Ways to Approach the Game

[baby mario]

So you are finally admiting that the deck is the best and not yourself...

A good player makes good deck choices.

It's very naive to think that a good player could win with anything if they were skillful enough. If you think that the right deck isn't needed, then you understand nothing about the game.

Speaking of which . . .

The only reallistic way to prove who is the best player is a bit complicated, give every player at nationals a random theme deck, 4 of each basic and special energy card available, a public pile of common/uncommon pokemon in format and 6 random boosters... The method is quite unreal but the result would be definitve, since only the best deckbuilder will survive, even if someone gets a prime it will only have 1 of each species.

Prerelease tournaments are the best example of skilled players, you have fun, you have to think an strategy, adapting to what you got, not what you would like to have, and you don`t have the best cards available, you win it with either skill or luck, but only the best players prevails.

I was going to point out the obvious flaw in your argument, but you beat me to it.

Quality.

 

[tinox6]

So you are finally admiting that the deck is the best and not yourself...

The only reallistic way to prove who is the best player is a bit complicated, give every player at nationals a random theme deck, 4 of each basic and special energy card available, a public pile of common/uncommon pokemon in format and 6 random boosters... The method is quite unreal but the result would be definitve, since only the best deckbuilder will survive, even if someone gets a prime it will only have 1 of each species.

Prerelease tournaments are the best example of skilled players, you have fun, you have to think an strategy, adapting to what you got, not what you would like to have, and you don`t have the best cards available, you win it with either skill or luck, but only the best players prevails.

Wait...so you're saying that the contents of 6 random booster packs, plus a random theme deck assignment (which will put some players at an automatic disadvantage due to type matching) is BETTER than letting the players choose any cards they want from a preselected card base, where each player has equal access (ok..depending on income situations there will be some variations in this access) to all the cards? In this scheme, I think type matching and the contents of the 6 booster packs will determine the winner, which doesn't prove anything about a good deck builder.

And deck building is only one aspect of the game. Let's not forget about the ability to play a deck. I have a friend who plays the best decks and plays the lists of a very talented player that he knows; however, my friend doesn't top cut consistently like the talented player because my friend is not able to think strategically, execute his plan, and adapt to changing situations the way the talented player can.

Deck building DOES prove something about the skill of the player, but pokemon is a game that includes much more than that aspect. You have to consider the ability of a player to ensure a deck's consistency while teching for the meta and bad matchups, a player's ability to adapt to constantly changing in game situations, a player's ability to think ahead, a player's ability to execute his or her strategy, a player's willingness to devote endless hours to playtesting, and then you can factor in some luck.

You DO have a point about deck building, but let's not put all of our okeball: into one basket. Jason Klazynski isn't the only player to win worlds twice solely because he is the best deck builder, but because he is one of if not the best all around player in the game.

i hope my points make some sense, and I'm chiming into this conversation late, so I apologize if I'm beating dead horses into the ground, but if I'm not I would like to hear your thoughts.

 

[ALEXARD]

Don`t worry, compared to the other guys, this is the most polite argument I am going to reply.

I hope you agree the best players can adapt, wich means they can use skilfully almost any deck, even the ones based in luck, just because they understand the game and all of the possibilities involved, because in fact, they must always know how to fight against all types of decks and players, constantly thinking ahead or predicting, in order to figure out a way to get rid of the oponents pace for a certain strategy (like mewgar) evaluate to go all out or wait patiently for a situation to force out all of the opponents posible countermeasures, eliminate em and then stick to a safe winning pattern.

6 random boosters are just going to add random stuff; Mew prime can`t do much alone, and even if you get 5 primes or good holos, the sinergy won`t be outstanding.

Skill is a factor, Luck is a heavy factor too, but therefore, experience and dedication are valuable tools aswell, I`ve seen a lot of top cut players freeze or get anxiuos against the unknown unpopular stuff, being either meta or rogue, they only netdeck what it works, they don`t carefully study all of the cards available in the format, or the combos those pokemon can pull out when certain conditions are fulfilled, specially when those aren`t popular techs, since they are solely focused in using what it works for them, ignoring anything else that might work for someone lucky or someone with a higher ability to calculate, wich most of the time results in a lost game for the netdecker.

I must point out that rogue players are not excent of falling into the previous situation, since most of them just focus in countering popular stuff instead of creating versatility.

 

[NuclearApom]

This thread is funny, Vaporeon is right, the people who strictly net deck are right but also clearly lack creativity if they just copy someone elses deck and do not make any changes or add their own flavor to it. The people who are in between are right too but you could say they are some what lazy lol jp. Really just play the game how you want to play it but please play the game with some RESPECT for not only yourselves but others and the game. I can't tell you how many times ive faced an opponent who is anti-social and wont wipe the seriousness off of his face, remember its still a game I know its competitive but lighten up especially when its just league play. Also don't just play a deck because its popular, play a deck because you like it and you feel comfortable with the strategy and you fully understand it, regardless if you built it or not. I do advise that you get a friend or family member and have them use a popular net deck so that you can run your deck against them, to see if it matches up right even if you have to use proxies. K Wis is right you play to win the game, but I would also stress if you should play for the enjoyment of it, but if you enjoy winning so much (who doesn't) that you are willing to dismiss your own creativity a little bit and you love finding out what the best deck is even if its the most popular thats okay, and if you want to use the same deck but add and subtract cards to your liking that is also fine, and IMO its the best route if you do want to play a highly popular deck variation. No one is wrong here, not everyone plays the game the same or for the same reasons.

Pokemon TCG is great, you can BUILD your own deck using your OWN strategies, its not that hard really you don't need to copy someone elses deck to win successfully, and if you do change it up to match your play style add your own flavor to it and just know how to play it, know how your deck works, because if you just copy a deck you didn't make the strategy up so maybe you will be missing the whole point of the deck. Also remember one last thing when it comes to this game everyone's budget is different in terms of what they want to spend on cards, so that may effect the way they construct their deck.

 

[Master Entei]

I have a lot of top cuts and a ton of wins so don't try to make me look bad.

I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you look bad. I just get skeptical when someone says their deck "wins".

Oh, and division does matter. Masters actually is harder than seniors. What tournament it was matters too, as smaller tournament = easier to win
Posted with Mobile style...

 

[vaporeon]

I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you look bad. I just get skeptical when someone says their deck "wins".

Oh, and division does matter. Masters actually is harder than seniors. What tournament it was matters too, as smaller tournament = easier to win
Posted with Mobile style...

Many different ones. City, States, whatever. A win is a win to me and not make Luxchomp play any worst. I do play this game to win if that's hard to believe.

 

[ALEXARD]

I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you look bad. I just get skeptical when someone says their deck "wins".

Oh, and division does matter. Masters actually is harder than seniors. What tournament it was matters too, as smaller tournament = easier to win
Posted with Mobile style...

Is not always like that, my local league is the smallest one in my country, but all of our members in all 3 age groups get to top cuts or even win when we go to bigger tourneys, lack of players is not equal to lack of quality, one even earned an invitation to worlds in masters division. For outsiders, getting into top cuts here is quite a prowess, they have to be the champions of their local league to barely get into 4th place.

 

[Wood811]

If you don't play a certain Pokemon deck because it's too mainstream, you might be a hipster.

 

[Swordfish1989]

Your posts are making me lose the will to live.

Best quote I've seen in this thread lol

Anyway, back to the topic at hand..

People, playing the best deck that will lead me to win DOES NOT EQUAL being a jerk. I've seen this brought up by multiple people on this thread and I think you need to separate both people. All of these jerks may play meta, but not all play people who play meta are jerks. You know, all cars are made of steel, but not all steel is used to make cars, or for a Pokemon related one, all LostGar decks play seeker, but seeker isn't only used in LostGar decks.

There are plenty of people who pick up a deck because they believe it's BDIF and are still great people. I'm sure most of the people on this thread would be a lot of fun at any major tournament and wouldn't turn anyone off the game.

 

[butlerforhire]

I have a lot of top cuts and a ton of wins so don't try to make me look bad.

No one has to TRY to make you look bad. You do that much all on your own, and you do a very good job of it.

Anyway, I accept that this thread won't change anything-- you'll keep on holding tight to your "I'm superior because I do rogue and I occasionally top cut at a Battle Roads I can't even remember a year later" attitude while achieving nothing, and other players will continue to win.

 

[jeffrey123]

Regardless of anything, it takes skill to win a tournament. It takes less skill to play a rogue that destroys the BDIF. It takes more skill to BUILD the successful rogue deck than it does to play it.

 

[vaporeon]

No one has to TRY to make you look bad. You do that much all on your own, and you do a very good job of it.

Anyway, I accept that this thread won't change anything-- you'll keep on holding tight to your "I'm superior because I do rogue and I occasionally top cut at a Battle Roads I can't even remember a year later" attitude while achieving nothing, and other players will continue to win.

Why do you continue to post here. All your post do is just bash and don't contribute anything useful to the thread. I'd re-read the rules of the gym again if I were you.

---------- Post added 06/19/2011 at 07:06 PM ----------

Regardless of anything, it takes skill to win a tournament. It takes less skill to play a rogue that destroys the BDIF. It takes more skill to BUILD the successful rogue deck than it does to play it.

I agree with that.

 

[PokeMedic]

Why do you continue to post here..

Pot, meet kettle.

This thread has been full of pompous exchanges and one-ups one after the other.

I can only break down your arguments in the simplest psychological way: you design a deck featuring cards you find under-appreciated in a meta format because you, the player, feel unappreciated. You swear that your method is the best because you play with it which makes you, and only you, feel superior; superior because you are different from the mainstream, even though you can't run with them in the meta-fields, that bit of pride is comforting. With all that pride you see your proclaimed red-face-powder deck and your methods as an extension of your superior personality to such an unreasonable extreme that you have to post about how great you, your deck, and your methods are, on the internet.

Here is the best way to approach the game, no matter what your level of play, skill, or self-preceived level of greatness you have:

• Walk up to your opponent
• Great them and prepare for a battle
• Fight to the last Pokemon
• Shake hands, practice the spirit of the game, etc
• Don't get all high and mighty about what you do

If you want to play a rooooogue deck or whatever meta is going to be, there's nothing wrong with that -but when you put something on a pedestal like that you just become a bad sport and a bad person to play a game with.

 

[butlerforhire]

Why do you continue to post here. All your post do is just bash and don't contribute anything useful to the thread. I'd re-read the rules of the gym again if I were you.

---------- Post added 06/19/2011 at 07:06 PM ----------



I agree with that.

If you think all my posts do is bash, you aren't reading them. I know you don't read all of what people post already because your responses are always dismissive and one-dimensional. I post here anyway because I'm sick of people like you poisoning this game with your judgmental attitude and semi-disguised putdown after putdown on players who don't believe what you do. I don't even care if YOU don't listen/learn-- my responses should at least help other players see through your false and hateful preaching (and yes, for the record, your views are both false and hateful).

Reread the rules of the Gym? LoL. I'm allowed to point out your ridiculousness as long as you're allowed to post it. Here's a counter "you should read" suggestion: You should reread the rules of the game and see if there is anything in there that has anything to do with anything you've ever said here or elsewhere about how people "should" approach this game/deckbuilding.

You won't find a thing.

 

[vaporeon]

I build decks with cards I think can work, and then I make them work. I never said that I'm superior to anyone in any way. Maybe I can build decks better than some posting here can but that's a maybe. I also never said I'm a far better player then people here say I am because I know I'm not. I'm sure I can beat some people here and some of them can beat me. All I did was post somethings I dislike and the reason why and what I'd like to see changed. I never said these thing must happened.

The reason I play rogue is because I don't like to conform and I like the many options I have to choose from. I like being able to look at a card I think can work with something else. It's not about trying to be different, it's about me proving to myself that I can be succesful with the choice I make without conforming, because if I do that, how can I make a name for myself.

 

[PokeChump]

Approach it from the back, then sneak attack it!

 

[vaporeon]

If you think all my posts do is bash, you aren't reading them. I know you don't read all of what people post already because your responses are always dismissive and one-dimensional. I post here anyway because I'm sick of people like you poisoning this game with your judgmental attitude and semi-disguised putdown after putdown on players who don't believe what you do. I don't even care if YOU don't listen/learn-- my responses should at least help other players see through your false and hateful preaching (and yes, for the record, your views are both false and hateful).

Reread the rules of the Gym? LoL. I'm allowed to point out your ridiculousness as long as you're allowed to post it. Here's a counter "you should read" suggestion: You should reread the rules of the game and see if there is anything in there that has anything to do with anything you've ever said here or elsewhere about how people "should" approach this game/deckbuilding.

You won't find a thing.

How am I being hateful? I never said anyone had to be like me. I said I would like to see things change and my reason why. If you agree with it find, if you don't, thin fine also. You all make it seem like I'm saying I'm better than you all here. I found a way to play the game that works for me and told everyone why it works for me, trying to see if I can get someone to agree. Right now, it's like talking to a wall. This who thing here is just way to one-sided to even try to defend myself.

This thread was suppose to be about ways to approach the game, not ask me about my win record and top cuts just so you can fell high and mighty when I say I don't have any. I never one discredited anything anyone here has done, because I'm not here to do that yet everyone here is trying to make a personal attack.

You can post your views if you want, thats all we have been doing but you made a personal attack at me and then, time and time again put down any work I put into the game. Yeah it sucks I have not played in a nationals but that does not mean I'm any less of a player then your are. All I have been trying to post was there are other options then what's in front of you.

 

[butlerforhire]

LoL. I am not going to even bother going back and digging up all of your many, many, many incriminating comments that contradict all your defenses in that last post. Maybe someone else with more time on his/her hands will do it for me.

People who've followed this thread and the one that got locked know where you stand.

Right now, it's like talking to a wall? This is the most ironic thing I've seen on the Gym in forever.

 

[vaporeon]

LoL. I am not going to even bother going back and digging up all of your many, many, many incriminating comments that contradict all your defenses in that last post. Maybe someone else with more time on his/her hands will do it for me.

People who've followed this thread and the one that got locked know where you stand.

Right now, it's like talking to a wall? This is the most ironic thing I've seen on the Gym in forever.

Then there you have it. I posted my dislike, you posted yours. Everyone wins.

 

[PokeMedic]

Then there you have it. I posted my dislike, you posted yours. Everyone wins.

No, it's like getting a zero at the roulette wheel -everyone loses.