Ancient Origins [8/15, aka Bandit Ring]

I hope Gardevoir doesn't get an AT card, since I hope that the space between Gardevoir and Giratina Ex is reserved for Dragon type M AMPHAROS and dragon type M SCEPTILE.
 
I hope Gardevoir doesn't get an AT card, since I hope that the space between Gardevoir and Giratina Ex is reserved for Dragon type M AMPHAROS and dragon type M SCEPTILE.
Hate to tell ya but all these ex's that are in the set have been revealed already except for the the 3 shiny ex's , but we don't know if those are part of the actual set or secret rares. Theres only 11 so dragon megas aren't happening.
The picture of gardevoirs art on the side of the bandit ring booster box does resemble ancient trait artwork also so it possibly will get an AT.
plus that would mean there would be 5 megas in this set which is unheard of hahaha
 
Hate to tell ya but all these ex's that are in the set have been revealed already except for the the 3 shiny ex's , but we don't know if those are part of the actual set or secret rares. Theres only 11 so dragon megas aren't happening.
The picture of gardevoirs art on the side of the bandit ring booster box does resemble ancient trait artwork also so it possibly will get an AT.
plus that would mean there would be 5 megas in this set which is unheard of hahaha

I know you're right, but I hoped that both mega's would be counted as one. Haha. However, I hate that they made another EX card of Kyurem, Lugia and Giratina. Although, these prints are more beautiful. MACHAMP wouldn't be my first choice of a regular Pokemon to be printed as an ex. Anyway..... Still like the set! Can't wait for the full arts and other cards.
 
I know you're right, but I hoped that both mega's would be counted as one. Haha. However, I hate that they made another EX card of Kyurem, Lugia and Giratina. Although, these prints are more beautiful. MACHAMP wouldn't be my first choice of a regular Pokemon to be printed as an ex. Anyway.... Still like the set! Can't wait for the full arts and other cards.
Hahahah if i were to pick one more mega out of those 2 to be in our english set i would have to pick dragin mega Ampharos because that would be awesome!!
Im okay with lugia and giratina because i want a non plasma lugia full art and the giratina is a different forme so his full art will be sick!! But yea , kyurem was a dissapointment after how many times hes been printed.
I have a feeling these full arts are going to be epic!! mega Ampharos full art is going to look incredible
 
Hahahah if i were to pick one more mega out of those 2 to be in our english set i would have to pick dragin mega Ampharos because that would be awesome!!
Im okay with lugia and giratina because i want a non plasma lugia full art and the giratina is a different forme so his full art will be sick!! But yea , kyurem was a dissapointment after how many times hes been printed.
I have a feeling these full arts are going to be epic!! mega Ampharos full art is going to look incredible

I agree. AMPHAROS is my favorite! Hope the FA's look better than those in Roaring Skies!
 
Artwork: Wow, match has done a fantastic job of bringing Kirlia to life in this artwork. (Some other of match's highlights are HA Dustox (PRC) and the new Virizion in this set). I do have to wonder where Kirlia is (and no its not Krypton, if anything its the Forretress of Solitude). 9/10

Card text: Boring, stepping stone for Gardevoir. Unimpressed/10

Overall: Beautiful card, shame that it will probably be replaced with Rare Candies.
 
we sure she isn't praying to lord helix?
Nah man, she's praying to Talos like a proper Nord lol

Overall: Beautiful card, shame that it will probably be replaced with Rare Candies.
10000% Agreed. Also, I'm pretty new to the lore and stuff in the newer sets after coming back from a 13 yr hiatus, but the surroundings put me in mind of the entire Plasma Freeze set. Was that setting in the Plasma Freeze cards the same as the Forretress of Solitude?
 
Oh I didn't know that. I didn't know they did pre-prints.
Yeah, "pre-print" might be a better term (I wrote "pre-reprint" lol)... For example, a still-japanese-exclusive promo of Tyrunt, which is a reprint of the one in Rising Fist, was released before Rising Fist, therefore, a pre-print like you said. The promo Ralts is the same case... Currently, when a new batch of Gym pack promos (which these cards I mentioned belong to) come out in Japan, they are combination of new cards, reprints from the set that was just released and "pre-prints" of cards from the following set that is yet to be released.
 
Unrelated to Kirlia, but I am loving these daily card updates from Japan Pokemon twitter, I am getting super excited to check the front page news every morning in anticipation. I think they need to do this for all new sets from now on.
 
You know... I'm just saying....

Nah, you're just "hyping". ;)

It is to be expected with new cards, I just like to push people into doing a better job of it. I want to foster critical thinking to go with creativity - I don't want everyone to always be "Ah, new card. Totally gets pwned by ______." but I find it tedious to see all the "This is so broken!" when if you stop and think, even if it is a good card it usually isn't. In this case

(Disclaimer: I haven't read any other comments about deck ideas)

Yeah, thanks for being honest about it. Lots of people are also hyping Ampharos-EX/M Ampharos-EX but it has been rebutted a few times as well (including by me).

GUYS! M Ampharos IS Broken! (in a way). Just think about this:

-NO weakness with special energy.
-100% Paralysis pair's up with item lock... Hmmm now I need to find a card that can be set up in 1 turn and provide item lock... Ooops I forgot about vileplume >.<

Once this guy's set up with vileplume he's unstoppable! Always cards of this "kind" were... The only thing needed is mega turbo(s) and it CAN be powered up in turn 1...

Good thing you added in "(in a way)" because yeah, like so many other massive Theorymon combos, it is unstoppable until you consider not only the difficulty in getting all the cards you require into play (especially on your first turn) but all the counters/techniques to deal with it that are already available, sometimes even run in competitive decks already. Let me count the ways:

  • Knock Outs - If you KO something, it is no longer Paralyzed. Paralysis requires using the effect that causes the attack to hit harder.
  • Self Damage - Can be dealt with, but if it isn't it can be quite dangerous.
  • Fighting Weakness - You can try to counter it with the new Flash Energy, but it is a Special Energy. You can't use Mega Turbo to attach it so that means you're burning a manual Energy attachment on that and not - for example - Double Colorless Energy. The game makes it easier to discard Special Energy and harder to search and recycle it. Even after rotation, Fighting Weakness should at worst slip to the middle of ranks for how dangerous a particular Weakness ends up being.
  • Item Lock Combo - Blocks your own Items as well while trying to build a strategy likely heavily dependent upon... Items. Can be done, but it ain't easy.
  • Ability Lock - Also important to add in, but doing so can't be done first turn alongside the Item lock - you either drop Giant Plant Forest first turn or Silent Lab. Probably the former. Without Basic Ability lock, your opponent will have access to potential tricks to wreck your strategy, like sending up a Wobbuffet (PHF) to turn Items back on. In Expanded, will will definitely still have Keldeo-EX.
After all of this, you then start getting into stuff that is less often played but could become a staple if M Ampharos-EX did achieve sufficient success, like an AZ.
 
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Ampharos's biggest enemy will be Groubuffet with a couple of Enhanced Hammers teched in.

I still can't decide on just where Groubuffet falls in the post rotation-AOR meta. We need to see how powerful M Sceptile is in practice to see if he has a place.
 
The game makes it easier to discard Special Energy and harder to search and recycle it.

What ways are there to recycle special energies?

I know abilities like Manaphy's and Teammates can search them out but I thought once they were out they were out. Actually I suppose Milotic's ability can bring them back.
 
What ways are there to recycle special energies?

I wish Pokepedia.net was up to date; that is what I used to use to easily answer such questions. =P Still a decent starting place, then I guess just check recent releases. One bandied about recently is the Ancient Trait Bunnelby from XY: Primal Clash; it can return any card from your discard pile to your deck, but it is with an attack.
 
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