News Japan's SM3 Sets for the 20th Movie Feature Ho-Oh and Necrozma!
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How is that a poor ability it's energy acceleration.... How is an attack that works exactly like M Mewtwo "situational"??
The anti-garb feature is something I didn't immediately think of, but yeah, considering we have no other way to effectively pull mass items out of discard this will let Garde decks play items much more freely than other decks.
This could be great with mega garde PRC actually since the GX will let you burn through all of those typical turbo style cards with less of an opening to be punished. Include a couple of Xerneas/BREAK cards as a one prize attacker/accelerator and you have so many paths to getting your energy on the field and recycling it. Xerneas BREAK is again an option since with this ability you can get one powered up in one turn.
Then after rotation, which PRC garde will 99% survive due to the generations reprint, you don't have Lysandre around which will allow you to play the 'looming death' style of slow setup deck that only Primal Groudon can currently play more effectively.
I think many people are underestimating this card. Okay, so its ability is a weaker Blastiose, yes - but it makes up for a Psychic Infinity-like attack, and a GX move that can shuffle cards back into your deck - which can help nullify both Garbodor and Sylveon decks.
I could see a Quad-Gardevior deck being constructed, which a Gallade Tech to strike down the colorless big basics.
I could see a Quad-Gardevior deck being constructed, which a Gallade Tech to strike down the colorless big basics.
really good artwork! I wonder if there might be Mega Evo GX's
The alternative I propose is that people play the Pokémon TCG... for the Pokémon. This means as many Stages and Types as possible need to be viable from the general perspective; every Pokémon is someone's favorite. Yeah, even the ones that I can't believe have fans actually do have fans. XD
So from a design standpoint, it just makes sense to try and design the game so that as many Pokémon Types and Stages as possible are generally viable. That doesn't just mean that some Pokémon of that Type or Stage are competitive, but that we don't go "Oh, that's a [insert Stage] or [insert Type] Pokémon, so it's probably awful." Balancing out the Types is tricky because we have so many and yet still have less than the video games. The Stages are a bit easier, though. If you care to read them, I'll put those thoughts behind spoiler tags. It is based on what has and has not worked during the life of the Pokémon TCG (I've been around for all of it in North America, and paying attention most of the time). If you're not interested... no problem. Thanks for taking the time to share and explain your own thoughts, and have a good day.
Premise: Even when there were only 151 different Pokémon, it seems like each and every one of them had fans, even considering a particular Pokémon their favorite. The main appeal of the Pokémon TCG is that it is Pokémon; the game underneath ain't bad, but most folks wouldn't be here if this wasn't the Pokémon TCG (or at least a similar franchise). Putting the two together, to please as many people as possible, it seems like the goal of the game's designers ought to be all Types and all Stages (the two foundational attributes of all Pokémon) ought to be competitively viable.
The competitive sphere isn't for everyone, but it is the proving grounds by its nature. "Viable" in this case does not mean every single Pokémon needs to be able to win games, but rather that they contribute to the win, regardless of role in a deck. This is an ideal to strive for; if a few Types or a Stage or two (especially among the more obscure mechanics) aren't competitive, it doesn't mean TPCi ought to close down shop; you aim high because you actually hit low. So, some steps to accomplish this follows... but it got long. >.>
- Nothing should be able to attack for damage on a player's first turn, and probably shouldn't be particularly good at it even on the second turn. This is a design principle, not a new "first turn" rule, and while it is disappointing for folks that want to take OHKO's right away, once the older stuff rotates out, at least Standard play can regain first turn attacks. First turn attacks are good for the game when they aren't about taking KO's. I've seen formats where things were too fast for most setup attacks to matter, and ones where going on the offensive right away was a waste; even if I didn't enjoy the latter, the former makes it almost impossible to balance Evolution.
- Equal =/= Identical
- The designers need to remember the fundamental rules of the game, and how messing with its pacing breaks those rules. One Energy attachment per turn. A Pokémon only may Evolve once per turn. Etc. That doesn't mean all Energy acceleration, Evolution acceleration, etc. are off limits, just that maybe they should be reserved for cards that take time and effort to hit the field. Not (for example) Item cards. Draw/search/recycling power also needs to be appropriately paced. There are many cards that are only stupidly potent because of the raw power the game currently has in these areas. Pokémon is a fast-paced game by design. I haven't forgotten that. What I propose is "slow" relative to today, where the goal is often to rip through about half your deck first turn for a massive setup.
- Balancing out the first turn comes from rewording the rules for Evolution. Revise it to something along the lines of "A Pokémon cannot Evolve unless it was in play during your opponent's previous turn." That still prevents Player 1 from Evolving first turn, but now Player 2 can Evolve any opening Pokémon he or she had in play or any that somehow were put into play during Player 1's first turn. Note: The previous principle about attacks accessible on a player's first turn would still apply. This means Stage 1 Pokémon would not have damaging attacks unless they were priced so as to be inaccessible on Player 2's first turn.
- Non-Evolving Basic Pokémon don't need less HP, less damage, etc. they just need it all to be properly paced. The designers like to give us stuff that fits multiple roles (early game attacker, mid-game attacker, late game sweeper, Bench-sitter with Ability) all in one card. Whatever its Stage, your main attacker should take a few turns to build, and shouldn't double as your opener. Truly minor roles, like being a Pivot Pokémon, are fine to double up on.
- Evolving Basics and Stage 1 Pokémon need to contribute. Non-Evolving Basic Pokémon enjoy a two card space advantage over a Stage 2 Pokémon. Usually, this goes towards Trainer cards, so it makes sense that Evolving Basics and Evolving Stage 1 Pokémon should have some spiffy effects on par with Trainers.
- Effects need to consider pacing. Simply put, certain attacks, Abilities, etc. are fine on Evolutions because of the time and resource investment, but end up broken on non-Evolving Basics. However, this is not the same as nerfing all Basics; they can still be just as big and hit just as hard as Stage 2 Pokémon; we are only making it so that they are the same speed and - by making Evolving Pokémon useful - no longer have a true card count advantage.
- HP scores for Evolution lines need to be "front-loaded". Twice-Evolving Basics are usually tiny in the video games because it is a JRPG; you get them at a low level and only have similarly low-level foes. With the TCG, these things may be forced to face the equivalent of more Evolved and/or higher level foes ASAP. So if the Stage 2 form has 150, instead of a 50-100-150 progression it should be more like 100-130-150. This also slows down the pacing as it makes it harder to score early game OHKO's.
- HP scores need to go up across the board. Besides the more specific thing I just said, the TCG is effectively working with 3 to 25 HP (since everything is in units of 10). In the video games, we can worry about the one's column, but it is too much to track in a physical game. At the same time, however, we need a larger range: the video game has Pokémon ranging from less than 100 to over 700 HP (and I'm leaving out gimmick stuff like Shedinja). The video game also has the "Defense" and "Special Defense" stats in addition to Hit Points. We really don't have a good way to model those in the TCG. Increasing the HP scores across the board allows for more creative freedom with cards, as damage seems to be traded off to "pay" for effects. This also - you guessed it - helps with pacing.
- The second benefit of buffing HP scores is that are better-paced-Pokémon can compete with older cards on more or less level footing. Current cards become the "lean and mean" options. New stuff becomes the doughboys that can take a hit, even if they don't hit as hard back.
- Oh yeah, and no more x2 Weakness. +20 Weakness, -20 Resistance. Weakness still remains better than Resistance, but the gap is about as small as it gets without just chucking the concept entirely.
Another Gardevoir card already. Someone is becoming the new Charizard.
I think you are underrating how nasty this could be when combined with...say...Rayquaza. Think about it this way. I start Baby Rayquaza and get my little guy down. Attach DCE to Ray. Attack with Ray. Attach two energy to mini-me. T2 candy up Gardy. Attach energy from hand. Attach another energy from hand (let's say best case, it is another DCE) for your turn, Gardy is set up to do 150 damage T2 BEFORE adding in your opponent's active. Now, I admit that this is absolute best case scenario, but it isn't like that is some crazy hard combination to hit either. Add in that you have an instant "get out of Trashalanche jail free" GX attack and we might be looking at a more consistent version of Solgaleo.
I thought of that, but what happens when a Gardey goes down? You just lost a HUGE investment, a Stage 2 with five energy on it, and all you were able to take out was a basic EX/GX with minimal investment on your opponent's part, so you're well on the losing end of the trade. Although, with Fairy Drop, you can make Gardeys last longer, which is good. Would be a fun deck to make though.
The potential here is huge! Here's to hoping it gets the necessary support to become a viable archetype
Here is hoping they make the stages worth something lol.
This card is a testament to how overpowered M Mewtwo's Psychic Infinity was. Putting a slightly weaker attack on a stage 2 almost feels like TPCi saying "sorry".
That being said, this is a very nice card. Think of all the times you could have attacked but you were missing one energy, or a time where you wished you could attach two energy cards per turn. Well Gardevoir-GX makes that a thing of the past. Imagine playing Max Elixirs and Multi Switch to get energy onto Gardevoir-GX, and using the GX attack to get those item cards back, not to mention that you can attach two energy cards from your hand in a single turn. I could see adding 90-120 (or more with a good hand) damage each turn. Play the Gallade from BREAKthrough and you have a tier two deck at the bare minimum.
I may be a little biased since I play Despair Ray Gardevoir, but nothing tops Charizard in terms of being overrated.
However, I do agree that is a little early for a new Gardevoir. I had predicted that it would come in SM4 since the SR Fairy energy isn't likely in Burning Shadows, but the 6th or 7th set would have been better for spacing out releases.
That being said, this is a very nice card. Think of all the times you could have attacked but you were missing one energy, or a time where you wished you could attach two energy cards per turn. Well Gardevoir-GX makes that a thing of the past. Imagine playing Max Elixirs and Multi Switch to get energy onto Gardevoir-GX, and using the GX attack to get those item cards back, not to mention that you can attach two energy cards from your hand in a single turn. I could see adding 90-120 (or more with a good hand) damage each turn. Play the Gallade from BREAKthrough and you have a tier two deck at the bare minimum.
I may be a little biased since I play Despair Ray Gardevoir, but nothing tops Charizard in terms of being overrated.
However, I do agree that is a little early for a new Gardevoir. I had predicted that it would come in SM4 since the SR Fairy energy isn't likely in Burning Shadows, but the 6th or 7th set would have been better for spacing out releases.
The only problem I see with this Pokemon is that it is a Stage 2.
The attack is M-Mewtwo's attack with one less energy and deals 10 less damage, but hit's for weakness.
The ability is nice, and appears to stack with itself, meaning multiple Gardevior GXs grant you extra attachments.
The GX attack is really nice late game, or even mid game against Garbodor.
It all comes down to whether or not Stage 2s will be fast enough to succeed in the modern format. Maybe with Garbodor culling Item lines they could work?
The attack is M-Mewtwo's attack with one less energy and deals 10 less damage, but hit's for weakness.
The ability is nice, and appears to stack with itself, meaning multiple Gardevior GXs grant you extra attachments.
The GX attack is really nice late game, or even mid game against Garbodor.
It all comes down to whether or not Stage 2s will be fast enough to succeed in the modern format. Maybe with Garbodor culling Item lines they could work?
I think how it has something to do that in Japan, they sure dooo loove Gardevoir.
If you get my drift, lol.
Imagine equipping muscle dumbbells to her. A whopping 270 hp.
Edit: Was thinking of how ex's work. Oh well no muscle dumbbells after all.
Edit: Was thinking of how ex's work. Oh well no muscle dumbbells after all.
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I really hope they don't.....but I am sure they will find a way to do it anyways (Shiny GX's anyone?)
Imagine equipping muscle dumbbells to her. A whopping 270 hp.
Pretty sure those are for S1 pokemon only.
Imagine equipping muscle dumbbells to her. A whopping 270 hp.
Dumbbells is for Stage 1 only, won't do anything for Garde