From: diablo43654@yahoo.com

My name is [withheld] and I love how you do tables so I though I'd send my deck in to you. My deck is called the FireFighters.

Strategy: Get Ninetails, Vaporeon, Moltres, or Poliwrath Powered up and Stall with Arcanine, Rapidash, or Dewgong while I'm building up Ninetails, Vaporeon, Moltres, or Poliwrath. I also try to get a Charizard out and scare my challenger and make them send out one of their strongest, which I take out with Ninetails, Vaporeon, Moltres, or Poliwrath. I only use one of the Charizards if I have enough Energy and all of my other fighters are out of hurt.

Your strategy, while somewhat unfocused, is something we can work with. Your main problem is that you have too many Pokèmon, 27, at the start. Almost half of your deck is devoted to Pokèmon--this will give you trouble when you are trying to figure out appropriate energy levels and trainers.

You need to step back and consider why you've put each Pokèmon in. Did you put them in because of a great attack, or a special ability, or, did you simply put them in because you thought they looked cool. I liked your idea of intimidating your opponent with Charizard, and then bashing him/her down with a different Pokèmon, but did you consider the energy costs associated with retreating the Char? I looked at your trainers and I didn't see any switches, scoop ups, fujis or energy retrieval... A smart opponent would simply take a look at your energy requirements and try to energy deny you--then come in for a nice easy kill, since without energy you couldn't attack back or retreat.

*
(12)


+1
---
---
-1
-2
-1
+1
+1
-2
-1

Pokèmon (fire)
(16)


2 Charmander
2 Charmeleon
2 Charizard
1 Moltres (f)
2 Growlithe
1 Arcanine
2 Ponyta
1 Rapidash
2 Vulpix
1 Ninetails

Begin by deciding what Pokèmon you are keeping and which Pokèmon you are removing. 15-20 Pokèmon (1/2 to 1/3 of your total space) is a good place to start. To shave your Pokèmon down to between 15 and 20, think back to which cards you use the most from your deck. Which cards seem to reliably come out? Which cards do you never see?

For purposes of this fix, Lets begin with the Fire Pokèmon. REMOVE -2 Vulpix 1 Ninetails, 2 Growlithe, 1 Arcanine, 1 Moltres. That opens up 7 slots. I know you say you use these Pokèmon to stall or smack, but you really need to make more efficient use of less Pokèmon. Having 2 or 3 families in a deck, that you can get out reliably and use effectively is a more balanced way to win than the "Luck Method" [also known as the "Scott Gerhardt Method :)"]

Now, we need to strenghten your remaining fire families. You are lucky, and you have 2 Charizards. That's good. ADD 1 Charmander to your deck, and use the strength you have in the Charmander/meleon/izard line. Also add 1 Ponyta and 1 Rapdiash. Why Ponyta and Rapidash? Rapidash has no retreat cost. This leaves you with a total of 12 Fire Pokèmon.

*
(12)

+1
+1
+1
--
+1

Pokèmon (wat'r)
(8)

2 Eevee
1 Vaporeon
2 Poliwag
2 Poliwhirl
1 Poliwrath

Onto the water Pokèmon.

You said in your deck strategy that you use Poliwag=>Poliwrath and
Eevee=> Vaporeon. So, let's give them a little more power. Add 1 each of Eevee, Vaporeon, Poliwag, and Poliwrath.

 

 

Where does this leave us?

WATER POKÈMON (12)

3 Eevee
2 Vaporeon
3 Poliwag
2 Poliwhirl
2 Poliwrath

FIRE POKÈMON (12)

3 Charmander
2 Charmeleon
2 Charizard
3 Ponyta
2 Rapidash

(12)___
-1
+1
+1
+1
+2
+2
+2

Trainers (4)

1 Pokedex
1 Bill
1 E. Removal
1 Professor Oak
0 Switch
0 Gust of Wind
0 Pokè Trader

I am a firm believer in the idea that trainers will make your game. You will probably do better if you have more than 4. I usually suggest that everyone put at least 2 Bill, 2 Oak, 2 Switch, 2 Gust of Wind in their deck. Why? Because I've played this game enough to know what generally works and what doesn't.

The "rule of 2" applies to trainers as well as Pokèmon. Your odds of pulling the right cards will be much greater if you have at least 2 in your deck.

Why do you have Pokèdex in this deck? Remove it. Add 1 Bill, 1 Professor Oak, 2 Switch, 2 Gust of Wind, and 1 Energy Removal, and 2 Pokèmon Trader. Those are just the minimum trainer cards you need. As you play your deck you will see which other ones you need.

New Trainers
(12)

2 Bill
2 E. Removal
2 P. Oak
2 Switch
2 Gust of Wind
2 Pokè Trader

----

-5
----
+1

Energy

15 Water
12 Fire
01 DCE

New Energy

10 Water
12 Fire
02 DCE

Your energies can now be balanced against the new Pokèmon. Since we have a stronger base of fire as opposed to water now (making use of the strength of the Charizard line), we need to make sure we have enough energy to power our fire Pokèmon. Use the energy wisely, as there might not be enough ( I didn't play test this) but with the addition of another DCE, you should be able to pull it off.

Now, remember that you need to adjust for the new trainers. Remove 5 Waters. That leaves you with 10. Leave your fire at 12, and add 1 DCE.

So, What does your new, PokeLady improved deck look like?

You have more balanced lines of Pokèmon, both water and fire. I retained the Charizards so that you can continue to intimidate you opponents, and you still have your water lines as well. Ponyta has no retreat, and to compensate for the other retreat costs, you now have Switches. Use Gust of Wind to bring up opponent's Pokèmon, and use Pokèmon Trader to trade for needed evolutions. Oaks and Bills give you the deck manipulation you need to draw energies and other Pokèmon. A lot has been shaved off this deck, but lets admit it-- it needed a trim. Good luck with your deck. Let me know how it does.

TPL

POKÈMON (24)

3 Eevee
2 Vaporeon
3 Poliwag
2 Poliwhirl
2 Poliwrath
3 Charmander
2 Charmeleon
2 Charizard
3 Ponyta
2 Rapidash

Energy (24)

10 Water
12 Fire
02 DCE

Trainers: (12)

2 Bill
2 E. Removal
2 P. Oak
2 Switch
2 Gust of Wind
2 Pokè Trader