By convention, yes; we'd rather you stick to one category or the other, since we can't have all image-based entrants going into text as well or there would just be too many entries. Sorry for the inconvenience, but hope that makes sense. ^.^
Contest January 2020 CaC: Forgotten Pokémon (All Results Up!)
- Thread starter Jabberwock
- Start date
Well here's my submission for the contest! I was surprised to see Jellicent on the list so I rolled with it.
Jellicent - [P] Pokemon - 120 HP
Stage 1 - Frillish
NO. 593 Floating Pokemon 7'03" 297.6 lbs
Ability: Sailor’s Fate
Once during a game on your turn (before you attack), if this Pokemon is in your discard pile, you may put this Pokemon into the Lost Zone. If you do, put one of your opponent’s Benched Pokemon and all cards attached to it into the Lost Zone. You can only use one Sailor’s Fate per game.
[P]: Submerge
Discard this Pokemon and all cards attached to it. Switch 1 of your opponent’s Benched Pokemon with his or her Active Pokemon.
Weakness: [P]
Resistance: None
RC: [C][C]
Fishermen are terrified of Jellicent. It's rumored to drag them into the sea and steal their lives away.
Stage 1 - Frillish
NO. 593 Floating Pokemon 7'03" 297.6 lbs
Ability: Sailor’s Fate
Once during a game on your turn (before you attack), if this Pokemon is in your discard pile, you may put this Pokemon into the Lost Zone. If you do, put one of your opponent’s Benched Pokemon and all cards attached to it into the Lost Zone. You can only use one Sailor’s Fate per game.
[P]: Submerge
Discard this Pokemon and all cards attached to it. Switch 1 of your opponent’s Benched Pokemon with his or her Active Pokemon.
Weakness: [P]
Resistance: None
RC: [C][C]
Fishermen are terrified of Jellicent. It's rumored to drag them into the sea and steal their lives away.
Let's *break* the ice for image-based, shall we? 
So technically I've made 3 cards for this contest. But the official entry is the TT EX BREAK card.
This is a GIF that changes every 20 seconds so you can read!
If you can't see it try with this link.
This is a GIF that changes every 20 seconds so you can read!
If you can't see it try with this link.
- Ok, so I wanted to make a card that featured two Pokémon (TAG TEAM) and could use previous attacks/abilities (BREAK), but also have a powerful attack (EX/GX). I've heard there's some makers like @Nyan who have created GX BREAK or EX GX BREAK conceptually like @Nyora. But I have never heard of TT EX/GX BREAK so I hope it's not too big of a stretch.
- This introduced two spin on previous mechanics: EX attacks can be used twice but they might be less powerful than GX attacks and/or have more requirements (energy, evolution, etc.)
- I've spent all day yesterday modifying my base blank. (I should've been studying instead lol)
- I've used some assets from CardPone's blanks: namely, the TAG TEAM logo/rule, the BREAK logo/rule, the EX golden logo and the BREAK background pattern. Thank you!
- The idea of this card is to use your hand against you. Especially if you have a strategy that depends heavily on Items/Energies.
- It's only been 3 weeks since Christmas so hopefully this is still relevant
Scar Change from Incineroar-GX (Team Up TEU 188)
Ascension DA from Eevee-GX (Sun & Moon Promos SM233)
Super Growth from Rowlet & Alolan Exeggutor-GX (Unified Minds UNM 237)
Scatter from Wishiwashi (Cosmic Eclipse CEC 240)
Iron Rule GX from Cobalion-GX (Team Up TEU 189)
Poltergeist and Horror House GX from Gengar & Mimikyu-GX (Team Up TEU 165)
Solar Plant GX from Venusaur & Snivy-GX (Sun & Moon Promos SM229)
Ascension DA from Eevee-GX (Sun & Moon Promos SM233)
Super Growth from Rowlet & Alolan Exeggutor-GX (Unified Minds UNM 237)
Scatter from Wishiwashi (Cosmic Eclipse CEC 240)
Iron Rule GX from Cobalion-GX (Team Up TEU 189)
Poltergeist and Horror House GX from Gengar & Mimikyu-GX (Team Up TEU 165)
Solar Plant GX from Venusaur & Snivy-GX (Sun & Moon Promos SM229)
If I were to make a LV.X, should I include what you are putting it on to? Also, how do you make spoilers?
You may include the pre-Leveled Up form for context if you wish, and in many cases this can be a good idea, but you'll only be judged on one card (barring LEGENDs and such). If you're submitting other cards for context, make sure to specify which one you want to be judged.
For a spoiler, you can go up to the bar at the top of the reply box, find the icon that looks like a text post (between the film reel and the save icon), and it'll give you a drop-down that includes spoilers. Alternatively, just use the code [xspoiler='Name of spoiler']text[/spoiler], with the x removed.
Here goes nothing
This Ledian GX is inspired by one of @Nyora 's many Ledian fakes.The GX attack opens up lots of opportunities to use the heavier attacks of other cards, my brother even pointing out to me that it would wreak havoc in a Mewmew deck. However, this is balanced for the 2010-2011 Standard format, like all Omnium cards, so it won't ever get that opportunity (unless playing expanded). Ledian's ability allows for a little bit more search power, perhaps allowing the player to search for the Pokemon they wish to attack with the following turn! Ledian GX's low retreat cost means that it can be retreated easily, allowing for a chaining of attacks and effects after its GX Move has been used. Hope you all enjoy! Ooh, also, I am working on Gimp so I apologize in advance for things like stroking, which is not a fun feature in Gimp
This Ledian GX is inspired by one of @Nyora 's many Ledian fakes.The GX attack opens up lots of opportunities to use the heavier attacks of other cards, my brother even pointing out to me that it would wreak havoc in a Mewmew deck. However, this is balanced for the 2010-2011 Standard format, like all Omnium cards, so it won't ever get that opportunity (unless playing expanded). Ledian's ability allows for a little bit more search power, perhaps allowing the player to search for the Pokemon they wish to attack with the following turn! Ledian GX's low retreat cost means that it can be retreated easily, allowing for a chaining of attacks and effects after its GX Move has been used. Hope you all enjoy! Ooh, also, I am working on Gimp so I apologize in advance for things like stroking, which is not a fun feature in Gimp
Sorry, couldn't get the spoilers to work
4.5 days remaining to submit your entries!
Woop!
I really like Froslass, and it was the first Pokemon I thought of when I saw the category. When I discovered it was eligible, I immediately made this render. I let it sit for a while though, and I only today did I get to actually making the card. I think it came out pretty well though, I was mostly struggling with coming up with the effects, and some visual stuff.
On wording, something Pone brought up was the whole "face-up" and "face down" thing. Pone's card is also gonna have some type of effect that flips stuff, and so he said this would be included in his card notes (he gave me permission to put this):
"There is no instance of "face-up" with the hyphen in any official text that I can find, but from the times "face-down" is used versus when "face down" is used, I've determined that a hyphen is in there whenever it's referring to Prize cards as part of the same term (i.e. "face-down Prize cards") whereas, when it is describing the cards in any other way, the hyphen is absent (e.g. "Add a card you find there to their Prize cards face down."). If you're a grammar nerd, the hyphen is there when "face-down" is a prepositive adjective (or what's called a "noun phrase") and the hyphen is absent when it's a postpositive adjective. References: Gallade SW 6 https://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Gallade_(Secret_Wonders_6), Xurkitree GX UPR 142 https://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Xurkitree-GX_(SM_Promo_68), Gladion CIN 95 https://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Gladion_(Crimson_Invasion_95), Town Map BCR 136 https://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Town_Map_(Boundaries_Crossed_136), etc."
So that explains the attack.
Other than that...
Ability: Giant Hearth (CEC 263) "Once during each player’s turn..."
GX Attack: Typhlosion (LOT 42) "end of your turn"
On wording, something Pone brought up was the whole "face-up" and "face down" thing. Pone's card is also gonna have some type of effect that flips stuff, and so he said this would be included in his card notes (he gave me permission to put this):
"There is no instance of "face-up" with the hyphen in any official text that I can find, but from the times "face-down" is used versus when "face down" is used, I've determined that a hyphen is in there whenever it's referring to Prize cards as part of the same term (i.e. "face-down Prize cards") whereas, when it is describing the cards in any other way, the hyphen is absent (e.g. "Add a card you find there to their Prize cards face down."). If you're a grammar nerd, the hyphen is there when "face-down" is a prepositive adjective (or what's called a "noun phrase") and the hyphen is absent when it's a postpositive adjective. References: Gallade SW 6 https://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Gallade_(Secret_Wonders_6), Xurkitree GX UPR 142 https://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Xurkitree-GX_(SM_Promo_68), Gladion CIN 95 https://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Gladion_(Crimson_Invasion_95), Town Map BCR 136 https://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Town_Map_(Boundaries_Crossed_136), etc."
So that explains the attack.
Other than that...
Ability: Giant Hearth (CEC 263) "Once during each player’s turn..."
GX Attack: Typhlosion (LOT 42) "end of your turn"
Jellicent HP 130 Psychic
Stage 1 - Evolves from Frillish
NO. 598 Floating Pokémon HT: 7’03” WT: 297.6 lbs.
/Ability/ ~ Undead Evolution
Once during your turn, if this Pokémon is in your hand, you may reveal it. If you do, put a Supporter card from your discard pile onto your Bench as if it were a 60 HP [P] Basic Pokemon that can’t Retreat. At any time during your turn, you may discard that card from play. Then, you may put this Pokémon onto that Pokémon to evolve it. If you do not, discard this Pokémon. You can’t use this Ability during your first turn.
[C][C] Sea of Memories 40
Use the effect of a Supporter card under this Pokémon as the effect of this attack.
The crown on its head gets bigger and bigger as it absorbs more and more of the life-force of other creatures.
Weakness: Darkness x2
Resistance: Fighting -30
Retreat: 3
Stage 1 - Evolves from Frillish
NO. 598 Floating Pokémon HT: 7’03” WT: 297.6 lbs.
/Ability/ ~ Undead Evolution
Once during your turn, if this Pokémon is in your hand, you may reveal it. If you do, put a Supporter card from your discard pile onto your Bench as if it were a 60 HP [P] Basic Pokemon that can’t Retreat. At any time during your turn, you may discard that card from play. Then, you may put this Pokémon onto that Pokémon to evolve it. If you do not, discard this Pokémon. You can’t use this Ability during your first turn.
[C][C] Sea of Memories 40
Use the effect of a Supporter card under this Pokémon as the effect of this attack.
The crown on its head gets bigger and bigger as it absorbs more and more of the life-force of other creatures.
Weakness: Darkness x2
Resistance: Fighting -30
Retreat: 3
Hope I didn’t miss too much. I was originally gonna do some sort of Ability where it can evolve from a Frillish in the discard pile, but that came out to not be as interesting as I wanted it to be and was a little more wordier than this too. I feel like this has the potential to be very powerful, but not too much. An “infinite” amount of 1 Supporter could be real good, but seeing as how it ends your turn, I’m not 100% sold on it yet.
This card is intended to go with the original Moist Boi -- this Poliwrath-GX I made for the CaC Tournament a while ago:
Hopefully if/when I make these into image fakes they'll be balanced enough to make it into lackey >.<
Poliwrath-GX [F] HP240
Stage 2 – Evolves from Poliwhirl
Ability: Swift Swim
If this Pokémon has any [W] Energy attached to it, it may attack twice a turn. (If the first attack Knocks Out your opponent’s Active Pokémon, you may attack again after your opponent chooses a new Active Pokémon.)
[F] Spiral Throw 40
Your opponent switches their Active Pokémon with 1 of their Benched Pokémon.
[F][F] Amphibian-GX 110
Search your deck for up to 3 [W] Energy cards and attach them to your Pokémon in any way you like. Then, shuffle your deck. (You can’t use more than 1 GX attack in a game.)
Pokémon-GX rule: When your Pokémon-GX is Knocked Out, your opponent takes 2 Prize cards.
Weakness: [P] x2
Resistance: N/A
Retreat: [C][C][C]
Stage 2 – Evolves from Poliwhirl
Ability: Swift Swim
If this Pokémon has any [W] Energy attached to it, it may attack twice a turn. (If the first attack Knocks Out your opponent’s Active Pokémon, you may attack again after your opponent chooses a new Active Pokémon.)
[F] Spiral Throw 40
Your opponent switches their Active Pokémon with 1 of their Benched Pokémon.
[F][F] Amphibian-GX 110
Search your deck for up to 3 [W] Energy cards and attach them to your Pokémon in any way you like. Then, shuffle your deck. (You can’t use more than 1 GX attack in a game.)
Pokémon-GX rule: When your Pokémon-GX is Knocked Out, your opponent takes 2 Prize cards.
Weakness: [P] x2
Resistance: N/A
Retreat: [C][C][C]
Politoed-GX [W] HP230
Stage 2 - Evolves from Poliwhirl
Ability: Victory Song
Once during your turn (before your attack) you may Knock Out this Pokémon. If you do, choose 1:
- During this turn, if your opponent’s Active Pokémon is Knocked Out by damage from an attack of your Basic [W] Pokémon, except Pokémon-GX or Pokémon-EX, take 1 more Prize card.
- During this turn, your Pokémon’s attacks do 40 more damage to your opponent’s Active Pokémon (before applying Weakness and Resistance).
[W][C] Croak-GX
For the rest of this game, if this Pokémon is Knocked Out, your opponent can’t take any Prize cards for it. (You can’t use more than 1 GX attack in a game.)
Weakness: [G] x2
Resistance:
Retreat: [C][C]
Pokémon-GX rule: When your Pokémon-GX is Knocked Out, your opponent takes 2 Prize cards.
Stage 2 - Evolves from Poliwhirl
Ability: Victory Song
Once during your turn (before your attack) you may Knock Out this Pokémon. If you do, choose 1:
- During this turn, if your opponent’s Active Pokémon is Knocked Out by damage from an attack of your Basic [W] Pokémon, except Pokémon-GX or Pokémon-EX, take 1 more Prize card.
- During this turn, your Pokémon’s attacks do 40 more damage to your opponent’s Active Pokémon (before applying Weakness and Resistance).
[W][C] Croak-GX
For the rest of this game, if this Pokémon is Knocked Out, your opponent can’t take any Prize cards for it. (You can’t use more than 1 GX attack in a game.)
Weakness: [G] x2
Resistance:
Retreat: [C][C]
Pokémon-GX rule: When your Pokémon-GX is Knocked Out, your opponent takes 2 Prize cards.
- Milotic (FLF) - “Once during your turn (before your attack) you may Knock Out this Pokémon. If you do,”
- Giovanni’s Scheme (BKT) – “Choose 1: - During this turn, your Pokémon’s attacks do [20] more damage to your opponent’s Active Pokémon (before applying Weakness and Resistance).
- Swellow (ROS) – “If your opponent’s Pokémon is Knocked Out by damage from an attack of [this] Pokémon, take 1 more Prize card.”
- Brooklet Hill (GRI) – “Basic [W] Pokémon”
- Electrode-GX (CES) – “, except Pokémon-GX or Pokémon-EX,” “Pokémon-GX rule: When your Pokémon-GX is Knocked Out, your opponent takes 2 Prize cards.”
- Arceus & Dialga & Palkia-GX (CEC) – “For the rest of this game,” “(You can’t use more than I GX attack in a game.)”
- Poipole (FLI) – “, if this Pokémon is Knocked Out, your opponent can’t take any Prize cards for it.”
- Giovanni’s Scheme (BKT) – “Choose 1: - During this turn, your Pokémon’s attacks do [20] more damage to your opponent’s Active Pokémon (before applying Weakness and Resistance).
- Swellow (ROS) – “If your opponent’s Pokémon is Knocked Out by damage from an attack of [this] Pokémon, take 1 more Prize card.”
- Brooklet Hill (GRI) – “Basic [W] Pokémon”
- Electrode-GX (CES) – “, except Pokémon-GX or Pokémon-EX,” “Pokémon-GX rule: When your Pokémon-GX is Knocked Out, your opponent takes 2 Prize cards.”
- Arceus & Dialga & Palkia-GX (CEC) – “For the rest of this game,” “(You can’t use more than I GX attack in a game.)”
- Poipole (FLI) – “, if this Pokémon is Knocked Out, your opponent can’t take any Prize cards for it.”
Also, I get that my entry is a bit simple this time around, but this is exactly what I had in mind for the card as soon as I saw Politoed in the Forgotten Pokemon spreadsheet. In hindsight, I suppose I could have just made this card for the sake of it and entered something else entirely (I do have a couple more Politoed ideas floating around) but I sort of wanted to enter this anyway. I'm not so much shooting for the stars and a top score or anything with this card, but I do hope my wording and balancing don't let me down too badly.
@Kavross and I are back once again with another collaboration! And man did he put that work into the artwork! I tried to go a little "off-brand" with the attacks this time around because it's really not easy to translate seasonal effects into a card game in a way that feels right and without being clunky, but more on that in the notes ahead. The important thing is that we're still on time!
If you like the blanks, check out my thread for them here! You will need Photoshop, and I recommend CS6.
Once again, I really gotta extend a super extra special thanks to @Kavross for offering to do the artwork! It looks fantastic!
Thanks so much to the judges and PokéBeach for making this possible! And to everyone else that entered, I wish you the best of luck!
If you like the blanks, check out my thread for them here! You will need Photoshop, and I recommend CS6.
Sawsbuck – Colorless/Grass – HP90
Stage 1 - Evolves from Deerling
This Pokémon is both [C][G] type.
Ability: Harvest Augur
Once during your turn (before your attack), you may turn 1 of your Prize cards face up. (That Prize card remains face up for the rest of the game.)
[G][C] Focus Fracas 30+
Shuffle as many of your face-up Prize cards as you like into your deck. This attack does 10 more damage for each Prize card you shuffled into your deck in this way. Then, for each Prize card you shuffled into your deck, add the top card of your deck to your Prize cards face down.
Weakness: Fire/Fighting +20
Resistance: Psychic -20
Retreat: [C][C]
#586 Season Pokémon HT: 6’ 3” WT: 203.9 lbs.
Black 2/White 2: They migrate according to seasons, so some people call Sawsbuck the harbingers of spring.
Illus. Kavross - ©2020 Pokémon/CardPone - CaC 05
Stage 1 - Evolves from Deerling
This Pokémon is both [C][G] type.
Ability: Harvest Augur
Once during your turn (before your attack), you may turn 1 of your Prize cards face up. (That Prize card remains face up for the rest of the game.)
[G][C] Focus Fracas 30+
Shuffle as many of your face-up Prize cards as you like into your deck. This attack does 10 more damage for each Prize card you shuffled into your deck in this way. Then, for each Prize card you shuffled into your deck, add the top card of your deck to your Prize cards face down.
Weakness: Fire/Fighting +20
Resistance: Psychic -20
Retreat: [C][C]
#586 Season Pokémon HT: 6’ 3” WT: 203.9 lbs.
Black 2/White 2: They migrate according to seasons, so some people call Sawsbuck the harbingers of spring.
Illus. Kavross - ©2020 Pokémon/CardPone - CaC 05
Straight from the get-go when this theme was announced, I knew which Pokémon I needed to do. Sawsbuck, who has only ever had 3 cards and up till Cosmic Eclipse had gone over 8 years without a card. It was the cherry on top to know that Kavross was up for it as well! We had a short discussion an almost went with a Galarian Form, but we were informed those didn't count for this round since they wouldn't have had an opportunity to get any cards yet anyway. Sawsbuck was inevitable.
Just like any other entry I make with the Omnium Template, I've got my trademark bulleted list of things to keep in mind:
The weakness and resistance are just a combination of the two types. Fire weakness from the Grass typing, Fighting weakness from the Colorless typing. The resistance hearkens back to the Classic era cards, which kept it in as a resistance because of Ghost type. I rather like it there, and it gives Colorless Pokémon just a tiny bit more identity and more or less makes up for their Fighting weakness. The retreat cost of 2 is standard for Sawsbuck cards and the 90HP is taken straight off of a Rapidash card in DPPt, so it should be right in the goldizone, too. The "Winter Form" is there because I thought it was a nice touch back in the day when cards used to tell you what form the Pokémon was in, if they had one. This is a non-intrusive way to bring that back to the TCG, and in some of my official sets I actually have cards for other Pokémon in the works that interact with specific forms.
Which brings us to the technical parts of the card. Harvest Augur was an idea I ended up on at the end of chasing a rabbit trail while trying to think of season-based effects. As I said above, I really couldn't and still can't think of anything I like that would be more related to seasons, so I just went where the rabbit trail led. Black & White 2 had Pokédex entries for them that called them "harbingers of spring". I reckon Autumn or harvest season isn't something they couldn't also be a "harbinger" of, so in this case they're forecasting the harvest by showing you what you might get when you harvest your rewards for beating up your opponent sufficiently: your prize cards. This is for a format where cards like Town Map and Here Comes Team Rocket don't exist, or else this wouldn't be that wild of an effect.
Focus Fracas is what really makes the Ability shine, though. Originally I meant for it to just flip the prize cards back over, but when I noticed that Gallade SW 6 already did something pretty close to that, I changed it up a little. In this instance, you can't just use the Ability to keep track of your prize cards (though you can choose to not shuffle a specific prize if you like it enough), but instead allows you to shuffle them back into your deck, which itself may be an advantage if you, for example, need a Prism Star card and have a search card in your hand. It has utility, and the power, assuming this card is on its own, is the same other cards in the era from what I can tell. Plus it's max power gets smaller and smaller as the game goes on. It has a lot of fun potential, and I'm all about that. The name is a bit funny, I'll admit. I liked the alliteration, and it my mind it's this Sawsbuck focusing hard on using its insight of the upcoming harvest to create commotion. He's focusing to create a fracas.
Again, this is much better in the early game. I think in the future I'll focus on more general or late-game effects if I can. Three early-game cards wouldn't get me very far if I were to try making a deck with just my CaC entries.
Just like any other entry I make with the Omnium Template, I've got my trademark bulleted list of things to keep in mind:
- The wording is SM or the latest syntax of a specific effect if no such effect exists in the SM era.
- The layout for the attack area is based off of the classic/Neo era. Following that, "Ability" is written in the same red text as the ability name.
- All Omnium cards are meant to be balanced for the 2010-2011 Standard Rotation, or slightly more broadly any set from Diamond & Pearl base set to Noble Victories.
- Fonts and placements should be pixel-perfect as they were made using my templates, which places all the fonts exactly where they should be.
The weakness and resistance are just a combination of the two types. Fire weakness from the Grass typing, Fighting weakness from the Colorless typing. The resistance hearkens back to the Classic era cards, which kept it in as a resistance because of Ghost type. I rather like it there, and it gives Colorless Pokémon just a tiny bit more identity and more or less makes up for their Fighting weakness. The retreat cost of 2 is standard for Sawsbuck cards and the 90HP is taken straight off of a Rapidash card in DPPt, so it should be right in the goldizone, too. The "Winter Form" is there because I thought it was a nice touch back in the day when cards used to tell you what form the Pokémon was in, if they had one. This is a non-intrusive way to bring that back to the TCG, and in some of my official sets I actually have cards for other Pokémon in the works that interact with specific forms.
Which brings us to the technical parts of the card. Harvest Augur was an idea I ended up on at the end of chasing a rabbit trail while trying to think of season-based effects. As I said above, I really couldn't and still can't think of anything I like that would be more related to seasons, so I just went where the rabbit trail led. Black & White 2 had Pokédex entries for them that called them "harbingers of spring". I reckon Autumn or harvest season isn't something they couldn't also be a "harbinger" of, so in this case they're forecasting the harvest by showing you what you might get when you harvest your rewards for beating up your opponent sufficiently: your prize cards. This is for a format where cards like Town Map and Here Comes Team Rocket don't exist, or else this wouldn't be that wild of an effect.
Focus Fracas is what really makes the Ability shine, though. Originally I meant for it to just flip the prize cards back over, but when I noticed that Gallade SW 6 already did something pretty close to that, I changed it up a little. In this instance, you can't just use the Ability to keep track of your prize cards (though you can choose to not shuffle a specific prize if you like it enough), but instead allows you to shuffle them back into your deck, which itself may be an advantage if you, for example, need a Prism Star card and have a search card in your hand. It has utility, and the power, assuming this card is on its own, is the same other cards in the era from what I can tell. Plus it's max power gets smaller and smaller as the game goes on. It has a lot of fun potential, and I'm all about that. The name is a bit funny, I'll admit. I liked the alliteration, and it my mind it's this Sawsbuck focusing hard on using its insight of the upcoming harvest to create commotion. He's focusing to create a fracas.
Again, this is much better in the early game. I think in the future I'll focus on more general or late-game effects if I can. Three early-game cards wouldn't get me very far if I were to try making a deck with just my CaC entries.
General
- Rapidash AR 47 (HP and attack power assuming this is the only card out. Focus Fracas can easily become more powerful if you have several Sawsbuck in play, but so can Rapidash if you have other Pokémon out that boost attack damage. There was no Sawsbuck back in generation 4, so Rapidash seems like a good card to reference for power levels.)
- Celesteela GX UPR 144 ("Turn all of your Prize cards face up. (Those Prize cards remain face up for the rest of the game.)" Slightly adjusted since we're only talking about 1 Prize card here.)
- M Gardevoir EX STS 79 ("[Discard] as many of your [face-up Prize cards] as you like. This attack does 10 more damage for each [Prize card] you [shuffled into your deck] in this way." This was the most recent similar effect I could find, despite that I could have sworn there was one in the SM block.
- Alolan Raichu UNM 57 ("Then, for each [Prize card] you [shuffled into your deck] in this way...")
- Nihilego GX CIN 49 ("Add the top [card] of your ... deck to [your] Prize cards [face down]." I think it makes sense to clarify "face down" in this case since there's a lot of turning Prize cards and that's something this particular card would care about a lot. Plus this is talking about replacing Prize cards that used to be face up, and since that is changing, I think the clarification makes sense.)
- There is no instance of "face-up" with the hyphen in any official text that I can find, but from the times "face-down" is used versus when "face down" is used, I've determined that a hyphen is in there whenever it's referring to Prize cards as part of the same term (i.e. "face-down Prize cards") whereas, when it is describing the cards in any other way, the hyphen is absent (e.g. "Add a card you find there to their Prize cards face down."). If you're a grammar nerd, the hyphen is there when "face-down" is a prepositive adjective (or part of what's called a "noun phrase") and the hyphen is absent when it's a postpositive adjective. References: Gallade SW 6, Xurkitree GX UPR 142, Gladion CIN 95, Town Map BCR 136, etc.
- The Sawsbuck artwork is a custom piece made just for this card by @Kavross , and it was a pleasure to work with him!
- Everything else, except for the fonts and the Create-a-Card symbol, are by me.
Once again, I really gotta extend a super extra special thanks to @Kavross for offering to do the artwork! It looks fantastic!
Thanks so much to the judges and PokéBeach for making this possible! And to everyone else that entered, I wish you the best of luck!
Colorless - Ninjask-GX - 160HP
Stage 1 – Evolves from Nincada
Ability: Speed Boost
If you attached an Energy card from your hand to this Pokémon during this turn, it may attack twice this turn. (If the first attack Knocks Out your opponent's Active Pokémon, you may attack again after your opponent chooses a new Active Pokémon.)
[C][C] Acrobatics 50
If this Pokémon doesn't have a Pokémon Tool attached to it, you may flip a coin. If heads, prevent all effects of attacks, including damage, done to this Pokémon during your opponent’s next turn.
[C][C][C][C] Baton Pass-GX
If this Pokémon has any Special Energy attached to it, this attack costs [C][C][C] more. Put all Energy attached to this Pokémon in the Lost Zone. Switch this Pokémon with one of your Benched Pokémon. The new Active Pokémon may attack twice during your next turn. (If the first attack Knocks Out your opponent's Active Pokémon, you may attack again after your opponent chooses a new Active Pokémon.) (You can’t use more than 1 GX attack in a game.)
Pokémon-GX rule: When your Pokémon-GX is Knocked Out, your opponent takes 2 Prize cards.
Weakness: Lightning x2
Resistance: Fighting -20
Retreat:
Stage 1 – Evolves from Nincada
Ability: Speed Boost
If you attached an Energy card from your hand to this Pokémon during this turn, it may attack twice this turn. (If the first attack Knocks Out your opponent's Active Pokémon, you may attack again after your opponent chooses a new Active Pokémon.)
[C][C] Acrobatics 50
If this Pokémon doesn't have a Pokémon Tool attached to it, you may flip a coin. If heads, prevent all effects of attacks, including damage, done to this Pokémon during your opponent’s next turn.
[C][C][C][C] Baton Pass-GX
If this Pokémon has any Special Energy attached to it, this attack costs [C][C][C] more. Put all Energy attached to this Pokémon in the Lost Zone. Switch this Pokémon with one of your Benched Pokémon. The new Active Pokémon may attack twice during your next turn. (If the first attack Knocks Out your opponent's Active Pokémon, you may attack again after your opponent chooses a new Active Pokémon.) (You can’t use more than 1 GX attack in a game.)
Pokémon-GX rule: When your Pokémon-GX is Knocked Out, your opponent takes 2 Prize cards.
Weakness: Lightning x2
Resistance: Fighting -20
Retreat:
One of my favourite Pokémon, Ninjask was on that list which made me quite sad; I think it deserves more than that. So of course, I decided to make a card for my girl, with the best ability in the video games!
For balancing and due to Ninjask having a below-average HP stat in the video games, I only gave it 160HP. That is in fact, lower than any existing Stage 1 GX (the next ones up are Banette-GX, Electrode-GX, Staryu-GX and Whimsicott-GX at 190) … I know it is unprecedented, but I feel like it fits thematically and in terms of balance, as attacking twice and powering up that GX attack can be devastating; therefore, there must be a cost. The weakness and resistance are generic for a Flying type, and the retreat cost is 0 for obvious reasons (super-fast Pokémon!).
I like the idea of two attacks per turn, but it’s hard to balance such an ability… I think the Omega Barrage Pokémon were interesting, but not very well fleshed out. Speed Boost ability in games boosts the Speed stat of Ninjask at the end of every turn… however, to translate that into TCG, I decided that the “boost” comes from literally powering up the Pokémon with Energy. This isn’t that much of a cost, since odds are you will be attaching to the Pokémon to either power up its attack or GX attack. However, in cases where you don’t want to attach cards to it, or if you have none in your hand, it takes away the benefit.
Since Ninjask-GX has the ability to attack twice per turn, the damage output on it cannot be too high (just like it wasn’t that high on the Omega Barrage Pokémon). Again, with this attack I took inspiration from the video games; Acrobatics is stronger if the Pokémon using it has no held items; in this case I went for the idea of the TCG attack Agility, withheld by the need of not using Tools. This is a bit of a two-edged sword, as a Tool may potentially help keep Ninjask-GX alive longer or increase its damage output, but no Tool gives it a chance to miss an OHKO!
Another signature ability of Ninjask in video games is Baton Pass! I love that attack paired with Ninjask and thought it was a good idea to translate it into the TCG! Since in competitive VGC, Ninjask is used as a support Pokémon, this card’s idea is similar. The cost is high and requires you to use basic Energy (or attach an unviable amount of energy onto it…), but the pay-off can be game turning. Again, it has drawbacks, such as losing the Energy attached to Ninjask and leaving the powered-up Pokémon vulnerable in the Active.
It was fun making this card, I tried my best to make the text right (but I’m sure I’ll mess up yet again), but I hope people find it interesting!
For balancing and due to Ninjask having a below-average HP stat in the video games, I only gave it 160HP. That is in fact, lower than any existing Stage 1 GX (the next ones up are Banette-GX, Electrode-GX, Staryu-GX and Whimsicott-GX at 190) … I know it is unprecedented, but I feel like it fits thematically and in terms of balance, as attacking twice and powering up that GX attack can be devastating; therefore, there must be a cost. The weakness and resistance are generic for a Flying type, and the retreat cost is 0 for obvious reasons (super-fast Pokémon!).
I like the idea of two attacks per turn, but it’s hard to balance such an ability… I think the Omega Barrage Pokémon were interesting, but not very well fleshed out. Speed Boost ability in games boosts the Speed stat of Ninjask at the end of every turn… however, to translate that into TCG, I decided that the “boost” comes from literally powering up the Pokémon with Energy. This isn’t that much of a cost, since odds are you will be attaching to the Pokémon to either power up its attack or GX attack. However, in cases where you don’t want to attach cards to it, or if you have none in your hand, it takes away the benefit.
Since Ninjask-GX has the ability to attack twice per turn, the damage output on it cannot be too high (just like it wasn’t that high on the Omega Barrage Pokémon). Again, with this attack I took inspiration from the video games; Acrobatics is stronger if the Pokémon using it has no held items; in this case I went for the idea of the TCG attack Agility, withheld by the need of not using Tools. This is a bit of a two-edged sword, as a Tool may potentially help keep Ninjask-GX alive longer or increase its damage output, but no Tool gives it a chance to miss an OHKO!
Another signature ability of Ninjask in video games is Baton Pass! I love that attack paired with Ninjask and thought it was a good idea to translate it into the TCG! Since in competitive VGC, Ninjask is used as a support Pokémon, this card’s idea is similar. The cost is high and requires you to use basic Energy (or attach an unviable amount of energy onto it…), but the pay-off can be game turning. Again, it has drawbacks, such as losing the Energy attached to Ninjask and leaving the powered-up Pokémon vulnerable in the Active.
It was fun making this card, I tried my best to make the text right (but I’m sure I’ll mess up yet again), but I hope people find it interesting!
Any Omega Barrage Ancient Trait (e.g. Excadrill PRC 97) for Speed Boost and Baton Pass-GX.
Lucario UNB 126 for Speed Boost (“If” clause).
Mawile CES 91 & Mr. Mime PRC 101 for Acrobatics (closest examples I could find for the “If” clause).
Necrozma UNM 101 for Baton Pass-GX (Special Energy clause).
Lycaroc CEC 124 for Baton Pass-GX (Extra cost clause).
Talonflame GRI 111 & Blacephalon-GX LOT 52 for Baton Pass-GX (Lost Zone clause).
Lucario UNB 126 for Speed Boost (“If” clause).
Mawile CES 91 & Mr. Mime PRC 101 for Acrobatics (closest examples I could find for the “If” clause).
Necrozma UNM 101 for Baton Pass-GX (Special Energy clause).
Lycaroc CEC 124 for Baton Pass-GX (Extra cost clause).
Talonflame GRI 111 & Blacephalon-GX LOT 52 for Baton Pass-GX (Lost Zone clause).
Azelf & Mesprit & Uxie-GX - Psychic - 260HP
Basic
Ability: Mind Spread
Once during your turn (before your attack), you may flip a coin. If heads, put one damage counter on each of your opponent’s Pokémon and heal 10 damage from each of your Pokémon.
[P][P][P][P] Happy Space Dance-GX 280
(You can’t use more than 1 GX attack in a game.)
When your TAG TEAM Pokémon is knocked out, your opponent takes 3 Prize cards.
Weakness: Psychic (x2)
Resistance: none
Retreat: [C]
Basic
Ability: Mind Spread
Once during your turn (before your attack), you may flip a coin. If heads, put one damage counter on each of your opponent’s Pokémon and heal 10 damage from each of your Pokémon.
[P][P][P][P] Happy Space Dance-GX 280
(You can’t use more than 1 GX attack in a game.)
When your TAG TEAM Pokémon is knocked out, your opponent takes 3 Prize cards.
Weakness: Psychic (x2)
Resistance: none
Retreat: [C]