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Pojo's Pokemon Card of the Day

Baby Mario 2010 UK National Seniors Champion	Klang #75/114 (Black and White) After yesterday’s very playable card, today’s seems like a bit of an anticlimax, but that’s partly because we are back with the least interesting of all the Pokémon: the evolving Stage 1. As we all know, evolving Stage 1s have just the one job: to allow you to evolve to the Stage 2 when you either don’t have, or can’t use, Rare Candy (if you are Trainer locked). On top of that, it’s a nice bonus if they can do something to help if they find themselves in the active position, or at least have some way of surviving. I suppose, when all’s said and done, Klang does have those nice bonuses. Ok, so the 80 HP isn’t going to impress anyone, but Metal typing means that it can use Special Metal Energy to improve its durability. The downside is the Weakness to Fire, which looks like being the most popular type of the neat future, but even here it gets a helping hand from its Bind attack: for one Metal Energy you do 10 damage and get a coin flip for Paralysis (the best of all the special conditions). A lucky flip could make all the difference between an active Klang surviving or going to the discard pile. If you a really desperate, you can even attack with it: Gear Grind costs a steep [M][C][C], but at least you have the option to use Double Colourless Energy. For that price you get to flip two coins and do 60 damage for each heads. Yes, it’s a bad attack: flippy and even at best it will stuggle to KO anything major, but it’s better than nothing. Of course, Klang’s playability is completely determined by how good its evolution is (and we shall have to wait until tomorrow before looking at that card). Even so, as evolving Stage 1s go, Klang isn’t too horrible: all it needs is a playable Stage 2 . . . Rating Modified (HGSS-on): 2 (not bad for what it is) Limited: 2.5 (could stall for a bit with Bind, and get you a KO if you are lucky)
virusyosh	Hello, Pojo readers! Today we're continuing our Black and White COTD reviews with a new Stage 1 from the Unova region. Today's Card of the Day is Klang. Klang is a Stage 1 Metal-type Pokemon. Metal-types are very rare nowadays in HGSS-on Modified, with Steelix Prime occasionally seeing play; however with the emergence of Reshiram and Emboar, being a Metal-type is a bit of a liability due to their crippling Fire Weakness. Klang has 80 HP, which is altogether average for an evolving Stage 1, but also keep in mind that damage can be reduced with Special Metal Energy. The Gear Pokemon also has that terrible Fire Weakness as stated before, a very nice Psychic Resistance (although Psychic is also an uncommon type at the moment), and a rather large Retreat Cost of two. Be sure to use something like Switch to get Klang out of the Active slot, if necessary. Klang's two attacks, Bind and Gear Grind, are about what you'd expect for an average, run-of-the-mill Stage 1. Bind does a rather pathetic 10 damage and can Paralyze for [M], nothing terribly interesting or useful. Gear Grind is also a rather standard flip attack for [MCC], allowing you to flip two coins, dealing 60 damage times the number of heads. Your possible outcomes of this attack are 0 damage (very bad), 60 damage (average at best) or 120 damage (slightly above average). Even still, if you want to be dealing 120 damage for three Energy, use Reshiram or Zekrom instead. Modified: 1/5 I can't see Klang being used here, for any reason. It's just doesn't do anything well enough to be used here. Being Weak to Fire is also quite bad. Limited: 2/5 Metal-types are very rare in Limited, so the chances of you using it as a main attacking type are quite low. Therefore, Klang probably isn't worth using unless you get a Klinklang, and even then, I don't see it being that effective.
Otaku	Klang is a Stage 1 Pokémon that Evolves from Klink and into Klinklang. So will this be a filler review, or is there something worth looking at? Let’s find out! Klang is a transitional Stage 1 Pokémon, as I just stated, so it will need to be about as good as an unevolving Basic Pokémon or just a hair weaker than an unevolving Stage 1 to be competitive without overshadowing those. It is a Metal-Type, like the rest of the line. This is good: in a well balanced metagame you’ll still have a slight edge just because you can utilize the Special Energy version of Metal Energy to soak damage. Metal Weakness/Resistance isn’t too common in the HeartGold & SoulSilver block and is absent in what little we’ve seen of the Black & White cards. The game could be returning to the old standard: when first introduced in the Neo sets, there were no Pokémon with Darkness or Metal Weakness or Resistance. Then again, it could just be a slight fluke, or even an intentional attempt at making it easier on newer players picking up these early Black & White cards. Of course the pending metagame looks to be unfriendly to Metal Pokémon, should Emboar/Magnezone Prime decks prove as strong and stable as its proponent’s hope. Klang has the traditional Fire Weakness that has often plagued Metal-Type Pokémon. This is bad since one way or another; we’ll have a good Fire deck next format, and possibly several! The aforementioned Emboar/Magnezone Prime deck would have almost all its match-ups hitting Klang for double damage or taking 20 less from Resistance. Speaking of Resistance, Klang itself enjoys Psychic Resistance -20. I am happy to see any Resistance, of course, since it seems like it is ignored most of the time by the actual card designers. This or next format, Psychic Resistance is unlikely to become critical due to the best Psychic Pokémon not focusing on straight damage: Special Conditions, Damage Counter placement, alternate win conditions, even sitting on the Bench and being used solely for an Ability, but very few Psychic Pokémon focus on straight-up damaging attacks to win the game. Klang also suffers in the HP department: only 80! This is poor for a Stage 1, even if it can Evolve, with small comfort coming from the fact that across the board, Stage 1 Pokémon seem to get similarly small boosts over the Basic they Evolve from, with obvious notable exceptions like Magikarp Evolving into Gyarados. Even without Weakness and through Resistance, main attackers in decks will be able to go for a OHKO, unless you have a few of those Special Energy versions of Metal Energy attached. Adding insult to injury, the Retreat Cost is two: often Retreat Cost will follow HP, with a low HP score getting a low Retreat Cost and a high HP score getting an inflated Retreat Cost. Two is low enough that you’ll often be able to pay it, but it really sets you back: pack Switch if you’re running this guy. So what does Klang actually do? Perform two attacks that are… actually quite solid. For (M) it can use Bind, which only does 10 points of damage but gives it a chance of inflicting Paralysis with a successful coin toss. This is hardly a move to build a deck around, but for a transitional Pokémon Stage (e.g. something you’re playing just to reach the end of the Evolutionary line) it improves chances for survival, and that is what matters. Your opponent will probably be able to Evolve and/or change out their Active, but forcing them to use a Switch prematurely or to commit to Evolving before a set-up is complete can prove fatal later in the game. Next we get Gear Grind and apparently despite all the cards that seem contrary, TPC does understand the important of risk/reward and being able to speed to attack with Double Colorless Energy. Gear Grind gives you two coin tosses for the price of (MCC). You do 60 points of damage for each “heads”, and that means one out of four times you’d expect to whiff and do no damage, one out of four times you’ll score a sweet 120 damage, and half the time you’ll clock in with that average 60 points of damage. 60 points of damage for three Energy is nothing special, and obviously zero for that is awful, but the trade off for the threat of a 120 point whack is worth it. The threat that on your second turn the Klink you opened with and dropped a single Metal Energy on your first turn can Evolve into Klang and with a Double Colorless Energy now has a 75% of KOing anything with 60 or less HP and a 25% chance of OHKOing anything with 120 or less HP. Certainly nothing you’d build a deck around, but a nice benefit if the rest of the line is decent. So is it? We already have two versions of Klink, the Basic from which Klang Evolves. One is from the Black & White set, the other is one of the recent McDonald’s promo cards. Both are Basic Metal-Type Pokémon with Fire Weakness and Psychic Resistance. The promo version only has 50 HP but with a single Energy Retreat Cost, while Black & White version has 60 HP but a very bad (for a Basic Pokémon) two Energy Retreat Cost. A little extra HP always helps, but that inflated Retreat Cost might get it stuck up front, decreasing its chances of survival: this comes down to the attacks. The 60 HP version from the Black & White set has a single attack, Bind, which is priced and works the same as the Bind on Klang. This means if you are lucky, you’ll avoid damage and frustrate your opponent’s set-up, but it isn’t guaranteed, plus their own deck and actions can make it so that all you get out of the attack is 10 points of damage. The promo version has two attacks. The first attack is what is important: for (M) you do 10 points of damage and get to flip a coin. If you get “heads” you attach an Energy from your discard pile to Klink. No restrictions on what you grab: as long as the Energy can be attached to Klink in the first place, it is allowed. This means Special Energy Metal Energy or Double Colorless Energy are actual possibilities. The downside is it is still a flip, and if you’re building up to attack with it you’ll still be depending on coin flips and needing to discard an Energy first or second turn to really be of use! If your deck already has a reason to be discarding Energy that early, I’d go with the promo; otherwise I’d take the 60 HP version from the set. As for Klinklang itself, we are reviewing it tomorrow. I will point out only what directly matters to reviewing Klang: it looks to be a useful card waiting for the right deck; it should be good for Limited play and might even work for Unlimited, and also has Gear Grind. When Klinklang uses Gear Grind it still only costs (MCC) and gives you two coin tosses, but it does 80 points of damage for each “heads”. That means if you are running Klinklang for its Ability, Klink can either rush into Klinklang (via Rare Candy) or properly Evolve into Klang first and still intimidate the opponent with nasty OHKO possibilities. I must stress again, not reliable enough for a deck to be built around just the attacks, but a nice way of fleshing out the card if the rest is useful. Ratings Unlimited: 2/5 – Weighted score: only for use with Klinklang. You’re still going to want to Rare Candy if possible, but if Trainer denial or bad luck forces you to use it, some lucky “heads” could make it a happy turn of events. Modified (MD-On): 2.5/5 – Weighted score: only for use with Klinklang. You’re still going to want to Rare Candy if possible, but if Trainer denial or bad luck forces you to use it, some lucky “heads” could make it a happy turn of events. Modified (HGSS-On): 3/5 - Weighted score: only for use with Klinklang. You’re still going to want to Rare Candy if possible, but if Trainer denial or bad luck forces you to use it, some lucky “heads” could make it a happy turn of events. Limited: 3.25/5 – The low HP combined with the risk of Gear Grind whiffing really lower the score. On the other hand, this is its own score: pulling Klinklang helps quite a bit! Summary Another Stage 1 that Evolves into a Stage 2, and has overlapping, reasonably useful attacks. I hope this trend continues for a bit as it can give a certain amount of stability to an otherwise weaker deck strategy. It isn’t as good as just giving a solid-but-not-spectacular Ability or attack to a Stage 1 with similar stats. Doing that would make it worth playing even on its own. It is most definitely better than having a Stage 1 so weak and sad that you’re only running it in case your Rare Candy is blocked by Trainer denial. Whether you actually read my review or skipped straight to the bottom, please take a moment to check out my eBay auctions. Just remember that Pojo.com is not responsible for any transactions.
Mad Mattezhion  Professor Bathurst League Australia	Klang (Black & White)   Today we have the middle stage of the Gear Poke'mon. Introducing Klang!   The name is a lot of fun to shout, but the stats are a bit sub-par. Klang is a Metal type evolving Stage 1 with 80 HP, Fire weakness, Psychic resistance, a retreat cost of 2 and two attacks.   Being able to use Special Metal energy is a plus although personally  I wouldn't use more than 1 on Klang. The Fire weakness is painful but expected while the HP is a letdown (I was expecting 90 considering the HP of Klinklang). The retreat cost is too heavy for such a low HP Poke'mon, so go out fighting or use Switch. Or skip all of these problems with Rare Candy.   The first of the 2 attacks is Bind, which is always encouraging on an evolving Poke'mon. The cost is [m] for 10 damage and a coin flip to cause Paralysis. Although you will only succeed at stalling your opponent half of the time (and your opponent can lenghten those odds with Full Heal, Switch, Super Scoop Up and Life Herb), any stall tactic that gives you another chance to evolve is welcome.   Gear Grind is less impressive but still worthwhile in a miniscule number of situations. For [m][c][c] you flip 2 coins, dealing 60 damage per Heads. Since you can jump from using Bind to this attack in a single turn with DCE, you Can power this attack in an emergency if you have absolutely no other options, and take a gamble on dealing 120 damage (which will be enough to OHKO a lot of Poke'mon and will severely damage all main attackers). However, the flip-based nature of this attack means that if you have more reliable attacks available, you will most certainly want to use them.   In the final analysis, an evolving Poke'mon with a cheap stalling attack and an in-case-of-emergency-break-glass attack is a damned sight better than most evolving Stage 1 Poke'mon we see.   Modified: 3 (Klang is a good choice for evolving if you ignore the HP, but Klinklang is a niche tech)   Limited: 2 (The raw power of Reshiram coupled with the scarcity of Metal Poke'mon in Black & White make this a lousy pull, especially if you don't have Klinklang)   Combos with: Klinklang BW