What is a Perfect Format?

[Frost Mage]

I definitely agree with RogueChomp, not everyone will ever think the format is perfect. But to me, I'd say no coin flips where games can be decided, but the occasional heads on a Laser makes the game more interesting and forces decks to teck in cards such as Switch, whereas otherwise, everyone would pretty much just run Float Stone, since Poison and Sleep are the only real big Status Conditions in format right now. I think TCPi is beginning to understand the big-basics power creep that happened from Next Destinies-on, and they're trying to undo that with these upcoming sets in XY. I really feel like they'll do some interesting things in the near future.

 

[Card Slinger J]

A perfect format in the Pokemon TCG would be where every deck was on a level playing field which we haven't had since Diamond/Pearl Era up until the end of HeartGold/SoulSilver Era going into Black/White Era. Printing staple cards as Worlds Invite Promos is terrible card design as TPCi had learned the hard way with Tropical Beach and possibly Champions Festival. That just leaves the people who can afford those cards to be farther ahead in competitive play than those that can't afford those cards unless they borrow them from someone who has them. How does that promote a perfect format? It doesn't.

Another example of a perfect format is it would have an even amount of luck and skill where as nowadays there's more luck than skill. While some will argue that the TCG right now is the most balanced it's ever been I beg to differ, Stage 2's can't even compete on a high level nowadays unless you're running 4 Skyla and 1-2 Tropical Beach unless you decide to go Beachless with Empoleon or possibly RayBoar with Delphox. The design behind the Mega Evolution cards was handled poorly as it gave more power to Basics rather than Stage 1 and Stage 2 Evolutions cause TPCi has this mindset that the game needs to be a donk fest with time constraints causing most players getting ties in Best 2 out of 3 Swiss in League Challenge.

 

[skyla27]

I like this format. Its as open as ever. There is so much diversity and choice. Personally, I think that this format is as perfect as it could be. I guess its all preference.

I call BS. You couldnt have played during the Delta Species era and tell me that with a straight face. Personally, I think the EX"s of now are so much different than before, if you went back to requiring evolution I think it would make the game more fun AND balance the format a little bit. However, there are options if you look hard enough, but you're not just gonna play your favorite crappy card and win. I used to think that way, I learned differently over time. it happens. I think this is an OK metagame atm, but the top tier is WAY too small to suit my taste, and quite frankly, I cant afford the ONE deck I've been wanting to try for forever now (Virizion/Genesect is way too freakin expensive). Im saying this as a grownup with a job. Imagine how an 11 year old who is doomed to play with the budget cards mommy and daddy give him/her feels.

 

[Auride]

There has been a large discussion recently over the lack of skill in the current format. This is mostly attributed to the reliance of draw cards (as opposed to search cards) in every competitive deck, essentially reducing all games to how well you draw in certain situations.

If you get N'd in the late game to 1 or 2 cards, you're completely at the mercy of luck as to whether or not you can respond properly. If you, say, draw a Juniper, you can decisively take the game that you are likely already ahead in. If you draw some useless card, you're toast. The key feature of this situation is that the player drawing doesn't have options. They must draw, and they must draw well in order to win.

There is nothing inherently wrong with luck factors, so long as you have the opportunity to play around them intelligently (thus incorporating the players' skill). In fact, one of the most attractive qualities to the Pokemon video games competitively is that you are required to react to situation - to the luck you get. You almost always have some play or move you can make that will put you into a better position.

The current TCG format may lack consistency or diversity (neither of which I see inherently as bad things), but what it lacks most of all is decisions. The perfect format (in my mind) is the one which maximizes the number of non-trivial options each player has, and thus the involvement of skill, at any given point in the game. Luck is a fundamental and integral part of the game, but it should never become the whole.

 

[Mr.Muffin]

This may sound weird to you guys but Perfect imbalance is the best format model. It is more common in League of Legends then in Pokemon TCG but it still happens. It is when you are given a bunch of stuff to work with but certain things are better than others. How it starts is that one deck or character dominates the scene it causes people to find ways to counter the character or deck. Because the counter is so popular people start learning to play around it. People still play the older deck but not as frequent. It then becomes a circle of people playing different decks that one up each other.

We have diversity. I think HGSS-on was an amazing format because we had so many different sets and a new top deck would emerge every month. It kept people on there toes.