Tier List (Update: 12/9)

N is the best card in the format, guys (well, except for Catcher.) Good players save them until they need them, and they always assume their opponent has one in their hand. Bad players play them whenever they want a new hand, and are surprised when an opponent plays one. It's one of the few things we have in the format that draws a line between average player and great player.

I won five games in my last City Championship just by playing N at the right time. No other supporter in the format comes close to being able to do that. It should definitely be Tier 1.
 
I am forced to respectfully disagree with you, Celebi23. Sage's Training is the BCIF. I run it as a 4 of in every deck I make, and N is much more situational. Its true that in the decks it works in its very good, but a 3-4 of in some decks<a 4 of in every deck. Sage's Training is easily the most versatile card in the format because unlike PONT or Juniper its useful when you have a god hand, and it gives you a 40% higher chance of grabbing you the card(s) you need in a pinch compared to Cheren if I did my math right. There is simply no replacement for Sage's Training-its very rare that discarding 3 of the cards will hurt you more than simply drawing the top three.
 
I'm not sure who I agree with more. I don't think N is the best, after all, you can't run it in decks like ZPST, and I don't think Sages is the best either, it works best in decks that discard. They both are very good cards, but one is good draw power and one is better used as a disruption tool, you can use them both productively in almost any deck.
 
EonEye99 said:
I'm not sure who I agree with more. I don't think N is the best, after all, you can't run it in decks like ZPST, and I don't think Sages is the best either, it works best in decks that discard. They both are very good cards, but one is good draw power and one is better used as a disruption tool, you can use them both productively in almost any deck.
Click to expand...

Same with pokemon communication (in speed stage 2 decks, and basic decks)
 
I'm pretty sure that Pokémon Collector is the card of the format, but that is not what this thread is about. I bumped N up to tier 1 in my list, Sage's will remain where it is until I see a practical use for it in decks that aren't Stage 2 centered.

Edit: Bumped Bianca down.
 
I'd just like to point out that you have Rare Candy at tier 1, and so even if Sage's Training was only a 4 of in Stage 2 decks it should rightfully be at least the same tier as Rare Candy. The fact that it is useful in many non-stage 2 decks (unlike Rare Candy) also means it should be tier 1 imo. Also, Bianca is tier 3 imo.
 
^The difference is that Stage 2 decks cannot function without Rare Candy. They functioned fine before Sage was in the format.

Sage is hardly useful in Stage 1 decks. I'd rather use Cheren there, if I was really going to do straight draw, which I disapprove of in Stage 1's anyway. And it's horrible in Zekrom and such.
 
Celebi23 said:
And it's horrible in Zekrom and such.
Click to expand...

MY THOUGHTS EXACTLY, THANK YOU!


But anyways, is Primetime still playable? Or is it practicly not in the meta anymore?
 
I think I summed up Yanmega/Magnezone best in my Cities article, where I said the deck hasn't gained anything from Emerging Powers or Noble Victories. It's still a good deck, it's just that it's become outdated. Phased out in a way.

Also, electric got much more popular, and Eviolite makes Yanmega notably less playable. The deck would rely on Yanmega to take the first three or so prizes, and that gets really hard nowadays. The deck also can't beat Durant, which is slowly gaining popularity. Yanmega is also outdone by Thundurus, who is a basic with the same HP, but can do 10 more damage, and set up Magnezone much better for late-game KOs. The deck is just outdated, and outdone by Eelzone. The exact same thing happened to Magneboar.
 
Dodrio covers that nicely, the Trainer Lock is worth it, very disruptive with snipe since your opponent can't Rare Candy their vulnerable basics, and play Trainers in general. Blissey Prime can cover healing, and Tropical Beach is in there for consistency. It is a great deck.
 
^It never got enough play for something to happen to it lol.

Dark Void said:
I am forced to respectfully disagree with you, Celebi23. Sage's Training is the BCIF. I run it as a 4 of in every deck I make, and N is much more situational. Its true that in the decks it works in its very good, but a 3-4 of in some decks<a 4 of in every deck. Sage's Training is easily the most versatile card in the format because unlike PONT or Juniper its useful when you have a god hand, and it gives you a 40% higher chance of grabbing you the card(s) you need in a pinch compared to Cheren if I did my math right. There is simply no replacement for Sage's Training-its very rare that discarding 3 of the cards will hurt you more than simply drawing the top three.
Click to expand...
There's a lot of player preference in something like this, so it's hard to argue. I just use shuffle-draw in my Stage 1 decks (despite loving Sage as a card), the guy I played in Top 2 of Regionals used Cheren in his Yanmega/Donphan, you use Sage's Training. Sage is a great card that should be Tier 1, and so is Cheren. Cheren gives you one more card to work with, and it's less risky, so I prefer it in non-stage 2 decks, as well as in googlebox. However, TyRam, Eelzone, and other decks that love discard should run Sage. They're similar cards, but all of them are good enough to be Tier 1.
 
Did stage 1s and/or Donphan fall off a lot? I ask because I'm interested in both but if they aren't as competitive I will have to rethink that.
 
Well, due to the rise in popularity of Kyurem and Vanilluxe (somewhat), Donphan has seen a decrease in popularity. However, some people are picking it up again, due to the rise of Magnezone, Zekrom, and Thundurus (with the help of Eelektrik). As for Stage 1's, Yanmega decreased in popularity because of the powerful Lightning types in our format, and Zoroark cannot hit for as much as it used to (because the Dragons are decreasing in popularity - well, just Reshiram). Donphan has been explained already, and Terrakion runs over Cinccin/Zoroark. Both things just aren't as great as they used to be.
 
The real thing that happened to Donphan was Trainer Lock Reuniclus variants started seeing play. Donphan variants have nothing for a deck like Gothitelle or a Truth variant. Donphan has too little of a damage output, and Kyurem, Tornadus and Cobalion didn't help it either.
 
I would love to see someone work Gigalith into Donchamp and bring it back. Maybe Shear could provide the needed speed. Or maybe I've just got my hopes up.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top