Pokémon TCG: Sword and Shield—Brilliant Stars

Where's My Phione (and others)?

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Okay, a serious topic. I think this goes back into marketing. At the store where I run league, they refuse to have regular supply of any set before Diamond and Pearl. I go to target: they do not have a regular stock of Holon Phantoms, Crystal Guardians, Dragon Frontiers. The thing about retail is that they dont like carrying legacy product - it just doesn't sell. At the store where I run league, there is a supply of Dragon Frontiers and Power Keepers (but not regularily stocked) and it simply does not sell. And those sets are in the Modified format.

Yeah, I see what you're saying with this. Do you think older sets would sell more if they were legal though? I'd probably still buy a few packs of TRR if they were legal. I just don't know if others would do the same...


As being a newer player I am glad I do not have to buy too many cards from older packs and I wouldn't want too even if they were legal.


Pokemon has always been friendly to new players to come into the game without having to worry about getting ambushed by old cards. One reason for a yearly rotating modified format is so that newer players are able to come into this game without having to worry about cards from 2 years ago.

For new players who go to the PreReleases for our DP4 right now, cards from HP-on are probably a worry. I don't think older cards are a big deal in this respect. However, a huge cardpool for new players probably would be daunting. So yeah, that's one advantage to having a smaller cardpool.


It would be daunting and more expensive, chances are people like me would have been gone in a New York minute. In other words I like it the way it is.
 
DP4 was supposed to be the set that would turn this format into more of a skill based format, rather than the luck based format we had for cities.

Unfortunately, that notion is all but ruined with the release of the list.

I'm not going into details but it looks like States and Regionals will be as lame and luck based as cities was, and we'll be seeing horrible versions of decks ran by subpar players pulling out wins simply becuase they're having a good day. All the creativity and good decks that should of been made becuase of dp4 can no longer exist. and it's a damn shame =/
 
it's just discouraging, that japan not only has cards that we long for to be released, but they also get cards that we miss terribly, on top of it all, the cards we DO have and WILL get before worlds, they've had for a long time, we're just going to be coming up with decks to play with them and japan will have been playing with them for at least a year in most cases

it's just such an advantage over us that it desn't seem fair since to be an american player competively, in theory seems a lot more expensive than in japan, why doesn't pokemon love us, because beleive me every competitive player invests in at least a box of every set, and enegages in trades that stimulate the purchase of more cards by other players, i mean i know the more profit they can make off of me the better, but don't we contribute enough

i don't know if pui thinks they've stumbled across another marketting golden age but in actuality the sales increases they see are do to the DEDICATED players we already have had and the need to buy at least a box of every set, more so than any spike in popularity they might be seeing i bet pokemon dp ratings have gone down tremendously already, but they strong arm cards sales to new highs like the oil industry

think about it one of the largest player pools in the world, and each player invests in AT LEAST a box of every set, how much more can they expect to make off of us

i mean we are arguing over whethter certain cards will change our LIMITED metagame, and they've been building decks with them for a long time

GOOD THING I WON'T GET AN INVITE TO WORLDS at least i MIGHT be motivated enough to go to nats


my final point is that the sets that have been cut are all sets with dual boosters with different contents, it WOULD be kind of unfair for us to have to spend less money on the same amount of cards as japan but we def shouldn't have to spend more i'm sure most americans would rather have the dual booster if that's what it takes to get the cards we need
 
DP4 was supposed to be the set that would turn this format into more of a skill based format, rather than the luck based format we had for cities.

Unfortunately, that notion is all but ruined with the release of the list.

I'm not going into details but it looks like States and Regionals will be as lame and luck based as cities was, and we'll be seeing horrible versions of decks ran by subpar players pulling out wins simply becuase they're having a good day. All the creativity and good decks that should of been made becuase of dp4 can no longer exist. and it's a damn shame =/

Who decides if it is a "subpar" player having a good day or a decent player finally putting it together on one day to take the trophy? Isnt that what happened back in the gym challenge/donk a trip to Worlds tourneys??

Everyone has to play with the same cardpool once worlds rolls around. Just bc the Japanese have had the cards longer doesnt mean they playtested those cards with OUR format! I didnt anyone complain when the USA swept Worlds a few yrs ago!

Keith
 
Who decides if it is a "subpar" player having a good day or a decent player finally putting it together on one day to take the trophy? Isnt that what happened back in the gym challenge/donk a trip to Worlds tourneys??
Keith

There are certain basic things about a deck that are simply obvious bad choices. For example, concerning cities: Playing 2 lv X in a Gardy/Gallade deck... playing windstorm in Absol/Honchkrow... etc.

It's a clear line what makes a "subpar" list. And even if people played their lists like mentioned above, their chances of winning vs a better list wasn't as reduced as say, playing a Metanite with DREs (bad list) was last year, simply because of the nature of decks this format.

This was supposed to change by DP4 but guess not...
 
To be sure, this is a great topic.

Some solutions have been suggested, but how do we get there?

Simultaneous translation - what financial case can be made to convince Nintendo+PCL and PUI to allocate resources to that?

Matching card pool - what is your counter to the apparent financial case for more frequent rotations outside Japan?

Better choices on what to put in or out - how would you propose to help PUI determine what's a better choice?
 
Who decides if it is a "subpar" player having a good day or a decent player finally putting it together on one day to take the trophy? Isnt that what happened back in the gym challenge/donk a trip to Worlds tourneys??

Everyone has to play with the same cardpool once worlds rolls around. Just bc the Japanese have had the cards longer doesnt mean they playtested those cards with OUR format! I didnt anyone complain when the USA swept Worlds a few yrs ago!

Keith

There are certain basic things about a deck that are simply obvious bad choices. For example, concerning cities: Playing 2 lv X in a Gardy/Gallade deck... playing windstorm in Absol/Honchkrow... etc.

It's a clear line what makes a "subpar" list. And even if people played their lists like mentioned above, their chances of winning vs a better list wasn't as reduced as say, playing a Metanite with DREs (bad list) was last year, simply because of the nature of decks this format.

This was supposed to change by DP4 but guess not...

That is true, it could happen and has happened. However, there is no way to stop this IMO.

However, that isnt a fair statement. I will use myself a statement. I have played since the beginning of the game. Am I am great player, absolutely not. I have improved since I play so much. My rating may be influence from that I will not lie. However, in 05-06, I qualified for worlds by winning a Gym Challenge. I had only won 1 "Premier Event" up til that point. I ended up making a few changes to my deck and ended up going back to back 7-1's (2nd and 1st) in 2 consective Gym Challenges. I have improved from then a bit IMO. I really think that a so called "sub-par" player can over come challenges by doing 1 of 2 things. Either making a list that is well above-par which helps out, or playing the same deck for almost the whole tourney season. Doing both doesnt hurt.

JMO,
Drew
 
I've done my best over the last couple formats to push the envelope (and be able to play despite several outstanding personal factors) in terms of coming up with decks to use outside of the norm. But this continues to be an ongoing problem and in comparison with the last several years, it's worse.

I don't play anymore because I think the game is stale and boring. The season seemed so bright and possible early with the elimination of last format's repetitive cards. That lasted until Secret Wonders and looks as if it will continue. Me, I'd rather continue my research and actually make something out of my life. Because I would bet if I were to look at a year from now it will be just another stale format. Now, I am not a negative person, merely commenting on a probable trend.

I have grown weary of constantly trying to buck the system, and yes I've had success, but it's just old now. Also if you think about it, an increasingly stale metagame combined with increased level of competition in order to acquire ratings and prizes really is strangling the creative thinking and actual strategic element to this game. Lets be honest, how creative can you be to run the same deck as 1/2 of the other players, and probably at least 3/4 of the Top Cuts? How strategic are your games - it seems to be all about speed and who sets up first now.

I have tried to get back into this game several times over the last year and a half. I've played when I can, but there's very little incentive anymore. I really have nothing left to prove anyways. I try now just to play for fun and or judge.

Meh, I'd rather study tumor viruses and work on gene mapping.

~Jim
 
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There will be 1 more set. It will be in Late April/Early May before the last set of Battle Roads. I expect the set to have a few suprises. I am not sure why but I feel that way.

Drew

I know I'm a couple of days late replying to this, but: Our Australian Nats are planned for late April. I think it's very unlikely we'll have another set for Nats, since GE isn't out till mid-February, and thus we'll be going HP-GE for Nats. Bleh.
 
I know I'm a couple of days late replying to this, but: Our Australian Nats are planned for late April. I think it's very unlikely we'll have another set for Nats, since GE isn't out till mid-February, and thus we'll be going HP-GE for Nats. Bleh.

Going by past years, we should get a set come May/June
 
Going by past years, we should get a set come May/June

We usually get a set Early May, however, I really expect Spring Battle Roads to go atleast 6 weeks. Seeing as you want to be able to fit in Regionals, New Set, Battle Roads, Nationals from April to very early July. It makes sense that Early May is the time the US will get the next set.

JMO,
Drew
 
I think this set should be called Great ripoff. Especially if they don't put Wailord in the next set because I want it so badly.
 
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This thread has devolved into a discussion about what makes a player "subpar," bashing of GE, and subtle bashing of the game. While I initially thought the thread was another pointless offering of sour grapes, I actually found the discussion worthwhile and have come to think that eriknance created a topic worthy of discussion. Therefore sorry to say it looks like it's time to lock it.
 
waaiitt a second....
i was just on pokebeach.com and WPM said that might post more scans tonight and he also mentioned some kind
of "suprise" within the scans.....
 
maybe they will print time-space distortion or that other rare promo given out at japanese tournaments as a secret rare in the set.
 
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