News 20th Anniversary Set in September + Surfing Pikachu and M Slowbro-EX!

[Otaku]

At 4 minutes and 25 seconds into the french leak video we see Base set Electabuzz! The one used in Haymaker decks!
Now I can 100% confirm from the french card that this Electabuzz is an identical reprint to the original base set one in every single way (HP and retreat is the same too) except for its new resistance to metal.

first attack: Thundershock. 10 damage. flip a coin if heads, the defending Pokemon is now paralysed.
Second attack: Thunder Punch: 30 + damage. Flip a coin if heads this attack does 10 more damage to the defending pokemon. If tails this attack does 10 damage to itself.

While this card was mighty powerful back in gen 1, its outclassed now by every other electric type Pokemon in the current format. such a shame

Wasn't that true the last time they reprinted the card?

Guess that question should actually be serious. The original Electabuzz card was re-released as a Secret Rare in the Platinum expansion (specifically card 128/127), which outside of Japan means February of 2009. I was busy with work at the time and so (despite my best efforts) almost totally out of touch with the TCG; where there any Electivire or Electivire LV.X decks of the time that used it?

 

[RiverShock]

Man I wish they hadn't given Electabuzz a resistance. Base 'buzz being legal would have been amazing. (Still disappointed they didn't give us ANY Base Set reprints, unless you want to count Pokedex, Maintenance, Switch and the energy cards.) I guess there's still a chance that Growlithe will be a direct reprint of the Base Set one, aside from 20 for (R)(C) being a little low by today's standards, its stats fit in well with the ~120 HP Arcanine probably has. Unfortunately Seel will probably illogically have a Metal weakness since the TCG seems to like treating it as if it's Ice-type.

 

[Skeleton Liar]

Hey! They don't ignore the other 720 Pokemon! I mean, there were ten Mewtwo ultra rares in Breakthrough and now we get two more in Evolutions.

They ignore the other 719.*

Hey! They don't ignore the other 719 Pokemon! There are also a million billion Pikachu cards, especially in Japan.

I think it's safe to say that they only ignore a mere 718 of the other Pokemon.

Edit:
Speaking of Pikachus--and this is total coincidence with me joking about there being a ton of Pikachu cards. Maybe one of the secret rares will be Flying Pikachu to go with Surfing Pikachu.

And now that I'm seeing what's included, guessing what's most likely included, and guessing what's most likely cut out, I find it completely baffling that the Venusaur line was ignored (and it possibly might happen to Blastoise). I mean, it's been this way for years (decades even?), only giving Charizard attention, but this is just wrong...
I don't know why this issue of Kadabra still exits. Pokemon has become a juggernaut now; I think they can take on Uri Geller if he so wanted to rumble. (Though, maybe that's just my mindset as a non-business/legal-educated westerner, as opposed to an eastern mindset working at the Pokemon Company.) But even then, why not still include Abra and Alakazam, and do what they did with Abra's last card in Mysterious Treasures and give it an attack (or Ability) that lets you evolve straight to Alakazam?
Also, if we're going to ignore evolution lines outside of Base set in order to only have Base set cards in this set, why is Mew included in the main set? Could have been a secret rare like Surfing Pikachu.
And I really do hope Misty gets a full art in this set. (And drawn by Kanako Eo!) I remember getting a glimpse of the full art Supporters from Japan's BREAKthrough sets on WPM's twitter on here as I refreshed the page. I was like, "WHAAAAAAAT?!!! Full art Misty?! =D" Then I found out it was Brigette. Still nice artwork, but a bit disappointing. Ha ha.

 

[Otaku]

Skipping full on quotes unless absolutely necessary since I missed so much discussion:

@PineDog
Clefairy Doll was infamous for being one of the worst Trainer cads of the early era so I kind of hope they skip it. Of course, if they don't make it a Rare and do make it "Pokémon Doll" instead (so that we can get multiple versions down the road), that would help a lot. Pray they do not re-release Energy Removal.

@Casty
Tool removing Items end up being overpowered (unless they add a stupid nerf like a coin flip or something), but a Supporter would be good. Professor's Oak's Hint is even worse than you think.

@Raigetsu
Raichu cards aren't spammed as badly as Pikachu, but they are spammed. XY 43/146 isn't gone (Generations27/83 and RC9/RC32), was a major player for a time and just might be again. Agree with much of what you've said otherwise.

Yeah, It could be either Jynx or Koffing. I'd prefer Jynx but since it suffers a bit from the same problem as Kadabra, they might

I know about Kadabra cards and Uri Geller, but what is this about Jynx? Her last new card was XY: Furious Fists 37/111, which was reprinted earlier this year as Generations 36/83.

@Purrloin
The Buzzap nerf annoys me as well. Hard to believe it though when we've got Enhanced Hammer; Energy Removal and Super Energy Removal are why Electrode was unable to save so many other older cards from being filler. Still some hope for it, I suppose.

Almost Night Spear is good enough and 130 with option force out is decent for three. I do wish it were two but what can you do.

I dub it "Nerf Spear". Good luck with it and that is almost exactly the right outlook. Short version; take what you can get, but make sure the powers-that-be know you won't settle forever.

Beedrill looks awesome. Definitely going to try a Speedrill with Max Elixir deck.

Yup... I mean unless Shaymin-EX (ROS) suddenly stops being so important, once you can get all four into play (its about Prized cards instead of speed thanks to Forest of Giant Plants) you can OHKO it. Seems like there ought to be something you can do to make it worthwhile the rest of the time.

@RiverShock

Please don't ask them for more filler. If they are going to take something like Professor Oak and "nerf" it by re-releasing it as a Supporter, that's cool. Taking Base Set Electabuzz and not even giving it Metal Resistance? Not cool; in fact it needed a bit more help.

 

[Manaphy98]

cool

 

[PineDog]

Skipping full on quotes unless absolutely necessary since I missed so much discussion:

@PineDog
Clefairy Doll was infamous for being one of the worst Trainer cads of the early era so I kind of hope they skip it. Of course, if they don't make it a Rare and do make it "Pokémon Doll" instead (so that we can get multiple versions down the road), that would help a lot. Pray they do not re-release Energy Removal.

@Casty
Tool removing Items end up being overpowered (unless they add a stupid nerf like a coin flip or something), but a Supporter would be good. Professor's Oak's Hint is even worse than you think.

@Raigetsu
Raichu cards aren't spammed as badly as Pikachu, but they are spammed. XY 43/146 isn't gone (Generations27/83 and RC9/RC32), was a major player for a time and just might be again. Agree with much of what you've said otherwise.



I know about Kadabra cards and Uri Geller, but what is this about Jynx? Her last new card was XY: Furious Fists 37/111, which was reprinted earlier this year as Generations 36/83.

@Purrloin
The Buzzap nerf annoys me as well. Hard to believe it though when we've got Enhanced Hammer; Energy Removal and Super Energy Removal are why Electrode was unable to save so many other older cards from being filler. Still some hope for it, I suppose.



I dub it "Nerf Spear". Good luck with it and that is almost exactly the right outlook. Short version; take what you can get, but make sure the powers-that-be know you won't settle forever.



Yup... I mean unless Shaymin-EX (ROS) suddenly stops being so important, once you can get all four into play (its about Prized cards instead of speed thanks to Forest of Giant Plants) you can OHKO it. Seems like there ought to be something you can do to make it worthwhile the rest of the time.

@RiverShock

Please don't ask them for more filler. If they are going to take something like Professor Oak and "nerf" it by re-releasing it as a Supporter, that's cool. Taking Base Set Electabuzz and not even giving it Metal Resistance? Not cool; in fact it needed a bit more help.

Literally the only reason I want Clefairy Doll is because it has great artwork, since TCPi has made it very clear that they don't care if cards are playable, as long as they'll set.

 

[Otaku]

So the new Oak card is just Tropical Beach? huh

No, it is Bianca + 1.

If you were joking, sorry.

 

[Gordon325]

Can't wait for my double colorless chicken nuggets

 

[RiverShock]

Skipping full on quotes unless absolutely necessary since I missed so much discussion:

@PineDog
Clefairy Doll was infamous for being one of the worst Trainer cads of the early era so I kind of hope they skip it. Of course, if they don't make it a Rare and do make it "Pokémon Doll" instead (so that we can get multiple versions down the road), that would help a lot. Pray they do not re-release Energy Removal.

@Casty
Tool removing Items end up being overpowered (unless they add a stupid nerf like a coin flip or something), but a Supporter would be good. Professor's Oak's Hint is even worse than you think.

@Raigetsu
Raichu cards aren't spammed as badly as Pikachu, but they are spammed. XY 43/146 isn't gone (Generations27/83 and RC9/RC32), was a major player for a time and just might be again. Agree with much of what you've said otherwise.



I know about Kadabra cards and Uri Geller, but what is this about Jynx? Her last new card was XY: Furious Fists 37/111, which was reprinted earlier this year as Generations 36/83.

@Purrloin
The Buzzap nerf annoys me as well. Hard to believe it though when we've got Enhanced Hammer; Energy Removal and Super Energy Removal are why Electrode was unable to save so many other older cards from being filler. Still some hope for it, I suppose.



I dub it "Nerf Spear". Good luck with it and that is almost exactly the right outlook. Short version; take what you can get, but make sure the powers-that-be know you won't settle forever.



Yup... I mean unless Shaymin-EX (ROS) suddenly stops being so important, once you can get all four into play (its about Prized cards instead of speed thanks to Forest of Giant Plants) you can OHKO it. Seems like there ought to be something you can do to make it worthwhile the rest of the time.

@RiverShock

Please don't ask them for more filler. If they are going to take something like Professor Oak and "nerf" it by re-releasing it as a Supporter, that's cool. Taking Base Set Electabuzz and not even giving it Metal Resistance? Not cool; in fact it needed a bit more help.

Electabuzz's resistance would have made almost no gameplay difference and lacking it would have allowed Base Set Electabuzz to be used as a neat throwback without sacrificing anything relevant. (They even kept its stats identical beyond that.) Oak wasn't really based on Professor Oak's card in anything but art and for the sake of including a card depicting him, similar to how they included Misty's Determination just to reuse old art, and considering they didn't improve 'buzz in any way beyond adding the Resistance, there really was no reason they couldn't have avoided giving it the resistance.

 

[superdan51]

Yeah, that would happen. I remember when the SR Rayquaza happened It jumped to like 100 bucks over night and made a huge impact at Cities I believed. Maybe thats not a good idea but I do support a SR Pidgeot EX. It means my deck can be even more gold.

I have another theory upon scoping out the list. Theres 2 slots for Mega Charizard, but because they have the same name, TCPi is just saying its one of 5. So in those two slots we get at #12 Mega Charizard Y like in flashfire, and then at slot #100 we get Mega Charizard X. I know youre gonna hate me for saying this, but what if the two SR slots are the two mega zards. Like that makes so much sense, instead of only reprinting one, they reprint both

on the other hand, generations got Charizard X, so we might just be getting Y. Which would suck because the X version from Flashfire was wayyyy better

 

[FullArtGardevoir]

Mega Pinsir may never be printed if im correct that GX will replace EX and MEGA and BREAK/TURBO*
Turbo is FRENCH
Also why have Nidoking BREAK without Nidoqueen BREAK also why did they not print Nidoqueen in Steam Seigie or this set finnaly anyone notice in fates collide a Marowak and no cubone?

One other thing they officaly stopped makeing the awesome secret rares cause Surrfer Pikachu dosent have even a littel texture...In other words it looks fake

Where are the pre evolutions at this point the first sun and moon set has to have
All pre evolutions from gen 1-7 and all new pokemon in gen 8 then do a Base set
or else it would look awkward for no new types and half of the brand new pokemon got pre evolutions cause pokemon is rolling in money for it *Sigh* im done

 

[Otaku]

Electabuzz's resistance would have made almost no gameplay difference and lacking it would have allowed Base Set Electabuzz to be used as a neat throwback without sacrificing anything relevant. (They even kept its stats identical beyond that.) Oak wasn't really based on Professor Oak's card in anything but art and for the sake of including a card depicting him, similar to how they included Misty's Determination just to reuse old art, and considering they didn't improve 'buzz in any way beyond adding the Resistance, there really was no reason they couldn't have avoided giving it the resistance.

Right... and I'm saying that was the wrong approach.

Especially with Oak. Given that the-powers-that-be are keeping Professor Sycamore legal, why not just release a Supporter named "Professor" that read "Discard your hand and draw seven cards." then issue an errata changing the names of Professor Sycamore and Professor Juniper to simply "Professor". This allows us to do away with the silly rule about being unable to run Professor Sycamore and Professor Juniper in the same deck... by turning them into the same card.

Plus we'd have the possibility of getting promo versions of other professor characters as alternate art releases.

 

[cardgjammer]

We prolly wont ever see Kadabra again in the TCG till that Uri Geller guy dies or realizes no-one even knows who he is.

^ Make that 70-100 years after his death, according to copyright laws...

Anyway, I'll be surprised if they announce a "dual-core computer search"... How about discarding three cards from hand, then drawing any two from deck, then shuffling deck? Teammates with no need to wait until your pokemon is KO'd by an attack to use it? And the discard three from hand balances the card so it's not too strong... Do you think that's an idea TPCi might look at in case of the whim to reprint computer search w/o having to deal with the ace spec print?

 

[Otaku]

@cardjammer

Isn't this something that would be under Japanese law anyway? The card's Japanese name seems to have been derived from Uri Gellers, not it's American English name. If we go by American laws, this is totally a nuisance lawsuit that should be instantly dismissed. Not saying it would be, just that it ought to be.

Is it acceptable to propose hypothetical cards here? No really; I'm not sure of the board rules on this point. ^^' If by "draw any two from deck" you mean "Search your deck for two cards..." yes that is horribly broken. Teammates is not just a Supporter, but one that you can only use when one of your Pokémon was KO'd during your opponent's last turn. Computer Search was most recently released as an Ace Spec. What you proposed is superior to the original Computer Search because it is like using two Computer Search at once except

• It is one card, not two (usually but not always a better thing)
• You have to discard one less card

Discard costs are not too painful in Pokémon, even outside of decks that can combo off of them.

 

[Eggrolls13]

Since a few other people gave their reviews of various cards in the set, I'll give my reviews.

All the Breaks: they all suck. They really suck. The closest one to not sucking is Ninetales because it basically has the old Rayquaza EX's Dragon Burst attack but only for Fire energy, but it's a stage two instead of a basic and has 30 less HP.
All the EXes: they also suck. Except Charizard. We've seen that to be meta relevant, but with the rotation of Blacksmith there's no reason to run it over Volcanion EX.
Gengar: it's apparently not in the set which is stupid but eh.
Blastoise: see Gengar.
Beedrill: it wouldn't suck if only stage 2's were playable. I can't even remember if Rare Candy is in format because literally nobody plays it or cares about it because it's that bad with item lock cancer being everywhere.
Starmie: works beautifully with Blastoise BCR as a better replacement for superior energy retrievals since it can be searched by Dive Ball, and its ability is a reprint of the old Magneton which saw some play. Too bad Blastoise ISN'T BLOODY LEGAL. They could reprint Blastoise BCR or make a similar Blastoise in this set but I doubt they will, because when has Pokémon ever done anything the players want?
Misty's Determination: the 2nd worst card in the set in my opinion. Absolutely terrible. Waste of a Supporter.
Professor Oak's Hint: the worst card in the entire set by far. I guess they were trying to reprint the effect of Tropical Beach (an amazing card), but Beach was good specifically because it was NOT a supporter, meaning you could use Beach and a supporter in the same turn. Professor Oak's Hint not only doesn't allow you to discard before drawing to let you draw more cards (but for some inexplicable reason Misty's makes you discard), but it's also a SUPPORTER that ENDS YOUR TURN. I could see an item with the same effect and the end-your-turn drawback being playable, or even a stadium (literally Tropical Beach) but a supporter that isn't even that good in the first place that also ends your turn and takes up your one supporter for the turn is absolute worthless trash.

Everything else in the set: literally every single card besides maybe Charizard EX, M Venusaur EX (I guess), Starmie, and Ninetales Break (and of course trainer reprints like switch) are unplayable trash and should be ignored by any competitive player.

 

[shujin51]

Are reprints even worth the money? Collection and value vise. I dont care about them being meta or not.

 

[Metalizard]

Man I wish they hadn't given Electabuzz a resistance. Base 'buzz being legal would have been amazing. (Still disappointed they didn't give us ANY Base Set reprints, unless you want to count Pokedex, Maintenance, Switch and the energy cards.) I guess there's still a chance that Growlithe will be a direct reprint of the Base Set one, aside from 20 for (R)(C) being a little low by today's standards, its stats fit in well with the ~120 HP Arcanine probably has. Unfortunately Seel will probably illogically have a Metal weakness since the TCG seems to like treating it as if it's Ice-type.

Actually, Weedle is a direct reprint, but is the only one so far. Everything about it is the same as the older card. Kinda surprised they didn't change anything (these are the same guys who removed Tackle from Magikarp just to make it a different card!).

I know about Kadabra cards and Uri Geller, but what is this about Jynx? Her last new card was XY: Furious Fists 37/111, which was reprinted earlier this year as Generations 36/83.

Black face controversy. While newer cards of Jynx have its recolored Purple face, the Base Set card has its old artwork with black face. Obviously, they can change that and recolor the artwork too but who knows how lazy they feel about it.

All the EXes: they also suck. Except Charizard. We've seen that to be meta relevant, but with the rotation of Blacksmith there's no reason to run it over Volcanion EX.

Well, you can use it with Volcanion.

Are reprints even worth the money? Collection and value vise. I dont care about them being meta or not.

Like I said before, to me, no. The original cards look better. But the Full Arts and such, yeah, definitely. Colletion wise, things like Mega Pidgeot and specially a Full Art Mega Charizard are worth a lot.

 

[PineDog]

Actually, Weedle is a direct reprint, but is the only one so far. Everything about it is the same as the older card. Kinda surprised they didn't change anything (these are the same guys who removed Tackle from Magikarp just to make it a different card!).



Black face controversy. While newer cards of Jynx have its recolored Purple face, the Base Set card has its old artwork with black face. Obviously, they can change that and recolor the artwork too but who knows how lazy they feel about it.


Well, you can use it with Volcanion.


Like I said before, to me, no. The original cards look better. But the Full Arts and such, yeah, definitely. Colletion wise, things like Mega Pidgeot and specially a Full Art Mega Charizard are worth a lot.

Actually, the English release of the card changed the artwork to purple, so it's already done.

 

[miyamoris]

The whole set looks underwhelming, but M Pidgeot and Starmie BREAK are particularly disappointing for me.

Beedrill and Ninetales BREAK might find some use in rogue decks - I'm particularly interested in trying speed Beedrill. Starmie might be a good tech. Mewtwo can maybe be useful in M Mewtwo decks (though I still think the damage change one is better) and I wonder if Dragonite-EX is playable in new M Gardevoir decks?

 

[crystal_pidgeot]

I have another theory upon scoping out the list. Theres 2 slots for Mega Charizard, but because they have the same name, TCPi is just saying its one of 5. So in those two slots we get at #12 Mega Charizard Y like in flashfire, and then at slot #100 we get Mega Charizard X. I know youre gonna hate me for saying this, but what if the two SR slots are the two mega zards. Like that makes so much sense, instead of only reprinting one, they reprint both

on the other hand, generations got Charizard X, so we might just be getting Y. Which would suck because the X version from Flashfire was wayyyy better

I expect the SRs to be Charizard. They could also make it a mega Mewtwo as well. I'm just hoping it isn't. This is Pidgeot first ultra rare card. Lets go nuts with it. If Mewtwo got 10 URs in a set, like this one Pokemon have just 2.