Pokémon TCG: Sword and Shield—Brilliant Stars

What is your opinion on SP Pokemon?

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smpratte

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Hey, well the title really explains what this thread is about, but just write what you think about the SP cards.

For example, I personally do not like them, even though I like seeing my initials on the cards :cool: I just don't like evolved pokemon being treated as basic pokemon, but I am from the WOTC era so I have a different perspective.

Anyway just write what you think about the SP cards, if you like them, why you like them, and any feelings about the cards are welcome, but lets stay on topic and keep the explinations from getting personal :thumb:
 
yes me too, I mean I appreciate how them tried to make it like the gym cards from back in the day, but I just can't get over putting out an alakazam as a basic pokemon.
 
Agreed. Although at the same time, I dislike Lv.X pokemon and how we now have 4-stage pokemon.

I think that as a whole, SP pokemon are pretty imbalanced. I know they gave them x2 weakness and added extra costs to some attacks, but...OP.
 
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corrupti0n said:
Too autopilot.. it has taken out a lot of "strategy" in the game.
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I find that the opposite of the truth. SP decks take a ton of planning and thinking because they hit for such low damage, but have crafty tricks.

They'r ok, not really pokemon-y with the lack of evolution. I still think I prefer the buffness of evolving pokemon as opposed to the frailty of SP (save dialga g tanking).
 
TOO Overpowered. Okay, you have a tool that makes attacks cost less(Energy gain), your own Castaway( Cyrus's Conspiracy), your own Briney's Compassion and Bebe's Search as Trianers(Poke turn, SP Radar), your own Multi that doesnt cancel the other out, and on top of that you have a card that stops powers on your OPPONENT'S turn(Power Spray). Enough Said.

You tell me! They trainer lines are what make the SP decks unbelievable, Delta pokes werent even half that good. Plus the good SPs are only paying 1-2 Energy for obscene damage. I mean yeah you do lose to Machamp(Take out, Knock out) and Gengar, but really! You can even win those matchups, if teched for. Its obvious that SPs have TOO much!:nonono:
 
corrupti0n said:
Too autopilot.. it has taken out a lot of "strategy" in the game.
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Comments like this are actually false and annoy me. When something is good, people randomly call it "easy to use". SP is by far the hardest brand of deck to play.

However, I think they are bad for the game. Luxray/Mespirit/Power Spray is bad for the game. Not that they are ruining the game or that they are un-counterable, but they turn a lot of games into crapshoots. Example: T2 Luxray kills claydol uxie gets sprayed GG that sort of stuff. A lot more decks would be playable without SP.
 
They are great for decks and versatility in the TCG. They stink for collectibility and are likely to have very little future value or interest.

Ariadosman said:
A lot more decks would be playable without SP.
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when in the history of the TCG have you seen a list like this for tops in a current round of tournaments?:

Masters:
Flygon (42 top, 17 win)
Gengar (17 Top, 8 Win)
Gyarados (33 top, 12 win)
Beedrill (19 top, 2 win)
BlazeRay (24 top, 2 win)
Kingdra (14 top, 4 win)
LuxApe (6 top, 1 win)
GeChamp (9 top, 3 win)
Palkia G (13 top, 2 win)
Machamp (7 top, 2 win)
Garchomp (5 top, 0 win)
Blaziken (3 top, 0 win)
GG (4 top, 3 win)
Luxray/Manectric (3 top, 1 win)
Dialga/Palkia/Luxray (2 top, 1 win)
SP Toolbox (3 top, 1 win)
Tyranitar (2 top, 0 win)
Dusknoir (3 top, 0 win)
AMU (2 top, 2 win)
Dialga G/Garchomp C (1 top, 1 win)
Mamoswine (1 top, 1 win)
Hippowdon (1 top, 1 win)
Empoleon (1 top, 1 win)
Charizard G (1 top, 0 win)
Abomasnow (1 top, 0 win)
Rayquaza (1 top, 0 win)
Abomasnow (2 top, 0 win)
Luxray (3 top, 0 win)
Porygon-Z (4 top, 2 win)
Leafeon/Torterra (1 top, 0 win)
Kingdra/Gengar (1 top, 0 win)
Lucario/Exploud/Gengar (1 top, 0 win)
Skymin/Venusaur (1 top, 0 win)
Luxray/Garchomp (5 top, 1 win)
Luxray/Gallade/Dialga (1 top, 0 win)
Blastoise/Garchomp (1 top, 0 win)
Uxie/Crobat (1 top, 0 win)
Toxitank (1 top, 0 win)
Rhyperior (1 top, 0 win)
Gallade/Raichu (1 top, 0 win)
Exploud/Ampharos (2 top, 0 win)
Magnezone (2 top, 0 win)
Garchomp/Machamp (1 top, 0 win)
Starmie/Shuppet (2 top, 0 win)
Blaziken/Luxray/Garchomp (2 top, 0 win)
Magmortar (1 top, 1 win)
Lucario/Luxray (1 top, 0 win)
Dialga/Luxray (1 top, 0 win)
Shaymin/Yanmega (2 top, 0 win)
Blaziken PL/Blaziken FB (4 top, 1 win)
Walrein (1 top, 0 win)
Drapion/Darkrai (1 top, 0 win)
Garchomp (1 top, 0 win)
Butterfree (1 top, 0 win)
Ampharos (2 top, 0 win)
Blastoise/Delcatty (1 top, 1 win)
Garchomp/Tyranitar/Alakazam (1 top, 0 win)
Monarchy (1 top, 1 win)
Dusknoir (1 top, 0 win)
Dialga/Palkia/Garchomp/Luxray (1 top, 0 win)
Garchomp/Gengar (1 top, 0 win)
MagLeaf (1 top, 0 win)
Luxray/Honchkrow (1 top, 0 win)

And that's missing at least one top cut. Mine with Octillery.
 
The open format has nothing to do with SP's and more to do with the fact there are a lot of good cards out now. e.g. I have a rock and i don't see any tigers around: Doesn't mean the rock scares away tigers.

And anything goes with Battle Roads. lol And those decks didn't even necessarily win, just made top cut.
 
Ariadosman said:
Comments like this are actually false and annoy me. When something is good, people randomly call it "easy to use". SP is by far the hardest brand of deck to play.

However, I think they are bad for the game. Luxray/Mespirit/Power Spray is bad for the game. Not that they are ruining the game or that they are un-counterable, but they turn a lot of games into crapshoots. Example: T2 Luxray kills claydol uxie gets sprayed GG that sort of stuff. A lot more decks would be playable without SP.
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I understand what you are saying but I think he was just saying that they are too easy for the fact that the fully evolved pokemon are treated as basic. I mean i remember the wotc days where you had to strategically get a charizard out there, it was not just okay do you have any basic pokemon, oh yeah i have a charizard sp so let me play that on my first turn.

I think that is the main issue, but maybe I am just looking at it through my perspective. I can see how you can create a solid deck around the sp cards but for me it was just pop trying to do something new to make play a little more dynamic while taking away from the previous structure of the game.
 
smpratte said:
I understand what you are saying but I think he was just saying that they are too easy for the fact that the fully evolved pokemon are treated as basic. I mean i remember the wotc days where you had to strategically get a charizard out there, it was not just okay do you have any basic pokemon, oh yeah i have a charizard sp so let me play that on my first turn.

I think that is the main issue, but maybe I am just looking at it through my perspective. I can see how you can create a solid deck around the sp cards but for me it was just pop trying to do something new to make play a little more dynamic while taking away from the previous structure of the game.
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Then there would just be strong basic pokemon. There have ALWAYS been strong basics. They take MORE strategy than getting that charizard set up. Seriously, if you think setting up a Charizard is high end strategy, you need to play a simpler game or something... :p

Jokes aside, SP really do take far more skill to play than most stage 2 decks. This is because one screwup can pretty much cost you the game. A big stage 2 is far more forgiving of mistakes, and is usually pretty atopilot once it get's going.
 
I think they did a pretty good job with SP Pokemon.

They have a LOT of support and that's what makes them playable, but at the same time they have counters that are fairly easy to tech (Mewtwo, Machamp), and it has never really been a case of 'play SP or lose'.

SP Pokemon bring new strategies and ideas to the game, but if you don't like them then there are plenty of other competitive decks you can use.
 
Ariadosman said:
And anything goes with Battle Roads.
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Ariadosman said:
lol And those decks didn't even necessarily win, just made top cut.
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Two main reasons why it looks like the format is so wide. The format always looks wide at the beginning of the format and as sets slow down around States, the format starts solidifying.

On topic, what is my opinion of SP Pokemon?

SP Pokemon is how the game should be played imho. Look at the video game. You don't start out with Caterpie every battle and work it into Butterfree. No, you start with Charizard and start burning righting away. Your opponent counters with Blastoise, not Squirtle.

I'm guessing the whole reason we have stages is to slow down the game. I feel the game has more skill when players don't have to worry about setting up and can start playing at turn one.

I'll miss them when they are gone, but they are very overpowered with the helper trainers/supporters/stadiums.
 
So I am relatively new, and I wanted to ask, are SPs like Team Rocket's pokemon or EXes, eg. they will happen, and then the format moves on to something new?
 
Rayquaza said:
So I am relatively new, and I wanted to ask, are SPs like Team Rocket's pokemon or EXes, eg. they will happen, and then the format moves on to something new?
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Probably.

Team Rocket's Pokemon were actually not new, that was the original Owner's Pokemon mechanic. Which...I wish they'd used here.
 
I don't like them. They should be actual evolved Pokemon, like the old Gym Leaders. There are too many cards that benefit only them, and they take away from big basics like Chansey.
 
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