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Pojo's Pokémon Card of the Day

 

Electrode  

- Plasma Freeze

Date Reviewed:
June 21, 2013

Ratings & Reviews Summary

Modified: 2.75
Limited: 4.00

Ratings are based on a 1 to 5 scale.
1 being the worst. 
3 ... average.  
5 is the highest rating.

Back to the main COTD Page

Combos With: See Below

Baby Mario
2010 UK National
Seniors
Champion

Electrode (Plasma Freeze) 

Compared to other formats I have played, there are two things I really miss in the current one: two things that brought stability and consistency to any deck that chose to run them. The first is a card that is capable of searching out multiple Basics (eg: Roseanne’s Research, Pokémon Collector), and the second is some form of splashable Pokémon-based draw (like Claydol GE or Uxie LA). Sure, we do have Pokémon that let you draw cards, but they are either relatively ineffective (Musharna NEX) or require their own deck (Empoleon DEX): what we lack is a general consistency booster that could fit in practically anywhere. 

So, step forward Electrode PLF, the latest candidate for the role. If it can do a decent job, it won’t matter that it’s a 90 HP Stage 1 with Fighting Weakness and a very mediocre attack (Electro Ball does a vanilla 60 for three Energy). The Retreat cost of one is positively good on a Pokémon of this type, meaning that it isn’t too much of a liability if it gets dragged active. Everything depends on how good the Magnetic Draw Ability is. 

Unfortunately, it could be a lot better. Magnetic Draw is really a cut-down version of the identically-named PokéPower on the old Magnezone Prime card, or an Ability version of the Bicycle Trainer, depending on how you want to look at it. Once per turn, it enables you to draw cards until you have four in your hand. If it were six cards, then I could see Electrode getting a decent amount of play, but the fact is that hand sizes rarely decline to the point where Magnetic Draw will be able to earn its keep turn after turn. In fact, it may even encourage poor play, such as wasting resources or benching unnecessary Pokémon in order to justify its presence on the Field. To be more effective than Musharna (a card that really doesn’t see much play at all), you would need to have regularly a hand size of two or fewer cards, and that just isn’t happening under most circumstances. Most decks are simply better off using the space for adequate Supporter counts, or even running Bicycle itself for those rare occasions when the hand is depleted. 

I suppose it can be used as a hedge against late-game N, but again that seems to situational to be worthwhile. Apart from that, Electrode may find a spot in decks that are designed to play recklessly and burn through the hand (Weavile/Exeggcute), or decks that can really be crushed by late-game N and need to draw constantly into needed cards (Accelgor variants that have to recycle their attackers and Double Colourless Energy). Sadly, though, Electrode is just not good enough to fulfil the long-awaited role of universal consistency crutch. 

Rating 

Modified: 2.75 (Pokémon-based draw at last . . . but too severely nerfed to be all that useful outside of a couple of decks)

Limited: 4 (I’d take almost any form of draw here)


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