Kingdra (Ex: Holon Phantoms)

Holy Star

Pokémon TCG player and card faker
Member
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Average Unlimted Rating: 1.4/10

Average Modified Rating: 6/10

Average Limited Rating: 8.06/10
 
well, abhorsen came second with it on his nationals, so, well, here I go:
THE CARD
fire/Grass: not bad, nothing special, nothing to say.
110HP: not bad, not bad indeed, but nothing special, decent for a stage2.
Poké-power: a very nice bench-sniper, especially with the new δs on the way.
Attack1: well, 60 for 2 energies is never bad, but not really the best attack ever.
Attack2: 80 for 4 energies isn't bad, it sure is a lot of damage, it makes up for the energy cost.
W, R and RC: aw, weakness against lightning will become annoying when new δ-pokémon are released.
Overall: great card, good combination of offense and defense, he seems like a good card with many possibilities. The coming of more δ will make him better then ever, he also doesn't seem too hard to play, with some search-cards you can get it out as fast as possible.

COMBOS
- circle combo: put in holon circle (and golduck δ), just snipe the bench without your opponent being able to do anything.
- normal version: just, add a torkoal or another great starter, set up fast, and attack, seems nothing special, but it can be really good
- flydra: use flygon δ to charge up kingdra as fast as possible.

nice card, with a lot of potential, so:
modified: 7/10: might become better in the next format.
limited: 8,8/10: a lots of δs.
unlimited: 1/10: almost nobody will play δs, so rather useless.
 
Kingdra δ a sneaky killer and hard hitter

Positive statements:
Well, it's delta species so that means it gets lots of benefitis from other cards.
A poke-power that is still underrated in my opinion,  maybe not in this format but after the rotation it will have a bigger impact since lots of delta decks will be played.
80 solid damage for RMCC, which means that together with it's poke-power, Kingdra δ can take out almost every pokémon δ  in one turn.
The first attack is also good if you have a slow setup.
110 HP is good for a stage 2 pokémon δ.


Negative statements:
Weakness for Lightning could get tough in the next format, lots of pokémon δ that are L-type.
There is almost no use for playing it in this format.

With:
Flygon δ: Just get the energies on Kingdra δ as fast a possible, could also be used with some Aerodactyl δ.

Other Kingdra δ, but that is only usefull against a deck that plays pokémon δ.

I don't see any other good comboes maybe with pokémon that can get Kingdra δ itself out quick, like Torkoal from LM.
Next format brings us Fearow δ .


Unlimited: 1/10 So useless here.
Modified: 4/10 Isn't of any use here as well.
Limited: 7/10 Lots of pokémon δ here

Overall; An almost useless card for now, but it will have it's advantages in the next format.
 
Okay, this week, Holy Star has Picked Kingdra d to be this Week’s COTW. So, Again Lets look at Horsea…..

Horsea

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HP(Hit Points), and Type

Well, 50 HP is Solid and Common for a Basic Pokemon. While Some Others will have around 30-40HP which are Pokemon like Feebas and Magikarp. A Fire Type is Weird at first for a Horsea, but due to the Changes of Type in Delta Sets, Other Types are given to the Pokemon. Without drifting away from the topic, Horsea, which is a Fire Pokemon can easily do Twice as much damage if the defending Pokemon has Weakness to Fire.

Attacks

An Energy of Any Type is needed for Horsea to use its 1st attack which Deals 10 Damage to the Defending Pokemon. Next attack does 20 Damage for 2 Energy, at least 1 Being a Fire type. With quite Solid attacks, Horsea can do Twice as much Damage to the Defending Pokemon which is Weak to Fire. You can do 20 damage with its 1st attack, or 40 with its Second attack.

Weakness, Resistance and Retreat Cost

Weakness to Lightning is quite Dangerous in the Meta-game as Mew-Tric, ZRE and Zap-Turn-Dos decks are still played. A Horsea with no
Resistance is normal as there are no Horsea in TCG that has Resistance.  With Power Tree, Holon Farmer and Energy Recycle System, Energy can be Taken back when Retreating Horsea. An amount of 1 Energy for Horsea’s Retreat Cost isn’t really a burden and a Liability to the deck as it can be Retrieved with the Trainers mentioned above.
Done with the Small Fry, on to the Next Stage which is

Seadra

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Hit Points and Type

Well, Seadra has a decent amount of HP for a Stage 1, which is 70. It can take a few blows from your opponent’s Pokemon for a little while. Being a Fire Type, again has many advantages as many Pokemon in the Current Format has Weakness to Fire.

Attacks

10 Damage and Instant Burn for 2 Energies of any type is really useful and reasonable. This could really be good when combined with Full Flame, increasing Burn Damage. Next attack needs 3 Energy, at least 1 with a Fire Energy, can do 40 damage to the Defending Pokemon. 80 Damage can be done to a Pokemon with Fire Weakness which is a big amount of damage.

Weakness, Resistance and Retreat Cost

Weakness to Lightning is normal for a Seadra. The fact that many Lightning Pokemon can do more than 40 damage, Seadra isn’t really good against Meta-nite and Mew-Tric. Seadra has no Resistance which is disappointing because a Resistance for Seadra can reduce damage, making it stay in play longer. 1 Retreat Cost is quite big for a Seadra. Being a Swift-moving Pokemon, it should have no retreat Cost.

Next, we go on to the main Pokemon,

Kingdra

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HP ( Hit Points ) and Type

110 HP is Astounding for a Stage 2 Pokemon. 120 HP would be better though, but 110 is Okay for the Meta-game. A Fire type has a lot of advantages like dealing Twice as much damage to Pokemon like Scizor EX, Metagross Delta and many more, which are Pokemon with Fire Weakness. Kingdra d can also Benefit from Metal Energy, byh reducing damage if Metal Energies are attached. Kingdra's secondary type also Threatens Walrein EX.

Attacks

Extra Flame does 60 damage to EX- Pokemon and 30 damage to Normal Pokemon with 2 Energy, 1 being a Fire Energy. With 1 Metal Energy, 1 Fire Energy and 2 other Energy of any type, 80 Damage can be done, or 160 damage if the Defending Pokemon is Weak to Fire.

Weakness, Resistance and Retreat Cost

Lightning Weakness isn’t that safe in the Meta-game right now. A Dragonite Delta can OHKO Kingdra. So, it’s best to wait for a good time where Rotation begins. Again, no Resistance really is a downfall for Kingdra. 2 Retreat Cost can be reduced with High Pressure System, and Fluffy Berry. This Retreat Cost really is quite of a burden to a deck with Kingdra.


Done with the top,
Going to the combos…………….


Combos

Kingdra d and Flygon d

Well, Kingdra does the Offensive Part, while Flygon d handles Kingdra's Big attack Cost.

Kingdra and Camerupt(CG)

Anti-Delta deck. Use Camerupt to reduce damage, and Kingdra d to place damage counters on Delta Pokemon. Big attacks also helps here.
  
Kingdra and Pidgeot

With Holon FF, Weakness can be Removed, and Pidgeot d can stop Poke-Powers.

Ratings

Unlimited:  2/10

Delta decks are rarely seen in this Format. But with Double Colourless Energy, Kingdra’s attack can be used quickly.

Limited: 9/10

Got a few Metal Energies??? How ‘bout Holon’s Castform’s and Dark Metal Energy??? Then why don’t you play Kingdra??? With High HP,  and good attacks, why not Play it?

Modified: 7/10

With Delta Pokemon Heavily Played here, Kingdra will be good.

Well, that’s it for this Week’s COTW..
 
Hey guys, today we are going to review Kingdra D from EX: Holon Phantoms.  Now, originally this card was thought to not be of any use, but some of our own players from Pokebeach proved that theory wrong.  So, keep that in mind.  Now, onto the reviewing!

The Card:
His type is very good, Fire and Metal.  These types are very strong right now and are hard to get by without getting hurt.  Keep in mind the type, because it’ll prove useful.
110 HP is average for a Stage 2 Pokemon, that is not an EX.  
His Pokepower, Dragon Curse, can be very useful if your area is full of Delta Species Decks, or in the next format where Delta Species will be very popular.  It simply puts two damage counters on one of your Opponent’s Delta Species Pokemon if Kingdra D is active.  This can be very useful and devastating in a Delta Species area.  
His first attack, Extra Flame, will be very useful any time you are ever facing an EX Pokemon, because if the Defending Pokemon is an EX, it does 30 damage plus 30 more!  And all you have to do is supply a Fire and a Colorless energy to do so!
His second attack, Heat Burst, is very straightforward.  For a Fire, Metal, and two Colorless energies he will do 80 damage.  Now I see a problem in this.  You need to supply him a Metal.  Now this isn’t a big problem, but it is one in my opinion.  If he should supply a Special Energy, they need to up the attack to 90 damage, or put in a side effect like, “Flip a coin.  If heads, the Defending Pokemon is now Confused.” or something similar to that.  
He is weak to Lightning, which I guess is because he would normally be weak to Lightning, being Water.  But since he’s Delta Species, I think they should make a new weakness for him for his new type, such as Water, being Fire and Metal.  But still, Lightning isn’t that popular right now, so it Lightning Weakness is fine with me. He does not have a Resistance, so I can’t really comment there.
His Retreat Cost is two, which I think that they should reduce it down to one, because it’s a Dragon/Water type in the game, and has great Speed, and it can swim.  Just seems like it should at least have a Retreat of one.

Advantages:
He has a great type and HP.  This makes him even harder to KO.  
His Pokepower will destroy any Delta Deck, such as Metanite, and will always be nice to have around.  
His first attack is very good, because it can really help early game against a T2 EX Pokemon, or any other EX Pokemon for that matter.  
His second attack is nice and solid, but in my opinion a little hard to attack with, because it needs a Metal energy.  But, this can be stopped because of Delta Rainbow Energy, Rainbow Energy, and Dark-Metal Energy.  This lets it be easier to attack with.  And a solid 80 damage is always nice.

Disadvantages:
There is also a problem with his Poke-power, because it only affects Delta Species Pokemon.  This makes it harder to deal with it’s full potential.  If only it affected all Pokemon, but then it’d just be broken.  So I guess that it’s good where it is.  
His second attack, Heat Blast, is a little hard to pay for if you only run 4 Metal energies.  But, if you don’t and run cards like Dark-Metal Energy, Rainbow, Delta Rainbow, and the like then it is a little easier to use.  But, it still should be 90 damage for the cost, because Metal is still harder to get then a basic energy card, and if you lose it, you only got a couple left.  
He has bad Retreat Cost, for being one of the game’s best Pokemon and having a great speed, and being able to swim.  Two just seems like a little bit too much.   I would reduce it to around one.  
He also is a Stage 2, which means if you don’t get him out quick; you might not be able to at all.  So run 4 Rare Candies, and perhaps a 4-3-4 line to get him fast.  Holon Mentor will get your Horseas.

Art:
I personally love this drawing.  Masakazu Fukuda is the Artists’ name, but I’m not really familiar with a lot of his drawings.  But, now I am and I love it.  
The Kingdra D’s posture is beautiful.  It is sort of tilted, with the ocean behind it.  Flames are coming off of it, showing that it is a Fire type, and that it is strong.  The blended colors of his outer-body and the red flames show that it is serious.  The head is sort of looking down, like it’s looking at something.  Maybe a school of Horsea?  
The background is great, the Pokemon is great, and the flames are great.  Only problem with it that I have is the shapes in the Background.  I have no idea what they are, maybe rays of light, maybe a ship?  I don’t know.  That’s the only problem that I see.

Art:  9.5/10

Card Combos and Strategies:
Kingdra D/Flygon D:
Basically just use Flygon D to power up Kingdra D faster.  

Magcargo DX/Starter/Kingdra D:
This is just normal.  Get Pokemon out quick and power up Kingdra to start knocking the stuffing out of stuff.  Magcargo searches.

Kingdra D/Latias HP/Latios HP:
Attack with Kingdra D and hurt Delta Species Pokemon.  You can also shut off Pokebodies with Lati-Lock.

Overall:
Limited/Draft: If you get the complete line, definitely use it. The first attack is good enough to use even if you don’t get the second attack. Has a very nice type and HP, and very good attacks, especially with a Metal energy.  But, if it’s in late game the first attack isn’t as good if you can’t use the second one.  I give it a 7.5/10

Unlimited:  Why even bother?  There’s no Delta Species Pokemon here, unless your Opponent’s Vileplume EX deck has a tech Vileplume D in it.  And it will get ER’d and SER’d to death and won’t be able to attack.  No reason for it to even be in here.  2/10

Modified:  If you find a good way to use it and can power it up fast then it could be good.  Even better if your area that you play in has a lot of Delta Species Pokemon in it, because this will just terminate them.  The only bad part is that it can’t really be charged up fast because it’s a Stage 2, but its first attack will definitely help.  I give it a 6/10.

I hope that you enjoyed my Kingdra D from EX: Holon Phantoms article.  I’ll see ya next time.
 
The next review is Kingdra from ex Holon Phantoms.

The Card

Kingdra is a fire and metal type pokemon, it has 110 HP, weakness to lightning, no resistance, and two retreat cost. His Poke-Power lets you put 2 damage counters on one of your opponent's delta type pokemon once per turn. It's first attack for 2 energies does 30 damage however if the defending pokemon is a pokemon ex it does another 30 damage for a total of 60. It's second attack does 80 damage for 4 energies.

Analysis

All around Delta Kingdra is a very solid pokemon. 110 HP is nice for a stage 2 pokemon and it's a fire type instead of it's usual water type but it's also metal type which means it can take advantage of metal energies. The weakness to lightning is horrible and so is the 2 retreat cost. His Poke-Power is awesome if the Metagame in your area has a lot of Delta decks. The first attack is solid for the energy cost and for the added bonus against ex's. The second attack is okay but for 4 energies I would like it to do a little damage to the bench.

Combos

There are no obvious combos for this card yet but you could run it with any Delta decks as a tech. You could combo Delta Flygon with it or Delta Primeape.

Ratings

Unlimited: 1/10
Modified: 6/10
Limited: 8/10
 
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