posted July 12, 2003 12:53 PM           

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Originally posted by pokefreak007:
im goign to share my experience on how to make the best deck possible seeing that ur new u deserve to know.

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Ho-hum.

Tip Number 1 - never listen to anyone who doesn't know how to use the shift key.

A good ratio for beginning players is 20/20/20 Pokemon/Trainers/Energy (you seem to have got the hang of this part). As you gain more experience, you should aim to get nearer to 15/30/15. Card drawing runs the game - most decks will have around 10 cards just to achieve this.

Typical example - 4 Elm, 4 Copycat, 2 Cleffa

As for Pokemon, two colour decks are very hard to run. You should focus on one main attacker with a couple of basics or maybe a Stage One for backup.

Typical Example - Feraligatr, Parasect

This also raises another interesting point. The secondary Pokemon will often be used for purposes other than attacking, or have colourless energy requirements (two ex-semi-popular examples being Wooper and Gligar. More recently, Tyrogue has moved up to fill spaces in a lot of decks).

One of the best ways to gain deckbuilding tips is to read through the various decks posted on these boards, and the responses posted to them. That, along with practice, will help you towards your goal of becoming a better player.

btw - I checked yours and pokefreak007's registration dates, and you've been a member twice as long as him. Just thought that was funny as he was prepared to help you 'seeing as your new'.

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Don't look at me like that! You asked for help,and I've been honest...

Pikachu's Beach: 5499

posted July 12, 2003 06:41 PM            

Well, so far, you've followed the 20/20/20 standard for beginners. This is good. BUT, you've failed to see what you're trying to achieve most with this deck. I'm glad you have a 4/3/2 family with sceptile, more or less. This is what you usually want.

So then that means, you've got the basic attacking family hammered out. If you're able to understand why it has to be constructed in that manner, then you're already AHEAD of most new people.

After that though, you start to fall apart. After the main family, your choice if Pokemon should consist of support (Which is anything that either supports, compliments, or helps the efficiency of the main family), Card drawing/searching (Cleffa, usually), and tech. (Tech is a difficult subject, ignore it until you progress a bit)

SO, we'll set up your main family, which is almost the same as you had it.

4x Treecko (Any)
3x Grovyle (Any)
3x Sceptile (Lizard Poison)

That's good for a beginner's deck, it's fairly basic. Someone who knows strategy and what they're doing a bit better will usually have it a bit different to help go with other strategies they may have in mind. (Such as Pokemon Breeder, but let's just keep it simple for now). Next, support.

2x Tyrogue
2x Wooper
3x Scyther (Promo)

Now, Tyrogue is just good for senseless destruction. The baby power, lack of a retreat, and possible thirty make it a valuable card when you just need something to step up to bat quickly. The wooper is a water type, requires colorless energy, thus fulfilled your ability to stop fire. (Beware of steel, though) Scyther fits the theme well, and does a nice, easy, quick fourty damage. Again, fairly simple, easy to learn with. Next, card drawing.

3x Cleffa

Simple as that. Cleffa is fast, energy efficient, VERY nice during the time when you're trying to set up your strategy. Use as much of your hand as you can, card drawing, whatever, use Eeeeeeek for a new, better hand.

SO, that leaves us with a fairly good, 20 Pokemon settup. sticks to the theme of 20/20/20.

Next is trainers. Your BIGGEST concern should usually, if not always, be card drawing/search engines. Professor Elm, Professor Oak's research, Pokemon Fan Club, Copycat, and Pokemon Trader are VERY popular cards to do this with. Next, should be preservation. Most people would use a mixture of Gold Berry and Focus Band, which works fairly efficiently. There ARE other ways, those are just the most popular. You'll also want disruption, I.E., something to help tilt the game in your favor. Double Gust is a good example. Hopefully, you can get out your strategy very quickly, and gust up anything your opponent might be preparing and destroy it (or damage it) BEFORE it becomes a major threat, or for just perhaps an easy KO. Bring up up a Baby/Low HP Pokemon for an easy prize, bring up a basic for an easy prize, that sort of thing. It's disruptive, use it to your advantage. Now, this can get VERY complicated with most tournament decks, but I'll keep it (Again) something easy to learn with.

3x Professor Elm
3x Copycat
3x Double Gust
2x Switch
3x Gold Berry
3x Focus Band
3x Pokemon Trader

Now, most people like to use an even FASTER assortment of cards, but this should be good enough for learning. Over time, you'll see the flaws that are here, and you'll be able to easily fix them yourself.

Next, energy. This is usually fairly simple. Use the energy you need to fuel your Pokemon, and even check for certain energy that can help make things run a little smoother.

16x Grass Energy
4x Recycle Energy

Now, the grass energy is obvious, but do you understand why the recycle energy? It works well with the scyther we've chosen. Its attack states that it can't use its attack the next turn, unless of course it evolves or retreats. Well, use the recycle energy to retreat as many times as you need, as it'll keep coming back to your hand. It also fills the energy requirements of Wooper/Tyrogue/Cleffa, so you don't have to waste any grass energy on them. (Although you DO have plenty of grass, so there's NO worry there.)

Ok, so, finally, you have the following.

Pokemon: 20
4x Treecko (Any)
3x Grovyle (Any)
3x Sceptile (Lizard Poison)
2x Tyrogue (Neo Discovery)
2x Wooper (Neo Genesis)
3x Scyther (Promo)
3x Cleffa

Trainers: 20
3x Professor Elm
3x Copycat
3x Double Gust
2x Switch
3x Gold Berry
3x Focus Band
3x Pokemon Trader

Energy: 20
16x Grass Energy
4x Recycle Energy

Again, simple 20/20/20 beginner's deck. Efficient for actual play, COULD compete in a tournament, (Although it would most certainly not get you first), and allows you to learn some of the more complex strategies on your own. You should pick it all up rather quickly.

Now, like qmech99 said already, go around the archives/past posts and look at some deck strategies. It's usually very informative reading, and you can see what decks tend to follow now. This, and lots of practice against good players, and you'll be a pro in no time.

And at the INCREDIBLE risk of getting yelled at, I've got to correct a few statements that have been made, just for the sake of those here who are still learning.

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and have 10 trainers

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quote:

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ok if ur goign to have a dual type deck (as u are here) try having 13 of each type of energy

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