Adapted from my Pojo.com review
[FONT="]Over on Pojo, Reshiram EX managed to take the number nine slot for our Top 10 Promising Picks of BW: Next Destinies, a list compiled form the personal top 10 picks of five different reviewers (myself included).[/FONT] Before addressing the actual stats of the card, I've got to say I prefer the art of the normal version better. Most of the Full Art cards this set, while still gorgeous, just didn't seem as exciting as their normal art counterparts.
[FONT="]Time to fire up the review![/FONT]
[FONT="]Stats[/FONT]
[FONT="]Reshiram EX[/FONT][FONT="] is first and foremost a Pokémon EX. It doesn’t count as the “old” Pokémon ex, but no card we currently have in Modified references that anyway. Like those older Pokémon ex, though, the new Pokémon EX are still worth two Prizes. Since it is worth two Prizes, the rest of the cards stats and its effects will need to be significantly better than an equivalent single Prize Pokémon, and in this case that is a pretty high bar: the non-Pokémon EX Reshiram has helped shape this format! I also feel it worth noting an effect like the Poké-Body Space Virus (found on Rayquaza & Deoxys LEGEND) would result in three Prizes being taken upon the KO.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Reshiram EX[/FONT][FONT="] is a Fire-Type. This is perfectly reasonable given the Pokémon’s video game typing and how it currently translates into the TCG. Being a Fire-Type (as opposed to just using Fire Energy) doesn’t contribute much, but at least you’ll be able to roast Virizion and Cobalion quite easily. It is also a Basic Pokémon, the easiest Stage to fit into a deck since or get into play. Being a Pokémon EX, I’d expect it to be far better than an equivalent Basic Pokémon, and probably on par with a Stage 1, even one that is the pinnacle of its Evolutionary line.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Reshiram EX[/FONT][FONT="] has a massive 180 HP, and even for a Pokémon EX that is phenomenal. Amongst their predecessors, the Pokémon ex, the best for a Basic was still 120. Of course there has been a significant amount of power creep since then, but it is also the highest score amongst the Pokémon EX we currently have outside of [/FONT][FONT="]Japan[/FONT][FONT="]. This is just 20 points shy of the biggest, legal to play (though by now only in Unlimited) Pokémon, Wailord ex, and is as large as a modern Wailord. Outside of Weakness, a fully healthy Reshiram EX will only fall in one shot to the most massive attacks in the game. A proper build could make it incredibly challenging to KO. [/FONT]
[FONT="]Water Weakness is to be expected for a Fire-Type, and unless this latest set finally helps Water step up its game, isn’t a major concern. It does matter some, since Prism Energy might make it easy enough for several decks to splash in a competent Water attacker, but that is tricky business in and of itself and not as significant as the three “worst” Weaknesses to have in the format right now; Fire, Lightning, and Psychic (not necessarily in that order). The lack of Resistance may actually be warranted here; indeed in the past some Pokémon ex (again, the predecessors of Pokémon EX but not technically the same mechanic) were given a double Weakness to offset their large HP or phenomenal abilities. So yeah, if not justified, I’d rather this card lacked Resistance than get stuck with a double Weakness.[/FONT]
[FONT="]I am tempted to complain about the large three Energy Retreat Cost, but I have a good reason not to; while three Energy is high enough that one will likely lack the Energy to even consider manually retreating, or one’s set-up would be horrifically set-back by discarding it, it also makes Reshiram EX a legal target for Heavy Ball. Since the card also has such high HP, I think the increased ability to be searched for via an Item is an even trade off.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Effects[/FONT]
[FONT="]Reshiram EX[/FONT][FONT="] has two attacks. The bad news is that the less expensive one (Glinting Claw) requires three Energy while the “big” attack (Brave Fire) requires four. The good news is what those Energy costs are: (RCC) for Glinting Claw and (RRCC) for Brave Fire. This means one not only can use Emboar with Inferno Fandango or Typhlosion Prime with Afterburner for speed, but even Double Colorless Energy and a manual attachment of something to provide Fire Energy can get the first attack ready in two turns.[/FONT]
[FONT="]So what do the attacks actually do? Glinting Claw has a base damage of 50 points, and does an extra 30 (for a total of 80) if you get “heads” on a mandatory coin toss. This is solid; barely “good” and definitely not “great”. As I said earlier, Reshiram EX should be at least close to what we see on Stage 1 Pokémon, and Glinting Claw would only be good there when backed up by great stats (which overall I’d say Reshiram EX does have) or a useful Ability or second attack. I will note that on a result of “heads”, no Fire Weak Pokémon without additional support would survive, and even with support only the largest with multiple protective cards can manage it. Against non-Fire Weak Pokémon, 50 is still too much to ignore, setting up most commonly seen attackers (including itself) to score a 2HKO. When you hit “heads”, 80 points of course is actually good for three Energy. [/FONT]
[FONT="]So what about Brave Fire? Again, it will be relying on the rest of the card to make it “good”, as well as whatever Energy acceleration you combine the card with. You get an attractive 150 points of damage from Brave Fire, but in addition to a quadruple Energy cost the attack has some serious kick to it: you must flip a coin and if it comes up “tails”, Reshiram EX hits itself for 50 points of damage! Breaking it down on paper, you are technically getting a fantastic bargain. You invest enough Energy that, on a Basic that could still Evolve, you’d expect at least 50 points of damage. The risk the coin toss adds justifies another 20 or 30 points, so in return for being both a Basic (incapable of Evolving) and a Pokémon EX (worth two Prizes) you’re getting an extra 70 or 80 points of damage. Definitely a reasonable, if not a quite good, return when viewed based purely on cost-to-damage.[/FONT]
[FONT="]You have to consider the format, however; even though it only occurs on an unfortunate flip, about half the time you use Brave Fire just once you’re dropping Reshiram EX down to an effective 130 HP, the equivalent of a non-Pokémon EX Reshiram, which we know can be OHKOed by the top decks. You are able to reduce the risk with proper support, but it really hurts when you consider how close this card was to being an off-Type splash. Plus the plain Reshiram, re-released in this set and available in one of this set’s starter decks, has an attack for (RRC) called Blue Flare, and it hits for 120. You have to discard two Fire Energy, but if the deck can handle that, it is a better deal. If you don’t need the 150 points of damage but do need the 120 (likely for this format), you’re only spending two Energy more to use two Basic Pokémon worth a single Prize instead of one massive Pokémon worth two.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Usage[/FONT]
[FONT="]Mostly I expect players running Big Fire decks that rely on acceleration such as Emboar with Inferno Fandango or Typhlosion with Afterburner to make room for Reshiram EX. I do not, however, expect the plain Reshiram to go anywhere; perhaps a single copy would be dropped, but in a deck that can handle the Energy discards it is a better deal except when you need to quickly slam down an opposing Pokémon EX or other problem card. Eviolite is twice as useful to Reshiram EX; making an already large Pokémon last an extra turn against all but the hardest hitting attacks while dropping the self-damage to a 30 points (an average of a manageable 15 points per turn). In such decks, a Max Potion can save a nearly KOed Reshiram EX from its fate, while the Energy acceleration quickly re-readies it. The risk of a string of “tails” on both attacks, though, makes it too unreliable to form the main part of your offensive.[/FONT]
[FONT="]If you fancy Victini (BW: Noble Victories 14/101, 98/101), you can reduce your risk of getting “tails”, but runs of “bad luck” will still happen from time to time. The mixed blessing of this strategy is that an opponent may decide Victini is more important to KO, and if that is the case you could go ballistic with Reshiram EX in with less fear of them exploiting the self-damage. I would not anticipate a skilled player making such a mistake often. So for Big Fire decks, I think two copies of Reshiram EX are enough, though maybe three if you are quite worried about one being Prized. Reshiram EX exists for those match-ups when a normal Reshiram isn’t strong enough, when raw brute force is required. The rest of the time, stick with what works (the original Reshiram).[/FONT]
[FONT="]There is another angle to consider even in Big Fire decks: Reshiram EX faces other sources of competition. Mewtwo EX is quite a beast in and of itself, and while not optimal it can make do with just Fire Energy to fuel its first attack. After all, the most likely thing to require brute force is a Pokémon EX, as we’ll explore in future CotDs, they all have particular hang ups to exploit. Regigigas EX has all Colorless Energy costs, so it could slip in as well. It has a self-damaging attack that Eviolite can completely block, though you can’t the second attack isn’t much more expensive and does more damage based on the damage Regigigas EX has sustained. Unless your Big Fire deck has to stay on type, that is two obvious sources of competition right there.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Then there is Rayquaza & Deoxys LEGEND, which I keep bringing up in the Stats section as I review Pokémon EX. There is a reason for that; Big Fire decks are where it has seen the most successful play, and while Ozone Buster can’t OHKO most Pokémon EX alone, it still hits for 150 points of damage. We received six different Pokémon EX in BW: Next Destinies, and each has an issue that can help Rayquaza & Deoxys LEGEND. Shaymin EX is a OHKO due to raw damage. Mewtwo EX one is a OHKO due to Weakness. Reshiram EX and Regigigas EX both inflict self damage, the former enough to allow for the OHKO without outside interference and the latter wants to be damaged because then it hits harder! That means you can probably safely feed them a normal big Basic attacker like the plain Reshiram and still at least break even with Rayquaza & Deoxys LEGEND. Zekrom EX and Kyurem EX both might not be able to hit hard back due to Energy discards for the former, and a restricting clause on the latter. On top of that, the entire point of using Rayquaza & Deoxys LEGEND is to go for a surprise win: if you’re using a Pokémon EX, even with three Prizes left you aren’t safe from that![/FONT]
[FONT="]So all that relates to a lot of stiff competition for Reshiram EX in mainstream Fire decks: the plain version of Reshiram is the safer beatstick, Mewtwo EX and Regigigas EX can be a big, off-type, somewhat risky beatstick and “crazy works” for Rayquaza & Deoxys LEGEND. I did hint that there may be another use for this card. Well, it is a Basic Pokémon that has two big attacks that may require three and four Energy, but only one and then two of those Energy need to actually provide Fire Energy, respectively. Plus that massive three Energy Retreat cost that is a burden allows Heavy Ball, an Item, to pluck it from your deck (if you don’t want to burn your Supporter usage on Pokémon Collector). Coupled with Prism Energy, Rainbow Energy, and Double Colorless Energy one could easily run it in a deck that lacked any other Fire Pokémon or Energy.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Normal Reshiram would also be an option for a Fire “splash”, but suffers because it discards its own Energy, as do most other big, Basic Fire-Type Pokémon I can think of that would fit in such a deck. So if you’re mostly running this to hit Weakness, it does the job admirably with even its first attack. If you can afford the cost, no Fire Weak Pokémon (unless of course it is negating its Weakness through an effect) can survive a shot from Brave Fire. How often you’d need that raw power is questionable, and for all the trouble perhaps it is better to risk burning two Rainbow Energy/Prism Energy on Blue Fire.[/FONT]
[FONT="]So what about in Unlimited play? I’d say it is less useful than in Modified, but that is because of the nature of Unlimited. You have decks that can either flat out win first turn, strip away your hand before you ever get to play, or lock down one or more resources. You have Focus Band and classical Baby Pokémon protected by “the Baby Rule”, and that means no matter how hard you can hit, you’re still a coin toss away from a KO. You have access to all the past Fire Pokémon, some which might be more suited to this job than Reshiram EX, and you have lower average HP scores being played (indeed, that is why some older Pokémon might be preferable – 150 is going to regularly be overkill).[/FONT]
[FONT="]At last we come to Limited play. Due to so many Evolution cards in a set being unplayable (due to a lack of needed support, often including but not limited to Evolution line itself), the average HP scores and damage output are lower. The massive HP will last even longer unless you run into Water Pokémon, and even if you have to manually power it while Active, you should still live long enough for at least a single attack. Your attacks will function as if they were doing more damage, so together this means you might get off two or three Glinting Claw before going for broke with Brave Fire, and could very well score just as many Prizes. Being able to get by on a single Fire Energy (even though that means no Brave Fire) makes this card very easy to work into most probable decks you could build, and you still might occasionally get off a Brave Fire with a little luck. Just remember Limited matches start with four Prize cards a piece; just as a Reshiram EX can single handedly win the game, losing it will be halfway to victory for your opponent.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Ratings[/FONT]
[FONT="]Unlimited:[/FONT][FONT="] 6.5/10[/FONT]
[FONT="]Modified:[/FONT][FONT="] 7.5/10[/FONT]
[FONT="]Limited:[/FONT][FONT="] 9/10[/FONT]
[FONT="]Summary[/FONT]
[FONT="]Reshiram EX[/FONT][FONT="] is a great card, but it is entering a crowded arena. Two of the Pokémon EX it came out alongside only require a little more time or Energy to hit just as hard, but can fit in any deck (not just Big Fire). In Big Fire decks, you’ve got Reshiram to hit turn after turn for 120 points of damage without giving up two Prizes, and you should be able to handle the Energy discard cost. Plus Reshiram is a Basic with 130 HP, so you have to ask is the extra 50 HP and doing self-damage instead of discarding Energy worth being a Pokémon EX? Even when it comes to “crazy beatsticks worth two Prizes” (a very specific category) there is Rayquaza & Deoxys LEGEND, which can now net you up to three Prizes in a single shot, plus the aforementioned other two Pokémon EX that can probably fit into the same decks![/FONT]
[FONT="]So Reshiram EX is great, but not a “great among greats”. If it hadn’t been printed, I doubt the format would turn out much different than I expect it to with it. As such, it didn’t even make my own Top 10 list.[/FONT]
