Hey everyone! First time posting and I'd like for it to be something worthwhile. A lot of this information can be found spread out around the website, but I thought it'd be nice if it was all compiled into one area. As I'm new to the TCG competitive scene myself (Haven't played TCG since the first gameboy game, other than the occasional unlimited game with my roommates in Pittsburgh back in 2010.) I would definitely appreciate any additional input from more well-versed players. So, I suppose I'll start out with just listing the staple cards and what sets they are found in!
Key Terms:
Flashfire - FLF *not in rotation*
Phantom Forces - PHF *not in rotation*
Primal Clash - PRC
Double Crisis - DCR
Roaring Skies - ROS
Ancient Origins - AOR
Breakthrough - BKT
Breakpoint - BKP
Generations - GEN
Fates Collide - FAC
Steam Siege - STS
**Note 1: The sets the are not in rotation are listed as they have reprints that are still usable in play and are therefore viable options for obtaining certain cards. Especially important when it comes to obtaining some of the cards at a cheaper price.**
The Staples
Shaymin-EX (ROS 77/108) - $61.62
Ultra Ball (ROS 93/108, FAC 113/124) - $0.44-$0.67
VS Seeker (PHF 108/119, ROS 110/108) - $11.12-25.42
Trainers' Mail (ROS 92/108, AOR 100/98) - $3.73-16.41
N (FAC 105/124) - $2.91
Lysandre (FLF 90/106, FLF 104/106 (FA), AOR 78/98) - $0.64-0.94/$21.88 (FA)
Professor Sycamore (BKP 107/122, STS 114/114 (FA)) - $0.78/36.34 (FA)
**Note 2: All prices are taken from TCG Player Market Value listing.**
Why They're Important
Shaymin-EX: Shaymin allows you to continuously cycle and recycle cards. Dropping a Shaymin onto the bench after playing your entire hand allows you to reload to a whopping 6 cards before your turn ends! Then, for a small cost of 2 energy (basic or double-colorless, your choice) you can return the Shaymin from the active position BACK to your hand along with those energy (and possibly any Pokemon Tool equipped) back to your hand so you can do it again on your next turn or later (Assuming your opponent doesn't make you discard it!), while also getting the bonus of doing 30 damage.
Ultra Ball: This card is brilliant. Search through your entire deck for ANY Pokemon at the minor cost of two cards being discarded. Depending on your deck, that could blessing in and of itself. Night March decks could use this to pump up their damage, while also getting out a Pokemon they wanted. (E.G.: Discard 2 Pokemon with Night March in order to draw a Shaymin. Play Shaymin to buff your hand back up, perhaps drawing 2 more Night March Pokes and an Ultra Ball with that?) Of course, Night March seems to be done for with the 2017 Standard Rotation. (*Cue celebratory fanfare from non-Night March players.*) People playing Theme decks only have come to rely on things like Poke Ball, Great Ball, and Level Ball. Each of them can be useful, but they're so circumstantial! Sure, there's no cost like there is on Ultra Ball, but Ultra Ball has no limitations to what Pokemon you pull! Poke Ball? You only have a 50% chance of success. Great Ball? You only get to look through the top 7 cards of your deck. Level Ball? Limited to Pokemon with 90 HP or less!
VS Seeker: This card is pretty self-explanatory. Fish a Supporter card out of your discard pile and place it back into your hand. This can easily be used in conjunction with Ultra Ball. If you're limited in what your hand currently has, discard a Supporter like Professor Sycamore in order to get out the Pokemon you want, then use VS Seeker to pull Professor Sycamore back out of your discard pile to make use of. Other situations include: Being forced to place top card of your deck into your discard pile and it's an important Supporter; Didn't draw the Supporter you needed, but know there's one in your discard pile? Not anymore! That's the power of VS Seeker.
N: Does your opponent have plentiful cards in his hand with lots of options? Are you down in Prizes and don't have the cards needed to turn this match around? Not anymore! Both of you shuffle your hands back into your deck and then draw an amount equal to how many Prizes you have remaining on the field! This can even be used intelligently with you being the one to draw less cards. Maybe your opponent opted not to play a certain card, but not before revealing it was in their hand. Maybe that card could really turn things around for them and prevent you from cinching the victory you've worked so hard for! Well, with N's help, that card is going BACK INTO THEIR DECK! Sure, there's the chance they could draw it again, it's a calculated risk that you're willing to take though! (If you're not, get that attitude out of my face and go back to non-competitive you casual pleb!)
What Should I Buy?
There's an entire thread dedicated to this. If there's anything I've learned so far, it's the buying singles is always the best way to go. Sure, there's the chance you could end up pulling something expensive out of a booster (like on of the Full Art cards), but there's a far greater chance that you'll spend more money than the card costs on the boosters and still not get it! However, there's one notable set coming out on September 21, 2016.
Look at those deck lists!
**Note 3: Will edit this further in a bit. Just need to take a break at the moment. If anybody has any input about additional sets these cards can be obtained in, then please PM me or post here. Same goes for if there's any that I'm missing at this moment.**
Key Terms:
Flashfire - FLF *not in rotation*
Phantom Forces - PHF *not in rotation*
Primal Clash - PRC
Double Crisis - DCR
Roaring Skies - ROS
Ancient Origins - AOR
Breakthrough - BKT
Breakpoint - BKP
Generations - GEN
Fates Collide - FAC
Steam Siege - STS
**Note 1: The sets the are not in rotation are listed as they have reprints that are still usable in play and are therefore viable options for obtaining certain cards. Especially important when it comes to obtaining some of the cards at a cheaper price.**
The Staples
Shaymin-EX (ROS 77/108) - $61.62
Ultra Ball (ROS 93/108, FAC 113/124) - $0.44-$0.67
VS Seeker (PHF 108/119, ROS 110/108) - $11.12-25.42
Trainers' Mail (ROS 92/108, AOR 100/98) - $3.73-16.41
N (FAC 105/124) - $2.91
Lysandre (FLF 90/106, FLF 104/106 (FA), AOR 78/98) - $0.64-0.94/$21.88 (FA)
Professor Sycamore (BKP 107/122, STS 114/114 (FA)) - $0.78/36.34 (FA)
**Note 2: All prices are taken from TCG Player Market Value listing.**
Why They're Important
Shaymin-EX: Shaymin allows you to continuously cycle and recycle cards. Dropping a Shaymin onto the bench after playing your entire hand allows you to reload to a whopping 6 cards before your turn ends! Then, for a small cost of 2 energy (basic or double-colorless, your choice) you can return the Shaymin from the active position BACK to your hand along with those energy (and possibly any Pokemon Tool equipped) back to your hand so you can do it again on your next turn or later (Assuming your opponent doesn't make you discard it!), while also getting the bonus of doing 30 damage.
Ultra Ball: This card is brilliant. Search through your entire deck for ANY Pokemon at the minor cost of two cards being discarded. Depending on your deck, that could blessing in and of itself. Night March decks could use this to pump up their damage, while also getting out a Pokemon they wanted. (E.G.: Discard 2 Pokemon with Night March in order to draw a Shaymin. Play Shaymin to buff your hand back up, perhaps drawing 2 more Night March Pokes and an Ultra Ball with that?) Of course, Night March seems to be done for with the 2017 Standard Rotation. (*Cue celebratory fanfare from non-Night March players.*) People playing Theme decks only have come to rely on things like Poke Ball, Great Ball, and Level Ball. Each of them can be useful, but they're so circumstantial! Sure, there's no cost like there is on Ultra Ball, but Ultra Ball has no limitations to what Pokemon you pull! Poke Ball? You only have a 50% chance of success. Great Ball? You only get to look through the top 7 cards of your deck. Level Ball? Limited to Pokemon with 90 HP or less!
VS Seeker: This card is pretty self-explanatory. Fish a Supporter card out of your discard pile and place it back into your hand. This can easily be used in conjunction with Ultra Ball. If you're limited in what your hand currently has, discard a Supporter like Professor Sycamore in order to get out the Pokemon you want, then use VS Seeker to pull Professor Sycamore back out of your discard pile to make use of. Other situations include: Being forced to place top card of your deck into your discard pile and it's an important Supporter; Didn't draw the Supporter you needed, but know there's one in your discard pile? Not anymore! That's the power of VS Seeker.
N: Does your opponent have plentiful cards in his hand with lots of options? Are you down in Prizes and don't have the cards needed to turn this match around? Not anymore! Both of you shuffle your hands back into your deck and then draw an amount equal to how many Prizes you have remaining on the field! This can even be used intelligently with you being the one to draw less cards. Maybe your opponent opted not to play a certain card, but not before revealing it was in their hand. Maybe that card could really turn things around for them and prevent you from cinching the victory you've worked so hard for! Well, with N's help, that card is going BACK INTO THEIR DECK! Sure, there's the chance they could draw it again, it's a calculated risk that you're willing to take though! (If you're not, get that attitude out of my face and go back to non-competitive you casual pleb!)
What Should I Buy?
There's an entire thread dedicated to this. If there's anything I've learned so far, it's the buying singles is always the best way to go. Sure, there's the chance you could end up pulling something expensive out of a booster (like on of the Full Art cards), but there's a far greater chance that you'll spend more money than the card costs on the boosters and still not get it! However, there's one notable set coming out on September 21, 2016.
Look at those deck lists!
- Ultra Ball x4
- VS Seeker x2
- N x2
- Professor Sycamore x4
- Lysandre x2
**Note 3: Will edit this further in a bit. Just need to take a break at the moment. If anybody has any input about additional sets these cards can be obtained in, then please PM me or post here. Same goes for if there's any that I'm missing at this moment.**
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