Help Interesting dilemma for me. I have no interest in the new set. Do I NEED to buy cards from it?

S

Seastrome

Aspiring Trainer
Member
Seems like only the Malamar/Ultra Necrosma, and Buzzwole support are the only stuff meaningful from the set but I have zero interest in ever playing with those decks. So should I buy the new set like a booster box? And will it hurt if I don't? Honestly, it's pretty bad if you are forced to play either of the aforementioned decks to be successful. I used to buy booster boxes each time a set came out but now it's just like: why bother if i don't see myself playing with the cards from the new set?

I feel like Dusk Mane, Bulu, and Zoroark/Decidueye are in fine spots in the meta going forward so I plan to just keep playing/winning with them. But i'm on the fence regarding whether i have to buy the new set or not.
 
Your question seems a bit... confused. Buying singles of whatever you need from a set is always an option, and if you don't think you need anything, you can sit it out.

Edit: I was also confused. >_< I was thinking of cards from Champion Road. If it has been struckthrough, it was based on this confusion.

I'll also caution you about your evaluation of this set. Malamar is the kind of card that might work with multiple decks, if not immediately then over the course of its Standard Format life. I don't think I'm 100% certain about any card, but there are a lot of "strong maybes". For example, I think the evidence is more in favor of Magcargo at least becoming a useful trick for certain decks (including Zoroark-GX variants) than not. I would be certain if Magcargo was a Basic (that it would become a staple) or a Stage 2 (that it might never work).

My final bit of advice is that the cards of which I hear the most? Seem to be in the medium tier rarities. I mean, that isn't entirely a surprise as the highest rarities are (thankfully) reserved for specialty printings (like regular Full Arts, Rainbow Rares and Secret Rares). I still haven't carefully gone through the set myself - I've read through the aforementioned translations, but I haven't jotted down initial impressions - but I don't recall seeing anything that was "Zoroark-GX" caliber, let alone Tapu Lele-GX. If you don't want to get a box, I'm betting singles will be as or more cost-effective.
 
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Otaku said:
Your question seems a bit... confused. Buying singles of whatever you need from a set is always an option, and if you don't think you need anything, you can sit it out.

I'll also caution you about your evaluation of this set. Malamar is the kind of card that might work with multiple decks, if not immediately then over the course of its Standard Format life. I don't think I'm 100% certain about any card, but there are a lot of "strong maybes". For example, I think the evidence is more in favor of Magcargo at least becoming a useful trick for certain decks (including Zoroark-GX variants) than not. I would be certain if Magcargo was a Basic (that it would become a staple) or a Stage 2 (that it might never work).

My final bit of advice is that the cards of which I hear the most? Seem to be in the medium tier rarities. I mean, that isn't entirely a surprise as the highest rarities are (thankfully) reserved for specialty printings (like regular Full Arts, Rainbow Rares and Secret Rares). I still haven't carefully gone through the set myself - I've read through the aforementioned translations, but I haven't jotted down initial impressions - but I don't recall seeing anything that was "Zoroark-GX" caliber, let alone Tapu Lele-GX. If you don't want to get a box, I'm betting singles will be as or more cost-effective.
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It just feels like a format where you have to play these cards or not do well. And I disagree heavily. But I wanted other opinions on if sitting out a set is worth it or not. Then again, i never get to go to many events so online play is all i have.
 
Seastrome said:
It just feels like a format where you have to play these cards or not do well. And I disagree heavily. But I wanted other opinions on if sitting out a set is worth it or not. Then again, i never get to go to many events so online play is all i have.
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That's all competitive TCG metas ever. There are just a bunch of specific cards that better then the rest and not using them keeps you from doing well competitively (cause you're just playing at a disadvantage at that point)

IF you only play online why would you buy IRL cards anyway?
 
Hmm...

^ If you don't want Fighting support OR Malamar, maybe Greninja-GX and some kind of snipe-and-move-counters deck complete w/ the possibility of Tapu Lele psychic non-GX(the promo one), although finding that pokemon now w/o worry of having to wait until TPCi is ready to pull it out of the closet and allow sales of its associated product: its pin collection box. TPCi was expected by the web to pull such box from the closet yesterday, but for some reason, the product is STILL listed as delayed on web. Either they're lazy, forgot to update their product gallery while the post office failed to deliver it to stores(and maybe it's delivery to stores is due tonight for a Monday release at Wal-Mart or even another specific retailer, while other chains are barred from releasing it until FOL's street date, when its sales could be overshadowed by FOL product sales, meaning the pins will not sell as much), or another delay will pop up on Monday to who-knows-when, or if Gen 8 is coming this year, maybe it's possible the box is going out the localization window by cancellation of the outside-Japan product, crippling the snipe-and-move-counters idea in the process...

^ Or, if you dislike Greninja's Golisopod(First Impression for 120 before Weakness application) weakness, how about the new Alolan Marowak, in case you have an absence of Energy from hand and discard: a situation that means you can't power up Dusk Mane, as all the energy's in your deck rather than your hand, which Alolan Marowak's Limbo Limbo can address? Plus, Steel Frying Pan can help Dusk Mane(Ultra Prism)--or even alt-type Steel-type Dialga-GX(Forbidden Light) in terms of ensuring the attachee's survival vs. Fire type decks w/o Field Blowers to hasten their discard...

^ That's all the other selling points of this set, unless you count the new lightning Magnetic Circuit Magnezone that ensures that the main energizer of the Raichu-GX metadeck won't go away after rotation, as without a Lightning energy Deluge, Raichu GX, while not due to rotate this fall, Raichu-GX will miss the absence of the possibility of infinite Lightning energy attachments... Still not sold? There's always next set, but what if the MalaMew metadeck that comes from this set owns you in the meantime to make you regret your possible decision not to buy Forbidden Light packs?
 
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Seastrome said:
It just feels like a format where you have to play these cards or not do well. And I disagree heavily. But I wanted other opinions on if sitting out a set is worth it or not. Then again, i never get to go to many events so online play is all i have.
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As @CrownAxe stated, that is the unfortunate reality of most TCG's. There's a somewhat circular relationship between what is actually good and what people play; an intended balance fails to materialize, even though the components are there. Sometimes, folks just like certain Pokémon and/or cards, or dislike them, and it skews how they are played. Proven success also matters, as what worked most recently is likely to be what a lot of us take to tournaments (cardpool permitting).

You do seem to be oversimplifying just a bit with the exact current metagame. I mean, if you're predicting that is the post-Forbidden Light metagame, okay. Even if it is, I have a feeling it'll be a few weeks before all serious players give up on the new stuff, as just running something less familiar to your opponents can give you a competitive edge. Note: As I messed up earlier, I wished to clarify that I do believe Seastrome is oversimplifying, taking into account my own errors.
 
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Each year things were bit more fun to get into once the new format had been announced after the World Championship. Around the time between States and Regionals though the meta started taking shape, and it wasn't easy to have fun with all the cards you wanted to play with. It wouldn't be so bad if some of those cards weren't so difficult to get in some way or another. Meta years ago always boiled down into the same 4 or 5 decks, then whoever won the finals was more a matter of total draw chance than anything else.

If you're just going to play competitively, with that blood lust crowd of players who wear Choice Bands around their necks and snort shredded Tapu Lele GXs off their champion playmats, than you probably aren't going to have fun for too long. That's why leagues can really be fun. You can meet people who want to try different things.

There are still winners and losers, but you get a lot more liberty to enjoy the game. The Play! program has taken Pokemon off the rails of regular game play and has tried to turn it into a spectator eSport, which is certainly a reason why expanded format even exists since it offers more 'OOoooo' moments for observers. They won't take any steps back or apply the brakes though since they attract thousands of players to a regional event.

You've just gotta find a way to make your own fun with the cards you have.
 
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Quick Note: When I mess up, I really mess up. I just realized that I allowed Championship Road and Forbidden Light to "mix" in my mind. I've edited my earlier posts accordingly. Almost depressingly, it doesn't make much of a difference. Where it does though is
  • Magcargo ain't happening yet. XP
  • The metagame is less uncertain than I claimed, though still not what Seastrome predicted.
  • Skipping this set and focusing on singles really seems like the way to go.
My apologies. I do try to give good advice, but here I have failed.
 
I agree this set is kind of meh, but Mysterious treasure(s) are worth picking up, beast ring also looks good and the Diance prism. Personally, I only really want Naganadel but I'm not going to sweat getting it anytime soon.
 
I decided i'm not buying anything from the set or any products at all anymore. My reasoning is just I never get to play in person so it seems i'd just be wasting money. I think I am only going to play online and perhaps sell my competitive stuff that I don't wish to collect. I don't have any friends that play nor does my work schedule ever allow for me to attend events. So my cards just sit around and it's depressing.
 
Seastrome said:
I decided i'm not buying anything from the set or any products at all anymore. My reasoning is just I never get to play in person so it seems i'd just be wasting money. I think I am only going to play online and perhaps sell my competitive stuff that I don't wish to collect. I don't have any friends that play nor does my work schedule ever allow for me to attend events. So my cards just sit around and it's depressing.
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Huh, didn't realize that was an option.

I no longer play the physical TCG, but stick to the PTCGO. You might make an exception and still buy certain product if you can make use of it in an extremely casual manner. For example, had I the funds, I'd have treated myself to the Battle Arena decks and the World Championship decks to give my nephews a taste of the Pokémon TCG without diving all the way in.
 
I feel like this set is a bit lackluster as well. Has anyone ever done a cost/benefit analysis of buying a box vs just singles? I know the results would vary based on set like Guardians Rising for example but the longer I play the more it feels like buying boxes are never cheaper than singles.
 
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