Card of the Day: Vileplume from Undaunted
NOTE: Please use today's thread to review Gloom (UD27) and Oddish (UD60) as well.
Vileplume (UD24) [12/28/2011]
- Thread starter Celebi23
- Start date
NOTE: Please use today's thread to review Gloom (UD27) and Oddish (UD60) as well.
Vileplume has a powerful ability, but can't work by itself. It needs two other cards- Reuniclus and an attacker. Reuniclus is so the attacker can not be knocked out, and the attacker for attacking. Vileplume keeps Pokémon Catcher from knocking out Reuniclus. Vileplume is used in other decks so that the opponent cannot use switch, and then the Vileplume player uses a statuslock attacker. Vileplume should never be the attacker, or active. It's 120 HP is ok, but it would be better if it were 130 so even after a dragger, Zekrom/Reshiram can't knock it out before Vileplume can retreat.
Oddish and Gloom are ok, but then you have the HP problem. Oddish's low HP can mean it can be donked rather easily. I was almost donked at a Cities with a lone Oddish.
The only way Vileplume could get better would be if it had a lower retreat. This means cards like Muk or other draggers won't make you have tp take 2 turns to retreat Vileplume.
Oddish and Gloom are ok, but then you have the HP problem. Oddish's low HP can mean it can be donked rather easily. I was almost donked at a Cities with a lone Oddish.
The only way Vileplume could get better would be if it had a lower retreat. This means cards like Muk or other draggers won't make you have tp take 2 turns to retreat Vileplume.
I think that Vileplume is an amazing card, you just need to know how to use it:
Introduction: A first look at Vileplume tells you that it is a Trainer lock card with one simple porpouse, to lock Trainers. Yes, it's attack sucks and the weakness is less than favorable with Mewtwo-EX to be released soon. Retreat isn't bad if you run DCE or Dodrio (a plus to having Vileplume in your Chandelure/Dodrio deck)
So, what can we combo it with?: Not to much, but it's very effective in the few things it's used in. First off there's the Vileplume/Reuniclus varients, Chandelure/Dodrio and pretty much any deck that's not totally relient on Trainers.
How big is Vileplume in the Metagame?: I have not been to a tournament in a while, so I could not say for my own meta, but rather what's posted here on PokeBeach. I'd say Vileplume takes a rather large presence in the Metagame, being in popular decks such as The Truth, Vileplume/Reuniclus/Attacker and Chandelure/Dodrio.
So, what's your over-all oppinion on this card?: Like I said before, Vileplume is a great card. I think it deserves a 8/10, due to being, IMO, the best Trainer lock card in the format. The ONLY major con I can think of is it being a Stage-2 with low-HP pre-evolutions. Honestly, if I was forced to pick any deck to battle with right now, it would be something with Magnezone Prime or Vileplume.
Introduction: A first look at Vileplume tells you that it is a Trainer lock card with one simple porpouse, to lock Trainers. Yes, it's attack sucks and the weakness is less than favorable with Mewtwo-EX to be released soon. Retreat isn't bad if you run DCE or Dodrio (a plus to having Vileplume in your Chandelure/Dodrio deck)
So, what can we combo it with?: Not to much, but it's very effective in the few things it's used in. First off there's the Vileplume/Reuniclus varients, Chandelure/Dodrio and pretty much any deck that's not totally relient on Trainers.
How big is Vileplume in the Metagame?: I have not been to a tournament in a while, so I could not say for my own meta, but rather what's posted here on PokeBeach. I'd say Vileplume takes a rather large presence in the Metagame, being in popular decks such as The Truth, Vileplume/Reuniclus/Attacker and Chandelure/Dodrio.
So, what's your over-all oppinion on this card?: Like I said before, Vileplume is a great card. I think it deserves a 8/10, due to being, IMO, the best Trainer lock card in the format. The ONLY major con I can think of is it being a Stage-2 with low-HP pre-evolutions. Honestly, if I was forced to pick any deck to battle with right now, it would be something with Magnezone Prime or Vileplume.
A First Look at Vileplume
Vileplume is a Stage 2 Pokemon that has a decent 120 HP. A Weakness to Psychic is pretty good, because the only prevalent Psychic attackers in this format are Gothitelle and Mew, and if Vileplume is not in the Active position (which it should never be), this shouldn't be a problem. With the upcoming release of Mewtwo EX in Next Destinies, we can only wait and see how popular it becomes, and how it will affect Vileplume Weakness-wise. Vileplume has no Resistance and a Retreat Cost of 2, and while the Retreat Cost may not seem too heavy on a Stage 2, it is a problem with Vileplume because of its Poke-Body, Allergy Flower.
Speaking of its Poke-Body, Vileplume's Poke-Body, Allergy Flower, prevents all Trainer/Item cards from being played, which is why Vileplume's Retreat Cost is so ugly; not being able to use Switch hampers Vileplume's potential in the Active spot even more. On top of that, Vileplume has a horrid attack, Dazzling Pollen, which should never be used in any situation, due to needing 3 energy (two of which have to be grass) to have a 50% chance of hitting for a measly 70 damage. Although Vileplume isn't looking too great at a first glance, the reason Vileplume is used so much is because of its Allergy Flower.
How does Vileplume Help/Work in this Format?
Allergy Flower has one of the most devastating effects in this format, just because it can lock Item cards. Decks that are extremely reliant on Item cards find themselves struggling with Vileplume because of the effect. Other decks cannot KO your Active Pokemon because they do not have access to Pluspower, and Catcher cannot be played to score easy KOs, making Bench sitters invincible (excluding Pokemon that can hit the Bench, and Seeker, of course). Pokemon Communication is unable to be played, so the searching engine of a deck can be severely hampered, and Junk Arm being locked means that Item cards in the discard have no chance of being re-used (of course, it wouldn't matter, because Vileplume locks the discarded Items too). There are so many other helpful Item cards that cannot be played due to Vileplume's Allergy Flower, and using it the correct way can lead to a strong late-game.
Vileplume can be paired with virtually anything that isn't too Item-reliant. Mew Prime appreciates the lock that Vileplume provides, not worrying about Catcher destroying its plans, so it has time to LZ other cards to bring it closer to victory. Attackers such as Vanilluxe and Lilligant use Special Conditions to prevent Retreating, and Vileplume blocks Switch, so it can be quite an annoyance for an opponent to put up with. Bench sitters, such as Reuniclus and Serperior, no longer have to worry about being Catcher KOing them and their evolutionary line due to Vileplume. Let's take a look at some of the combos Vileplume can abuse.
One of Vileplume's best combos is pairing up with Reuniclus to combine with tankers to move off the damage and prevent the use of Pluspower, so with a good enough tanker, the game can be yours after the tanker is set up. Regigigas EX can make use of its 180 HP and survive almost any attack with the use of Vileplume and Reuniclus, and Suicune/Entei LEGEND is pretty nice to hit for lots of damage and stay alive for quite a while.
Mentioned earlier, Vileplume can additionally be used with cards like Vanilluxe and Lilligant to lock the opponent into a frustrating match. A deck known as VVV uses Vileplume, Vanilluxe, and Victini to lock the opponent in a Paralysis lock using Vanilluxe's Double Freeze. Vileplume locks the Item cards so the Defending Pokemon cannot retreat, and Victini makes the chances of Double Freeze paralyzing the opponent up to 75%, which is pretty decent. Vileplume can also be used with Lilligant to ensure some type of Special Condition. Lilligant is then able to continue hitting for 20 damage per turn and prevent the use of Switch through Vileplume, making it virtually impossible for a Pokemon to escape from the Active position.
How would you rate this card?
Vileplume has so many uses in this format, it is a little ridiculous. Being able to be used in quite a few ways for different play styles, a Poke-Body as simple as locking Item cards can have a oppressing effect in the right match ups. Many decks do not appreciate the hampering effect of having to rely on a Supporter engine to set up, and will most likely crumble if you use an attacker that can continuously rip apart their set up. On the other hand, you can have a tanker sitting in the Active position the entire game using the Reuniclus + Vileplume combo. Despite its awful attack and horrible Retreat Cost for a Pokemon that locks Switch, Vileplume definitely gets a 9/10, maybe even a 9.5/10.
How about those art fans out there? How's the artwork?
The artwork is okay on Vileplume, to be honest. I really like the Leaf Stone sitting under Vileplume. However, Vileplume isn't doing much in this picture, and it seems to just be looking up at the sun or something. Besides that, I like the artwork for the most part, so it would get a 5.5/10.
Vileplume is a Stage 2 Pokemon that has a decent 120 HP. A Weakness to Psychic is pretty good, because the only prevalent Psychic attackers in this format are Gothitelle and Mew, and if Vileplume is not in the Active position (which it should never be), this shouldn't be a problem. With the upcoming release of Mewtwo EX in Next Destinies, we can only wait and see how popular it becomes, and how it will affect Vileplume Weakness-wise. Vileplume has no Resistance and a Retreat Cost of 2, and while the Retreat Cost may not seem too heavy on a Stage 2, it is a problem with Vileplume because of its Poke-Body, Allergy Flower.
Speaking of its Poke-Body, Vileplume's Poke-Body, Allergy Flower, prevents all Trainer/Item cards from being played, which is why Vileplume's Retreat Cost is so ugly; not being able to use Switch hampers Vileplume's potential in the Active spot even more. On top of that, Vileplume has a horrid attack, Dazzling Pollen, which should never be used in any situation, due to needing 3 energy (two of which have to be grass) to have a 50% chance of hitting for a measly 70 damage. Although Vileplume isn't looking too great at a first glance, the reason Vileplume is used so much is because of its Allergy Flower.
How does Vileplume Help/Work in this Format?
Allergy Flower has one of the most devastating effects in this format, just because it can lock Item cards. Decks that are extremely reliant on Item cards find themselves struggling with Vileplume because of the effect. Other decks cannot KO your Active Pokemon because they do not have access to Pluspower, and Catcher cannot be played to score easy KOs, making Bench sitters invincible (excluding Pokemon that can hit the Bench, and Seeker, of course). Pokemon Communication is unable to be played, so the searching engine of a deck can be severely hampered, and Junk Arm being locked means that Item cards in the discard have no chance of being re-used (of course, it wouldn't matter, because Vileplume locks the discarded Items too). There are so many other helpful Item cards that cannot be played due to Vileplume's Allergy Flower, and using it the correct way can lead to a strong late-game.
Vileplume can be paired with virtually anything that isn't too Item-reliant. Mew Prime appreciates the lock that Vileplume provides, not worrying about Catcher destroying its plans, so it has time to LZ other cards to bring it closer to victory. Attackers such as Vanilluxe and Lilligant use Special Conditions to prevent Retreating, and Vileplume blocks Switch, so it can be quite an annoyance for an opponent to put up with. Bench sitters, such as Reuniclus and Serperior, no longer have to worry about being Catcher KOing them and their evolutionary line due to Vileplume. Let's take a look at some of the combos Vileplume can abuse.
One of Vileplume's best combos is pairing up with Reuniclus to combine with tankers to move off the damage and prevent the use of Pluspower, so with a good enough tanker, the game can be yours after the tanker is set up. Regigigas EX can make use of its 180 HP and survive almost any attack with the use of Vileplume and Reuniclus, and Suicune/Entei LEGEND is pretty nice to hit for lots of damage and stay alive for quite a while.
Mentioned earlier, Vileplume can additionally be used with cards like Vanilluxe and Lilligant to lock the opponent into a frustrating match. A deck known as VVV uses Vileplume, Vanilluxe, and Victini to lock the opponent in a Paralysis lock using Vanilluxe's Double Freeze. Vileplume locks the Item cards so the Defending Pokemon cannot retreat, and Victini makes the chances of Double Freeze paralyzing the opponent up to 75%, which is pretty decent. Vileplume can also be used with Lilligant to ensure some type of Special Condition. Lilligant is then able to continue hitting for 20 damage per turn and prevent the use of Switch through Vileplume, making it virtually impossible for a Pokemon to escape from the Active position.
How would you rate this card?
Vileplume has so many uses in this format, it is a little ridiculous. Being able to be used in quite a few ways for different play styles, a Poke-Body as simple as locking Item cards can have a oppressing effect in the right match ups. Many decks do not appreciate the hampering effect of having to rely on a Supporter engine to set up, and will most likely crumble if you use an attacker that can continuously rip apart their set up. On the other hand, you can have a tanker sitting in the Active position the entire game using the Reuniclus + Vileplume combo. Despite its awful attack and horrible Retreat Cost for a Pokemon that locks Switch, Vileplume definitely gets a 9/10, maybe even a 9.5/10.
How about those art fans out there? How's the artwork?
The artwork is okay on Vileplume, to be honest. I really like the Leaf Stone sitting under Vileplume. However, Vileplume isn't doing much in this picture, and it seems to just be looking up at the sun or something. Besides that, I like the artwork for the most part, so it would get a 5.5/10.
Vileplume, along with Magnezone, is one of the few Stage 2 Pokemon left that sees serious play in metagame decks. Like Magnezone, one of the reasons for its play comes in a powerful special ability, the Poke-Body Allergy Flower, which shuts down all trainers on both sides, regardless of whether Vileplume is active or benched. This makes Vileplume's trainer lock extremely difficult to remove, as the only ways to drag out Vileplume lie in drag based attacks like Bellsprout or Muk. Weakness isn't a huge deal since Vileplume is rarely dragged out, though it means that Mewbox can carve through it if Vileplume can't retreat after being dragged into the active spot. Its HP is alright, but within the magic number if it ever finds itself in the active spot. Dazzling Pollen is pretty terrible and I doubt it's ever been used barring the most desperate of circumstances.
Vileplume's biggest and best partner is Reuniclus. As anyone at Worlds 2011 might tell you, the lock with Vileplime/Reuniclus can be game changing, making it nearly impossible to take KOs. This changed to a degree with the release of NV making Lost Burn more abusable, but unlike Gothetelle, Vileplume's lock is rarely at risk due to being on the bench, meaning it can rely on other attackers to accommodate. When ND comes out, Vileplume might be able to survive the power creep by using Regigigas EX, which is basically a heavier outrage sponge that could OHKO other EX pokemon. One thing that's risky with this however is losing two prizes in a deck that already sacrifices prizes early. It's viable, but has its drawbacks. All that aside, trainer lock is pretty crippling on its own, especially for evolution based decks. Shutting off Rare Candy and Pokemon Catcher is a really powerful tool and that can't be stated enough. Vileplume can make some mediocre decks very dangerous, one such being Chandelure.
Right now, Vileplume is definitely 9/10 territory. Not everything can use it, but enough decks can harness Allergy Flower and put a real kink into everyone's game. It may yet survive ND despite my earlier predictions, though I think its best days are behind it (its really hard to beat two borderline autowins against two big decks at the time). Vileplume has few bad matchups and has a chance against any deck, all by simply locking trainers, which can show just how dependent on them we've become.
Vileplume's biggest and best partner is Reuniclus. As anyone at Worlds 2011 might tell you, the lock with Vileplime/Reuniclus can be game changing, making it nearly impossible to take KOs. This changed to a degree with the release of NV making Lost Burn more abusable, but unlike Gothetelle, Vileplume's lock is rarely at risk due to being on the bench, meaning it can rely on other attackers to accommodate. When ND comes out, Vileplume might be able to survive the power creep by using Regigigas EX, which is basically a heavier outrage sponge that could OHKO other EX pokemon. One thing that's risky with this however is losing two prizes in a deck that already sacrifices prizes early. It's viable, but has its drawbacks. All that aside, trainer lock is pretty crippling on its own, especially for evolution based decks. Shutting off Rare Candy and Pokemon Catcher is a really powerful tool and that can't be stated enough. Vileplume can make some mediocre decks very dangerous, one such being Chandelure.
Right now, Vileplume is definitely 9/10 territory. Not everything can use it, but enough decks can harness Allergy Flower and put a real kink into everyone's game. It may yet survive ND despite my earlier predictions, though I think its best days are behind it (its really hard to beat two borderline autowins against two big decks at the time). Vileplume has few bad matchups and has a chance against any deck, all by simply locking trainers, which can show just how dependent on them we've become.