Pokémon TCG: Sword and Shield—Brilliant Stars

Bluffing: Good of Bad?

Pinsir52

Pinsir52

New Member
Well, I had an idea a while back, but I never went through with it, well, cause I just thought it was silly. But, after thinking it over a bit more, I'm starting to believe it will be a good idea.

LOTS of decks today (virtually every deck that runs Rare Candy) run some Dusknoir DP line, be it a 4-2-1-2-1 (or whatever those Dusk decks play...), or just a 1-0-1 or a 1-1-1 (with the Duskull that can evolve the turn you play it).

In the most common case, the 1-0-1 TECH line, the player will wait until he has all 3 cards (both pokes and the candy) and drop all 3 at once to surprise and utterly mess up his/her opponent's plans. However, I've also found that, if you drop just the Duskull early, your opponent will be scared, and won't want to lay his 4th poke. He'll struggle and try to WASTE TIME killing it so he can finish setting up.

So, has anyone here ever played a 1-0-0 Duskull line? You'll just be teching 1 little-bitty Duskull, getting him out early, and possibly messing up your opponents strategy and set-up and forcing him to have to play around it. By the way, isn't that was Dusknoir DP is all about, anyway!?

The cons of this strategy are obvious: you never actually get to use Dark Palm. Also, the little guy is Dusknoir SF bait. With that said, is this Duskull bluff a good move? Let me know if any of you have tried in at tournament level play, or if you just have any opinions about it!

Thanks, Pokegym people.

-The Pinsir-
 
I had the same thought you did, but it doesn't actually work. For Cities, I played a deck that had a thin line of Dusknoir. At the start, I believed that I didn't actually need to add the DP Dusknoir, because people would see the Duskull and start playing conservatively, but I didn't once observe any change in behavior when I'd put down a Duskull. I've since added the DP, and it makes a world of difference.

One problem is that not everyone knows that DP Dusknoir exists, or what it does. In one notable match I played after adding the DP, I laid down a Duskull, my opponent benched a fourth, I candied and Dark Palmed. Next turn, he benches a fourth again, I Dark Palm again, and then he finally asks to see the card. "Good card," he says.

Another problem is that some people know and will take their chances anyway. In the match that finally convinced me I actually needed to play it, I laid the Duskull down. My opponent (playing Bellossom) asked me point-blank "is that the guy that evolves to the guy with Dark Palm", and I said yes. She benched a fourth anyway to get the damage boost, and now I'm stuck. She called my bluff, and now she has an unstoppable swarm.

The third problem is that the best players scout. Word will get out that you keep laying down a Duskull but no Dusknoir, particularly as you go to higher-value tournaments.

In short, Dusknoir DP wins games. If you're playing four Candies and you have the space for a random Duskull, you should be able to work in the Dusknoir too. If you're playing a deck without Candies, no one is going to buy the bluff anyway.
 
Its a decent idea, but after 4 or so turns of you not getting the dusknoir (or if people notice that you don't ever seem to get a noir out in other games) people are going to assume that either

A. You have a Dusknoir in your deck, but you for some reason or another can't get it out. AKA Attack quickly and try and kill it before it ever DOES evolve time.

or

B. He just doesn't have a Dusknoir.

Bottom line is its going to hinder you more than help you. And once someone finds out that you DON'T actually have a Dusknoir, everyone at the tourney is probably going to know.
 
I was sooo close to doing this at Nats. Pajamas hit the nail on the head. Newbs don't know the difference, and sometimes you just really need to actually have it.

Also, if you try the 1-0-0 "Dusknoir", you might end up having to lie to someone about using it in your deck, or get found out by the time the top cut starts, and then you have a dead card in your deck. Have fun starting with it, btw.

I think surprising your opponent with a Dark Palm is better than bluffing them into laying down only 3 benched Pokemon.
 
Orion Craig did this at a few CC's to great effect. At the end of the day though, you really only saved one spot at the risk of people finding out and making the one spot used on Duskull useless.
 
The biggest problem is if you get to top cut, your opponent may figure you out and be unafraid of it , which means you now have a wasted card in your deck.

Drew
 
...And a wasted bench space, to boot, since they won't be afraid of it, and therefore won't go to any lengths to attack it. I'd actually prefer to run the Dusknoir with it, and then leave up Duskull as a bluff so I can save my Candies. That way, if they call the bluff, you can get still get off a Dark Palm
 
Last season, I very almost played a lone Porygon to scare GG from playing special energies, or keep the lock. Either way, change their strategy for no actual threat.

Lone Duskull? I say go for it and see how it works out. Though for just one more slot, I'd throw in Dusknoir too.
 
Tried this, was fun, but bad things happen with Duskull starts, and losing the bench spot for a bluff sucks. However...

0-0-1 Dusknoir?!?! "I play Bebe's search, drop 1, pull... Dusknoir *show show show*".....
....
....
....
 
It's not the worst idea ever, very clever. If I played you in an early tournament round I would definitely limit my bench to 3 at least for a little while, but if I noticed you haven't been playing rare candy or you left him there too long I'd start playing 4 or more bench. I wonder what other cards could make good "bluffs"?
 
Well, it was a good idea. Like Ryan said, the good player wont know until he tests the waters/plays the fourth bench.

BUT

Now you've went and screamed it out on public forums, you sir, have just ruint any possibilities. Anyone who knows you and your pokegym screen name will know.... NOW!!!
 
He didn't really Ruin(T) any possiblities, this has been a running idea since the card came out. He just decided to finally discuss it.

I personally think that it just won't work. Maybe the first couple rounds, but over time people will figure you out.
 
You also are dancing on the edge of the line of "dubious actions" which could lead to a game loss or even a DQ.

As described, this is on the OK side of the line, but all it would take is one improper word on the players part and all of a sudden you'll find yourself on the other side of the line.
 
As Pop just said (he always gets there first) you would be risking a situation of "Dubious Actions" which could result in a DQ if felt by the Judges. SO the question is the single spot worth a possible DQ?? IMHO, not worth the risk.

Fish
 
A judge would DQ you because you have Duskulll in your deck.
HAHAHAHAHAHA no. Now if you did something along the lines of having translations out for your cards, including a Dusknoir that isn't in your deck, that would be crossing the line. But having Duskull? No, not a chance.
 
Sparta: That is NOT what either I or MrMeches said.
Please read what was said again and let us know what words are giving you difficulty.
 
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