ShadowCard
Active Member
I have not really seen a toolbox deck run so I am not prepared to type what I think are its card combinations.
I realize Plasma decks are all different, but I lumped them together because, like VictiniCup mentioned, they are starting to be mixed and revised. Lugia EX is back in the game. Plasma in its form of Kyurem, Thunderous, Deoxys, I think is on its way out. Bicycle was important in the deck.
It doesn't sound like the issue is a matter of "work." I'm actually surprised by the number of events you have played in. I thought you would be playing in less. You attend a good number of T1 events. Who are the people at league who you you talk about? I meant to say that you would be the one arranging the car ride, not that you would be a passenger in the car.
Your friends who now work on Saturdays don't play at all anymore? They don't go to league? You all can't get together just to play?
The positive in a loss is learning from the experience: What went wrong in the game, and would another choice have been better, such as using Juniper instead of N? Does losing so badly accurately describe a majority of your games or is that an exaggeration?
What about Empoleon?
I don't think going "all in" with OHKO is the way to go. Besides, it clearly isn't working. Maybe this style of deck is wrong for you. The deck chooses the player?
I see that talking about it has been productive. Focusing more on problem-solving and only sparingly confronting you head on--except about prematurely placing damage or attempting to remove a pokemon prior to the attack--appears to have been beneficial. You were able to acknowledge posts where there was exaggeration and prediction and started looking for a solution to those. Being able to identify them is important. Do you post tournament reports? That may help you get feedback from others. You would want to write in such a way that you:
**are forced to analyze the game's actions:
a) Note play-by-play actions. Who started the game and what was started. Whose pokemon was first KOed and how did the opponent of that player respond? We don't need all the small details, but the follow through of "A KOed X with attack, and then two turns later KOed Y with attack, followed by me KOing M after getting the energy with Juniper."
b) at critical plays, what were the cards in your hand? You have to decide between a N and a Juniper.
**Look at what went right and what went wrong.
a) was there a point when you did not do something, such as retreat? how did the opponent respond? Did it matter?
**help identify times that exaggeration may have compromised your focus
a) include instances where, for example, you thought about or even acted on picking up a pokemon prior to the attack
b) instances where you started thinking "The last Juniper didn't work so this next one probably won't work either" without investigating the probability of missing the cards (are they prized, did you already play them, are you not playing the cards to the fullest potential prior to the Juniper)
c) lost focus because you missed a card on Juniper and thought your opponent was able to capitalize on the "whiff," but was not able to. If they were able to, how did they do it--did they too have to work for it (having to play Juniper and jump through hoops)--and was that the way you predicted it would happen? Remember, you want to be able to plan ahead but not exaggerate. So, instead of "The opponent always has the card in hand when I miss," you need to look deeper and say "I thought my opponent would already have the energy card and I was
I realize Plasma decks are all different, but I lumped them together because, like VictiniCup mentioned, they are starting to be mixed and revised. Lugia EX is back in the game. Plasma in its form of Kyurem, Thunderous, Deoxys, I think is on its way out. Bicycle was important in the deck.
It doesn't sound like the issue is a matter of "work." I'm actually surprised by the number of events you have played in. I thought you would be playing in less. You attend a good number of T1 events. Who are the people at league who you you talk about? I meant to say that you would be the one arranging the car ride, not that you would be a passenger in the car.
Your friends who now work on Saturdays don't play at all anymore? They don't go to league? You all can't get together just to play?
The positive in a loss is learning from the experience: What went wrong in the game, and would another choice have been better, such as using Juniper instead of N? Does losing so badly accurately describe a majority of your games or is that an exaggeration?
At the moment, the only decks I know of that do this, Keldeo/Blastoise and Rayboar, pretty much need Beach if you are in the masters division. I hear Round needs Beach. You could try not playing any and waiting for your opponent to play one.
What about Empoleon?
I don't think going "all in" with OHKO is the way to go. Besides, it clearly isn't working. Maybe this style of deck is wrong for you. The deck chooses the player?
Honestly, I don't do it and I don't think I ever have. I have seen a few players do it and, based on what you were saying, it made for an appropriate example. As I said, maybe you could try holding your hands together if you feel that you are about to grab the damage counters prematurely. Try putting away spare damage counters so that there are none on the table for you to grab ahead of the attack. Try going through the opponent's discard pile to check on its inventory. It isn't just detrimental to your focus. It gives away to your opponent that you are losing control of the game from the game-play standpoint.
I see that talking about it has been productive. Focusing more on problem-solving and only sparingly confronting you head on--except about prematurely placing damage or attempting to remove a pokemon prior to the attack--appears to have been beneficial. You were able to acknowledge posts where there was exaggeration and prediction and started looking for a solution to those. Being able to identify them is important. Do you post tournament reports? That may help you get feedback from others. You would want to write in such a way that you:
**are forced to analyze the game's actions:
a) Note play-by-play actions. Who started the game and what was started. Whose pokemon was first KOed and how did the opponent of that player respond? We don't need all the small details, but the follow through of "A KOed X with attack, and then two turns later KOed Y with attack, followed by me KOing M after getting the energy with Juniper."
b) at critical plays, what were the cards in your hand? You have to decide between a N and a Juniper.
**Look at what went right and what went wrong.
a) was there a point when you did not do something, such as retreat? how did the opponent respond? Did it matter?
**help identify times that exaggeration may have compromised your focus
a) include instances where, for example, you thought about or even acted on picking up a pokemon prior to the attack
b) instances where you started thinking "The last Juniper didn't work so this next one probably won't work either" without investigating the probability of missing the cards (are they prized, did you already play them, are you not playing the cards to the fullest potential prior to the Juniper)
c) lost focus because you missed a card on Juniper and thought your opponent was able to capitalize on the "whiff," but was not able to. If they were able to, how did they do it--did they too have to work for it (having to play Juniper and jump through hoops)--and was that the way you predicted it would happen? Remember, you want to be able to plan ahead but not exaggerate. So, instead of "The opponent always has the card in hand when I miss," you need to look deeper and say "I thought my opponent would already have the energy card and I was
[wrong, but he got the energy with Colress] [wrong, and he missed the energy on Colress]" In this way, you learn how the opponent is playing because does not become an endless pattern of losses. You instead see each event on its own terms and are able to learn from each one, if your prediction ultimately was correct but not to the reasons you thought. From there, you learn how those decks are played and what to expect in future games.
It may be possible that the information is not being presented to you correctly.
As has been said, great players find people who challenge them. There used to be a group of juniors at my leagues. They sought out various masters division players and played them. Do they get held back by the same things, such as exaggerating events? At least one of them does but he pulls through. Some people are naturally able to not let a loss bother them. Others have a harder time.
I'm not sure what this means, but you are allowed to take notes in a game. Probably more useful in best of three, note what the opponent's Ace Spec is, how many energy cards you saw, maybe even some special tricks you observe the opponent likes to make. Like taking a loss positively, you will have to move on from connecting the events into a series of losses and take each one individually to identify where the game got away from you. When that happens, you will learn how those decks work.
It may be possible that the information is not being presented to you correctly.
I think this may be the wrong question. The answers you are getting are not the right ones.
As has been said, great players find people who challenge them. There used to be a group of juniors at my leagues. They sought out various masters division players and played them. Do they get held back by the same things, such as exaggerating events? At least one of them does but he pulls through. Some people are naturally able to not let a loss bother them. Others have a harder time.
