TCG Fakes Sun & Moon: Duel of Champions

[PMJ]

Welcome to the thread for my latestest and greatestest set, Sun & Moon: Duel of Champions (DOC). Like my previous sets, this was also created for use with the LackeyCCG plugin. If you want to join the discussion about this or other fakes that me and the boys create, feel free to stop by our thread or our Discord server. Whether you're a seasoned faker or just getting started, we'd love to have you.

This set was inspired by my fic, Mysteries of the Forgotten Island (Version Zero). The story follows the battles of a championship tournament involving sixteen competitors who have all qualified by winning their own large tournaments. The story features a diverse cast, each with their own stories and motivations for entering the tournament. Additionally, each competitor was an original character designed by members of PokeBeach (okay maybe not Frisk, but the rest of them yeah).

The story is technically ongoing, but as I have not updated it in over a year, it has fallen out of the public's eye. I invite everyone to give it a read anyway, as I spent a lot of time on it and I will update it someday. Lastly, the logo includes a few references to the story as well and I felt slick making it.

Sun & Moon: Duel of Champions features the following:

- 143 new cards
- Sixteen powerful Pokemon-GX, one representing each champion
- Off-type Pokemon cards that have never been seen in an official set before, like a Psychic-type Venusaur
- Eleven type-specific Special Energy cards
- Custom, expanded flavor text, some featuring snippets from the story itself

I thought I'd use this thread to not only provide card updates, but also to introduce you to the characters in the story. All sixteen of them and their tournament teams of three have been included in this set. There are no Owner's Pokemon or anything like that, but there are references to each contestant in their Pokemon's cards. Here's the first preview.

Spoiler: Paras (Windra)

Windra is an outspoken seventeen-year-old girl from Village Bridge in Unova. Consumed by wanderlust from a young age, Windra has been on the road most of her life with her trusted partners, Tyeaf (Paras), Chomper, (Pikachu), and Archeidon (Volcarona). She has a tendency to leap before she looks, and it's gotten her into a bit of trouble over the years. Still, she is firm in her values as a trainer and as a woman, and isn't afraid to speak up to protest an injustice.

It's a good time to mention that Paras, not Parasect, is the Pokemon she uses in the story. Because of that, it's Paras that got the special treatment. While there is a Parasect in the set, it's not meant to be inspired by Windra's Paras (you'll notice that the Parasect has no special flavor text the way Paras does). There are a couple other Pokemon like this in the set as well.

This Paras is excellent at helping to build your Bench. In Lackey, there are many different Pokemon that can appreciate this, like Simisage FAL, Cherrim RXS, and Undellan Florges FBA. Even if you choose not to evolve it into Parasect, this Paras is sure to get some screen time.

Spoiler: Fresh Energy

Here's an example of one of the type-specific Special Energy cards in the set. Lackey is in sore need of some Special Energy cards, and while High Stakes has a couple, Duel of Champions really ramps up the possibilities. Fresh Energy is one of the simpler Energy in the set, and I'm still on the fence about a couple of the crazier ones. Some things you see in this set, or even this post, may change before this set sees the light of day in Lackey.

Spoiler: Gyarados

Here is an example of one of the off-type cards included in this set. This Gyarados is unique among Gyarados cards not just because of the Colorless typing, but because it can't do any direct damage at all. Instead, it deals damage to your opponent's deck, field, and Prize cards. Mill needs more love in Lackey, and I think there's room to build a deck from this. Togedemaru-GX is still a thing, too. Maybe a team up is in order?

Here's the set list. I'll upload these to stash as the set gets closer to formal Lackey review, but I'll be periodically posting a few cards to introduce more characters and maybe get some folks interested in reading. Until then, enjoy.

Spoiler: Set List

001/143 Paras
002/143 Parasect
003/143 Leafeon
004/143 Shaymin-GX
005/143 Rowlet
006/143 Dartrix
007/143 Ferroseed
008/143 Ferrothorn
009/143 Dewpider
010/143 Araquanid
011/143 Larvesta
012/143 Volcarona
013/143 Cutiefly
014/143 Ribombee-GX
015/143 Vulpix
016/143 Ninetales
017/143 Ponyta
018/143 Rapidash
019/143 Alolan Marowak
020/143 Numel
021/143 Camerupt-GX
022/143 Darumaka
023/143 Darmanitan
024/143 Slowpoke
025/143 Slowbro
026/143 Magikarp
027/143 Remoraid
028/143 Octillery-GX
029/143 Carvanha
030/143 Sharpedo
031/143 Feebas
032/143 Milotic
033/143 Clamperl
034/143 Huntail-GX
035/143 Piplup
036/143 Prinplup
037/143 Popplio
038/143 Brionne
039/143 Primarina-GX
040/143 Pikachu-GX
041/143 Jolteon
042/143 Shinx
043/143 Luxio
044/143 Luxray
045/143 Pachirisu
046/143 Helioptile
047/143 Heliolisk-GX
048/143 Bulbasaur
049/143 Ivysaur
050/143 Venusaur
051/143 Weedle
052/143 Kakuna
053/143 Beedrill
054/143 Ekans
055/143 Arbok-GX
056/143 Roselia
057/143 Roserade
058/143 Deoxys
059/143 Munna
060/143 Musharna-GX
061/143 Decidueye
062/143 Cosmog
063/143 Cosmoem
064/143 Solgaleo
065/143 Necrozma
066/143 Cubone
067/143 Alolan Geodude
068/143 Alolan Graveler
069/143 Alolan Golem
070/143 Corsola
071/143 Anorith
072/143 Armaldo
073/143 Riolu
074/143 Lucario-GX
075/143 Archen
076/143 Archeops-GX
077/143 Mienfoo
078/143 Mienshao
079/143 Cobalion
080/143 Rockruff
081/143 Lycanroc
082/143 Umbreon-GX
083/143 Absol
084/143 Stunky
085/143 Skuntank
086/143 Vullaby
087/143 Mandibuzz
088/143 Impidimp
089/143 Morgrem
090/143 Grimmsnarl
091/143 Empoleon
092/143 Dialga
093/143 Heatran
094/143 Magearna-GX
095/143 Clefairy
096/143 Clefable
097/143 Ralts
098/143 Kirlia
099/143 Gardevoir-GX
100/143 Sylveon
101/143 Xerneas
102/143 Mimikyu
103/143 Dratini
104/143 Dragonair
105/143 Dragonite
106/143 Deino
107/143 Zweilous
108/143 Hydreigon
109/143 Eevee
110/143 Gyarados
111/143 Girafarig
112/143 Fletchling
113/143 Fletchinder
114/143 Talonflame
115/143 Meloetta
116/143 Oricorio
117/143 Drampa-GX
118/143 Adrenaline Orb
119/143 Beach Glass
120/143 Big Root
121/143 Dragon Energy
122/143 Eject Button
123/143 Flood Energy
124/143 Fortify Energy
125/143 Fresh Energy
126/143 Generator Energy
127/143 Gordie
128/143 Indigo Plateau
129/143 Infiltrator Energy
130/143 Kris
131/143 Lt. Surge
132/143 Marble
133/143 Melony
134/143 Mighty Energy
135/143 Opal
136/143 Serena
137/143 Shroud Energy
138/143 Silk Scarf
139/143 Split Energy
140/143 Timer Ball
141/143 Unusual Energy
142/143 Wildfire Energy
143/143 X Special Defense

 

[Jabberwock]

Good stuff! It's always cool to see a set with that level of attention to lore, and making it a tie-in to your fic seems like a great way to prompt interest in both. I know I'm looking forward to seeing more.

Does every line in the set relate to the story in some way? Looks like there's no specific flavor text on Gyarados, and I can't remember whether anybody uses a Magikarp in MotFI.

 

[bbninjas]

Massive fan of this! MotFI is a great fic and I'll be very curious to see how you incorporate your fic's lore and plot points into the flavour and effects themselves - even akin to the narratives of Team Rocket Returns and the Holon sets. Keen!

 

[PMJ]

Does every line in the set relate to the story in some way?

No. Like Team Rocket Returns or Magma vs. Aqua, there are generic Pokemon additions to the set that have no bearing on the story itself. I meant to say that in the OP but I forgot about it as I was writing.

Massive fan of this! MotFI is a great fic and I'll be very curious to see how you incorporate your fic's lore and plot points into the flavour and effects themselves - even akin to the narratives of Team Rocket Returns and the Holon sets. Keen!

It was a little challenging to include references to the story or battles without including any potential spoilers about who won or any plot developments. Paras was one that was slightly changed to remove a spoiler I'd included in the flavor text.

Glad to see some interest, even if both of you guys have already read (most of) the fic.

 

[PMJ]

Here's today's update.

Spoiler: Clamperl

Clamperl doesn't do much, which is fine by me. Instead of reducing all damage that is X number or below, Clamperl cuts damage by 50 flat out, effectively doubling its HP. It's a good stalling move if you're in a bit of a bind and don't want to roll the dice with Clamp.

Spoiler: Huntail-GX (Thresher)

Thresher hails from Pacifidlog Town in Hoenn. He's a family man, a fisherman, and a trainer, in that order. At twenty-three, he's one of the eldest competitors, but he doesn't let that fact bother him. With his toned and muscled body from a lifetime at sea and naturally good looks, Thresher is one of the handsomest men in the tournament, but he would be embarrassed to hear you say that. Thresher always has a cheery disposition and always makes a point to stay humble and see the bright side in any situation, lessons he learned from his late father.

In order to differentiate him from the rest of the cast, I decided to give Thresher an Irish-inspired accent that I sometimes worry doesn't quite come across in the way I intended... either way, he's been fun to write and he's one of my favorite characters in the story. Hopefully he'll be one of yours, too.

As for Huntail-GX, it's also nothing fancy, which I think would suit Thresher just fine. Screech is important to note because it doubles the damage that the defender takes from all attacks, not just yours, so any damage the defender does to itself by its own attack would also be doubled. The most noteworthy part of this card is Prison Break GX, an attack meant to get you out of a tight spot. It works best in the early game, but if your opponent is down to 1 Prize card, you can use it freely. I need to change this attack's wording a bit to make that more clear, so that'll change a bit before release.

Spoiler: Magikarp

I like Jabber's way of doing things and introducing things as an entire line rather than individually, so here's Magikarp.

If you are ever stuck with it up front, it can at least get itself out of harm's way. Should your fish meet an early end, however, it won't go down without taking a slice of your opponent's deck along with it.

Spoiler: Parasect

And here's Parasect. I've been a big fan of Grass-type Pokemon and Special Conditions since day one, so it's no surprise to see a Pokemon that can inflict them with ease. The raw damage is a bit low, but the steady stream of status that Parasect employs is sure to frustrate your opponents. Worth mentioning: Rototiller, a recovery move that is completely outclassed by Palkia consistent and cheap. The flavor text is a reference to The Mushroom's Madness, a short story I wrote way back in 2009. Like my other fics, that story is worth reading, because I wrote it and everything I write is worth reading. As I mention in the OP of that thread, it's about 1600 words, and that's, like, what, five, ten minutes? Check it out.

Spoiler: Cosmog

Drawup Power is a great attack and probably the only thing you'll ever use. It can pull Special Energy from your deck.

Spoiler: Cosmoem

Perhaps a more interesting card than its evolution, Cosmoem is a wall. Cocoon of the Stars blocks all damage from everything except Basic one-Prizer Pokemon and Stage 1s (and Pokemon V and VMAX but we don't talk about those). Ultra Beasts and two-Prizers get walled regardless of their Stage, so be careful. Cosmoem's attack is completely worthless, but you can rest assured that once this thing hits the field, it's not going anywhere, and the Dark Lord help you if someone gusts it up front before you're ready. Hope you've got a Plush handy.

Spoiler: Solgaleo

For a Pokemon that's Psychic-type, TPCi sure as hell spent years pretending it wasn't one by giving us 40 gojillion Solgaleo cards that are all Metal. Did you know Solgaleo was part Psychic? Because I sure forgot it was. This card is pretty interesting, and not just because it's Psychic. It also has what I unofficially like to call a demoted GX attack.

There's a Lycanroc from Forbidden Light with an attack called Dangerous Rogue, which does 20 damage + 20 more for each of your opponent's Benched Pokemon. This is a direct downgrade from Lycanroc-GX from Guardians Rising, whose GX attack, Dangerous Rogue GX, does 50 damage for each of your opponent's Benched Pokemon. It's like the GX attack was demoted. I thought that was a super interesting mechanic and was disappointed to see that this was the only instance of it in the entire Sun & Moon era. There are so many possibilities, what with all the interesting GX attacks out there, and so I made it a point to demote a few of them for inclusion in this set.

With that out of the way, Sol Burst is a demoted version of Sol Burst GX. I might increase it to 3, but probably not. Devour the Sun is your nuke attack, which gives pesky stuff like Goodra-GX the hands and will destroy all but the bulkiest of Pokemon.

Spoiler: Unusual Energy

The first thing that I need to point out is that you have to discard a card from your hand to play this card, like the real Aurora Energy. I feel like most people will wind up misplaying this card, but the reason that it requires a discard is because the effect is just that good. It'll be unlikely that you can play multiple of these in a single turn, even without considering your hand will be in ruins by the time you do. But it can provide a suprise attack your opponent didn't see coming.

 

[PMJ]

Been a few days since I posted, but we'll just say that this update is stylishly late. Enjoy!

Spoiler: Feebas

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Continuing my trend of giving wacky effects to 30 HP Basics, we have Feebas. Last Chance Draw is decent enough on its own, but if you are saddled with a lone Feebas start, your opponent gets completely Trainer locked during their next turn in an attempt to give you time to bench something else to avoid an embarrassing donk. Given the requirement, a total Trainer lock isn't the end of the world, since it drastically loses effectiveness past the first turn, and because you're required to put your faith in a Pokemon with 30 HP.

Spoiler: Milotic (Eldan)

When I asked for people to answer my call for original characters, the only person who had submitted an existing (original) character was @Jabberwock, who snuck his character in completely under the radar. It wasn't until after I'd gotten a few chapters in that I'd realized I'd taken a few liberties with Eldan, not knowing Jibjab had written nearly an entire fic about him which, admittedly, I've never read (sorry!).

Anyway, Eldan. Hails from Lumiose City in Kalos and is a proud member of Team Flare. He believes wholeheartedly in Lysandre's quest to keep the Kalos region beautiful but I never quite pinned down whether or not he is aware that Lysandre is The Big Bad. Since I was unaware Eldan was an existing character, you'll notice that his behavior is toned down significantly from his first appearance in the prologue. He's still an unapologetic ladies' man and constantly flirts with the female competitors, to their chagrin. One in particular catches his eye and he makes it his mission to make her his, no matter what it takes.

If you had to describe Eldan in one word, it would be, unsurprisingly, stylish. With his perfect hair and perfect teeth and perfect uniform, Eldan is (or likes to think he is) on the cutting edge of fashion and master of all things style. He takes his appearance very, very seriously, and everything he does is done with style and grace. This also extends to the way he battles, and the result is probably one of the funnest battle styles ever. His Pokemon, under Eldan's guidance, have invented interesting ways to use their attacks in battle, much like anime-style Pokemon Contests. Eldan terms these variants "forms," as he explains in one chapter. Not only does this make for a visually appealing battle, but it also keeps the opponent off guard since they won't know how to react.

The cards inspired by Eldan's Pokemon likewise have different "forms" in which they do slightly different things than the attack normally would. In Duel of Champions, you'll see attacks of Form β (beta), Form δ (delta), and Form γ (gamma).

Coincidentally, with Milotic, I can also talk about the closest thing to a new mechanic in Duel of Champions: crisis attacks. These are simply attacks that get better if used at 30 HP or less. Most do additional damage, but some, like Milotic, have different bonuses.

Spoiler: Necrozma (Taikyu)

The man known only as Taikyu is from Po Town in Alola. At seventy, he is the eldest competitor, and with his ebony skin and massive height--nearly seven feet tall--Taikyu stands out in any crowd. A former soldier, Taikyu left the military to raise the orphaned daughter of one of his friends, who had been killed in combat. After she'd grown up, Taikyu devoted the rest of his life to peace and spreading the legend of Ho-Oh and the Brass Tower in Johto. He became one of Ecruteak City's famed Sages, dropping his given name and taking on the name Taikyu.

At first, many of other competitors are wary of Taikyu and how drastically different he is from everyone else, but they quickly warm up to him after they realize their fears are unfounded. As a monk, Taikyu is more attuned to spirits than most people, and this brings him to approach another competitor, a troubled little girl who, to his trained senses, has some awful spirit problems of oher own. But can he get her to open up to him when she harshly rebukes anyone who gets close?

Necrozma isn't Taikyu's ace, but it is one of his oldest Pokemon. In Taikyu's character submission, it was said that Necrozma evolved from Cosmoem, which we know is total horseshit. As a writer I understand creative license but I draw the line at butchering established canon that badly. So it's never explained in the story where Necrozma came from, but it sure as hell didn't evolve from no Cosmoem or anything else. This is why it rightfully appears as a Basic in this set.

Autotomize is an interesting Ability. By cutting your HP in half, you also cut your attack costs in half, allowing for some potentially powerful plays. Black Ray is demoted straight from Necrozma-GX, and Prismatic Laser, while bland, is Necrozma's most powerful attack and can be used to net a surprise KO with help from Autotomize.

Spoiler: Xerneas

It is admittedly incorrect to use Neutral Mode Xerneas on a card since it always appears in Active Mode in battle. This is an example of established canon that I don't mind breaking for the sake of being interesting, and so we have the first Neutral Mode Xerneas card. Additionally, I also wanted to buck tradition and not use any references to rainbows, auroras, or anything like that.

Neutralizing Aura is the coolest part of this card because it "wipes" your opponent's Energy clean for one turn. Having just written that sentence, I realize that I may need to tone this down somehow, as having each Energy card provide no Energy means they almost definitely can't retreat, either. Hmm. Maybe I'll make it so they have no Retreat Cost too?

Spoiler: Girafarig

In this set, there are more cards that deal with Pokemon Tools (and more Pokemon Tools) and a lot more Special Energy. Girafarig can handle both of them by chomping them all away, and it can even attack for free if you and your opponent match Bench sizes. Girafarig is a cool Pokemon and there should be more cards of it.

Spoiler: Eject Button

Stadium Tools are unique to Lackey, but so far I'm the only one who seems to have any interest in using them. Presently, there's only one of them in Lackey right now, and that's Terrain Extender from Forgotten Allies. Eject Button is my attempt at giving Terrain Extender a run for its money.

The card lets you get your Stadium back if your opponent replaces it during their next turn. At worst, you'd get one more turn of use out of it as your opponent waits for the Eject Button to get discarded, so it's not entirely worthless. Terrain Extender is still going to be an extremely good option, though, since it stops your opponent from playing Stadium cards at all.

Spoiler: Flood Energy

This Energy can be a fantastic asset for Water decks, especially with cards like Pokemon Plush or Floatzel RXS decreasing your Water Pokemon's Retreat Costs. Note that you still get Flood Energy's bonus even if you discard Flood Energy to pay the Retreat Cost.

Spoiler: Silk Scarf

I like this card. It's a naturally fitting damage booster for Colorless Pokemon (as it should be - it is a Silk Scarf, after all), but it can also bump up the damage of most attacks in general. Note that it only boosts damage done to two-Prizers, and it does work on your own two-Prize Pokemon.

 

[PMJ]

Hello, like the two people in Discord who might care about this thread everyone. Here's another update for you all. Enjoy!

Spoiler: Ekans

Your typical snakey boi. It does snakey boi things.

Spoiler: Arbok-GX (Kiria)

Kiria is a carefree young woman hailing from Malie City in Alola. She, like Windra, has traveled all over the world, although Kiria has had many more experiences in her thirty-one years of life. Windra affectionately refers to her as Mom despite Kiria not being old enough to be her mother. Despite this, Kiria hasn't hesitated to act as the dutiful mother figure for some of the girls. Unashamedly proud of her many curves and unfailingly polite to everyone she meets, it's easy to see why she's become quite popular among the other competitors.

Arbok is Kiria's ace, and I wanted to reflect that by giving it the GX treatment in this set (note: not everyone's GX is their ace). It comes equipped with three extremely deadly attacks, but the one I want to point out here is Lasting Poison GX. It does exactly what's written on the box; any poison inflicted will never go away. If they move to the Bench, the Poison marker is not removed. It will only take poison damage when it returns to the Active Spot.

Gunk Shot becomes even more potent after a Lasting Poison GX; as long as the Pokemon remains Poisoned by Gunk Shot, it will continue to take 3 damage counters between turns whenever it returns to the Active Spot. It could go back to normal poison if it is hit with another attack that can poison, however.

Spoiler: Vulpix

Being able to use Six-Shooter is not supposed to be difficult. From your opening hand, you can drop a Fire and roast away, but it won't kill a lot of things, and doing that on your first turn without first trying to better your board position is risky.

Spoiler: Ninetales (Lenny)

If Kiria is the mom figure, Lenny is the dad of the group. At 43, he is second only to Taikyu in age. Perhaps fittingly, whereas Kiria has been on every continent and met people all over the world, Lenny's whole universe revolved around his home in Lavaridge Town in Hoenn, having been born and raised in Chimney's shadow. He briefly worked in the family business as a Kindler before earning an apprenticeship under Flannery, who helped him hone his battle skills. Lenny's battle style is simple - overpower the opponent through sheer strength. This isn't to say he's incapable of more strategic maneuvers, but lesser opponents find themselves quickly overwhelmed by the fearsome power of his Fire-types. Lenny tends to not involve himself with the drama of the other competitors, although he isn't above stepping in if he feels he is qualified to give advice. And though he tends to keep to himself, he's also not above socializing with the younger competitors despite being 20+ years their senior.

In the story, both Lenny and Eldan use a Ninetales. Rather than give Ninetales two cards, I've combined aspects from both of them into this one card. Lenny's contribution is the powerful Sunniest Day attack, which, when used, cuts all your Fire costs by [R] for the rest of the game. It's a bit expensive to use, and you'll likely end up trading a Prize or two before you can pull it off, but it's a game-changer nonetheless. As a small bonus, it allows you to use Eldan's contribution, Inferno: Form Delta, for free.

Spoiler: Meloetta

Another brand new typing, this Pokemon doesn't pack too much of a punch directly, but it does help your other Pokemon with a damage boost. Brilliant Voice's effect might be a little unreliable, but the tails effect is pretty potent.

Spoiler: Dragon Energy

As powerful as dragons are in Lackey, I didn't leave them out when designing Special Energy cards for every type. This is about as much of a bonus as they need, so it doesn't do anything outside of helping their attack costs a little. There exist a few Special Energy hate cards in Lackey, including some more in this set, so whether or not this card gets much use will remain to be seen.

Spoiler: Fortify Energy

Having just mentioned the ease of which Special Energy cards can be removed in Lackey, I present the one card designed to dodge all of it - Fortify Energy. As a bonus exclusive to Metal Pokemon, once this card is attached, your opponent can't get rid of it. This effect isn't as powerful as it might seem at first glance; I don't see it as much stronger than a basic Energy.

Spoiler: Beach Glass

Not everything needs to have a crazy, unique effect, or be a staple in every deck. I'd like to think that this will find its way into decks that need it. If that deck doesn't exist now, it may in the future. Maybe I'll redesign one of these cards to take advantage of it specifically. We'll see. As an aside, I like how the background on this turned out.

Spoiler: Big Root

Here's another card that needs to find a good deck to take advantage of it. The most obvious pick is Blissey HST; with Happiny B's Revitalize Link Bonus and Big Root, you can heal 80 damage for free every turn. Blissey's offensive prowess leaves much to be desired, but there is no doubt this will come up once DOC is officially slated for review.

Spoiler: Kris

While Special Energy hate exists in Lackey, Special Energy search kinda doesn't, but that's probably because up until now, it hasn't had to. Kris can also bring a Pokemon along for the ride, in order to give it a small bit of general usage. Blowing your Supporter on a Pokemon search might not be ideal, but it definitely can save you in a pinch.

Spoiler: Serena

I think this card is one that is sorely missing in Lackey, so much so that I almost put it into High Stakes, just to get it in the game sooner. With so many unique attacks present in Lackey, it's honestly surprising that no one has thought to adapt Ranger along with them. I chose Ranger instead of Channeler because it's arguably better.

Spoiler: X Special Defense

The Special Energy in this set have some strong effects and they are all worth using. This card serves as a check to them. It has a 50-damage reduction to update it from Assault Vest, which existed in XY.

 

[47bennyg]

That Necrozma is a really great design imo. Promotes making tough in game choices. You've got a lot of good choices on cards I think.

 

[PMJ]

While I crave validation via sweet, sweet likes, I've also noticed some new faces poking their heads in this thread. I hope you guys stick around, comment, or join our Discord server and chat with more like-minded folks. We've been seeing an uptick in new faces lately, which is always cool.

Now, fools, bear witness to the harbinger of your doom!

Spoiler: Deoxys (Quayle)

If I were to describe Quayle in one word, it would be "edgy." With colored contacts, an honest-to-goodness cape, and dialogue seemingly ripped from bad fanfiction, Quayle's got cringe written all over him. His backstory is something that I could spend a whole page on, so I won't go into a lot of detail here. The abridged version: Quayle joins Team Galactic to get revenge, becomes obsessed with power.

He's a bit older than he was submitted to me as. A couple of his character details were mentioned in passing once or twice just for the sake of including them but they have no bearing on the story unless I somehow develop some galaxy brain way to shoehorn it into the story lol.

Anyway, Deoxys. It's a pretty cool card, if I do say so myself. Each of its attacks gets significantly better if you attacked with it on the previous turn, incentivizing players to find a way to keep it around as long as possible. It doesn't matter which attack you use; as long as you don't use the moves consecutively, you can get the attack bonus. You can even get bonuses from attacking with a second Deoxys after the first goes down, provided you attacked with the first one before it died.

...and that's it for today. I got caught going down an imgur rabbit hole and also doing pogo raids and I wasted all the time I was going to spend including more cards in this post. My bad lol

 

[PMJ]

Going through withdrawals? I've got your fix right here. Enjoy!

Spoiler: Shinx

Lackey has an Ability problem, and by that I mean, there are a metric buttload of Pokemon with Abilities. This is a natural consequence of not requiring us to make filler cards to pad out our sets, but at the same time, Abilities are leaned on as a crutch far too often. This is why I've tried to reduce the number of "filler" Abilities in this set to only include ones that are interesting, unique, and/or archetype defining. Some Abilities, like Paras's FIND or Primarina-GX's Defying Expectations, are direct references to the story, so those have been left despite them not having particularly interesting or unique effects.

People will still make Abilities on their Pokemon, however, and one way to dissuade people from doing that is to have some pretty harsh Ability punishment. Enter Shinx and its Zap Tackle attack, an attack that the whole line shares. If your opponent's Active Pokemon has a particularly annoying Ability, Shinx can shut it off until they run away - not always an easy task, depending on the Pokemon. May consider altering this attack to lock the Ability until "it retreats" rather than no longer being Active, just to make Warp Point or any other Pokemon-switching Abilities less of a counter to it.

Spoiler: Luxio

There's no shame in asking for help if you need it. (PS join the Discord)

Spoiler: Luxray (Jethro)

Jethro is somewhat unique among the competitors in that his Pokemon don't always require his instructions to battle. While they do obey the commands he does give, Jethro trusts his Pokemon to make their own decisions, especially in the heat of the moment. His character adheres possibly most closely to how real-life battles would play out between two Pokemon. It didn't make sense to me that a Pokemon would sit there and just take a move because their trainer didn't shout for them to dodge it.

Jethro was also an existing character when he was submitted (shows you how much I've paid attention to this story as of late). He had a fairly rough childhood, losing an eye to a Beedrill attack and getting his ass beat thanks to a run-in with Team Rocket, who also left him with serious burns on his chest for his trouble. Despite being fairly well-traveled and successfully raised the notoriously difficult to raise Hydreigon, Jethro never bothered tackling any region's league or tried to make a name for himself. In fact, Jethro's entire Pokemon collection consists of six Pokemon; the three he brought to the tournament, and the three he didn't. Jethro hated the idea of Pokemon rotting in a storage box, never to be used, and so many Pokemon Jethro did capture over the years were eventually released. Focusing on the same Pokemon no matter what has allowed his team to become well-versed against all sorts of opponents and play styles; this, combined with his willingness to let his Pokemon handle things, has allowed him to become one of the strongest trainers in the world. This achievement is diluted slightly by the fact that all sixteen of these trainers are tournament champions and also among the strongest in the world, but for someone like Jethro, who never put much stock in official Pokemon battles, even being considered to be among the best of the best is a bit surreal.

Aside from having the Zap Tackle attack that is common to this line, Luxray also has the Ice Fang Tango attack, which hits for Water damage in addition to Lightning damage, but only if the target is weak to Water. I originally thought to make it only target Pokemon with Lightning Resistance, but I worried that the pool of Pokemon this would affect would be far too small, even among Pokemon in Lackey.

Spoiler: Rowlet

This Pokemon has two different avenues of attack, which showcases Rowlet's ability to adapt as a fighter (and also references its ability to learn Ghost-type attacks). If you're going first, and you've got the Energy (likely, if you're playing this deck), you can get a quick ping for 20 damage. Otherwise, if you want to go the Grass route, you can get an even stronger attack out, possibly KOing something weak like Magikarp or any evolving Basic that's weak to Grass.

This Pokemon also originally had no Retreat Cost, but after the uproar that was HST Bounsweet, I decided to just suck it up and give it one. ARE YOU HAPPY NOW GUYS

Spoiler: Dartrix

Because you are most likely to be playing with only Psychic Energy in this deck, Dartrix's better move instead requires Grass Energy. Pinging two targets for 40 damage is something Decidueye appreciates a lot, so if you want this bonus, you're going to have to work a little harder for it.

Spoiler: Decidueye

I will never forget the day Decidueye was revealed and it was revealed to be Ghost instead of Flying. In the era of constant leaks and datamining, it was genuinely excellent to be surprised by a Pokemon reveal. Unlike Incineroar, who we all knew was going to be Dark but still got the Fighting meme treatment, Decidueye's typing was pretty solidly believed to be Grass/Flying.

Decidueye is another Pokemon who the official card game has spent all of its time showing you that it's a Grass-type. It, like Primarina, got no cards of its sub-type in the Sun & Moon era. This card focuses on two things: that it's a hunter, and that it's a ghost. Ghost-type Pokemon in the anime are massive cheaters, being able to phase in and out of solid objects at will. Decidueye (the Pokemon) takes this to the next level with its Shadow Stitching attack, using its cheaty ghost powers to lock the opponent's shadow down, all but ensuring its demise.

This Decidueye doesn't do any of that locking nonsense. But it does feed off the pain and misery of its opponents, turning that anguish into a powerful attack. Decidueye's Ghost-type adaptation wouldn't be complete without some cheaty ghost powers of its own, and so if you're willing to ping yourself a bit, you can use that damage to maximize your damage output just that much more quickly.

Spoiler: Impidimp

Nothing special, although Torment can cause problems for Pokemon with only one attack. Note the Dragon-type Resistance, though; in an effort to increase the Dragon typing's relevance in terms of Weakness and Resistance, all Fairy- and Steel-type Pokemon in the set have Dragon Resistance, even if their cards are not Fairy or Metal.

Spoiler: Morgrem

Plead is kinda cool. It's the opposite of attacks that say you do more damage if the user was attacked, and instead does massive damage if they were not. Burning Jealousy is a little limited in its use but can be powerful in the early game, when your opponent is most likely to attach an Energy to the target. Also, note that the Energy can come from anywhere, not just their hand. The deck, the discard, or even other Pokemon in play, anything is fair game.

Spoiler: Grimmsnarl

Hits hard for one Energy, and that's about it. It might be a little too fat and I might drop Lash Out's damage a little. Darkest Lariat's swiftlike effect may not be important now, but you never know when you can appreciate its effect.

Spoiler: Mienfoo

Did you know that in the entire Sun & Moon era, Mienfoo and Mienshao didn't get a single card? Over 1500 cards across a dozen sets and my boy can't get a handout? Come on now. It's been almost eight years since we last saw a Mienshao card in English, so of course I had to rectify that right away.

Five-Ring Shattering is something I may change if the council is too afraid of it it ends up being broken. But it's a cool effect!

Spoiler: Mienshao

Hex Hammer is this Pokemon's main draw, doing some decent damage for its cost. To help you trigger that extra damage more consistently, Atomic Mind gives you a free card every turn.

If you can manage to power up to use it, Omni-Sweep can give you a powerful, likely one-time use option to try and turn the tides in your favor. Reminder that copying GX attacks counts as using your GX attack for the game and you cannot copy a GX attack if you've already used it.

Spoiler: Adrenaline Orb

You'll notice a lot of Pokemon have highly colored attacks. This card is the reason for it. It gives you a way to attack more quickly if you're up against a Pokemon-GX, but don't be thinking you'll be able to use it if you're one of those stinky multiprize Pokemon yourself.

Spoiler: Generator Energy

Lastly we have Generator Energy, an Energy and draw support all on its own. It get substantially more powerful the more of them you're able to keep in play.

 

[Jabberwock]

Cool stuff! I particularly like Adrenaline Orb and its implications for any format it's in. Fascinated to see the rest of the Pokémon-GX in the set, too, since those tend to be underutilized (or just underpowered) in Lackey, and all the GX hate is probably a substantial reason for it.

Mienshao is interesting but I definitely feel like it can do more damage. Three [F] Energy is a lot, and it's not like it's a super bulky Pokémon.

Five-Ring Shattering is cool. I wouldn't be too concerned about it personally; I think it requires the right amount of investment for its payoff.

I like how you're messing with types on Luxray — I liked it on Dark Araquanid and I think it's a neat gimmick to keep using. I also think the multitype costs on Rowlet and Dartrix are neat, though I'm not sure how often they'll come up. I guess it's just cool to see off-type Energy costs in the SM era.

Your Luxio has a Luxio evocon, and I think all your damage is still in Metric kerning. Everything looks great apart from that though.

 

[PMJ]

Your Luxio has a Luxio evocon

*sigh*

Anyway I am always interested in hearing about cards that appear to be too weak. Many times I end up weakening something, even right before I post it as I did with Deoxys, because it sounds like it might be too powerful. Mienshao's base damage was actually increased to 60 (it was 50 before) but I guess I could increase it even more. I upped it to 80.

GX update! Note most of these cards still have Metrics kerning instead of Optical because I don't want to upload them all again. I've changed them all, though, so you'll see it in the final product.

Spoiler: Ralts

You will probably use rex's Ralts over this one, although Psywave can steal you a kill in some situations.

Spoiler: Kirlia

Hopefully you won't ever be in a situation where Tiptoe Step is part of your game plan, but it's a decent effect if you are. Graceful Dance lifted from Lilligant FAL; I heard you liked fake moves so I put a fake move in my fake move so you can use a fake move when you use a fake move.

Spoiler: Gardevoir-GX (Rose)

Rose is a young Pokemon Ranger from Johto. She is highly accomplished for her age, having reached the maximum Ranger Rank and co-founded a new Ranger chapter in only a few short years. Her exploits have made her quite famous, and she's always happy to give advice or sign a fan's copy of Ranger Monthly, but she doesn't see herself as a celebrity and wishes people wouldn't make such a big deal out of her. Her most unique feature is the fact that she is in a romantic relationship with two of her Pokemon. This was something I added to her character, to be fair to Rose's creator, but he was okay with the addition.

In the story, both Rose and Eldan have a Gardevoir. Gardevoir is Eldan's GX contribution to the set; like Ninetales, this Pokemon is also shared between their two trainers. It's a powerful card with a lot of staying power. I may change Wish Bank's healing to 120 minus 30. Moonblast Volley GX is an interesting attack, but it's expensive to pull off. The damage output is pretty impressive, though.

Spoiler: Numel

Since Lenny's strategy is to overpower his opponents as fast as he can, this Numel helps you get your first Camerupt-GX going as fast as possible. In the event you draw terribly, Kindle is a fairly strong attack that can also be used to set your opponent back a turn.

Spoiler: Camerupt-GX

Lenny's Camerupt doesn't mess around with fancy attack effects or Special Conditions; it's raw, unfettered power the whole time. The closest thing you can get to fancy is its Nice and Hot Ability, which makes the surrounding heat so intense that it harms every Pokemon that your opponent brings up to fight. This softens them up quite nicely for Lava Blast to simply take them out. Arrogant Blaze GX is your ace in the hole; it's extremely strong with a cheap cost and will almost certainly murder whatever gets hit by it. The downside? You don't get any Prize cards for it if you use it during the early game. Be like Lenny and learn a little patience.

Spoiler: Remoraid

While Octillery-GX can't take advantage of this card's sniping prowess, the attack is pretty cool. It debuffs a target to get later picked on. Whether you choose to attack that same target with Wither Shot again for the bonus damage, find some spreader to increase damage done to the target, or just shoot their Active to get slapped by something else, there are a lot of ways to play to this card's strengths.

Spoiler: Octillery-GX

Though its Sticky Hold Ability is noteworthy, this card's biggest draw is Squirt GX. It essentially locks your opponent out of Stadium usage for the rest of the game. It will get slightly weaker with Tracker, but it's still a powerful GX attack. Vicious Geyser doesn't do a lot of damage on its own, but at least you can get the bonus damage by nuking your opponent's Stadium. Sticky Hold does allow you to park Energy on it without fear of having them removed, which could see this used in the right deck for the Ability alone.

Octillery is one of Quayle's Pokemon. It may not look like it, but there are several references to his tournament battle on the card.

Spoiler: Eevee

I am so sick of Eeveelutions. If it weren't for Jethro's Umbreon, they wouldn't be anywhere near this set. Since I had to add one anyway, I also added a couple extra to pad out my numbers a little. I intentionally added them from all different generations. Of course, this also means a new Eevee and my own take on the Energy Evolution power that has been done to absolute death by now.

Proximity Evolution doesn't require any Energy attachments like real ones do or end your turn like rex's does, but it does require you to already have a Pokemon in play with a similar typing. This references Eevee's tendency to be influenced by its surroundings; it uses your own Pokemon's energies to evolve. Or something. The Ability remains unusable on your first turn, but that is your only restriction. You are free to drop it and immediately evolve at any other point in the game.

Careless Tackle is lifted from Erika's Bellsprout.

Spoiler: Umbreon-GX

(artwork pending because I actually hate this art)

The Loyal Agent Ability, first seen on Rocket's Inteleon, has the exact same effect here as it does there. Jethro's Eevee evolved into Umbreon as a direct result of Team Rocket's violence against Jethro, and the two share a deep hatred for the team. Therefore, Umbreon straight up refuses to give up Prizes against them. It's that simple.

Last Resort's damage bonus is a little difficult to proc without help from Absol and its Penance Ability, but a high Item count can help you thin your hand out. I may redesign some cards to better help you build your hand back up in the same vein as Rose Tower so you aren't stuck in topdeck mode. Then again, for a flat 200 damage, maybe forcing the player to stay in topdeck mode is a decent balancer.

Dark Prince GX is an interesting attack that also takes advantage of all the cards you'll be discarding. Before throwing them all back in your deck, it lets you take your pick of two Trainers, which can be pretty helpful if you're trying to get back on your feet. Its damage was reduced from 20x to 10x because I felt like the recovery it provides was good enough to warrant the damage reduction.

Spoiler: Jolteon

Not much to it. It works best as cheap Ability punishment. Loving this art, glad I didn't have to use ishmam art for this.

Spoiler: Leafeon

A simple card. It features a demoted version of Leafeon-GX's Grand Bloom GX. Might get use, might not, I really don't care if it does because I hate all these guys (except Glaceon, who is not actually in this set).

Spoiler: Sylveon

A card with some potential for fun. There isn't a lot of hand disruption in Lackey.

If you pay the extra Energy for Fairy Light, it OHKOes Goodra-GX. Yes, that was done on purpose.

Spoiler: Drampa-GX

This is Taikyu's GX contribution to the set, and what a card it is. Big Wheel, a demoted version of Big Wheel GX, lets you get out of a bad opening hand, on your first turn, for free. You may want to attach that Energy after all, though, because this card combos perfectly with Split Energy from this set for the turn two 130. This might seem a little weak, but combined with the GX attack, it starts to add up.

Aether Comet GX is your largest source of damage, doing 40 to all targets and stripping each of them of an Energy. Based on the story, this attack originally also did Water damage to all targets, but that wouldn't have been very useful without also applying Weakness and I didn't want to do that.

 

[PMJ]

hi

Spoiler: Piplup

Both this Piplup and rex's Piplup have decent first attacks. Neither require Water Energy to use, so both are serviceable options for an Empoleon deck.

Spoiler: Prinplup

The Pokedex describes Prinplup as a real pain in the ass to raise. It being such a vain Pokemon was the inspiration behind the Glorious Entry Ability, an Ability shared by a few other Stage 1s in the set. For anyone who isn't already part of our little faking family, Gloria is a Supporter from my first SM-era set. The Ability helps speed up Stage 2 decks a little by allowing you to instantly put the Stage 1 in play. At the time, I had thought that Gloria was considered a niche Supporter, but I guess it wasn't. Oh well!

Proud Crash is adapted from Dark Copperajah, obviously with a much more manageable cost and reasonable damage. Its healing likely won't save you if you're up against a big scary two-Prizer, but it's the principle of the thing, man.'

As an aside, I am happy with how this artwork turned out. It's quite simple, but it's nice to look at.

Spoiler: Empoleon (Alex)

Y'all remember Rich Boy Winston in Ruby and Sapphire, that smug little shit at the entrance to Petalburg Woods who busts out a Full Restore on his like level 5 Zigzagoon or whatever, and you wonder why on earth he would waste that kind of coin when a Potion would have topped him off just fine?

That's Alex in a nutshell. Pampered, spoiled, whiny, entitled little brat. Thinks he's cooler, smarter, and handsomer than everyone else, flaunts the fact that he (read as: his family) is obscenely wealthy and expects everyone to worship the ground he walks on. He became a skilled battler thanks to his dad buying him Champion-level tutors and gifting him some powerful Pokemon. Alex's Empoleon, however, is the real deal, having been raised the old-fashioned way from a Piplup. It takes some time for him to open up to the other competitors, but he eventually finds a compatriot in Eldan after the former learns of the latter's love of gambling (and, compared to Alex's gargantuan wealth, an adequately sized wallet).

Empoleon's Sleep Talker Ability does exactly what's written on the box. Considering how strong its attacks are, being able to attack while Asleep is a big bonus.

If not the Ability, Ruthless Empress (so named after Alex's female Empoleon) is the main selling point of the card. It provides a bit of disruption by forcing your opponent to bring out a suboptimal replacement after Empoleon kills something. This can easily be mitigated by promoting a Pokemon with free retreat, but disruption is still disruption. Don't forget about it and wind up stuck!

Scrape Away is a hard-hitting option that I expect to be used less than Ruthless Empress, but hoo boy does it pack a punch.

Spoiler: Oricorio

I think this card is going to see quite a bit of play. It is meant to act as a middleman for weak Basics, giving them the power to evolve safely. Of course, you could just Wide Guard and then Baton Pass to some big bruiser while enjoying a turn of no damage. If you want to play it that way, that's fine. Just one of many options for this card.

Spoiler: Helioptile

Rally, which is lifted from Paras UNH, is a cool move. Heliolisk-GX's full potential comes out when your opponent has a large Bench, so you benefit regardless of whether your opponent goes for it or not. Normal Shock is an interesting move, robbing a Pokemon of its typing for a turn. This won't be much more than a minor headache, I'm sure, but hey. Uniqueness and stuff.

Honestly, the only reason these guys aren't Colorless is because we needed more Lightning Pokemon in Lackey. They were Colorless in the first draft of this set, though.

Spoiler: Heliolisk-GX

This is Alex's GX contribution to the set. It's a spreading machine that is also capable of some big heals if the coin flips are in your favor. If you're not feeling lucky, you can bribe Lady Luck with Heliolisk-GX's Big Wallet Ability. For every turn that you be a big spender, your investment is rewarded in the form of guaranteed heads. I'm interested in seeing how far this card can go - though it can't touch Goodra, it can rip Goodra's Bench to shreds and completely undo Goodra's damage done to it. As a bonus, both of its attacks cost one Energy, so it is effectively immune to Gastric Spit GX.

Speaking of GX attacks, Giga Impact GX is ridiculously powerful for its cost. While it is capable of deleting a ton of stuff as early as turn two, you can never take Prize cards with it at any point in the game. Your best usage of this attack is to take advantage of its extremely cheap cost to neuter a threat before finishing it off (and healing the damage you'll inevitably take) with Parabolic Charge next turn.

I hope the council doesn't end up too afraid of this (or a card that shows up that breaks it). I really like it and would like to see it make it to Lackey intact.

Spoiler: Wildfire Energy

I know, I know, Fire is probably the last type other than Dragon that needs a buff, but I don't think this will end up too badly. The second attachment is on a coin flip and it has to come from the hand so you already need it on you to take advantage of it.

bye

 

[PMJ]

Thanks for your mental feedback, everyone! I appreciate all the thoughts but unfortunately I didn't pay for the Mind Reader DLC so I have no idea what you guys are saying lol

Anyway here's me stuffing more cards down your gullet

Spoiler: Ponyta

Yes sir, it's a Ponyta.

Spoiler: Rapidash (Frisk)

If you're thinking, "Hey, that the name of the protagonist from Undertale?" you would be correct. Because I at least try to care about being a bit faithful to existing characters, I was forced to do a lot of research into Undertale to make sure I got the details right. In the game, Frisk has no stated gender (not to say that Frisk is non-binary, just that they are never explicitly mentioned whether they are male or female); in this story, Frisk is a cisgender female. Chara, Undertale's "fallen human", is another character who, like Frisk, has no stated gender. The two are unrelated in Undertale, but in this story, Chara is a cisgender male and Frisk's brother.

While the two are traveling through the Pokemon world, a year before the events of the story, Chara dies. As a result, his spirit attached itself to Frisk's. This allows the two to speak to each other telepathically, but it also has the side effect of allowing Chara to steal control of Frisk's body at times. This has caused severe strain in their relationship, and with no way to separate the two, both siblings feel trapped in an unwinnable situation. Taikyu, with his sharpened mind, easily sees that something is wrong with the young girl; after she tells him her secret, he makes it his mission to find a way to bring them peace.

As a nod to Undertale, Chara's dialogue is written in red. If you like the game, you will probably like Frisk. I've had to take some creative liberties, but I hope that I haven't butchered Undertale canon too badly. Only you will be able to tell me if I succeeded.

Onto Rapidash: Bonecrusher is a cheap attack that has a 37.5% chance of ruining your opponent's day, big time. It's something to do for one Energy, after a big swing with Heated Gallop. It's a bit unique in the sense that no attack has been conditioned quite like this one.

Heated Gallop is your main source of damage. You can ramp up the damage potential with Flareon RXS.

Spoiler: Cubone

Adapted straight from Jungle Cubone. It fits with the art, too, since the Cubone is using Rage, according to the artist.

Spoiler: Alolan Marowak

This is another of Frisk's Pokemon; it contains references both to Undertale and the story. Pretty nice.

Lightning Rod does exactly what's written on the box. It's something that Lightning decks will need to plan for. Fortunately, it can't be used as an attacker in just any deck, so even if you are using it in a deck that needs the extra protection, you won't be able to swing with it without some serious help.

Assault Sans Mercy is your damage option, and it's fairly weak without the damage bonus. There are plenty of solid Fire attackers out there already, so I'm okay with this attack being a bit weak since the Ability is so good. That said, with the damage bonus, it hits for Psychic damage also. Psychic Resistance is fairly common, though, so it might hurt you sometimes.

Spoiler: Magearna-GX

Frisk's GX contribution to the set. Though DOC is only introducing three new Tools, there are already plenty of others to choose from in Lackey. I have no doubt that this will be a popular new archetype, being held in check by the abundance of Fire-type Pokemon that exist.

Heart Swap is a dangerous option. Watch out for Tracker combos!

Though Magearna-GX works fine by itself as an attacker being supported, it can also function as a powerful support option with Arise GX. It is worth clarifying that Arise GX's effect is done separately in two parts. First, you fill your Bench to your liking. Then, you attach an Energy to everyone on the Bench, not just those newly risen from the first part of the attack.

Spoiler: Anorith (Kyro)

Kyro is a ten-year-old battling prodigy who won his qualifying tournament when he was nine. He's the youngest battler in the tournament by far. He's blissfully innocent and polite to a fault, referring to everyone as mister or miss. Though his skill as a battler is extremely advanced for his age, he doesn't really have the mental capacity to truly appreciate it - to him, he's just a regular kid out having fun with his Pokemon. His true passion is paleontology and geology, and Fossil Pokemon are his favorites. Above all the rest is Archeops. Much like I'm sure many of you did when you were playing through your first Pokemon game as kids, Kyro uses Archeops almost exclusively; he won his tournament using only Archeops, despite its crippling Defeatist Ability. It just goes to show how good of a battler Kyro truly is. The rules of the tournament state that all competitors must register three Pokemon, though, so he brought two more homies along for the ride.

He's been described as a comic relief sort of character, something I disagree with. He was never written with humor in mind; people just found what he said funny, I guess.

Anorith is the Pokemon that Kyro uses in the tournament, so it gets the special treatment (although Armaldo is still useful). A popular gimmick for Fossil Pokemon, at least in Lackey, is to find ways to circumvent the awful way that Fossil Pokemon come into play. Anorith's gimmick allows you to play it as a Basic Pokemon either during setup or your first turn, which is extremely helpful. Its Fast Evolution attack allows you to search out anything you might need, like other Anorith, Armaldo, even Archen to get dumped by Gloria.

I also forgot, again, to put Unidentified Fossil in my set. Oops. Shout outs to Nyan for letting this and my other fossils actually be playable.

Spoiler: Armaldo

Disrupt with Rushing Water, dunk on Water-types with Insect Crush, or build your board up with Ancient Power. I'm expecting Rushing Water to be busted, so I may just delete it if the council is too afraid of it.

Spoiler: Archen

Another card with the Glorious Entry Ability. You'll want to try and keep your Bench light with this deck.

Spoiler: Archeops-GX

Here is Kyro's GX contribution to the set - as if there could be any other option. Like Kyro, you will want to use this Pokemon by itself. Its Army of One Ability grants both you and Archeops some great bonuses if Archeops-GX is the only Pokemon on your field. This is a hugely risky endeavor, since if you die, that's the game, and 240 HP isn't completely insurmountable by any means.

Head Smash is your bread and butter. It's cheap, powerful for its cost, and also annihilates your own HP. You can and should use Protective Pads to block this damage. Doing so will turn Army of One's healing into a "free" 60 heal. Finding a way to balance this attack was difficult. Because Archeops-GX best works alone, the attack needed to be cheap so as to remain usable; however, letting it cost one Energy was not really an option because then the damage would be severely limited. Three Energy seemed too expensive since you want to limit the amount of Pokemon you have in play, so the fewer turns you have multiple Archeops in play, the better. Since two Energy seemed like a good balance for the cost, the damage needed to be high, but not too high. Sixty damage to yourself is quite a lot, but the self-damage becomes a lot less of a deal the less you do to yourself. I dunno. I feel like this will be a large point of discussion when it comes time for formal review, but I'd be interested in hearing your thoughts on it.

Mud Shield GX helps you survive longer. Unlike Alolan Marowak, this protection can be undone by Serena.

Spoiler: Clefairy

The last of Kyro's Pokemon. Gravity Wave puts a huge damper on whatever it hits, almost assuredly preventing it from doing much of anything during your opponent's next turn. It can be countered by evolving, devolving, Pokemon Plush, Warp Point, Koga's Hidden Trick, or by remembering that this is just a Clefairy and it can't actually do anything to you while it's spamming Gravity Wave.

Cosmic Slam is a big spreader attack. Does good damage if you can pull it off. You will probably want to just evolve into Clefable, though.

Spoiler: Clefable

Never Give Up is adapted from Raichu UNB.

Ray is a somewhat unique attack that can either spread to multiple targets or pile damage onto a single target, depending on your luck and what you need dead. Clefairy's Cosmic Slam does intentionally cost more than Clefable's Ray. I'd rather not reduce the damage to make it more suitable for a two-Energy attack.

Spoiler: Gordie

This card checks the "Stadium search" box in Lackey since we don't have it yet. Gordie is a Rock-type Gym Leader, so that's why it gets you a Fighting Energy.

Melony also appears in the set; as mother and son, their cards work better when used together.

Spoiler: Melony

This is kind of an interesting card with many uses. It can be used in the mid or late game to help deplete your hand for Umbreon-GX. It can be used in the early game as a powerful straight draw option since you can choose what cards to shuffle in after you've drawn them. And it can even be recycled with Gordie to get mileage out of the same card for multiple turns.

 

[PMJ]

The last characters are going to be introduced in this post, so this will be the final post I'll make about this set until the set arrives in Lackey. There are still several cards that weren't showcased here, and you can find them all in my stash here. I invite you to talk about cards that sound appealing, broken, or weak; though the set is done for the most part, it's still going to be at least a few months before it enters formal review, so there are plenty of opportunities for me to change things up, especially after Jabberwock's set Plasma Revival enters the format.

Already, some of the cards I've previously showcased have changed. Leafeon has a new attack. Milotic's Crisis Hydro Pump was altered. Umbreon-GX got new art, just like I said it would. Head into the stash and see all the updates yourself and comment on your favorites.

or don't haha

Spoiler: Roselia

It's a Psychic-type Roselia. Wow, cool!

Spoiler: Roserade (Scarlet)

Scarlet is a Pokemon Ranger from Snowpoint City in Sinnoh. Despite both Scarlet and Rose being Rangers, the two have never worked together before this tournament. Scarlet quickly crushes on the accomplished elder Ranger, and... well, we'll just say she tries really hard to get Rose to like her. Does she succeed? Guess you'll have to (re)read and find out. (Let's be honest, I know none of you guys remember most of what happens)

This Roserade has heavily Psychic costs, so it doesn't play well with the two existing Roserade in Lackey. It can still take advantage of Budew B's Link Bonuses, however, so do remember that if you opt to use this in your deck.

If this set gets into Lackey after Plasma Revival, this will be the third Roserade to be added to Lackey, and the meme of Roserade LV.X being completely unplayable lives on. I promise I will fix that someday.

Spoiler: Dewpider

As far as evolving Basics go, this one's got some staying power thanks to Skitter Smack's massive debuff. If you're hit by it, you can always remove the effect by evolving or devolving, moving to the Bench, or by playing Serena.

Spoiler: Araquanid (Cody)

Cody kind of has a special place in my heart because I was able to incorporate a small part of my own OC into his character. When these characters were submitted, many of them didn't have surnames, an oversight that I was quick to "fix" by including last initials in the prologue and asking everyone to fill in what the letter stood for. Cody was one of those who needed a surname, and I just so happened to have an OC named Cody, so I gave this character his name.

Cody is from Alola, on a quest to find his missing parents. He has an intense fear of Fire-type Pokemon after a near-death experience with one as a child, so he only raises Water Pokemon as a result. He has a strong will and isn't one to let others tell him how to live his life. Case in point: his ace, Primarina, is male. Though he was ridiculed when he was younger for having such a feminine Pokemon that was male, Cody couldn't bear to abandon his Pokemon, and now the two are inseparable.

He has a tendency to end his sentences with "yeah?" as if he was asking a question. Just a quirk I added to make him stand out a bit. It's hard to make everyone distinct and unique, yeah?

Cody's battle style is to rapid-fire two commands to his Pokemon, forcing his opponent to choose which move they'll better prepare for. Araquanid mimics this style with its Spider Web Liquidation attack, which combines both Spider Web's retreat blocking with the powerful damage of Liquidation. As an extra added bonus, its Lure attack has a 25% chance of letting you follow up with Spider Web Liquidation for free! Not bad at all.

Spoiler: Weedle

I honestly didn't want to give this thing Adaptive Evolution, but it's an interesting enough Ability that it made the cut. Bugs are supposed to evolve quickly, so I didn't think it was too strange for you to be able to have a Stage 2 on the field on your first turn.

The attack effect and damage was lifted straight from Houndour FAL.

Spoiler: Kakuna

Kakuna also has the Adaptive Evolution Ability to get it out of play as soon as possible, but if for whatever reason you can't hit the Beedrill, you aren't totally helpless. Go on the defensive with Toxic Burst and dare your opponent to hit you. If they do, they'll be punished pretty severely.

Spoiler: Beedrill (Nye)

Nye is a feisty young woman born in Unova to a wealthy family, somewhat similar to Alex. After blaming herself for her parents' divorce, she ran away from her money and her family, ending up in Celestic Town, where she befriended Quayle, and the two grew up together. Though she prefers cute dresses and hats like many "proper" ladies, she's no delicate flower; her time alone on the road has hardened her and made her street smart, picking up skills that you wouldn't expect someone of her upbringing to have. She may look prim and proper, but she isn't above getting her hands dirty and doesn't take shit from anyone - especially Eldan, who has set his sights on her as a potential mate.

The early chapters of the story heavily feature two dominant relationships: that between Scarlet and Rose, and that between Eldan and Nye. This was the end result of me 1) loving to write romance and 2) not having an overall plan for this story other than writing out cool battles. And while I think this story is something of a hot mess (emphasis on the hot), the battles featured in each of the main chapters are awesome. The battle between Eldan and Nye is still one of my favorites in the entire story; Quayle vs. Rose and Jethro vs. Kyro are also excellent battles.

Nye can Mega Evolve her Beedrill in the story, but Mega Beedrill doesn't make an appearance in this set. Instead, you get regular Beedrill, with a cool Ability that nets you extra cards. It's meant to help you replenish your hand after going hard trying to get Beedrill out in the first place. Once it's in play, you can take it easy, swinging and drawing. It's a real simple deck, but that's okay. Simple does not always mean bad.

Spoiler: Cutiefly

I'm kinda hoping to establish a pattern with Cutiefly cards in Lackey, giving it wild attacks. After all, it's only got 30 HP, so why not go nuts?

Taste Test is the kind of attack that should have been in High Stakes, because that's exactly what it is. With luck on your side, you can copy some big beefster's move for a single Grass Energy; flip tails and you will meet a swift end. Since you're already playing Ribombee-GX, you might as well get some mileage out of your extra Cutiefly.

Spoiler: Ribombee-GX (Tsomu)

Last on the roster is Tsomu. It took me a while to figure out what to do with him because his submission post was so bizarre. After realizing he used a Ribombee, making him a chef seemed like the perfect route to go down. After one of the Indigo Plateau chefs falls ill, Tsomu sweet talks them into letting him help out, and from that point forward, Tsomu's place becomes the kitchen. He and Ribombee help create amazing and tasty dishes, like Ribombee's Pollen Puff Pancakes. They come in a wide variety of colors and flavors.

Tsomu frequently refers to his "Tsomu magic," which is nothing more than his uncanny ability to get people to do what he wants. It doesn't always work, of course, but it works more than it should.

Ribombee is Tsomu's ace. Much like you'd expect Ribombee to do, it flits around the field and drops big-ass bombs on your opponent. Nothing is safe once Ribombee hits the field; play those Tools sparingly!

Chef's Delight GX lets you bop some poor Dark or Rocket's Pokemon out of existence. Even with two decent attacks, Ribombee-GX is still kinda weak, so this gives it an extra niche in Grass decks.

Spoiler: Glaceon

I know I said that Glaceon wasn't in this set. And it wasn't, until last night when I decided that I was going to add it as a "secret rare" because this is my set and I can do whatever I want. If I gotta deal with Eeveelutions in this set, I might as well add my favorite one.

Glaceon also appears in the story under the ownership of Safiri. Safiri, along with her sisters, Ruby and Esmeralda, is running the tournament. Though the three of them all have Pokemon, they don't actively fight, and it's probably a good thing; all their Pokemon are far, far stronger than any Pokemon the competitors have brought. Just how strong are they? If I ever get chapter twelve done, you'll have your answer.

Okay, that's all. Again, check out the stash. Or don't, I ain't your dad.

Peace.

 

[FireLizard]

These cards are amazing!I need to read your fanfiction that inspired you of making these cards!

How many cards are missing in the set?

 

[PMJ]

These cards are amazing!I need to read your fanfiction that inspired you of making these cards!

How many cards are missing in the set?

I'm not sure what you mean. If you are asking how many cards are in the set that I didn't specifically showcase, I don't know. Like 50-60? If you're asking how many cards are actually unfinished, the answer is zero.

Link to my fic is in the first post.

 

[FireLizard]

I'm not sure what you mean. If you are asking how many cards are in the set that I didn't specifically showcase, I don't know. Like 50-60? If you're asking how many cards are actually unfinished, the answer is zero.

Link to my fic is in the first post.

Yeah,I'm talking about the cards you didn't showed.

 

[PMJ]

Yeah,I'm talking about the cards you didn't showed.

Fifty-six. For now.