Ancient Origins [8/15, aka Bandit Ring]

As long as the EX's and Full Arts look good, and some are interesting/competitive/fun, I'm happy. Giritina looks great so far.
 
Hmm I know this card will get negativity but looking at the current meta game a paralysis will disrupt quite a few decks and easily deal with ray decks... Only problem as usual is the 4 energy cost which is nasty on any pokemon.
 
IT LOOKS AMAZING!!!!! OH MY GOD. I'm so hype right now, look at the artwork on those cards! So much justice for this Pokemon.
 
I think this card will make some decent impact.
It got a good starting attack, which can support it well.
Thanks to the new electric energy, you got no problem with weaknesses either.

The mega is okay too!
Paralysis is maybe the strongest condition in the game (besides poison).
30 damage is nothing big either.
 
Good to see the sets shifting towards playable megas. All 3 in bandit ring can actually function in decks.
XY-on meta will be mega focused for sure
 
Awwww, I really do like the arts for these cards. Ampharos, Mega and regular, both look like their trying so hard to be angry but only succeed in looking extra-cute. x3
 
LKJHGFDSA.... The artwork on Mega Ampharos... My faith in regular EX artword has been restored... I mean, look at it! It's perfect! The posing, the shading, the colors... IDK what you all guys say, this is the best artwork so far.
The attack... Urgh... Why it has to be like this? 4 energy cost, 170 damage, paralysis, 30 recoil... I mean, it isn't terrible, but... It could make for some interesting decks though... It biggest problem is the energy cost, since it lacks the energy acceleration... Maybe MegaMan, or Togekiss Line... Also: Why you no ancient trait? (Not like you're not going to play it until it rotates out.)
The regular Amphy... Yoshinob screws up the artwork like he always does... And the text... Okay, the first attack could be decent, but there are really low chances of finding the energy amongst the top four cards... The second attack is a bit below average.. 100 for four, not hitting for weakness? Sure, it hits safeguarders and Pyroar, but the first rotates out before the release, and second one is pretty much dead. Also, there are much more better cards that have similiar attacks/abilities.
 
Glad to see that one of my favourite Pokemon is actually playable. The attack cost is pretty huge, but you can always run it with Togekiss or something. And that Mega art is Gorgeous.
 
I have my doubts about being able to power the thing quickly enough...

- Toad will never die which means Mega Turbo will never live.
- M Manectric EX would be the obvious partner, but 2 different Megas in a deck doesn't strike me as very consistent.
- Had M Ampharos EX been Dragon type, DDE+DCE would've helped things a bit.
- Thunder Road is laughable with only 4 cards to draw energy from. You need 15 [L] in your deck to get 1 on average.
 
omg too broken someone ban m ampharos 170 dmg and para who cares if it takes 30 to itself just let the seas heal it
 
hmmm, idk why people are complaining about the consistency of this card: I mean, of course it needs to have a high attack cost -- it desperately needs to be balanced, otherwise we would get a new seismitoad on the format -- and nobody wants that, right? =/ And I will discuss how that can be:

First, from the comments that I read, I don't really see much problem with Ampharos:

1. Safeguard and Ampharos' second attack: of course safeguard pokémon are rotating out, but beautifly has a similar ability to safeguarders and its ability can't be shut off by silent lab =P Besides, we still don't know everything about the other cards that will be available, like that Giratina EX that probably has an ability that prevents damage from something (EX's? basics? mons with tools? maybe megas... who knows?). I can't see this EX being played exclusively for the effect of the second attack, but at least it is there (for instance, I don't remember any attack that ignores effects coming from any lightning mon at the current format =/).

2. Toad: Toad is currently being shut off one card at a time: first with LTC's ban, then a bunch of annoying stuff rotating out in a few months (virbank and lasers), and the addition of so many new grass type cards, and support for them. In other words, I think it wouldn't hurt to put one or two megaturbos in an Ampharos deck =P

3. And, btw, remember that 4 energy cost for an attack that has 2 colorless on it is not too much to ask: you can power it up faster using DCE, on the worst case =P

And, for the discussion I promised, I would say I believe this card is kind of OP: imagine combining it with vileplume! I mean you can shut off item cards and get your opponent's active pokemon paralyzed, which means it CANNOT retreat (at least I can't remember any card that is not an item that allows you to switch the active mon -- remember that keldeo is rotating as well). Of course your opponent can use something like AZ to scoop up the active mon, but that will obligate your opponent to discard any energies and tools attached to his/her active mon, and also burn his/her supporter for the turn with AZ =P Decks that focus on donphan (oops, rotating out soon =P) and Gengar EX could try to prevent this lock, but there is a maximum number of AZ's and robo subs (and remember that vileplume blocks it too) that can be played since LTC will soon be banned =( -- and, (surprise, surprise) Gengar is only one lysander away since 170 gets rid of it in one hit =O

Now, combine MAmpharos with rough seas, and realize that you have a 220 pokemon that kills or paralyzes your opponent's active every turn, and can heal the damage for free at the beginning of your next turn; a vileplume on your bench could prevent your opponent to switch his/her active mon, and basically the only way to break this lock would be lysandering out the vileplume, which you would have to do very early before being crashed by this unforgivable mega =3

Oh, and for those that don't believe vileplume is viable, look again at that stadium that basically gives Caterpie's ability to every grass type in the game (and will come with this set).

PS: Also, that new special energy for lighting types removes M Ampharos weaknesses, remember? #FearThatFabulousHair XD
 
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I will share my point of view:

1. Emboar EX and Togekiss EX, WON'T BE in "Bandit Ring" because they are in a japanese theme deck, but they HAVE TO BE in our "Ancient Origins" because Pokémon won't never do a English EX deck, even the EX says "If you plays that Pokémon you lose". It's not a crazy idea just see "Hyper Metal Chain Deck" "Mega Charizard Battle Deck"...

2. MegaAmpharos EX y sooooo heavy: 170 and Paralysis for "only" 4 Energy, yes ONLY because in your first turn you can do Ampharos EX attack and attach at least 1 Energy to it and then in your next turn Mega, MegaTurbo, Double Colorless. And with Vileplume, no Switch soooo Party Hard!. And about 30 damage itself: Rough Seas ;)

3. About Giratina EX, i believe that nobody think that its atwork would be like this. Because i think somebody believes that will be like HA covering its own Ability ^^'. It will be like this but like all the EXs, leaving a little, but not all Giratina xD. And its attack...ufff...Giratina/Vileplume will be a big headache.
 
Cristianno Martins said:
hmmm, idk why people are complaining about the consistency of this card: I mean, of course it needs to have a high attack cost -- it desperately needs to be balanced, otherwise we would get a new seismitoad on the format -- and nobody wants that, right? =/ And I will discuss how that can be:

First, from the comments that I read, I don't really see much problem with Ampharos:

1. Safeguard and Ampharos' second attack: of course safeguard pokémon are rotating out, but beautifly has a similar ability to safeguarders and its ability can't be shut off by silent lab =P Besides, we still don't know everything about the other cards that will be available, like that Giratina EX that probably has an ability that prevents damage from something (EX's? basics? mons with tools? maybe megas... who knows?). I can't see this EX being played exclusively for the effect of the second attack, but at least it is there (for instance, I don't remember any attack that ignores effects coming from any lightning mon at the current format =/).

2. Toad: Toad is currently being shut off one card at a time: first with LTC's ban, then a bunch of annoying stuff rotating out in a few months (virbank and lasers), and the addition of so many new grass type cards, and support for them. In other words, I think it wouldn't hurt to put one or two megaturbos in an Ampharos deck =P

3. And, btw, remember that 4 energy cost for an attack that has 2 colorless on it is not too much to ask: you can power it up faster using DCE, on the worst case =P

And, for the discussion I promised, I would say I believe this card is kind of OP: imagine combining it with vileplume! I mean you can shut off item cards and get your opponent's active pokemon paralyzed, which means it CANNOT retreat (at least I can't remember any card that is not an item that allows you to switch the active mon -- remember that keldeo is rotating as well). Of course your opponent can use something like AZ to scoop up the active mon, but that will obligate your opponent to discard any energies and tools attached to his/her active mon, and also burn his/her supporter for the turn with AZ =P Decks that focus on donphan (oops, rotating out soon =P) and Gengar EX could try to prevent this lock, but there is a maximum number of AZ's and robo subs (and remember that vileplume blocks it too) that can be played since LTC will soon be banned =( -- and, (surprise, surprise) Gengar is only one lysander away since 170 gets rid of it in one hit =O

Now, combine MAmpharos with rough seas, and realize that you have a 220 pokemon that kills or paralyzes your opponent's active every turn, and can heal the damage for free at the beginning of your next turn; a vileplume on your bench could prevent your opponent to switch his/her active mon, and basically the only way to break this lock would be lysandering out the vileplume, which you would have to do very early before being crashed by this unforgivable mega =3

Oh, and for those that don't believe vileplume is viable, look again at that stadium that basically gives Caterpie's ability to every grass type in the game (and will come with this set).

PS: Also, that new special energy for lighting types removes M Ampharos weaknesses, remember? #FearThatFabulousHair XD
Click to expand...
>Why can't I hold all these smileyfaces?

You'll have to evolve and power up M Ampharos before evolving Vileplume. Trevenant might still have merit here. Either way we might see more Wobuffet.
 
I feel like this card can see some play. Set up 1/2 M Amphy then evolve into the new Vileplume that locks Items. The opponent has little to no options to get out of it with the predicted XY-On format, losing Keldeo + Float Stone and Virizion EX. Could be deadly but M Amphy does take 4 energies.
 
Basic Ampharos-EX isn't that bad, but that's all I can really say about it. It can attach to itself, it does 100 for 4, but that's a pretty average thing. At least Safeguard piercing is nice to take care of the massive amounts of Beautifly/Plant Forest decks that might pop up.

Mega Ampharos-EX has great artwork, and a really great attack as well. Doing 170 for 4 and Paralyzing is defenitely worth the drawback of doing damage to yourself since you can just swap off your Spirit Link with Tool Retriever and then toss on Protection Cube. 220HP is also pretty decent to wall for about 1/2 turns.
My one big concern is Energy acceleration for it. Thunder Rod is pretty limited if you aren't playing more than 12 Energy in your deck, so you'll only be getting around 1 or 2 Energy at a time from it. Mega Manectric-EX seems like the obvious partner, but 2 Megas in the same deck is MUCH more clunky than you would think - not to mention that Mega Manectric-EX has better partners out there like Yveltal-EX. I personally think that Togekiss ROS could work since it can usually grab 2 to 3 Energy upon use, and even more Energy than that if you decide to run a more turbulent version of it that plays around 14 to 16 Energy.
As a final verdict, I would defenitely call Mega Ampharos-EX a good card, but without any AAA acceleration specifically for it, the best use for it will probably end up being with Eelektrik NVI in Expanded.

EDIT / Just remembered that Mega Turbo is a thing. Huzzah!
 
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I think that's why someone mentioned it was too bad that M. Ampharos wasn't a dragon type. Then Double Dragon energy could be used on it. Hopefully in the near future.
 
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