OK, I am here to write to you about the different archetypes that have
evolved over the couple of years the TCG has been around. I wll start from
base set and move on to Neo. Here it is:

BASE SET
People start collecting it here. Blastoise, Gyarados, Hitmonchan, Farfetch'd
and Electabuzz were the favorites here. Haymaker and Rain Dance began to
form. Professor Oak, Bill, Itemfiner and Computer Search were some of the
good trainers. Trainers flocked from anywhere and everywhere to get their
hands on one of the 9 cards listed above. Not that many people played it
however. Venusaur and Alakazam were left rejected, but with great potential.

Types that benefited most: Electric, Fighting, Water

JUNGLE SET
Rain Dance and Haymakers are now as powerful as ever. A new archetype has
emerged however. Stall. Which brought an end to all the Rain Dance
domination. Haymaker and Stall got the best additions. Scyther for Haymaker,
and Mr.Mime for stall. These two cards changed the TCG completely. Pinsir was
one card left in Scyther's dust. Nto many good trainers were released in this
set. Kangaskhan was another good card released. Wiggly and Clefable were also
good cards, but no one noticed them due to Haymaker, Rain Dance and Stall.
Farfetch'ds reign as the best Pokemon to start with was over.

Types that benefited most: Grass, Colorless, Psychic

FOSSIL SET
2 cards were released in this set to stop the Rain Dance domination.
Aerodactyl and Muk. They were not widely used however due to the fact that
Haymaker could kill a Muk or Aerodactyl deck easy. Haunter was a new Pokemon
to add to a Stall deck. This set also brought a new concpet to te TCG. Bench
destruction. Articuno, Zapdos and Gengar were the best bench destruction
cards released in this set. Ditto was OK at the time, but everyone was in
love with Clefable. Wigglytuff was still left sort of rejected. Fossil Magmar
revived the Fire type here. Hitmonlee was left rejected due to its Low HP and
high energy costs. Even though stall, Aerodactyl and Muk were out, WotC gave
Rain Dance Articuno and Lapras. Lapras was the Mr.Mime killer. Rain Dance was
as strong as ever.

Types that benefited most: Water, Psychic, Fire

TEAM ROCKET SET  
As Rain Dance reigned the king of the TCG, Wigglytuff was being noticed now.
Wigglytuff skyrocketed as one of the most used Archetypes. With this rise in
the TCG, Stall was completely out of the picture. Rocket Sneak Attack,
Nightly Garbage Run and Challenge! were some of the good trainers released.
Dark Vileplum proved to be a big roadblock for Wiggly, Rain Dance and
Haymaker. Not as manyg ood Pokemon as the last 3 sets, but the trainers were
the big thing.

Types that benefited most: Water, Grass

GYM HEROES
Not much released here either. Stadium cards were introduced, but not many
Pokemon were released that actually changed the face of the TCG. Erika's
Jigglypuff was the easy way to first turn win. Brock's Ninetales was a freaky
card also. Rocket's Trap. Trapper decks were formed. Rocket's Trap was THE
card to use. If you got someone into a trap, they were screwed. You had the
match. Chaos gym was also released wich made it hard to use trainers.
Overalll, the best was in the trainer area, not in the Pokemon. Here Rain
Dance, Haymaker, and Wiggly reigned supreme. Stall was out, and Sponge decks
began to form. MP Mewtwo and Ditto were given more attention.

Types that benefited most: Colorless, Fire

GYM CHALLENGE
The TCG now changed. The reason? Rocket's Zapdos. This card single hadnedly
brought and end to Rain Dance. It was now Haymaker, Wigglytuff and Sponge
decks. Sponge with Mewtwo, Electabuzz and Zapdos. A couple of good tainers
were released here and there. The main thing released here was Zapdos. Rain
Dance was over.

Types that benefited most: ELECTRIC!!!

NEO
Wiggly, Sponge and Haymaker still reigned Supreme. Baby Pokemon, Dark Pokemon
and Stell Pokemon introduced. Sneasel was obviously the big hit. Meganium was
the most broken card in this series. Pinsirs' best friend/ The trainers were
great. Sprout Tower was introduced to put and end to Wiggly. Feraligatr was
released and overrated as the next Blastoise. There was no room for him. Fire
type took a big dwnfall. The baby Pokemon were the big thing. Cleffa was an
Oak replacement. Many great cards released. Wont be long before
Meganium/Cleffa/Pinsir decks become an archetype.

Types that benefited most: Grass, Grass, Grass

Disagree with me? E-mail me.
Juan Ayala
ChevySilverado01@aol.com