Pokémon TCG: Sword and Shield—Brilliant Stars

Catcher? Will it ruin the format?

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Mach said:
Catcher will not ruin the format. No more threads plz.
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I think this summarizes everything. Almost every set there is that 1 card that will supposedly break the format, and guess what, it never does. Did Gengar Prime break the format? No. Did Lost World break the format? No. How about Donphan Prime? No. Jumpluff? it had a short run, but No.

Point is, you're all over hyping this. We'll all adjust to change like we always do.
 
Since me and my friens heard that Gust of Wind was coming back we practiced using GoW. We have come up with multiple ways of countering the Catcher. Unless it takes forever for you to work up your deck, and in this format it's not, you won't lose quickly. As of yet I see no reason to panic with a remade GoW enterring the format.
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Scipio said:
Catcher has something that GoW didnt have. Basics that can OHKO Stage 2's.

For that matter.

Basics that can OHKO other basics without relying on pluspowers/weakness.
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The original format was so hostile to stage 2s you couldnt even get one out.

im pretty sure electabuzz, promo mewtwo, scyther, magmar(sometimes), sneasle and some others were basic pokemon that broke the format. The only thing that has changed in pokemon is that stage 2s are now useable. They will always have a "choose a pokemon and switch it with the active" card. Always
 
1) Run more basic searchers so you can double bench whatever you plan to evolve
2) Play Revive to recover gusted basics
3) Use Twins to recover from T2 Gust kills
4) Play Trainer/Item lock
5) Keep easy Catcher targets off your bench whenever possible
6) Apply pressure to whoever your opponent is getting gust kills with
7) Realize that your opponent is unlikely to play 6 Catchers in 6 turns
8) Run Catcher yourself
 
9) Learn to bait out Catcher

While you can't easily force your opponent to burn through all their Pokemon Catcher in a single turn, you can learn to misdirect the Pokemon Catcher/KO strategy. Open with a solid attacker (or something that if left unmolested can Evolve into one) and then play that "important" Basic that is supposed to Evolve into a "vital" support Pokemon. What does your opponent do? KO the Benched threat or take out the Active threat? This is not a valid tactic for every deck, but most will find this to be another small step they can take to reduce the negative impact of Pokemon Catcher upon the game.
 
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Quoted myself from another "Catcher" Thread:

Three words:

BUILD

BETTER

DECKS


I can't wait until Catcher releases. It'll change the game, most definitely, but not in the way everyone is expecting. Bad players will whine about not being able to set up and having their basics Catchered blah blah... and GREAT players will learn how to counter the "Catcher" and conversely, use it to their advantage. Some decks will become less playable, while other decks will begin to emerge with new strategies better utilizing Catcher in their game plan.

Most importantly, Catcher increases the predictability of the game and decreases the importance of coin flips, something I'm sure everyone can agree is great for the game. There's nothing worse than whiffing on Reversal, Reversal, Junk Arm - Reversal while your opponent flips 2-3 in a row and decimates your setup. With Catcher, everybody flips heads, and everyone can PREDICT and PREPARE themselves to being Catchered.

This means thicker basic lines, TIGHTER decks, and the need for more correct play making decisions. If you ask me, catcher will require an INCREASED level of skill and will ultimately weed out the weaker deck builders and weaker players in favor of those who can prepare and maximize Catcher's potential.
 
I honestly don't see the difference, most of the decklists I saw before worlds already ran extra basics to anticipate yanmega and reversal. Maybe everyone else should do the same?
 
SuperWooper said:
1) Run more basic searchers so you can double bench whatever you plan to evolve
2) Play Revive to recover gusted basics
3) Use Twins to recover from T2 Gust kills
4) Play Trainer/Item lock
5) Keep easy Catcher targets off your bench whenever possible
6) Apply pressure to whoever your opponent is getting gust kills with
7) Realize that your opponent is unlikely to play 6 Catchers in 6 turns
8) Run Catcher yourself
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Looks like someone nailed it. I'll put my hand back down now.
 
^ they design cards based on the japanese format, not the rest of the world. This is the biggest problem this game has. Pokemon should stop screwing around and release stuff globally.
 
ogremarauder said:
^ they design cards based on the japanese format, not the rest of the world. This is the biggest problem this game has. Pokemon should stop screwing around and release stuff globally.
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Speaking of that, how does MTG release it packs over sea? same time or delayed(If it is big over there).
Anyway I do not think it would be healthy, but how about they do a YGO a release like 10 US exclusive cards(about 1-4 of them being good)? opinions on that?
 
I played a game last night where my opponent playing ZPS got a heads on every single reversal he played thoroughly decimating my setup (and killing my SEL Tech for double prizes). I was starting to really get frustrated, and then I realized that when Catcher is officially released at the end of the month that all games will be like that from a ZPS player. So I asked for a rematch and went into the game with the mindset that I needed to be more thoughtful when playing down basics. This time I beat him 6 prizes to two. He still flipped heads on every reversal he played, but my deck (with no changes) was being played with a different mindset that knew I needed to bait knockouts from him. Catcher makes you think instead of just letting your deck run on autopilot. How does that ruin the game?
 
^Promoting fast decks like ZPS, being auto-pilot for the opponent, making Stage 2's less playable and restricting deckbuilding creativity are the reasons it ruins the game.

Also, there are other factors that could have played into the difference. For example, did he get Zekrom out on the same turn both games? Did he consistently get more Zekroms out? Who went first in each game?
 
Or it might have been like espeon200 said. I don't know how long espeon200 has been playing, but like those of us who played in formats with Gust of Wind or Double Gust, you really do learn to play around it.

I don't like Pokemon Catcher but the game seems to "need" a more or less generic fallback to disrupt an opponent's Bench, because when we lack it

a) players get sloppy in how they manage their Bench

b) tricks never meant to work, work

c) making them type specific doesn't work to well given how Pokemon does things

It will be much harder on Stage 2 Pokemon, but should it be so easy to build something on the Bench? I just grow tired of everyone acting like some divine perfection is being despoiled. Worse case scenario, we are just trading one form of imbalance for another.
 
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i think catcher will make the game better. it becomes more strategic. now you'll need to be mindful on what pokemon to place in your bench. you'll also need to have switch in your deck.
 
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