Preliminary Grades (Divisions 5-8)

[DreamChaser AJ]

In your case, what if your opponent is also playing Palkia? Then it's just a race to the first Heads on Transback... I'd rather risk the lone Basic being prized than put the game completely on luck. Likewise, I don't think you can assume that your Pokemon will never be OHKO'd. As long as PlusPower and Poke Blower are in the format (not to mention Claw/Skull Fossil), your single Pokemon is in danger. It's not like these decks didn't have space; you have only one Pokemon!

As for the Energy drop problem, I think your deck would actually benefit from playing Fossils. With Fossils + Energy Switch/Link, you could pull off back-to-back Transbacks, something your deck cannot do without a couple Energy Pickup flips. It takes up space, but, again, you have plenty to work with.

Back-to-back Transbacks wouldn't be that great. I'd rather KO a fossil than send one back into the deck. And what's the point of sending in a lone basic if they have fossils on the bench? This is when I go for a 2HKO. 40 and 40 is 80, plus four plus powers is up to 120 .

As my list shows, mine tries to get the transback before the opposing palkia. (mirror situation). Energy pick-up is the best form of energy accleration in the format. I have dawn stadium and pokehealer+ to deal with the small damage from claw/skull fossils (or 2 pokehealer+ for complete renewal). 90 damage in one turn is highly unlikely in this format (with DP Pokemon).

Carnivine was a great selection as a counter to palkia, and for that choice, I cannot argue. I think Palkia was the overall better choice, but Carnivine is the best palkia counter.
Just as Mewtwo LvX >AMU > most everything else.

 

[Pooka]

I was saying, what if someone plays the same list (or at least same build) as you? Then it's just a race to see who can get luckier. With Fossils, the game can go beyond the initial Transback race.

90 damage may be unlikely, but who's to say you won't run into an Electabuzz with Lake Boundary and PlusPower or something? Plus, you can't heal off the 10 you take from attacking a Claw Fossil since it immediately goes to your opponent's turn. I don't think you can just rule out a OHKO. Then, the Energy Switch/Link can come into play after your first Palkia gets KO'd. You may be OHKO'd once, but it's probably not happening a second time.

 

[Rainbowgym]

I was saying, what if someone plays the same list (or at least same build) as you? Then it's just a race to see who can get luckier. With Fossils, the game can go beyond the initial Transback race.

90 damage may be unlikely, but who's to say you won't run into an Electabuzz with Lake Boundary and PlusPower or something? Plus, you can't heal off the 10 you take from attacking a Claw Fossil since it immediately goes to your opponent's turn. I don't think you can just rule out a OHKO. Then, the Energy Switch/Link can come into play after your first Palkia gets KO'd. You may be OHKO'd once, but it's probably not happening a second time.

That was also the reason I did not go for a lone basic concept in my "metagame" (DP)
While it might seem there are not to much Pokemon to choose from, I found several challenging ones.
Dialga and Palkia would be the most obvious ones, followed by Heracross.
But I made also a list for Electabuzz (yes Pooka with LB and PP).
Sneasel with Special Dark and PP, even Manaphy with lots of fossils was an option.

 

[Brady1]

Wow, I nearly had a heartattack after reading the posts and thinking there were 3 palkia decks. lol. Whens rounds 1-4 getting posted?

 

[Rainbowgym]

Very good possible there will be more Palkia decks, because division 4 (GE) also has Palkia transback in their "metagame" along with Dialga, Latios and Latias.
But also Darkrai and Seviper are interesting cards in GE.(from my point of view)
In pod 4 I would say fossils are also a requirement.

 

[Brady1]

Depends on card selection. Of course, GE also had the best waller in the "format", skarmory.

 

[yellowlob]

heh, looking back, yeah prolly shouldve added more stuff to search/recover... o wells. i had fun =]
gg PT. and gl ^^

 

[Cyrus]

Well, it looks like nobody wants to challenge my grades on these! You have until tomorrow to agree/disagree with the ruling in a written form, or else the matches are guaranteed to end this way.

Divisions 1-4 should be up as soon as I'm done with homework...Meaning tomorrow, hehehe.

 

[Cyrus]

That's it! All decisions are final for divisions 5-8:

Pidgeotto Trainer, Andceo, Rainbowgym, and Pooka...Congratulations! You have all just WON your divisions!