Will the New Format Revolve Around Pokémon Catcher?

[Spoink!]

I know that eveyone's thinking about Pokemon Catcher and how it's going to effect the format, but I think the change will be pretty drastic.

With a card as powerful as Catcher, there are certain deck types that will immediately drop a tier or two. Any slow or average-speed deck with weak bench sitters, like Serperior, will be put completely out of the running. Even decks with pretty high HP bench sitters, like ReshiBoar, will have difficulty because of retreat costs.

Average-speed decks that focus solely on damage output will die out without extra techs. The irony of this is that the extra techs will be easy Catcher fodder.

A lot of decks will be decks with high HP basic or stage one pokemon who include Catcher-blocking techs and 4 Switches. Of course, they will include the very same Catchers that they are trying to block. These decks will set up a wall against Catcher and try to play like it was before Catcher. Gothitelle and Vileplume will see some play in these decks.

The decks that will come out on top, though, will be able to have bench sitters because of their speed. They'll have to hope that their opponents don't have a Catcher the first or second turn and end the game then.

Maybe people will bulid decks focused around Pokemon Catcher. They'll have 4 Catchers, 4 Junk Arms, 4 Good Rod EP, and it won't matter that much who the main attacker is as long as they don't need a lot of energy.

Will we see more Catcher-blocking rogues? I hope so.

I've been trying to talk about this in a less negative way than other threads.

Sometimes change is good. I'm kind of looking forward to the release of Catcher.

What is your opinion on what will happen once Catcher is released?

EDIT: It won't let me fix the really obvious typo on the poll, sorry about that.

 

[Zhaituki]

My opinion is simple: It brings more strategy into this format... and for me more strategy = more fun. And less flips ofc since we do already have reversal.

 

[Ty W]

I feel that it makes going first an even bigger advantage tbh. If whoever goes first can pull off a turn two yanmega, which is not uncommon, then they can drag up whatever they want and knock it out, and then continue that for most of the game and possibly win in 7 turns. I don't see the strategy in trying to get a catcher every turn to get a cheap prize until you win.

 

[venasour x]

Catcher is going to balance but unbalance at the same time. It's going to even out the playing field, by making Reversal hits not as game-changing. When somebody drops a Catcher, you can respond by using one of your own instead of flipping the table when you get tails. But its going to make going first be that much more of an advantage from speed decks like Donphan and Yanmega, and possible Zoroark to just take cheap prizes.

 

[Ty W]

If people play 4 catcher and 4 junk arm then they will get them whenever they need, and will take prizes at will.

 

[Vulpix Yolk]

Catcher is going to make skill a bigger part of the game. It is going to make it so you have to set up fast. It isn't like Catcher is going to make Stage 1 unbeatable, given it will make it better. The solution is just bench two of the Pokemon you are planing to Rare Candy next turn. Play more switch or possibly Dodrio, everyone just needs to chill out, and think.

 

[Zhaituki]

Catcher is going to make skill a bigger part of the game. It is going to make it so you have to set up fast. It isn't like Catcher is going to make Stage 1 unbeatable, given it will make it better. The solution is just bench two of the Pokemon you are planing to Rare Candy next turn. Play more switch or possible Dodrio, everyone just needs to chill out, and think.

Dodrio is too fragile, it can be even sniped within 2 turns with yanmega. Stage 1 rush ain't unbeatable with catcher and never will be. It's just ppl overfearing.

 

[Ty W]

Most decks play more than one attacker or thing that they need to get out, so it is hard to get two of everything you need out on your first turn.

 

[Captain Oats]

Ofc a card with a utility like catcher will change the meta. IMO, when catcher drops, Gothitelle will become somewhat popular (even if just for a week or so) due to it's ability since just about everyone and their mums will be playing catcher.

 

[catutie]

My opinion is simple: It brings more strategy into this format... and for me more strategy = more fun. And less flips ofc since we do already have reversal.

Simple solution...don't use Reversal at all...just make your deck run smooth and you don't need reversal or catcher. But yes...because they think we need a GoW in this 120 T1 format...it will revolve around it...

 

[Zhaituki]

Simple solution...don't use Reversal at all...just make your deck run smooth and you don't need reversal or catcher. But yes...because they think we need a GoW in this 120 T1 format...it will revolve around it...

Erm just zekrom can hit 120 T1, and it doesn't happen that often. (didn't for me atleast) and i doubt zekrom decks are fairly common atm.

 

[OU Pokemon]

I think that it will be a very positive change because it will add more strategy and you'll have to set up faster. And I don't think Zekrom will be used much at all, even though plain ZPS has no evolutions, it has 2 bench sitters that's practically worthless, as their Poke Power only activates when they get put on the bench, they don't have free retreat, and are easily KO'ed, although ZPS with Yanmega does have a chance.

 

[catutie]

Erm just zekrom can hit 120 T1, and it doesn't happen that often. (didn't for me atleast) and i doubt zekrom decks are fairly common atm.

Zekrom is mostly a disruption deck. You get going T1/T2 and then and Catcher...you can just bring up those 60 HP basics that they still have. The only problem with Zekrom is that the more they get set up...the more Zekrom becomes a bad card lol. There are some decks that will become very very powerful with Catcher...

 

[Vulpix Yolk]

The other problem with Zekrom is that it wouldn't have any room if you are playing Catcher for other techs that involve your own consistency. Zekrom is not consistent. Nothing with the Pachirishu Shaymin engine is. Catcher will help decks that are already playing Reversal. It isn't the end of the world guys, just learn how to play against it. If your whole game can be ruined by something on your bench dying early game, then well, you probably weren't going to win anyways.

 

[fly_ray]

it just like luxray and we played around that it will just give this game more skill and less luck - the way this game was supposed to be played
I like the change its for the greater good and I only have 2 reversals XD

 

[Matryoshka]

Simple solution...don't use Reversal at all

Wait, but Reversal is amazing in this format. It wins games most of the time.

Catcher is going to at least put more strategy and skill into play. Because, you know, you only have 4 Catchers and maybe some Junk Arm to reuse it per game, you need to time it right.

As I see it, with Catcher, Yanmega Prime will be BDIF. You're running Judge to make sure they can't recover from whatever you KO with catcher, disrupt their hand, and use it for Yanmega to attack.

 

[Spoink!]

As I see it, with Catcher, Yanmega Prime will be BDIF.

Noob question: what is BDIF?

 

[The Yoshi]

^BDIF= Best Deck In Format.

I'm still sketchy over Catcher. For one thing, it makes the game less luck-based(what am I, the fiftieth person to say that?), and I also think that it does give some decks an advantage over others(again, I'm probably the fiftieth person to say this).

I'm somewhat happy for Catcher is because it's actually a card that makes near-useless cards better in this format. Pidgeot TM? Yes please. Drag up a high-retreat Pokemon and set-up something powerful on the Bench while you spam Headwind. But the reason I'm sketchy over Catcher is this: Does anyone remember when Lost World + Gengar Prime was overhyped? Pokemon Catcher fits into the group of overhyped perfectly. People will probably run 2 Catcher, 3 max, unless it is essential to a certain deck. They'll run Junk Arm too, but has it occured to anyone that Pokemon Catcher will not be the main priority to recover in the discard? Reshiram/Zekrom will need Pluspowers and Defenders, Donphan will need Switches, and Yanmega will need consistency cards(can't think of any ATM). So in the average deck, Catcher will be used 4-5 times(since the max times it can be used is 8, and the least is 0-1). That sounds scary, but it doesn't mean you'll be getting on OHKO every turn. Catcher is great early game to snipe the Basics, but once you're set-up, there's not much Catcher can do to anything not named Donphan. Believe me, I'm sure some of my points are flawed, but that doesn't mean I'm "wrong." Before anyone attacks, read my post in full, please. Thanks.

 

[StealthAngel667]

Noob question: what is BDIF?

Best Deck In Format, generally used in a hyping sense. I do not recommend using it.

Formats are not defined by trainer cards, but some work better with certain decks than others. The format so far is rock paper scissors, with not one BDIF. That's how I see it, and that's probably what we shall see in the tops of Worlds as well. When Catcher is out, I sincerely doubt it will have as much of an impact as everybody expects.

 

[AmishEskimoNinja]

For all the people who think catcher won't destroy the game because vilepulme will save us, have no idea. First it takes at least two turns to get a vileplume, which allows them to catcher it. Second, yanmega can snipe oddishes easily. Thirdly, there isn't anything like spiritomb or SF Ghastly in the current format, which means you can't trainer lock T1. All of these reasons make vileplume unusable or ineffective.