THIS CARD SUCKS! With my Nidoqueen RR on my bench it switchs him i am dead with only 11 energies in the deck! I faced a A palkia x and the same thing happened he left him up active not killing it untill i decked myself or found two energies on him!
Should Pokemon Catcher be Banned?
- Thread starter Card Slinger J
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... So use Warp Point, Warp Energy, or Switch.
Or, in HGSS on format, use Switch. Catcher isn't that hard to play around, especially with Vileplume out there, completely shutting it down. I don't htink this card should be banned. Everybody thought Sableye should be banned, and it's not even remotely close to how broken everybody thought it would be. Catcher is just the same thing. We get all hyped up about what's probably nothing.
Or, in HGSS on format, use Switch. Catcher isn't that hard to play around, especially with Vileplume out there, completely shutting it down. I don't htink this card should be banned. Everybody thought Sableye should be banned, and it's not even remotely close to how broken everybody thought it would be. Catcher is just the same thing. We get all hyped up about what's probably nothing.
I don't see Switch being as great of a counter to Catcher as everyone thinks. I see people mainly playing Catcher to bring out a low HP tech to one shot them. Against a Reshiboar deck for example, I see people bringing up a Shuckle or Ninetails to one shot them, especially early game. Benched starters (Cleffa, Stantler, Smeragle, Pichu, etc) will also be brought up to get the easy prize, all of which Switch is useless against.
See that's the problem with Pokemon Catcher, it takes away skill from the game to the point where playing the Pokemon TCG becomes nothing more than, "I'll take your benched Pokemon tech and Donk It" over and over. Sure you can use Switch/Warp Point all you want but they can still get their Catcher's back with Junk Arm and repeat the process. There may be times when discarding any 2 cards from your hand to get back a Trainer - Item from your Discard Pile might not be worth it but considering how much drawpower is in the game it's not that hard especially when a Trainer - Item like Pokemon Catcher is too good to pass up for prize advantage.
The reason why I say Pokemon Catcher hurts skill is because using Pokemon as tech's like Sunflora, Ninetales, Emboar, Zoroark, Shuckle, etc. make them less useful in decks when they usually help you setup, draw, search, or stall until you get out your main attacker and this also applies to Starter Pokemon as well like Cleffa, Smeargle, Pichu, and Stantler. Catcher makes them less useful to run in decks that need them the most to setup what they need in order to win, we don't need to have most decks rely just on Trainers/Supporters like in Base Set Era a decade ago.
You will also have problems setting up Stage 1 and Stage 2 Pokemon sooner since If it's a Basic or a Stage 1 it will get OHKO'ed by a Catcher and then there's the problem of paying high retreat costs for Pokemon that are Catcher bait like Emboar (Ability) with 4 Retreat. Sure you can use Switch/Warp Point but while it helps it also hurts your deck consistency at the same time when you could be running more useful Trainer/Supporter cards that can help you better. Now do you see why this card is bad for the game? Why should everybody especially in Japan be forced to run GothLock just to counter this stupid Trainer - Item?
The reason why I say Pokemon Catcher hurts skill is because using Pokemon as tech's like Sunflora, Ninetales, Emboar, Zoroark, Shuckle, etc. make them less useful in decks when they usually help you setup, draw, search, or stall until you get out your main attacker and this also applies to Starter Pokemon as well like Cleffa, Smeargle, Pichu, and Stantler. Catcher makes them less useful to run in decks that need them the most to setup what they need in order to win, we don't need to have most decks rely just on Trainers/Supporters like in Base Set Era a decade ago.
You will also have problems setting up Stage 1 and Stage 2 Pokemon sooner since If it's a Basic or a Stage 1 it will get OHKO'ed by a Catcher and then there's the problem of paying high retreat costs for Pokemon that are Catcher bait like Emboar (Ability) with 4 Retreat. Sure you can use Switch/Warp Point but while it helps it also hurts your deck consistency at the same time when you could be running more useful Trainer/Supporter cards that can help you better. Now do you see why this card is bad for the game? Why should everybody especially in Japan be forced to run GothLock just to counter this stupid Trainer - Item?
It's a card. It won't get banned. Overused, but not banned. I mean, look at Sableye. Look at how overrated it was. Yeah it was good, and highly overused, but it was never banned. It was said before that only 2 cards ever were legitimately banned. And that was because they were broken beyond all comprehension. But this, is just a gimmick. Something to make combos easier. It can easily be avoided, and if not, oh well. Let the company that makes the cards handle it.
slickmario said:
But Catcher has the potential to be more broken than Sableye SF. It's not a gimmick it's a serious threat to the health of the future metagame for HGSS-On being the 2011-2012 Modified Season. I don't think you realize the gravity of the situation we are about to face in the next few months. I could be wrong If it see's play mostly as 2 copies per deck instead of 3-4 but running 3-4 would be too good to pass up IMO.
How can this card be easily avoided If the card itself forces players to stick with running 1 specific type of deck being either Gothitelle or Vileplume just to counter it? We don't need the Pokemon TCG to become like Yu-Gi-Oh! were there is like only 1 or 2 playable competitive decks in the format. Yu-Gi-Oh! may have changed from that since their Banned/Restricted List was in effect in the early to mid 2000's when the format back then was crazy with Chaos Emperor Dragon, Yata Lock, and all that garbage.
Cimurph said:
I dunno, Ferrothorn is weak to {R} and {R} is going to be big in HGSS-On with MagneBoar and Reshiram variants. It would also take two turns to setup with a {M}{C}{C} just for Gyro Ball which works like Warp Point so like most Stage 1's it has a high chance of getting Revenge KO'ed back and most of the good one's are weak to {F} (Zoroark, Cincinno, and Lanturn Prime) when DonChamp is going to be a Tier 1 deck in the metagame. For Ferrothorn's case it's HP at 90 is mediocre but it could work I guess...
The only plus side to Ferrothorn is that it can set up faster than Gothitelle due to being a Stage 1 but even then with Catcher it's a speed race unless you focus on using Judge and Mr. Mime for Trick Reveal for hand disruption to keep them at bay from manipulating your bench. If they Catcher your Mr. Mime then I don't know what to tell you...
It'd also be silly to use Skarmory as a Starter If you do run Ferrothorn since it's not just Twins bait but Catcher bait as well since you're still getting the same outcome of giving your Opponent a prize or two. I'm not sure If running Steelix Prime or even Blastoise/Floatzel is a safe call in HGSS-On with the game being too much like
"Rock-Paper-Scissors" compared to the last 2 formats where it wasn't too much the case at all.
How I see the game:
Guy: Pokemon Reversal? Pfft. Flips suck.
Guy: Pokemon Catcher? No flip! Ban it.
It's just another non search/draw trainer, like Pluspower, Defender, Lost Remover, and Reversal. I don't see the big deal. It's just one more thing to keep in mind when building a deck.
Guy: Pokemon Reversal? Pfft. Flips suck.
Guy: Pokemon Catcher? No flip! Ban it.
It's just another non search/draw trainer, like Pluspower, Defender, Lost Remover, and Reversal. I don't see the big deal. It's just one more thing to keep in mind when building a deck.
People say that catcher can be countered with Gothitelle.
You tell me than after I catcher your Gothita.
Oh, did you forget that there's no rare candy or BTS? Only pokemon breeder, bros.
"Guy: Pokemon Reversal? Pfft. Flips suck.
Guy: Pokemon Catcher? No flip! Ban it."
A coin flip means there is a 50% chance of working. A 100% chance of working is over a 50% improvement. You can use two reversals and not get one swap. You can play two catchers and you will never not get two swaps.
You tell me than after I catcher your Gothita.
Oh, did you forget that there's no rare candy or BTS? Only pokemon breeder, bros.
"Guy: Pokemon Reversal? Pfft. Flips suck.
Guy: Pokemon Catcher? No flip! Ban it."
A coin flip means there is a 50% chance of working. A 100% chance of working is over a 50% improvement. You can use two reversals and not get one swap. You can play two catchers and you will never not get two swaps.
I know this is probably going to sound crazy coming from me but Catcher isn't nearly worth banning as previously thought, at first I was worried about bench techs however I think Catcher can help you in the sense that you won't get screwed over by type advantage or just stall for time while you setup your bench perhaps.
Sure it makes games one-sided but granted that it does become a staple card in alot of decks perhaps it doesn't end up becoming a one-sided ordeal afterall. I still can't help but feel that it takes away skill from the game and the fact that it requires no cost to play it either which is why Pokemon Reversal is better cause it's a 50% chance.
Sure it makes games one-sided but granted that it does become a staple card in alot of decks perhaps it doesn't end up becoming a one-sided ordeal afterall. I still can't help but feel that it takes away skill from the game and the fact that it requires no cost to play it either which is why Pokemon Reversal is better cause it's a 50% chance.
Jahikoi said:
Play Gothitelle with Catcher. Bring up something that isn't mean't to be Active, and this makes their Switches as useful as used kitty litter. And Gothitelle's wimpy attacking power doesn't matter if you're facing something that can't attack, and can't switch out. Probably could have an impact on the game.
~SS
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Not necessarily. While I like that strategy, I think that since Gothitelle prevents the use of Trainers, playing Catcher would be a waste of space. Not only that, but Magneboar can use all its Pokemon as attackers rendering that strategy useless. Also, all Pokemon in that deck have huge amounts of HP and deal out large amounts of damage which Gothitelle cannot take.
Yeah dmaster is dead on, personally though I don't think Gothitelle is all that great sure it's Ability is amazing but it's attack is mediocre at best. Even then it's slow as a Stage 2, and to make it consistent you'll need to run like 4 Junk Arm with 4 Rare Candy. The only Stage 2 deck that has the ability to make that consistent is Reshiram/Emboar unless I'm proven wrong.
Basic/Stage 1's, Basic/1 Stage 2, or 1 Stage 2/Stage 1 decks IMO are the play for HGSS-On, Unless you're running a Stage 2 Main Attacker that has a high damage output then obviously your deck is severely lacking. You would have to be crazy to run 2 Stage 2's for a deck strategy in the new format when you'll most likely get outspeed by everything.
Basic/Stage 1's, Basic/1 Stage 2, or 1 Stage 2/Stage 1 decks IMO are the play for HGSS-On, Unless you're running a Stage 2 Main Attacker that has a high damage output then obviously your deck is severely lacking. You would have to be crazy to run 2 Stage 2's for a deck strategy in the new format when you'll most likely get outspeed by everything.
personally, I think the best play against catcher is total trainer lock while making yourself have free retreat. Lack of draw trainers makes it great. The only trainers that can't be realistically replaced by a supporter or pokemon power/body/ability is rare candy, defender, legend box, potion, revive, and communication.
Jahikoi said:
Scizorlicious had the right idea. Even though there's no flip, a lot of people COMPLETELY overlook Pokemon Reversal because it has a flip, not realizing the effect if you ARE lucky. The effect right now is great, BECAUSE it's overlooked. People carelessly play Emboar, without worrying about a timed reversal that'll screw them up. But when Catcher comes, people dare not play Emboar because of...no flip! That's why I think Reversal is almost BETTER than Catcher because too many people overlook it as a game winner. Now of course, when Catcher comes, obviously it'll be better, but in it's time, Reversal will be great.
Anyway, I still don't see it as broken because people will be too worried about it. The creator of the thread doesn't think it's broken anymore.
Pokemon Catcher, though I wasn't around in the Gust of Wind days, strikes me less of a blatantly overpowered card and more of a card that will make the game a lot less fun to play. Even Sabledonk was generally screwed over if it failed to get the donk early or faced the already prevalent Spiritomb. Catcher will really punish setup decks and I think will make the game more luck based (that is, having catcher in your hand early), than the game is with the soon-to-be-rotated format.
I think Catcher should be banned. Not necessarily because it is the most overpowered, overused card of all time, but because it will really make the experience a whole lot less enjoyable overall. Regardless of anyone else's opinion on that matter, I think the vast majority of the people will think re-releasing this card was an extremely bad idea.
I think Catcher should be banned. Not necessarily because it is the most overpowered, overused card of all time, but because it will really make the experience a whole lot less enjoyable overall. Regardless of anyone else's opinion on that matter, I think the vast majority of the people will think re-releasing this card was an extremely bad idea.
I've been thinking about this long and hard, and I think catcher will hurt the game way more than help it. because now everyone will run 4 catchers (sounds like the offensive ideals of people using sableye) and then 4 switch as well to counter it (sounds like why people ran spiritomb) which brings us right back to where we were having problems before the drastic rotation....
the game as of now going into nationals is amazing...I hope they don't ruin it by bringing in catcher.
the game as of now going into nationals is amazing...I hope they don't ruin it by bringing in catcher.
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