Discussion What type of card(s) makes Toolbox type decks a Toolbox

All-Stars_Creator

All-Stars_Creator

Aspiring Trainer
Member
I think we are all familiar with decks like Darkbox. But I'm not sure I really understand what kind of cards brandish a deck a Toolbox deck.

Toolbox decks, (as far as I understand them) are decks that have different solutions/playstyles (or tools) for different opposing decks.
I think this naturally means, that ways to quickly access these different options is very important in Toolbox decks. As well as ways to open up deck-space. Be that by reducing the energy count, or by playing thin lines of basic and stage 1 Pokémon.

But what kind of card screams "Put me in a Toolbox deck" to you?

Interested to hear the opinions.
 
Cards like Aurora Energy that have a level of flexibility are definitely toolbox-worthy. I also think of Pokémon like Aromatisse XY or Klinklang BW that can move Energy like Aurora (or back in the day, Rainbow) around to power up different types of attackers.
 
Pokemon with abilities that allow them to "become" other pokemon, or decks that have a supporting pokemon that can charge up or find the needed counter pokemon (Arceus VSTAR + Birds). Some of the major pokemon cards that can 'become' other pokemon are Zoroark, Ditto, and Ditto V because of their abilities to switch our with pokemon in the discard pile. Any Pokemon with the Ability to become another pokemon from the discard pile or deck will certainly be considered in a toolbox deck.
Toolbox usually revolves around having various attacking pokemon that hit common weaknesses in the meta and being able to choose from those pokemon at any given time. However, another concept around 'Toolbox' is the idea of small/medium/large, such that your deck has a specific strategy for knocking out small hp pokemon, medium hp pokemon (V's), and large hp pokemon (VMAXs). Something like Hoopa, Galarian Zapados, and Sableye V work in that order.
 
Being able to accelerate Energy of different types with a fairly compact package can also make a difference, as an alternative route to keeping Rainbow/Aurora Energy on the field. The most recent example is the Lost Zone engine, especially Amazing Rare Lost Box, which could charge up some of the most complicated attack costs in the game (such as the attacks of Amazing Rare Rayquaza and Amazing Rare Raikou). A more classical example, however, is Holon’s Castform, a basic Pokémon which could be attached as an Energy, bouncing an Energy card back to the hand while but providing two Energy of any type. This card could be easily searched with Lanette’s Net Search or, later, Roseanne’s Research. This card was a major aid to decks like Raieggs (Raichu Delta Species and Exeggutor Delta Species) that could also benefit from its attack. But the best example of its use in a toolbox deck was when it was paired with Base Set Blastoise’s spiritual successor, Blastoise ex, allowing you to power up cards like Lugia ex and Latias Star in a single turn, with only one basic Water Energy to help. Cards like Double Rainbow Energy and Scramble Energy also made toolbox decks far easier to build from 2005 to 2008. These powerful special Energy favored single prize evolution Pokémon, making attack costs easier to fulfill and permitting some explosive comebacks.
 
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