Ancient Origins [8/15, aka Bandit Ring]

FINALLY! The artwork on both of these looks incredible! It's trying so hard to be fierce, but it just ends up looking like a cute little fuzz ball. I can't wait to see the full art versions of these.
 
>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.

i don't understand why in the world would people even think about playing vileplume when it item locks yourself too?

you can use items yourself...thats bad...not goood.....explain the thinking behind why even bother with vilueplume
 
Indeed, why doesn't it have an Ancient Trait like the other 2? I thought it was going to have Theta Max... Well, maybe that trait is indeed exclusive to the shiny M-Rayquaza...
Auto-paralyze is always a good thing... The cost for regular Ampharos-EX's 2nd attack is too heavy though...
 
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.
You could use AZ, it's not the best card to play in the world but it beats the alternative.
 
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

Yeah, rough seas would be great with it. But Enhanced Hammer might cause some trouble with Flash Energy and DCE.
 
Ahhh! It's so cute! Very viable too. Definitely good for me since I've started up an electric deck recently. The cost is pretty high but I feel there's enough going on for Electric-types to cover. Seismitoad may still be kicking around and preventing Mega Turbo - but with LTC gone soon and rotation coming soon as well - Seismitoad won't be as big of a threat anymore.
 
I would like to point out that the translation for the malamar promo's ability in English is perverse
just thought someone would like to know
 
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.

quote on the ampharos portion as well, imagine mega amphy w/ protection cube. '.'
 
Woo, my favorite mega is finally revealed!

So lets start with Ampharos EX:

Artwork: (insert comment of how I hate Yoshinob and his design choices are asinine)... SYKE! There are few Pokemon that Yoshinob has and can portray pretty well and I believe Ampharos EX here is one of them. The serious look with ts tiny marble eyes while not hiding the fact that Ampharos has stumpy arms and a big smooth head makes Ampharos look adorable and fierce. Yoshinob making Tyranitar EX look adorable and fierce didn't make sense, but for Ampharos it just works. Credit to where credit is due, eventually Yoshinob needed to hit the nail on the head (I do also like Yoshinob's Mew EX, as another example of one that works). The lightning is a cool touch as is the rainbow streaks (on second thought, is that a scanning problem and not actually on the card? M Ampharos EX has it too but worse) 8/10

Card text: So attacks like Thunder Rod have never really worked out too well for Pokemon. Chance acceleration that means if you plan on using this attack, you better hope that you run enough energies to make it worth while. And then we have Ampharos EX's second attack, Sparkling Tail, a more expensive variant of Steel Bullet from Cobalion EX for the damage damage. I understand that the reason its more expensive is to urge players to take advantage of Thunder Rod, but that makes the Pokemon more of a 1-2-punch which is a tad bit slow in comparison to the PUNCH! Pokemon we have already. 6/10

Overall 7/10, I really like it, and hopefully more Electric type support comes out from the future to help this sheep out. Eelektrik in expanded comes to mind.

Now for the AmPHABULOUS mega:

Artwork: Oh M-Ampharos is so majestic. The lightning effects and the fierce (but all still adorable) look of Ampharos with the long flowing mane and one of the coolest attack names in existence (barring of course Tailspin Piledriver on Skarmory EX) makes this card a must have for my collection. While 5ban Graphics failed to make M-Tyranitar EX look menacing and a true "destroyer king", 5ban hits the nail on the head with M-Ampharos in terms of fierce, yet adorable regalness. 8/10

Card text: So I'm assuming that the paralysis effect only occurs if you choose to do the extra damage and damage yourself in the process. When Articuno EX was throwing out consistent Paralysis (as long as a plasma energy was attached) no one really batted an eye due to the high cost, and otherwise low playability of Articuno EX. M-Ampharos EX suffers from an equally high cost but on a much more playable Pokemon overall. Mega Turbo acceleration is there for the Regal Sheep who would otherwise have to rely on M-Manectric EX or Togekiss which both have there own problems with space and overall deck clunkiness. This card is strong, but I feel unable to carry a deck on its own, but too clunky to be seen in other decks that are faster and cheaper. Until we know what else is coming with Bandit Ring, I can't say for sure that this card is just a niche dream of players that will die before it starts. 7/10

Overall: 7.5/10. I need both of them, I will make it work regardless.
 
@Mortal_Zachary @whirlpoolm51 Do you guys even read the news stories? The Emboar/Togekiss deck comes out one month later, on the same day as the legendary mini set, not on the same day as Bandit Ring. It's not tied with it. Period.

It do say the 20th June on the tcg calender on the front page, so that is probably where they got the info from. Also Ancient Origins comes out in August, so just because the decks come out a month after (July) doesn't mean that it won't be in Ancient Origins.
 
Oh god I'm going to get killed by the fanboys but honestly I hate the artwork for ampharos ex. I mean unless there is something I don't see all it is is the head of it. It's just as bad as the tyranitar ex artwork and I hope they make a full art because if I use this card I won't be able to stand the artwork. But I do like the mega artwork it looks pretty good. On to other things is there going to be a spirit link because if not this card will be like mega venusaur ex because that did a good amount of damage poisoned and paralyzed the Pokemon but since you had to loose a turn to evolve it and it took 4 energy to attack with it it saw little to no play (although it might with the new stadium) even with virizion which prevented status effect and helped with energy acceleration. So personally I don't think Mega ampharos will see a ton of play although it will see a good amount I think machamp ex with ariados and mega tyranitar will see more play since they can easily ohko megas which the meta seems to be shifting to with more playable megas coming to the foreground and toad likely seeing a decline since ltc is banned and virbank and laser will rotate out.
 
The artworks look fine and all that but I really want to see the Ampharos Full Art.

Wish the set would leak already.
 
The Japanese side decks are always implemented into the English release. The other Charizard-EX, Dialga-EX/Aegislash-EX, Dragon Rayquaza-EX...

It do say the 20th June on the tcg calender on the front page, so that is probably where they got the info from. Also Ancient Origins comes out in August, so just because the decks come out a month after (July) doesn't mean that it won't be in Ancient Origins.

*facepalm* Seriously, this is getting annoying... Did you even read my last post? This is the last time I'm posting this...
1. The Emboar/Togekiss deck is not tied with Bandit Ring. It comes out on the same day as the Legendary mini-set, which is one month after Bandit Ring, so at most, you could say the deck is tied with the mini-set, but I've never seen that before...
2. All the EXs in Ancient Origins are the same as the ones in Bandit Ring, 11, confirmed through the official set info and they have all been revealed. No space for Emboar or Togekiss EX. So, for the last time: No, they won't be in Ancient Origins!
3. These kind of decks are indeed incorporated in English sets, that doesn't mean it will be in Ancient Origins as, once again, it is not tied with Bandit Ring unlike the Mega Charizard, Aegislash and Mega Rayquaza decks which were tied and released on the same day as their respective Japanese sets. If it follows the trend of other standalone deck-kits like this one, it will be released in the set after Ancient Origins. However, I do admit the possibility of SOME cards being in Ancient Origins, although I think it's unlikely, but what is sure is that Emboar-EX and Togekiss-EX are not included in that remote possibility.
4. Yes, the calendar on the front page is wrong, WPM should correct that, but if you guys visit the set page, the correct date of release is stated.

So, are we understood? No more annoying, misinformed and devoid of logic replies? Good.
 
*facepalm* Seriously, this is getting annoying... Did you even read my last post? This is the last time I'm posting this...
2. All the EXs in Ancient Origins are the same as the ones in Bandit Ring, 11, confirmed through the official set info and they have all been revealed. No space for Emboar or Togekiss EX. So, for the last time: No, they won't be in Ancient Origins!

I wasn't aware of that fact, sorry to have bothered you so much.

Responding to the actual news, I think Amphy and M-Amphy looks adorable, and though I prefer M-Amphy I still think that Eske did a great job!
 
i don't understand why in the world would people even think about playing vileplume when it item locks yourself too?

you can use items yourself...thats bad...not goood.....explain the thinking behind why even bother with vilueplume

1) Historically this is how always on effects that prevent play of an important category of cards has worked. As a long time player the one-sided locks seem odd.

2) Another card with a similar effect proved quite successful not too long ago; specifically during the HGSS-block (the one right before the BW sets began).

3) You build your own deck; you just run as few Items as you can to maximize your advantage.

4) You aren't committed to using a single, low damage attack.

So... yeah you come across as both condescending and as a bit of a wuss when you phrase your otherwise legitimate questions in such a manner. ;) Vileplume may indeed not prove worthwhile, but among the players really thinking of using it (not just using it to use it but putting some thought into it), we are already considering ways so make it into functionally a one-sided lock as well (thankfully requiring more effort than Seismitoad-EX).
 
I've found the sell sheet, which was a bit out of the way, guess they will have to be part of something else then. Probably another set, unless they save them for boxes but with shiny Rayquaza and Tyrantrum coming up it'd be a while.
 
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