolution card from your hand on the matching Basic Pokemon. You can only play this card when you would be allowed to evolve that Pokemon anyway.
Maximize probability of getting Kingdra out fast.
3 Roseanne’s Research (Supporter): Search your deck for up to 2 in any combination of basic Pokemon and basic Energy cards, show them to your opponent, and put them into your hand. Shuffle your deck afterward.
Two for one seems like a good deal?
1 Warp Point: If your opponent has any Benched Pokemon, he or she chooses 1 of them and switches it with his or her Active Pokemon, then, if you have any Benched Pokemon, you switch 1 of them with your Active Pokemon.
A little disruption or a saving switch for me.
Clearly, I do not have the experience that most of you have. So, I am open to your suggestions.
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