Shaymin vs. Emolga

MountainDrew

Wishes Mega Umbreon would exist
Member
10-shaymin.jpg

emolga.jpg


Emolga was always far surperior to Shaymin as the starter, but I think with the release of Plasma Freeze could impact which one the player decides to play. They both have the same HP, but the problem for Emolga is that Lighting weakness which this guy will love:
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Emolga will get donked often by one of the biggest cards that will be in the format (as long as a Deoxys EX or HTL is played.) The thing that makes Shaymin much harder to donk is he has a fire weakness, and there are no big fire pokemon right now, so I think the Rayeels or Empoleon players will start playing Shaymin over Emolga. Skyarrow Bridge is often played in Rayeels so Shaymin will have free retreat just like Emolga.

So anyway what do you guys think? Will Emolga or Shaymin be played more in the upcoming Battle Roads/Nationals/Worlds Championships?
 
Everyone always forgets the main difference:
Emolga has no retreat cost, Shaymin does.
Emolga ia only really used in RayEels, and, since that deck uses Skyarrow Bridge, Shaymin could be used in there. But Eels is much more afraid of Landorus, and Emolga resists fighting, making it a great cushion when up against Lando.

edit: also, Empoleon (for sure) and/or Eels wont be played anymore. They just are too slow to compete with PlasmaBox and don't have any stall to them like Klanklang does.
 
Just as a note, Rayeels doesn't really need SAB anymore, because it has Float Stone+Keldeo for mobility.
 
Well, you guys forgot, that once Emolga gets an energy on it, you can't take that energy off of it. With Shaymin, you can discard it when you retreat it.
 
You have a good point RogueChomp. I never thought of that. I don't think that the opponent would want to KO Emolga because of that energy but also of the precious bench slot.
 
If you start with that shaymin I'll probably give you the win and refuse to play you. Stupiiiddddd card.
 
So many packs where I pulled Shaymin as a rare.... T_T It wasn't even in Cold Flare or Freeze Bolt. All butt-hurt aside I would never play either at this point. If you're using it for eels I would just play 4 level ball instead. Any kind of fast start from a plasma deck is going to run over you so Emolga/Shaymin is just another free prize and could very well just be 2 free prizes. That's aside from clogging up your bench and wasting an energy. If you discarded the energy to retreat Shaymin you may be able to Dynamotor it, but you'll have to have a switch to attack with whatever you just Dynamotored an energy to.
 
Now this is quite a perceptive thread, I think!


I'd honestly love to give Shaymin a try for a change of pace. Beware of it when Megalo-Cannon arrives in the States!
 
RogueChomp said:
Well, you guys forgot, that once Emolga gets an energy on it, you can't take that energy off of it. With Shaymin, you can discard it when you retreat it.

Yes, but if I catcher your Emolga to the active position after it has retreated, you won't have to waste a Float Stone, a 2nd Energy, or play Skyarrow to retreat it, like you would with Shaymin.
 
If you have to pick one, Emolga. It has free retreat. That alone makes it better than Shaymin. But after it Calls for Family, it is just wasted space, and you're just waiting for your opponent to kill it. Shaymin is no different. That spot can easily be devoted to something else, and more often than not the Emolga is left alive, because after early game it is useless.

I run RayEels and zero Emolga. I know it is a personal preference, but I have yet to regret this decision. I have a lot of search/draw cards that Emolga becomes unnecessary.
Honestly, if you can, try to run 0 Call for Family and more search cards. I believe the payoff is much much higher, since you don't get cards clogging your hand or your bench later in the game.
 
Keeper of Night said:
MountainDrew said:
I think roguechomp convinced me to play shaymin.

You need to also remember that Emolga (especially in Eels decks) makes a great buffer to Landorus.

Landy will probaply see a decrease in play with kyurem floating around
 
TPO3 said:
RogueChomp said:
Well, you guys forgot, that once Emolga gets an energy on it, you can't take that energy off of it. With Shaymin, you can discard it when you retreat it.

Yes, but if I catcher your Emolga to the active position after it has retreated, you won't have to waste a Float Stone, a 2nd Energy, or play Skyarrow to retreat it, like you would with Shaymin.

Why would they ever catcher up your shay min when you have eels with two retreat on the bench? And I have keldeo so catchers are irrelevant if they can't kill something.
 
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