Pokémon TCG: Sword and Shield—Brilliant Stars

Is the current format the worst ever?

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This format, like last, ranges with each set release.

Last year, the format was at its prime during cities (pre-next destinies). The EXs definitely broke the format and changed everything.

As far as this format goes, Boundaries Crossed has really help diversify the format. I'm really liking the format right now. Skyla, Ace Specs, and the new EXs opened doors to many decks and added some more decks along the way while adding some thinking to the format.

Am I saying this format is great? No, but it's fine for now. I'm just hoping they hold the poison/sleep trainer until our May set.
 
I just started playing this game after not playing it since the Haymaker days and this game is not THAT terrible. I agree that Mewtwo EX and Pokemon Catcher are broken to some extent, but its not as bad as YGO at least, the games still last a decent amount. At least in Pokemon your guaranteed to see these cards gone once they cycle out and the top decks consistently change. In YGO you have stupid **** going away 3 years after it should have went away and some things have not left now for formats. A ban list isnt really needed when the cards all get banned after a certain period.

I notice theres been Power Creep but its just a change in numbers at best. Certain cards are just not being made up to par is what the main issue is. I do like the EXs, it makes the game kinda of slow and fast at the same time. I'm just glad that theres not too many cards that dont require costs like with that Gyrados deck a few formats ago did.
 
I would love reasoning for the title of the thread. HS-NXD and HS-DEX were MUCH worse formats because
a) Playing those formats costed a fortune
b) In HS-NXD most of the time a game was a Mewtwo war and in HS-DEX it was who got their Darkrais out fastest.
 
Ziggmiceter said:
I would love reasoning for the title of the thread. HS-NXD and HS-DEX were MUCH worse formats because
a) Playing those formats costed a fortune
b) In HS-NXD most of the time a game was a Mewtwo war and in HS-DEX it was who got their Darkrais out fastest.
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If you read the original poster's various responses, I think it is pretty clear he just wanted to start an argument for laughs e.g. "was trolling".
 
Oh yeah, and just to be clear, I never said HS-NXD and HS-DEX were bad formats. I liked them, actually.
@Otaku just re-read that post, it sounds like people's response to:
HS-NXD
HS-DEX
BW-DRX
BW-BRC
GET OVER IT. THE STRONGEST EXS ARE IN TINS ALREADY(besides Keldeo, which will be in a tin, and Landorus) YOU'VE BEEN COMPLAINING ABOUT EXS FOR ALMOST A YEAR.
I hope that got to him/others complaining about recent formats.
 
The cost of cards in a format should be treated as a seperate issue.

It's a legit thing for people to have an opinion on, but it doesn't really affect how good the format is to play in.
 
Oh, it does affect how good a format is to play in, but I agree it should be treated as a separate issue; the same as if distribution were "messed up" but the intended format was quite well balanced once you had enough cards.
 
Otaku said:
Oh, it does affect how good a format is to play in, but I agree it should be treated as a separate issue; the same as if distribution were "messed up" but the intended format was quite well balanced once you had enough cards.
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Like I said. Even in the best format that we've ever had, there were still complaints. The undisputed best card in format was an Uncommon Trainer that was harder to come by than a given Pokemon-ex due to a different distribution system than today. Back then, there were 9 card packs. 5 Common, 2 Uncommon, a Reverse, and a Rare. That Rare I believe was replaced by a Holo in 1 out of 3 packs on average, and there were between 2 and 3 Pokemon-ex or Pokemon-Star in any given box that replaced the Holo spot in the set. I remember doing the math on Transceiver odds, and I think it was easier to pull a Flareon ex than it was to pull a Transceiver.

Point is that rarity does affect a format. Even the best format can garner complaints if the best cards are too difficult or too expensive to obtain.
 
bullados said:
I remember doing the math on Transceiver odds, and I think it was easier to pull a Flareon ex than it was to pull a Transceiver.
Point is that rarity does affect a format. Even the best format can garner complaints if the best cards are too difficult or too expensive to obtain.
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So apart from the odds on certain cards, is it widely agreed that the latter half of the original ex series was an excellent format? I thought it was :thumb:

As for this one being he worst format ever? Well, the original Base set format was pretty bad... nothing much but Basic Haymaker decks and powerful Trainers but you can kinda excuse them as it was the first format, lessons needed to be learnt by the designers.
As for the current format, they seem to be recreating the feel of that original format... for some reason, though the Basic Pokemon power imbalance is even worse now! Gust wasn't reprinted for years because it was widely agreed it was broken but good old B&W series brought it back with Catcher... for some reason.

I think if they were to recreate the feel of an old format (especially with reintroducing the EX mechanic) the one they should have based it on was the latter half of the original ex series.
 
One of the best.

Keldeo/Blastise
Darkrai/Hydreigon
Rayquaza/Eelektrik
Big Basic Varients

Then you have things like Empoleon/Dusknoir.
 
jeffrey123 said:
One of the best.

Keldeo/Blastise
Darkrai/Hydreigon
Rayquaza/Eelektrik
Big Basic Varients

Then you have things like Empoleon/Dusknoir.
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Playing the devil's advocate here, but I think many people would say this format is one of the worst because Keldeo/Blastoise, Darkrai/Hydreigon, and Rayquaza/Eelektrik in a sense ARE "big basic variants." All of those decks are comprised of Stage 1 and 2 Pokemon that mostly serve as a supportive role for those Basic EXs. Hydreigon and Blastoise can attack on occasion, but they are mostly used for manipulating and accelerating energy. This seems to be the big trend with the Pokemon TCG since BW... the most popular evolutions played all help out with big HP Basics.

Now, if that's your definition of a bad format — that the game's at its worst when Basic Pokemon run the show — then you're right, the format is lame. But there's a pretty distinct difference between the format now and the SP-led format from a couple of years ago.

I'm personally not thrilled with the fact that Basic Pokemon are as central to the game as they currently are, but I'll take this format over most of the others any day.
 
TRAINER HEZ said:
As for this one being he worst format ever? Well, the original Base set format was pretty bad... nothing much but Basic Haymaker decks and powerful Trainers but you can kinda excuse them as it was the first format, lessons needed to be learnt by the designers.
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Rain Dance was also really popular in Base-only, since there was no good way for Haymaker to deal with Gyrados once it set up (until Scyther, that is).

Those two decks were pretty much the entire format, though. (although I remember Chansey and Electrode popping up occasionally)
 
The only really broken card IMO is Mewtwo EX. It seems like too many decks can abuse this card, fit it in with ease, be able to dish out obscure amounts of damage with it and combo it with things like Pokemon Catcher to end games easier. Mewtwo EX isnt type exclusive, its only weak to itself, any deck that can manipulate energies can run him which is essentially almost every competitive deck. Even with the counters out there, with a solid 170 HP, 2 energies for a 40+ minimum attack, combos with Pokemon Catcher to exploit your opponent's energy stacked bench pokemon, I just think he's a bit overpowered.

Mewtwo EX is deal able, but I am sure nobody is going to be too annoyed when he's cycled out. Catcher is semi-broken, but I think the main force with the card is Mewtwo EX. Dragging out Pokemon that can help Mewtwo deal more damage is why its too easy to kill off your opponents stuff.
 
I like Pokemon catcher. I barely started playing so I would imagine the format without catcher would be random starter and full Terrakion bench with only one energy. Now THAT would be worst format ever.
 
I've been playing for over 10 years now, and maybe it's just me, but this is the first format where I'm actively trying to avoid going to tournaments to play.
 
I think that this format isn't the worse but to the guy who said this was the best format since bw was introduced I would say look at last year's CC's where like ARGUBABLY the two BDIFs both relied on stage 2's, MagEels and Chandy/Vileplume/Dodrio, and the stage two's did more than just set on the bench and setup fat basics. I think this is the best format since M2 Ex was released(but even then I did Nats format more enjoyable b/c there was at least a presence of stage 2's that did more than just boost a big fat ex) but i think since M2 Ex this game has just been about big ex which i don't like.
 
CFOURCOLTSFAN said:
but i think since M2 Ex this game has just been about big ex which i don't like.
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It's not just since Mewtwo EX that things went downhill, it was the start of B+W as a whole that really ruined one of the core concepts of the game by introducing Basics that are easily as good as (or better) than many Stage 2s with things like Zekrom. I agree though that the EXs only made this problem worse. That Grimer guy said it's now the best it's been since B+W came out which I do agree with, but that's just the difference between bad and dreadful >_>

I've played this game on and off since Base, leaving for various reasons (going to uni, other games) but eventually coming back. This is the first time I've left the game because I straight up don't enjoy playing Modified anymore and find the set design appalling.
Well look, it got so bad that our game store came up with a new format to play just because we couldn't stand it anymore but still love to play Pokemon, so I've got those dam EXs to thank for the Unlimited 150 format >_<
 
Naw... it wasn't BW imo. Last year's Cities was a very healthy format, I personally liked it a lot. Sure sometimes you may be looking at a T2 Bolt Strike from Zekrom but there were so many checks and balances in that format so something like Donphan or Terrakion had no problem coming back for a revenge KO. Things weren't bad 'til States/Regionals (which, for the record, I still prefer this format) when decks had to start figuring out what to do against CMT's T1 Mewtwos and Tornaduses (Tornadi?). The answer basically narrowed the field down to CMT, Eels, and Durant.
 
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