Hey, this is FalseFred. Pojo is the coolest Pokemon site on the web, who
agrees with me? (thought so) It's unanimous and obvious that u can't get any
better than Pojo! Anyways.. All opinions expressed are the opinions of the
author and do not at all reflect the views and opinions of Pojo. These are
just my opinions on the best Basics, Stage 1s, Stage 2s, and Trainers of
each set. Thanks a bunch Pojo!
Base Set
Basic: Electabuzz Runner Up: Chansey Honorable Mention:
Hitmonchan
Stage 1: Arcanine Runner Up: Gyarados Honorable Mention:
Riachu
Stage 2: Blastoise Runner Up: Venusaur Honorable
Mention: Alakazam
Trainer: Professor Oak Runner Up: Computer Search
Honorable Mention:
Tie: GoW/Pluspower/Item Finder
Buzz is arguably the best basic, 10 and Paralyze turn 1, possible 40 on turn
2, a good starter. Chansey invented Stall with the help of
Scyther/Moltres/Erica's Dratini/Mr. Mime. Chan destroys the popular pokes
Buzz, Wiggly, Fable but meets heavy resistance from Scyther and Rocket's
Zapdos. Blastoise has his own archetype (why do people all say Raindance is
dead? I usually use my Wiggly deck but I pull out my Raindance sometimes for
variety. With Wooper/Quagsire it's actually pretty good. Ur all laughin, dis
away, but I beat Haymakers pretty easy wit my Raindance). Venusaur helps the
Meganium archetype pretty well (but two stage 2's???). Anyways. Base has the
best trainers of any set and you shouldn't have to ask "why". Search
and Oak
are absolute necessitys of pretty much every deck.
Jungle
Basic: Scyther Runner Up: Jigglypuff Honorable Mention:
Tie:
Lickitung/Mr. Mime
Stage 1: Wigglytuff Runner Up: Clefable Honorable
Mention: Dotrio
Stage 2: bad choices, n/a Runner Up: n/a Honorable
Mention: n/a
Trainer: Pokeball sux but it wins by default
Ah yes, Scyther. He's thrown into every deck because of free retreat and
colorless attacks. Jigglypuff is pretty good and it's evolution is arguably
the best card in the game of Pokemon. Clefable works miracles, but Clefairy
drags him down, but Cleffa pulls him up. I like to use Neo Clefairy because
it can attack and has more HP. Too bad u can't breed Cleffa to Fable L.
Dotrio's poke power is very good but the one hit Buzz kill is it's downside.
The Stage 2's in Jungle aren't even worth looking at.
Fossil
Basic: Magmar Runner Up: Ditto Honorable Mention: Tie:
Moltres/Articuno
Stage 1: Haunter Runner Up: Muk Honorable Mention:
Aerodactyl
Stage 2: Gengar Runner Up: bad choices, n/a Honorable
Mention: n/a
Trainer: Gambler Runner Up: Mr. Fuji Honorable Mention:
Recycle
Magmar is Scyther's (Jungle and Rocket's) greatest enemy (both Fossil and
Neo). That's all there is to say about him. Ditto can be the best and the
worst card ever. He gets cheap attacks and has the edge on Rocket's Zapdos
and Sneasel but he allows for your opponent to have two KOs (GoW). Babies
hurt Ditto even more with their 30 HP; Ditto has to watch out for a simple
Slash or Thunderpunch. That's why I hate him and don't use him. Moltres is
the foundation of Stall and Articuno is the foundation of Raindance (laugh
away). Aerodactyl goes down to Scyther and is pretty much a worse version of
Gligar with a so-so poke power. Muk stops poke-powers, that's pretty good.
But with Igglybuff from Neo 2, Aerodactyl, Ditto, Muk, Dark Dugtrio,
Slowking, and Dark Vileplume are useless. Gambler is risky but if it works
right it helps keep you from decking, I personally like Prof Elm better
though.
Base Set 2
Basic: Electabuzz Runner Up: Scyther Honorable Mention:
Chansey
Stage 1: Wigglytuff Runner Up: Clefable Honorable
Mention: Dotrio
Stage 2: Blastoise Runner Up: Venusaur Honorable
Mention: Alakazam
Trainer: Professor Oak Runner Up: Computer Search
Honorable Mention:
Tie: GoW/Pluspower/Item Finder
See Jungle and Base Set Comments.
Team Rocket
Basic: Machop Runner Up: Porygon Honorable Mention: Tie:
Magikarp/Oddish/Charmander
Stage 1: Dark Muk Runner Up: Dark Dragonair Honorable
Mention: Dark
Gloom
Stage 2: Dark Vileplume Runner Up: Dark Blastoise
Honorable Mention:
Dark Charizard
Trainer: NGR Runner Up: RSA Honorable Mention: Tie: Goop
Gas
Attack/Imposter Oak's Revenge
The basics in Team Rocket aren't too impressive. The Machop isn't bad
though, able to do 40 on turn 1 and 60 on turn 2 on those weak to fighting.
Dark Muk ruins retreat, unless countered with 2 Dotrio (hard to get 2 Dotrio
out). Dark Dragonair can aid to evolving into Wiggly/Fable/Scizor (when Neo
2 comes out) and even can use its power to evolve itself. Dark Vileplume is
it's own archetype but isn't too widely used since 15/3 is out and everyone
loves trainers. Igglybuff will shut down plume. Nightly Garbage Run brings
back those much-needed energies and pokes and it also helps against decking.
And there wouldn't be a Trapper Deck if it weren't for Rocket's Sneak
Attack. It screws your opponents' chances of Oaking or Searching next turn
and helps prevent them from decking.
Gym Heroes (not including stadiums)
Basic: Rocket's Scyther Runner Up: Erika's Dratini
Honorable Mention:
Tie: Brock's Rhyhorn/Erika's Jigglypuff/Rocket's Hitmonchan
Stage 1: Brock's Sandslash (70 HP) Runner Up: Lt. Surge's Fearow
Honorable Mention: bad choices, n/a
Stage 2: bad choices, n/a Runner Up: n/a Honorable
Mention: n/a
Trainer: Misty's Wrath Runner Up: Secret Mission
Honorable Mention:
Erica
Rocket's Scyther's Shadow Images is in my opinion the best stalling move you
could use. It's too bad it has 60 HP and not 70 or else it would be totally
broken. The retreat problem can be taken care of with a Dotrio but Trio is
risky to use because of Buzz (did I say that already? O well.). Erika's
Dratini helps stall against basics but Wiggly destroys him. Brock's
Sandslash is so good! If it had free retreat like it should, it would be
broken. Lightning resistance rocks, grass weakness sux, but with Pewter City
Gym this guy can be unstoppable. And for the trainers, Misty's Wrath and
Secret Mission dramatically help Rocket's Zapdos.
Gym Challenge (not including stadiums)
Basic: Rocket's Zapdos Runner Up: Blaine's Rhyhorn
Honorable Mention:
Tie: Rocket's Mewtwo/Blaine's Charmander/Sabrina's Abra (Synchronize)
Stage 1: Blaine's Rapidash Runner Up: Blaine's Ninetales
Honorable
Mention: Tie: Blaine's Arcanine/Brock's Ninetales/Sabrina's Kadabra
Stage 2: Sabrina's Alakazam Runner Up: Blaine's Charizard
Honorable
Mention: bad choices, n/a
Trainer: Rocket's Trap Runner Up: Tie: Blaine's Quiz #2/Blaine's
Quiz # 3
Honorable Mention: Blaine
Rocket's Zapdos is great poke later in the game and it is ok in the
beginning. Chan resistance is good. 70 damage in 3 turns rules. 20 for 1
energy AND attach an energy to it from the discard??? That's insane! This is
a souped up MP Mewtwo with no weakness, no resistance from Wiggly, and a
resistance to fighting. All decks with Buzz have no excuse not to have at
least 2 of him in there! Blaine's Pokemon aren't half bad, especially
Blaine's Rapidash. No retreat, 1 energy does 40 to Scyther, 1 fire and a DCE
does 30 or 40 AND might do damage to the opponent's benched, that is sweet!
It's too bad the 50 HP Blaine's Ponyta doesn't have free retreat and a
1-energy attack. Rocket's Trap. Trappers are named after this card. Bye Bye
Oak, SER, Search, Wiggly, whatever. Poof, "What happened to my
hand???" Of
course it requires a coin flip and is utterly useless in 15/3.
Neo Genesis (not including babies or stadiums)
Basic: Sneasel Runner Up: Magmar Honorable Mention: Tie:
Wooper/Gligar
Stage 1: Steelix Runner Up: Tie: Togetic/Slowking
Honorable Mention:
Tie: Quilava (70 HP)/Ledian/Noctowl
Stage 2: Meganium (Plant Power) Runner Up: Typhlosion (Energy Recharge)
Honorable Mention: Tie: Feraligater(120 HP)/Jumpluff
Trainer: Professor Elm Runner Up: Gold Berry Honorable
Mention: Tie:
Mary/Focus Band
Sneasel helps Trappers but the problem is he's too much of an energy hog. He
needs 2 Darkness and in 15/3 you can only have 3. Who wants Rainbow Energy,
it takes off a much needed 10 HP. Plus he's just too easy to knock out,
especially by Wiggly. He's very powerful though and Beat Up KOs just about
anything! And he has good bottom stats. But without Gold Berry, Defender,
EcoGym he's just too easy to beat, trust me I've playtested a Sneasel deck.
I think he's good in regular but bad in 15/3, that's just me though. Neo
Magmar can get off 40 damage on Scyther turn 1 and automatically KO Scyther
or Scizor turn 3 and after. He's almost identical to Hitmonchan but he meets
no resistance. Steelix is great. Hey look, a helpless base Onix, lets Ko him
next turn "Sword's Dance". Onix evolves, attaches DCE and does 20.
Scyther
attaches DCE and does 30 to Steelix because of Resistance. Adds a Metal to
Steelix, flips heads and Scyther is KOed, Steelix only has 30 damage on it
and 90 left (110-30+10 from Metal Energy). Steelix is the only evolution
that counters its Basics weakness with resistance! Togetic is better than
Clefable, or would be if it didn't have to flip a stupid coin. Slowking is a
better version of Dark Vileplume but is destroyed by Igglybuff (I've said
that a lot haven't I, it must be getting annoying). Meganium is totally
broken and doubles grass energies (as if you didn't know that), look for a
combo of it with Neo 2 Scyther (possible 80 damage with 1 grass energy).
Anyways. Elm is an inferior Oak and Gold Berry is a better version of Super
Potion (it's great with Rage attackers and with Rocket's Zapdos and
Chansey).
All Sets (released in the US, not including promos, babies, or stadiums)
Basic: Electabuzz Runner Up: Tie: Rocket's Zapdos/Sneasel
Honorable
Mention: Scyther
Stage 1: Wigglytuff Runner Up: Clefable Honorable
Mention: Tie:
Steelix/Togetic/Slowking/Brock's Sandslash/Blaine's Rapidash
Stage 2: Tie Blastoise/Meganium Runner Up: Venusaur
Honorable Mention:
Tie: Sabrina's Alakazam/Dark Vileplume
Trainer: Professor Oak Runner Up: Computer Search
Honorable Mention:
Tie: GoW/Pluspower/Item Finder/NGR
See Base Set through Neo Genesis.
Best Energy
Best: Double Colorless Runner Up: Recycle Honorable
Mention: Tie: Full
Heal/Metal
DCE needs no introduction and there should be 4 in every standard and 3 in
every 15/3, no excuses. Recycle creates a combo with SER and allows
"free"
retreating. It should also be in every deck. Full Heal gets rid of those
pesky status effects when you don't want to retreat and provides energy at
the same time, very nice. Metal Energy helps in some Stall decks and is
pretty good with Miltank; 2 on Chansey is also pretty good.
Best Promos
Best: Mewtwo Runner Up: Cleffa Honorable Mention: Mew
Mewtwo pretty much died. Zapdos is better and Mewtwo can't survive in a
world that resists Psychic. Plus Chan is getting less and less popular and
the only reason you would us MP Mewtwo is to kill Chan. It is still the best
promo though (that tells you something about how good the promos are).
Cleffa is a living Bill, not too impressive. Mew de-evolves, possibly
knocking out a Fable. Most promos are just for collecting though, not too
impressive to use.
Best Stadiums
Best: Chaos Runner Up: Sprout Tower Honorable Mention:
Tie: Rocket's
Training Gym/Ecogym/No Removal Gym
Chaos Gym makes everybody share, whether they want to or not. It's good when
you are ahead. It can sometimes backfire on you though. Sprout Tower is good
in Raindance (keep laughin) and in Stall decks (seeing u won't be doing
damage anyhow). It is also good in the seldomly used Sabrina's Alakazam/MP
Mewtwo/NP Mewtwo/Rocket's Mewtwo/Girafarig deck though some would prefer
Resistance Gym. Rocket's Training Gym really hurts Scyther. EcoGym helps
Sneasel. No Removal Gym actually helps in a Rocket's Zapdos deck so you can
get your energies into the discard AND screw your opponent's energy set-up.
It may help but I don't suggest making a SER/Zapdos/No Removal deck, it's
only if you run into this kind of situation.
Best Babies
Best: Cleffa Runner Up: Cleffa (Promo) Honorable
Mention: Tie:
Pichu/Magby
Cleffa is a living Prof Elm, pretty good. Very good actually, u get to Elm
without the drawback of not being able to play trainers. Good if you are
looking for a certain card (basic, evolution, gym) and you don't have all
the Searching power. Promo Cleffa, like I mentioned earlier, is a living
Bill. Not too impressive but not bad. Pichu attacks Blastoise (hilarious
isn't it), Meganium, Ditto, and Dark Vileplume whether they are benched or
not. Magby stops poke powers, that's pretty good. To top that off it does
damage, 10, 20 to Scyther.
Cards to look for in Neo 2 "Discovery" (coming out May):
Scizor, Igglybuff, Wobbuffet, Yanma, Scyther, Smeargle, Magnemite (Steel),
Tyrogue, Hitmontop
Look for Edo's translations of these cards. Scizor is just too broken, but
watch out for fire! Igglybuff evolves into Jiggly/Wiggly and he totally
destroys Dark Vileplume and Slowking strategies! Smeargle is the next
Clefable (not nearly as good but it's a basic)! Tyrogue evolves into
Hitmonchan and can knock out a Jiggly with 1 hit! Enough of this, check em
out yourself! There's a link at Spoilers and Translations.
Thanks for your time! Have questions or comments? Disses or advice? My
e-mail is TRCassidy@hotmail.com. Pojo
rules! Look for Colin Hu and Alex
Elkins (top 8, age group 11-14, East Coast STS) at the next East Coast STS
(June 23-24)! Check out Wizards.com/pokemon! Thanks again!
- FalseFred