Mr.Muffin said:
This is also one of the best format in recent years. It is diverse, balance, and doesn't have 1 deck that is a definite best. I wouldn't say this is my favorite format because I haven't been that active because of school, and Hearthstone has happened, but this is definitely great. Every set a new contender comes in to the ring, and that is what I love about this game.
I'd agree with you If it weren't for the simple fact that Pokémon-EX's have been ruining the game since the release of BW: Next Destinies. Isn't the Pokémon Trading Card Game supposed to be about the aspect of
evolution instead of
de-evolution like what we have now? Having a single creature become more powerful over time isn't something that other major TCG/CCG's currently have. Buying time, building up energy, doing quick attacks, playing Trainer cards, all of that, to get your amazing Swampert or Pidgeot out and doing heavy attacks creates
excitement. They're cool. They're big. They don't put up with sass.
During the first introduction of the new Pokémon-EX, they drastically changed the competitive scene. We got Mewtwo-EX in the first wave, which is arguably the best Pokémon-EX ever printed. Competitive decks revolved around this one single card. Obviously, powerful decks will consist of powerful cards, but it created a slight disparity, being that this card was so good, that it's best counter was itself. Since Mewtwo-EX could also be played in every single deck, it was nonsense if you entered a tournament without Mewtwo-EX.
Now, even throughout the lifespan of the BW era, things were still a mix of Evolutions and EX's. A powerful deck consisting of Empoleon, Milktank, and Dusknoir even made it to the World Championships. Since then, however, even utility Stage 2 Pokémon have simply vanished from competitve play. Why? Because EX's are just better. They're Basic Pokémon, can be played instantly, you can start with them, have high HP, and potentially heavy attacks and/or disruption.
Even Stage 1 Pokémon are generally used for utility purposes only, like Phantom Forces's Bronzong and XY's Aromatisse. An influx of Pyroar usage was seen, because it was a consistent way of stopping EX Pokémon from dominating everything, along with "Safeguarders", like Suicune and Sigilyph. Even so, EX's were given tools to nullify even these Pokémon, like Genesect's Red Signal, and the Supporter Lysandre.
With all of these tools for EX's, Stage 2's are virtually unplayable. Every set of Pokémon releases some neat, and sometimes unique, Pokémon that have a lot of potential. Examples are XY Greninja, Delphox, Primal Clash's Swampert, Rhyperior, and many others, but will most likely fail to see play, because even with Rare Candy, it's just not enough. Granted, every card set needs cards that shine to a broad range of people, like casual players, collectors, and just even having filler cards is needed, to help keep things fresh, and adding value to rarer cards. However, we are reaching the point to where if you are not running mostly EX Pokémon in your deck, you're losing.
This is not meant to come off as looking into the nostalgic days of Rain Dance Blastoise, or Fire Spin Charizard. This is more to highlight a problem that can cause stagnation to a unique aspect of this card game that made it unique to all others. If I wanted to just slap down big creatures and win games, I'd rather play Yu-Gi-Oh!. If you want diverse and balanced formats in the Pokémon TCG look no further than DP-On, MD-On, and HGSS-On. The problem with BCR-On is that it provides little to no Stage 2 support with lots of Stage 2 hate cards. Level Ball and Tropical Beach were essential to Stage 2 decks last format which were both rotated out with no replacements for them and there's no problem with keeping Pokémon-EX as long as support for evolutions comes back.
