Electrode Prime?? Good?Bad?

[Banette EX]

Electrode (Prime) - Lightning - HP 90
Stage 1 - Evolves from Voltorb
Poke-Power: Energy-Energy Dynamite
You can use this power once during your turn, if you use it, this Pokemon is Knocked Out. Look at the top 7 cards from your deck, choose any number of Energy from among those cards, and attach it to your Pokemon in any way you like. Discard the remaining cards. This power can’t be used if this Pokemon is affected by a Special Condition.
[L][C] Giga Spark: 30 damage. This attack also does 10 damage to 2 of your opponent’s Benched Pokemon. (Don’t apply Weakness and Resistance when damaging the Bench.)
Weakness: Fighting (x2)
Resistance: Metal (-20)
Retreat: 1

I mean, it can setup any big attack pokemon if you play a heavy trainer line to burn through your deck early and often. Stage 1 so its not slow to do its power with high amount of BTS in evo decks. It can be good with certain LEGENDs honestly.

Tell me do you think its good,bad or average?

[King of Japan]

please tell me this isnt a serious question.

[Kurama]

Maybe if you need a quick twins, but then again the discarding effect really sucks

[King of Japan]

IT GIVES YOUR OPPONENT A PRIZE! so you can take the time to get out a voltorb and evolve it then give your opponent a prize in the hope of charging your pokemon. or you can just charge it like a sane person.

[amphachu]

IT GIVES YOUR OPPONENT A PRIZE! so you can take the time to get out a voltorb and evolve it then give your opponent a prize in the hope of charging your pokemon. or you can just charge it like a sane person.

Electrode ex saw a bunch of play, and almost did the same thing

[fluteboy09]

the card is interesting, it's pretty much a toned down version of electrode ex from i think firered leafgreen set? but it's alot more risky than the old ex version because it's not guaranteed energy attachments (again, correct me if i'm wrong, memory is a bit hazy)

all in all, it is an interesting card, that could see play

edit : beaten by amphachu xD i type so slow....

[Kayle]

Super lulzy, but Power Spray makes you a sad boy since you still lose the prize.

Giving up a prize can actually be beneficial if you're holding a Twins though.

[losjackal]

Electrode ex saw a bunch of play, and almost did the same thing

Yes, they both let you accelerate energy attachment, but the actual difference is significant.

For two prizes, Electrode ex (http://pokegym.net/gallery/displayimage.php?imageid=45416) had you retrieve and attach 5 energies from the discard. You already utilized those energies somehow and for sure you're not only getting them back but you're attaching them too.

Electrode Prime (http://www.pokemon.com/us/trading-cards/hgss-series/hgss4/featured/) has you look at the top 7 cards of your deck and attach any energies you find, so right there you don't know what you're going to find. Is that worth a prize? Debatable. But what makes it much worse is you must discard the other cards! Even if you found and attached 2 energies, using this power is the equivalent of a free Kyogre & Groudon Legend "Mega Tidal Wave" attack that milled your deck by 5 cards and netted your opponent a prize.

[JandPDS]

Super lulzy, but Power Spray makes you a sad boy since you still lose the prize.

Giving up a prize can actually be beneficial if you're holding a Twins though.

Sorry if you get power sprayed you cant use the power, if you cant use the power you cant knock yourself out.

[Kayle]

Actually, Power Spray does not STOP the power, it causes the power to do nothing. According to the text of Energymite, if you use the power, Electrode is knocked out; the power was used, though it had no effect, and so Electrode should be knocked out.

The same logic applies to powers that end your turn.

[Hamster]

Electrode Prime might be good with Gengar Prime. Giving up a prize is worth sending an extra 1 or 2 Pokemon to the Lost Zone. Just make sure a Spiritomb is active if playing against SP.

[Scipio]

Remember Togekiss GE?
Remember how much play that saw despite its power being so much better then Electrode's?

Yeah....

[Tagrineth]

Togekiss was also a stage 2, which makes a REALLY big difference.

That's like saying "Remember how much Gardevoir SW was teched in decks for her power? didn't think so. Claydol must be bad."

[eriknance]

I think the card's pretty good. Electrode ex gave your opponent 2 prizes when it got KO'd, yet it saw play and made a lot of decks work (Scrambled Eggs, Metro, Spin Tail, etc.). Also, Togekiss wasn't really great because it was a Stage 2. The Power Spray problem really bothers me though. :(

[rokman]

I think the card's pretty good. Electrode ex gave your opponent 2 prizes when it got KO'd, yet it saw play and made a lot of decks work (Scrambled Eggs, Metro, Spin Tail, etc.). Also, Togekiss wasn't really great because it was a Stage 2. The Power Spray problem really bothers me though. :(

That's because Electrode ex got cards from the discard pile (ie it guaranteed you energy) and pow hand was in the format.

Electrode prime doesn't guarantee anything AND it discards so many cards.

[Skitty]

I can see Electrode Prime being used. Mainly with this fun scenario.

Turn 1: You go second.
BTS/Rare Candy to Electrode Prime and blow up (whether they spray or not).
Attach 1-2 energy to something. Or the energy for your turn if they sprayed.
Play Black Belt and Donk.

There you go. And it's not really that hard to do. You only need 1 Voltorb, 1 Electrode, 1 BTS/Rare Candy, 1 Black Belt and pretty much any Pokemon that can do damage.

[Shino Bug Master]

Electrode EX also had a usable attack to support itself, and didn't have to tend with Trap Cards (here's lookin' at you power Spray >_>). This card would be moderately usable if not for that "discard everything else" line. Even then, setting up a Stage 1 that can't seriously attack, giving your opponent a prize, and having a worse spread than Interviewer's Question for energy cards would be enough of a power balance to keep it from widespread use. But discarding, even in the extreme cases, half or more the cards you flip over?

That isn't to say that it won't be used to fufill certain roles, mostly around Twins, but it is NOT a good card by any stretch of the word. Simply one that has a niche that's barely unique to it (I'd rather use Gigas X for prize sacking).

[DonphanAtoZ]

Well, this could work wonders in Gengar mirror, because you can use twins in the mirror and it really doesn't matter if they get a prize. On top of that you get quicker lost world wins.

EDIT: I'm talking about the Prime.

[The Dark Toxicroak]

Do you really have to ask this?
Imagine losing a prize and 7 cards from your deck when you miss... do you even want to take the risk of that happening? I guess maybe if you want to use twins but there are better and easier ways to give your opponent a prize imo.

Like people said power spray means the power is used but with no effect. You opponent should still get a prize card.

In a pre release I see this as being amazing, 40 cards with almost half being energy. yes please.

Not worth the risk imo. Imagine if you hit 7 energy cards and had to attach them all to your one/ 2 attackers in play. That would also be pretty horrible.

[Spirit Of Mew]

Actually, Power Spray does not STOP the power, it causes the power to do nothing. According to the text of Energymite, if you use the power, Electrode is knocked out; the power was used, though it had no effect, and so Electrode should be knocked out.

The same logic applies to powers that end your turn.

Edit:

I realize I read the card totally wrong and comparing it to regigigas wasn't at all relevant as the wording is different. Because of the wording it does make sense to me that it would be knocked out.

I think that Electrode could be viable in decks that have a high energy requirement. I've honestly considered it for regigigas myself in case of a problem where I am unable to get energy into the discard pile to attach with sacrifice. I'm going to be KOing a pokemon anyway, so why not take one that benefits me like this early game?

I think a lot of the fire decks like Charizard could actually see some benefit from this as well. It could also be used for the surprise Entei & Raikou Legend attack, leaving your opponent no time to prepare and protect their cards. While it is risky and you could possibly hit no energy at all discard 7 cards that could have otherwise been helpful; it can possibly cause the turn of a game your are down on. Like any card with potential, it is all about how well you can use it. If you are a safer player and don't take a chance at any moment you have, you'll more than likely be perfectly okay using this card.

[Deoxys Cool Form]

I don't rate the card.

It's just like Electivire FB Lv.X being stage 1, thunder type, and if you're sprayed you're screwed, and gets energy onto your Pokemon.

Just a slightly better version imo.

[baby mario]

This is a tricky one.

Power Spray doesn't stop the Power being used, just stops the effects of the Power.

BUT

If you Spray Ludicolo PL or that terrible Electivire, the turn still ends regardless

Q. I try to use Electivire [FB] Lv.X's "Energy Recycle" Poke-POWER, but my opponent uses Power Spray. Does my turn end?
A. Yes, your turn is over because it still counts as using the power. (Oct 29, 2009 PUI Rules Team)

So . . . probably going to have to wait for a ruling on this one, but it looks possible to me that Electrode will still be KO'd even if Sprayed.

[Nintendan]

Actually, Power Spray does not STOP the power, it causes the power to do nothing. According to the text of Energymite, if you use the power, Electrode is knocked out; the power was used, though it had no effect, and so Electrode should be knocked out.

The same logic applies to powers that end your turn.
LOL. I saw your post about spraying and went back up to see the Power text.
"if you do, this Pokémon is Knocked out"
"this counts as using that power"
Ultra lulz.

[Tim17]

well besides the power spray scenario and the potential loss of 7 cards, I can still see this card getting some play for odd speed decks. And you could just wait until it's nearly KO'd before using its power (AS IN the event that its 10-20 HP away from being KO'd).

[Ace-]

this card can be helpful in:

Gyarados: you get a second option to get margikarps in early game

Mew Prime+Garchomp X: use mew prime to get an garchomp x in a lost zone. Then use electrode to get pokemon into your discard pile and bring them into play via rebirth. Gyarados might be an option to be rebirthed

but in other decks i think you will miss a lot because many decks play 12-14 energies. However you can use research documents to make sure to get energies

[Scipio]

Togekiss was also a stage 2, which makes a REALLY big difference.

That's like saying "Remember how much Gardevoir SW was teched in decks for her power? didn't think so. Claydol must be bad."

Except, ykno, Gardevoir SW's power is QUITE different from Claydol's.

Let's compare the powers of Togekiss and Electrode.

Togekiss:
+ Looks at 10 cards
+ Doesn't discard the non-energy cards
+ Doesn't have to blow itself up and thus is not a free prize
+ Has a...slightly useable attack that can make it a bit annoying
+ 120 HP
- Stage 2
- Cannot get Special Energy

Electrode:
- Looks at 7 cards
- Discards the non-energy cards
- Blows itself up and thus is a free prize
- Its attack doesn't do as much as Togekiss's
- 90 HP
+ Stage 1
+ Can actually get special energy

The only big pro is Electrode's ability to get special energy, which helps in the DCE/Call riddled metagame. Even then, that huge downfall of Power Spray and the prize (In the most likely case...then again Regigigas doesn't yield a prize when sprayed, so its a bit iffy) makes Electrode awful. After a Spray, a Crobat puts it in Garchomp range.
Also, that discard...say you hit 2 energy cards. You still have to discard FIVE cards from your deck...not good.

Even with Togekiss, hitting 2 energy would require a fair bit of luck. With Electrode...its even worse.

[magneto1992]

Use with SF Tiranitar. Spread and win. Use twins to increase consistency. Tiranitar usually doesn't get OHKO, unless they play Promo (which doesn't help much because you don't take prizes frequently) & donphan (which is helping you with earthquake) which will need to be belted.

[CHEIF AUTOPARTS]

I think what people are missing is that you can't just slip Electrode Prime into any deck and be satisfied with the results.

You'd have to build a deck around Electrode's Power to benefit you in someway. Adding in cards like VS Seeker,Pokemon Rescue and Junk Arm all benefit from cards in the discard to reuse. Also by using cards like Dialga Pl, Delcatty Pl or Research Documents to reorder/add cards to the top of your deck can be beneficial with Electrode's Power to guarantee at least 1-3 energy. Not to mention, this also makes searching for certain cards easier than drawing them out by discarding them instead. For those of you that have played Yugioh, this might remind you of the Lightsworn engine.

And for all who are saying that Power Spray makes it unplayable, couldn't you just activate its power on the Bench with a Spiritomb Active? Just Grace Voltorb into Electrode Prime, then blow up next turn.

[ashinto]

Electrode Prime will win the gengar prime mirrors (which we will see a crapload of). You kill of your own electrode, have a chance at getting some extra psychics, but the most important thing is that you'll be able to use your twins engine while your opponent can't, making you significantly faster.

[Kayle]

(In the most likely case...then again Regigigas doesn't yield a prize when sprayed, so its a bit iffy)

Regigigas requires you to select the target of Sacrifice as part of the effect of the power; knocking out a Pokemon is not the condition of the power, but an effect of it.

[Colts8729]

Good?...Bad?..


horrible

[Ninja]

I personally like it...
You guys may like it with other pokemon, I like it with scizor prime...
The twins also helps you ALOT lol
and I really wouldnt want to resort to this, but maybe put in a spiritomb if your going against SPs to stop the power spray so you can use it...
Its a risky card, but it makes games more intriguing lol. Because both of the players know, this one power could cost either one of them the game lol.

[Regis_Neo]

Well, like pretty much everyone said, bad card. Maybe if SPs (and by extension, Machamp) weren't so popular, sure it could be average at best as a risky investment. But in today's format...heck no.

[genosect]

Worst Prime ever.
Low Damage and bad power

[eriknance]

I've heard a lot of people talk about Scizor Prime in terms of how much potential it has, not necessarily how good it will do in tournaments. To me, Electrode Prime falls into this same category. Being a Stage 1, it's much easier to get in play and utilize than Togekiss ever was, and it can still pull out Special Energy. I know that Power Spray is still around and whatnot, but the new set gives us a Mr. Mime that will let you check out your opponent's hand before blowing Electrode up. There are also ways to manipulate the top cards of your deck, specifically Dialga with the power from PL.

I just don't think the card's quite as bad as everyone here makes it out to be. And who knows, we may see Electrode emerge as a staple in some secret deck one day.

[Banette EX]

7 cards isnt a bad number to search for at least 2-3 energy cards. Its not any instance you will get 5+ energy, so a prize for 2-3 is a good trade off.Why? Because honestly its time in games were you sacrifce pokemon to power up a pokemon.

Yeah Power Spray is hurtful, but it never stopped people from playing decks before. Honestly its for certain types of builds, not ever build.

[Box of Fail]

Tomb solves spray - it could be good imo. Electrode toolbox w/ all sorts of funky techs that require too much energy to be considered otherwise. Worth a shake imo. Plus Gengar Prime will be in use, and giving them a prize does nothing for them.

[Rogue Archetype]

this card can be helpful in:

Gyarados: you get a second option to get margikarps in early game


You're losing ALOT of cards AND a prize to MAYBE get a magikarp into the discard pile though man ... :cool:

Something like this would have to be coupled with a rediculous attacker like Ttar that can take a couple of prizes while you scramble to retaliate.

Imagine Ttar SF grinding for like 160 on T1 ... LOLz
(T1 spin tail is pretty cool too !)

SERIOUSLY THOUGH ...

I'd use the card three ways:

1. As a DONK deck maneuver.
2. As a Final KO move.
3. As I would an Expert Belt - to KO their main/loaded attacker and win the prize race while they scramble to get up another one.

[Ninja]

Tomb solves spray - it could be good imo. Electrode toolbox w/ all sorts of funky techs that require too much energy to be considered otherwise. Worth a shake imo. Plus Gengar Prime will be in use, and giving them a prize does nothing for them.

In turn it will hurt them haha
because theyre not trying to get prizes... so you putting yourself 1 prize down makes it hard for them to set up, because Im sure plenty of them are going to run Twins haha

[Scipio]

7 cards isnt a bad number to search for at least 2-3 energy cards. Its not any instance you will get 5+ energy, so a prize for 2-3 is a good trade off.Why? Because honestly its time in games were you sacrifce pokemon to power up a pokemon.

Yeah Power Spray is hurtful, but it never stopped people from playing decks before. Honestly its for certain types of builds, not ever build.

Assuming a 60 card deck, of which, shall we say, 15 are energy (Which is a ridiculous high number in todays format as it is)

1 out of 4 cards are energy

If you nab 7 cards with Trode, basic math suggest you'll on average get LESS then 2 energy cards.

Since most decks play 12 energy or even less, the tradeoff gets even worse.

[Banette EX]

Scipio. You also forgot to factor in the 6 card prize count. After drawing 7 cards. Then depending on the turn you are using Electrode Prime. Of Course the build will have a way for energy to be put on the top of the deck. Meaning 2-3 energy at least if you get it off without being sprayed.

The Trade off is worth the play since Gigas just gurantees 2 basic. Its ways to put energy on the deck(Dialga PL,Delcatty PL.etc) It can work. Question is will it?

[Phazon Elite]

I actually like it a lot. I'm sure I can make some sort of zany deck around the power.

(Hint: You run excess draw in the deck so that you're often discarding unneeded cards with E-ED. Like with Sage's now.)

[Scipio]

Scipio. You also forgot to factor in the 6 card prize count. After drawing 7 cards. Then depending on the turn you are using Electrode Prime. Of Course the build will have a way for energy to be put on the top of the deck. Meaning 2-3 energy at least if you get it off without being sprayed.

The Trade off is worth the play since Gigas just gurantees 2 basic. Its ways to put energy on the deck(Dialga PL,Delcatty PL.etc) It can work. Question is will it?

Now heres a fun fact Banette.

How many of those energy cards in your deck will be in your prize cards?

I suppose you didn't account for that in your calculation. The point I'm making is that assuming regular conditions, in a 15 energy deck, 1 out of 4 cards in the deck is energy. This means you're most likely to get at least 1 energy, will often get 2 energy and rarely more, also rarely 0.

Naturally the numbers are able to get manipulated a little bit here, after all you do seek out other cards from your deck, but I'm just using the most basic math available here without actually doing much effort.

However those 6 prize cards are well accounted for. For the sake of the argument, take a deck with 10 energy. 1 in 6 cards will be energy. If going by pure averages, 1 of those 6 prizes WILL be energy, and 1 of the cards in your hand WILL be energy. Leaving 8 energy on a total of 47 cards - which still is just about the 1 in 6 cards ratio.

Again, this is all not accounting for deck search/manipulation etcetera etcetera, just the utter basics.

[JBowroxmysox]

You probably should be using Collector+Bebe+Call+Spiritomb, and not likely using Trode until T2 at the earliest, so that's quite a few cards potentially cleared out of the deck before you decide to bomb the Trode for Energy. Cards like Bebe can even shuffle in Energy cards (small percentage increase, I know, but worth mentioning nonetheless), and decks probably shouldn't be using less than 15 Energy if they're planning on using Electrode well.

I am a bit skeptical of Trode, but it most definitely IS worth testing, at the very least.

[Banette EX]

Now heres a fun fact Banette.

How many of those energy cards in your deck will be in your prize cards?

I suppose you didn't account for that in your calculation. The point I'm making is that assuming regular conditions, in a 15 energy deck, 1 out of 4 cards in the deck is energy. This means you're most likely to get at least 1 energy, will often get 2 energy and rarely more, also rarely 0.

Naturally the numbers are able to get manipulated a little bit here, after all you do seek out other cards from your deck, but I'm just using the most basic math available here without actually doing much effort.

However those 6 prize cards are well accounted for. For the sake of the argument, take a deck with 10 energy. 1 in 6 cards will be energy. If going by pure averages, 1 of those 6 prizes WILL be energy, and 1 of the cards in your hand WILL be energy. Leaving 8 energy on a total of 47 cards - which still is just about the 1 in 6 cards ratio.

Again, this is all not accounting for deck search/manipulation etcetera etcetera, just the utter basics.

If you have Electrode in the deck, you will have more than 10 easily. 15 or more wouldnt make a deck bad. Max Line of Electrode Prime with whatever techs or line you were going to use, drop it and setup.

Engineer Adjustment/Regice/Sage Training.etc To burn your deck in 2 turns, with Twins getting any 2 cards, Yeah I Know your thinking a starter but you can always use Sableye to start and burn, Meaning faster discarding of energy to put back on top of the deck with Dialga PL/Delcatty PL. You can play to and through Power Spray because your drawing all the cards you need.

It is getting more than 2 energy if you build it around electrode. Its Just no way!! Your just saying what I will draw into If someone were to go blind with the attack. Research Documents also makes this even better. 12-13 energy average will be find because you will auto recycle 2 energy back on the deck.

My Goodness, its simple as that!

[Scipio]

So you're going to use all that...and still plan on teching in an attacker somewhere?

-whistles- Good luck with that.

[Banette EX]

No, because Im not playing the deck. It sucks. Im just saying thats how I would play it, otherwise you would just deck out.

[King of Japan]

Electrode Prime will win the gengar prime mirrors (which we will see a crapload of). You kill of your own electrode, have a chance at getting some extra psychics, but the most important thing is that you'll be able to use your twins engine while your opponent can't, making you significantly faster.

This is the one use i have seen for it.

[Sir Bidoof]

7 cards isnt a bad number to search for at least 2-3 energy cards. Its not any instance you will get 5+ energy, so a prize for 2-3 is a good trade off.Why? Because honestly its time in games were you sacrifce pokemon to power up a pokemon.

Yeah Power Spray is hurtful, but it never stopped people from playing decks before. Honestly its for certain types of builds, not ever build.

There is the problem with the card. I would say Electrode Prime would be usable if that is what it did. However, it also discards the other cards. This means that the card is -1 prize plus -4-5 cards for 2-3 energy. And any of those 4-5 cards could be valuable. The discard is what kills it IMO.

[Yoshi-]

Togekiss was just kinda born into the wrong era, unplayable thanks to plox and then we got powerspray, hardly any time to shine

[Kayle]

There is the problem with the card. I would say Electrode Prime would be usable if that is what it did. However, it also discards the other cards. This means that the card is -1 prize plus -4-5 cards for 2-3 energy. And any of those 4-5 cards could be valuable. The discard is what kills it IMO.

What if you ran a deck full of redundancy that had only one attacking line, then Junk Arm? Like, think Shuppet. Shuppet wouldn't mind discarding stuff now and again so they could drop Uxie for even more cards...

It'd be kind of funny to see the Electrode player use E-ED, get sprayed, play Twins to grab 1-1 Electrode, use E-ED again, then Junk Arm to get stuff back, then Uxie for loads more cards. God type scenario, but fun to think about.

[Regis_Neo]

Togekiss in its best example was useful in Skittles at the least, and Skittles was pretty fun with the hypothetical Ho-Oh living forever. Electrode Prime...well, unless they come out with a card similar to Ho-Oh, dunno.

[Politoed666]

Electrode Prime is a finesse card.

You can't just throw it in anything and expect it to work. At the same time, you can't dismiss it for its negative side effects. To use Electrode's full potential, one needs to realize when the benefits of grabbing the energies outweigh giving your opponent a prize and discarding a bunch of other stuff from your deck. Electrode is the rogue player's ideal card... it's easy to get out and has the perfect power to get a power Pokémon up-and-running.

For decks that need the energy acceleration and either don't suffer/benefit from having stuff in the discard, Electrode Prime is the way to go.