Contest September 2023 CaC: Attacking for Free (All Results Up!)
- Thread starter Jabberwock
- Start date
How do you submit for text?
All you have to do is post it in this thread! If you need any help, you can also check out the discord.
Here is my entry IG
Drifblim – Psychic – HP 120
Stage 1 – Evolves from Drifloon
NO. 426 Blimp Pokémon HT: 3’11” WT: 33.1 lbs.
Ability: Hot Air Balloon
This Pokemon’s attacks cost 1 [P] less for each [R] energy attached to all of your opponent’s Pokemon.
[P] [P] [P] Float Over 90
If this Pokemon has no energy attached to it, this attack also does 20 damage to all of your opponent’s Benched Pokemon. Also apply Weakness and Resistance for Benched Pokemon.
Weakness: Darkness (x2)
Resistance: Fighting (-30)
Retreat: [C] [C]
This Pokemon can generate and release gas within its body. Because of this, it can control the altitude of its drift seamlessly.
Drifblim – Psychic – HP 120
Stage 1 – Evolves from Drifloon
NO. 426 Blimp Pokémon HT: 3’11” WT: 33.1 lbs.
Ability: Hot Air Balloon
This Pokemon’s attacks cost 1 [P] less for each [R] energy attached to all of your opponent’s Pokemon.
[P] [P] [P] Float Over 90
If this Pokemon has no energy attached to it, this attack also does 20 damage to all of your opponent’s Benched Pokemon. Also apply Weakness and Resistance for Benched Pokemon.
Weakness: Darkness (x2)
Resistance: Fighting (-30)
Retreat: [C] [C]
This Pokemon can generate and release gas within its body. Because of this, it can control the altitude of its drift seamlessly.
But can't you just pile on the ability?
Challenge accepted.
…
… … …
Actually, this month is going to be busy, but now I want to figure out something that a) works well with existing cards, b) works well with this card, and c) feels as thematically fitting on multiple levels as a delta-inspired tera baby Pokémon. (I was thinking of designing a VSTAR featuring a regional variant, similar to Alolan Vulpix VSTAR. It would be for the text fake division, but you would have permission to turn it into an image fake if you were interested! I might go for a Hisuian Arcanine VSTAR, since Hisuian Arcanine was one of my favorite Hisuian Pokémon and has already received a V with an emphasis on switching. Also, Fighting needs a buff in standard, and there are plenty of decent basic Fighting attackers that can’t attack multiple times consecutively.)
EDIT: Whoops! I thought Hisuian Arcanine V’s effect was like that of Arcanine from Evolutions!
PMJ
Silhouette Gloom of the Sundown Lands
Forum Head
Articles Head
Elite Member
Advanced Member
Member
Thought this was the perfect chance to make a card with probably my favorite Pokemon from gen 9. Unfortunately no one else likes this Pokemon except me so basically no one has ever drawn it. I think NinJamezor might have been in the same boat because he ended up drawing it himself for his own set. He was gracious enough to allow me permission to use his artwork, so thanks pal.
Attacking for free is nothing new, so figuring out how to put an interesting spin on it was a bit of a challenge. I didn't want to lock myself into a regional variant or a baby since those are the only cards that have free attacks, so that meant using the more interesting option of doing it through attacks or Abilities.
Free attacks usually mean bad attacks, and I didn't want that. So rather than just making this another Mightyena ASR, I gave Revavroom a scalable attack that does more damage with ...more Energy attached? What?
Metal Blast is not super interesting on its own. With three Metal Energy attached, you hit for 170 damage, or a flat 200 with a belt. This keeps the "base" damage in line with other Stage 1s that can hit in this range for about this cost. Zoroark can use this card to hit higher numbers without relying on the opponent, although it is worth mentioning that Scizor, the current favored Metal attacker, can hit these numbers pretty easily against Chien-Pao ex or Tinkaton ex since they both heavily rely on Abilities.
What makes Metal Blast interesting is Nitrous Boost. You can inject either a small, medium, or large amount of nitrous into this engine, and your reward is being able to attack more quickly than you normally would.
Attacking with no Energy attached leaves you with 110 damage, which doesn't kill much, but it can at least get you kills against Kirlia, baby Gardevoir, Cramorant, and Chien-Pao ex. Obviously, the more Energy you add, the more stuff you can kill. Even adding a single Energy is pretty relevant though, as there are a few important Pokemon that sit in the 120-130 HP range, like Cresselia and Bibarel. I don't need to go through each one but you get the idea.
Want to put up a one-Prizer to finish off the opposing Pokemon but don't want to invest a ton of Energy into something that's gonna get washed next turn anyway? Fire up the nitro and conserve your resources instead. Playing Zoroark and missed your attachment for turn? Pretend you're Cramorant, soften them up, and try again next turn. Whether you're attacking for nothing or going in fully loaded, you can surely find a situation for this guy. vrooooooooooooooom
HP and bottom stats mimic the existing baby Revavroom. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. The card is Metal specifically to prevent it from being abused by Gardevoir.
References: Rapidash SIT, Radiant Charizard, Annihilape ex, Origin Forme Dialga VSTAR
WOW i like this
Thought this was the perfect chance to make a card with probably my favorite Pokemon from gen 9. Unfortunately no one else likes this Pokemon except me so basically no one has ever drawn it. I think NinJamezor might have been in the same boat because he ended up drawing it himself for his own set. He was gracious enough to allow me permission to use his artwork, so thanks pal.
Attacking for free is nothing new, so figuring out how to put an interesting spin on it was a bit of a challenge. I didn't want to lock myself into a regional variant or a baby since those are the only cards that have free attacks, so that meant using the more interesting option of doing it through attacks or Abilities.
Free attacks usually mean bad attacks, and I didn't want that. So rather than just making this another Mightyena ASR, I gave Revavroom a scalable attack that does more damage with ...more Energy attached? What?
Metal Blast is not super interesting on its own. With three Metal Energy attached, you hit for 170 damage, or a flat 200 with a belt. This keeps the "base" damage in line with other Stage 1s that can hit in this range for about this cost. Zoroark can use this card to hit higher numbers without relying on the opponent, although it is worth mentioning that Scizor, the current favored Metal attacker, can hit these numbers pretty easily against Chien-Pao ex or Tinkaton ex since they both heavily rely on Abilities.
What makes Metal Blast interesting is Nitrous Boost. You can inject either a small, medium, or large amount of nitrous into this engine, and your reward is being able to attack more quickly than you normally would.
Attacking with no Energy attached leaves you with 110 damage, which doesn't kill much, but it can at least get you kills against Kirlia, baby Gardevoir, Cramorant, and Chien-Pao ex. Obviously, the more Energy you add, the more stuff you can kill. Even adding a single Energy is pretty relevant though, as there are a few important Pokemon that sit in the 120-130 HP range, like Cresselia and Bibarel. I don't need to go through each one but you get the idea.
Want to put up a one-Prizer to finish off the opposing Pokemon but don't want to invest a ton of Energy into something that's gonna get washed next turn anyway? Fire up the nitro and conserve your resources instead. Playing Zoroark and missed your attachment for turn? Pretend you're Cramorant, soften them up, and try again next turn. Whether you're attacking for nothing or going in fully loaded, you can surely find a situation for this guy. vrooooooooooooooom
HP and bottom stats mimic the existing baby Revavroom. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. The card is Metal specifically to prevent it from being abused by Gardevoir.
References: Rapidash SIT, Radiant Charizard, Annihilape ex, Origin Forme Dialga VSTAR
Here's my entry for this month's CaC, Alolan Marowak! As Alolan Pokémon have never been featured in this era officially, I decided to go the route of PMJ's dppt sets and included it next to the level.
Although free attacks aren't restricted to Alolan Pokémon in the dppt era, I really liked the themes and flavor of Alolan Marowak, and wanted the attacks to reflect that.
Cursed Club is meant to help set up for a future Remembrance Dance. At the least, Cursed Club allows you to get whatever cards you want out of your hand and in the discard pile. In the case of Alolan Marowak, you want Pokémon in the discard pile, which allows you to hit for 30 damage. Because Alolan Marowak is a [P] type as well, with Expert Belt attached it can knock out the ever-present Uxie, and discard even more Pokémon (or whatever cards you like, such as Supporters for VS Seeker) to build into a stronger Remembrance Dance. I also imagine that this attack can help out Gyarados SF, providing a way to get Magikarp into the discard pile—at Gyarados's energy cost of 0.
Remembrance Dance on its own hits for a maximum of 60 [P] damage, taking out Claydol and Crobat G with Expert Belt attached, or Uxie, Azelf, Sableye, or Spiritomb without. The exact damage being dealt is flexible, and the attack helps recover important Pokémon in the mid-late game. There's also small incentive to play Evolution cards in the deck, as shuffling 5 or 6 of them from your discard pile applies the Burned and Confused Special Conditions, which can lead to some extra damage. The issue there is Poké-Turn and Super Scoop Up, which make some knockouts reliant on a heads-flip for Burned, but the extra effect of Remembrance Dance is more meant to be a nod to Alolan Marowak's Pokédex entries where it mourns for its fallen allies and the flames it uses being the spirit of its dead mother (the [R] in the attack cost and the Evolution card requirement).
Weakness, Resistance, and Retreat Cost amounts are in line with the only Marowak printed during this era (LA 63). [W] Weakness for Alolan Marowak's Fire typing, and [C] Resistance for its Ghost typing. Marowak LA has 90 HP, but I gave Alolan Marowak 80 HP due to its attacks.
References: Kingdra LA, Primeape SV, Weedle RR, Ninetales PL, Porygon-Z Lv.X MD, Sableye SF
Allow me to present my entry.
Elekid HP: 30 [L]
Basic
NO. 239 Electric Pokémon HT: 2'00" WT: 51.8 lbs.
[] Plug-In Overload
Discard all cards attached to this Pokémon and attach it to a Pokémon in play (yours or your opponents) as a Special Energy card. While attached, this card provides [L] Energy. The attacks of the Pokémon this card is attached to do 20 more damage to the opponent's Active Pokémon (before applying Weakness and Resistance). Each time the Pokémon this card is attached to attacks or uses an Ability, put 2 damage counters on that Pokémon.
Weakness:
Resistance:
Retreat:
It generates electricity by whirling its arms. However, it can't store the electricity it makes.
Basic
NO. 239 Electric Pokémon HT: 2'00" WT: 51.8 lbs.
[] Plug-In Overload
Discard all cards attached to this Pokémon and attach it to a Pokémon in play (yours or your opponents) as a Special Energy card. While attached, this card provides [L] Energy. The attacks of the Pokémon this card is attached to do 20 more damage to the opponent's Active Pokémon (before applying Weakness and Resistance). Each time the Pokémon this card is attached to attacks or uses an Ability, put 2 damage counters on that Pokémon.
Weakness:
Resistance:
Retreat:
It generates electricity by whirling its arms. However, it can't store the electricity it makes.
References: Klefki SIT, Holon's Castform
As a disclaimer, this card was conceptualized before the reveal of Future Booster Energy Capsule, a disgustingly broken card that removes a lot of the upside of attaching this to one of your own Pokemon. I will continue the rest of this explanation as though that card did not exist.
While a standard Baby Pokemon is probably not the most creative option here, I was interested in the challenge of how to make a Pokemon that can only have a single attack and nothing else. This is a lot wordier than Cleffa or Bonsly, but making a baby Pokemon playable when the game is this fast probably would require something like this. The most important thing this card does is remove itself from the field so it can't be taken advantage of by Radiant Greninja, Sableye, or Oricorio FST. The other problem with baby Pokemon is that none of them actually have an attack worth using, which is the part I hoped to address with this.
20 damage is a big bonus, especially being able to attach it to anything, but I think the real boon of the card is being able to spread damage. My first thought would have been to pair this with Ting-Lu ex, removing it from the active spot and immediately shutting down any abilities the opponent's card you attached this to might have had. It does give them a strong bonus, but Ting-Lu ex is quite bulky and could swallow hits if you need to. You could also put it on your own Pokemon for self-damage. I've always found Primeape BST to be a fascinating card to build around, and attaching this to Houndoom, as an example, expedites the process of self-damaging. Something like Miraidon/Flaaffy rarely attacks turn one going second but would have the ability to fetch and use this in that position.
I do think the card probably errs towards a novelty outside of dedicated ting-lu strategies, as you never really want to waste a turn for this given that every deck needs to be able to start taking prizes from turn two or three. However, I did feel that letting you use this going first would be a bit much, so it's left like this. I hope you enjoy it.
As a disclaimer, this card was conceptualized before the reveal of Future Booster Energy Capsule, a disgustingly broken card that removes a lot of the upside of attaching this to one of your own Pokemon. I will continue the rest of this explanation as though that card did not exist.
While a standard Baby Pokemon is probably not the most creative option here, I was interested in the challenge of how to make a Pokemon that can only have a single attack and nothing else. This is a lot wordier than Cleffa or Bonsly, but making a baby Pokemon playable when the game is this fast probably would require something like this. The most important thing this card does is remove itself from the field so it can't be taken advantage of by Radiant Greninja, Sableye, or Oricorio FST. The other problem with baby Pokemon is that none of them actually have an attack worth using, which is the part I hoped to address with this.
20 damage is a big bonus, especially being able to attach it to anything, but I think the real boon of the card is being able to spread damage. My first thought would have been to pair this with Ting-Lu ex, removing it from the active spot and immediately shutting down any abilities the opponent's card you attached this to might have had. It does give them a strong bonus, but Ting-Lu ex is quite bulky and could swallow hits if you need to. You could also put it on your own Pokemon for self-damage. I've always found Primeape BST to be a fascinating card to build around, and attaching this to Houndoom, as an example, expedites the process of self-damaging. Something like Miraidon/Flaaffy rarely attacks turn one going second but would have the ability to fetch and use this in that position.
I do think the card probably errs towards a novelty outside of dedicated ting-lu strategies, as you never really want to waste a turn for this given that every deck needs to be able to start taking prizes from turn two or three. However, I did feel that letting you use this going first would be a bit much, so it's left like this. I hope you enjoy it.
PMJ
Silhouette Gloom of the Sundown Lands
Forum Head
Articles Head
Elite Member
Advanced Member
Member
Generally speaking, if a card is revealed that ends up breaking your entry before you post it, it's bad form and a bit lazy to post it anyway. With that said, cards revealed are not necessarily cards legal, even in Japan. I can't speak for how Jabs judges image but as far as text goes, I judge your entry based on the current English meta as of the start of the month, so new English sets and newly revealed cards won't affect your score. This is so if a card is revealed that breaks your entry after you post it, you don't have to worry about losing all your Playability or Believability points due to something that was out of your control.
PMJ
Silhouette Gloom of the Sundown Lands
Forum Head
Articles Head
Elite Member
Advanced Member
Member
It's not disallowed specifically, but to discourage cheating, any edited post incurs a 2-point penalty, a death sentence if you're hoping to pull off the win. Don't do it.
Since editing the post specifically is not necessary to explain your thought process, it's best just to put that sort of thing in another post. Other people do it all the time.
I understand. In this case it was not about "breaking" my entry as much as "making it look weaker in comparison", given that being able to get an extra 20 damage with downside was supposed to look worthwhile as an option, and then Future Booster Energy Capsule did the same thing but with significant upside. I do not think it is the same situation as what you describe?