From: anderson [magnum@cnmnetwork.com]
Sent: Thursday, December 27, 2001 10:03 PM
To: Cardtips@pojo.com
Subject: Non Metagame Pokemon ways to beat current archtypes.
Gold Dragon here with some ideas to try to beat the major archtypes without having to use meta-game pokemon. While I'm at it, I'll think of other problem things to fight. As you all know, Wizards "Modified" format has turned the pokemon scene to nothing but Feraligater, Typholsion, and Crobat Decks. These methods may or may not work, so try them for yourselves to see if you like them.
 
Feraligater: This big guy is the most common deck in tournaments but he is also the easiest deck to counter without meta-game pokemon. All you need to counter Feraligater is an Ecogym. This card will put energy discarded after the gym's in place back into the opponents hand, completly cutting off the big gator from it's downpour power, thus making him an expensive weakling.
 
Typholsion: Before "Modified", energy removal and super energy removal would've been the best counter for Typholsion. Most fire players should know that fire types biggest weakness other than water is in general being slow to power up, having to discard energy, and of course having it removed.
 
Crobat: Crobat is probably the hardest pokemon to counter without poke metagaming. What I suggest is defensive trainers to fight it's bad status and healing to fight it's big attack. Also try cards that make Crobat harder to retreat and use bad status.
 
Slowking: Before modified, gusting him out would have done the trick because it's attack is expensive and only average. At least double gust is there for a similar effect.
 
Babies: Poison, if you can hit with it, will knock it down by your next turn or bring it down to 10 h.p.
 
Dark Types: Before modified, ER would have easily done the trick, even against Sneasel. If you play pyschic, use lowered resistance gym, a must for pyschic decks. Other than that, double gust it out unpowered or use other methods to knock out it's energy.
 
Steel Types: See above but ignore the lowered resistance part.
 
Fighting Resistant Pokemon: Lowered resistance gym or Pewter City.
 
Colorless Pokemon: Essentially rarely used after the ban except for Igglybuff and Clefa, but for the heck of it, lowered reistance gym. For Wigglytuff and other Colorless monsters before the ban, ER and lowered resistance gym.
 
Good luck with these ideas!