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Pojo's Pokemon Card of the Day

Jigglypuff13

8/26 Lucario Lv.35 (LA)   Right, Lucario, and first of all, I don't think many people have been talking about Lucario's potential, so it's quite an under-the-radar card. Also, it isn't a bad card, with the attacks making the card. Focus Blast is a nice F attack, doing 30 to a single Pokémon and for no other effect is rather nice, happily sniping something ready to be either beaten down by a big attack, sniped again for a bench KO, or maybe even devolved. No matter what, Focus Blast is an effective sniping attack, though there are some better ones depending on what you want your sniper to do. Spike Lariat is a good, solid, straight damaging attack, generally finishing off weakened Pokémon (probably those who have been Focus Blasted a couple of time). 60 for FFC is rather average, and the 20 for if they already have any damage counters on it doesn't really make it much more than quite nice, and a secondary attack, but can be a good finishing move on something active.   Unfortunately, if you want it to survive long enough to actually be able to use Spike Lariat effectively, then you are probably asking too much of it's 90 HP, which is alright on a Stage 1 that can't evolve, allowing it to survive a few hits early game, but quickly becoming something to be OHKOed whenever it's put active. +20 Weakness to Psychic isn't going to help either, with a deck that is likely to be played a lot being AMU (the new Pixie Lv.X's), but since there are only 2 attacks from the Pixies themselves that will get a OHKO (and one of them is obviously Supreme Blast), but Plus Power/Buck's Training allows another to be able to get a OHKO. No Resistance is no Resistance, in it won't help it survive at all, and 1 Retreat Cost is rather average.   So, it has a rather nice set of attack, and won't survive a light breeze. To make matters worse, it has competition in the form of the DP/POP6 Lucario. They both have the same HP, Weakness, Resistance and Retreat cost, so the attack will separate the 2 cards. DP/POP6's Faint will always do at least 30 for C, and Aura Sphere is a nice FF for 40/20 active/bench damage. Both can damage the bench, but where the DP/POP6's damage starts to become to little to be of any real use the later in the game it gets, whereas Spike Lariat makes LA Lucario become more powerful the more Pokémon that get damaged. However, while the LA one can do both straight damage and sniping, the DP/POP6 one can do both in a single attack. Despite that, I think the LA one is probably slightly better.   As for combos, well, other snipers, spreaders and cards that can abuse the damage snipers do to the bench. For the first 2, there are plenty of different choices for this, from the ubiquitous Empoleon line, to lesser seen cards like Vibrava (SW), to even cards like Golem (SW). However, for cards that can abuse the bench damage, there are only 2 in the next format. The first is Omastar (MD), which will happily devolve all of your opponents benched Pokémon, which, when timed well, can devolve and KO all of your opponent's bench, but is more likely to KO one or two instead. The other one can be used by any Pokémon, being Technical Machine TS-1, which gives the Pokémon the card is attached to the attack, Devoluter, which devolves a single, non-Lv.X Pokémon for no energies. Both have their limitations, but both can be very powerful when timed well.   No, for survivability, and there is really much to talk about. Kingdra (LA) will get a 2HKO with Dragon Pump, but Aqua Stream needs only 9 waters in the discard for a OHKO. Luxray (LA) can just use a single Shock Bolt for a OHKO. Also, Rivalry can come into play if you end up playing Lucario Lv.X (MT). AMU, as I've already said, can only use 2, maybe 3 attacks to get a OHKO, and one of them will definately need a Plus Power/Buck's Training (Zen Blade from Uxie Lv.x (LA)), otherwise it's always going to be a 2HKO. Skittles will need either 5 different Basic energies attached to Ho-Oh (SW), or 4 and the use of a Plus Power/Buck's Training. Froslass can use Destiny Bond to take out Lucario after a lethal Lucario attack, otherwise it gets a 3HKO, or 2HKO with a Plus Power/Buck's Training/single spread before attacking Lucario directly. Eeveelutions needs only 6 energies in play for Leafeon Lv.x (MD) to get a OHKO, or you can use Jolteon (MD) and it's discarding effect for a OHKO, or you can use a Plus Power/Buck's Training/Lake Boundary assisted Espeon (MD) attack, otherwise it's a 2HKO. GG/Plox can use a Plus Power/Buck's Training/Lake Boundary assisted Psychic Lock from Gardevoir (SW), otherwise Gallade (SW) will have to flip 1 or 2 Prize cards (depending on damage adding effects) for a OHKO. Magnezone Lv.X (LA) gets a 2HKO, but with 4 Metals attached can use the DP Magnezone's attack for a OHKO, or just use a damage booster for the Lv.X's attack for a OHKO. Other decks should easily be able to get a 1 or 2HKO depending on the deck.   Ratings:   Modified: it's a really nice card, acting as a good, early game sniper and can be a nice, late game finisher on already weakened Pokémon. However, to actually get it to the late game, it needs to survive, and unfortunately for Lucario, it can't really take more than 1 hit. Still, whatever it ends up doing, I can see it making an impact. 3/5 For the rest of this format (6 days left!), it's the same again, only you have to worry about Strength Charm in addition to everything else, and DRE and Scramble, that won't help it at all. 2.5/5   Limited: This is where it will shine. 90 HP could end up letting it be quite survivable. Also, it's one of very few snipers in the set, so can fill a niche there, but can end up being very powerful with it's second attack. 4/5

Mario DaBroke Scrub Chicago, IL

Hello Pojo Viewers. This is my first COTD I have ever made so please bare with me. ^_^   Lucario LV.35—   I'm not going to bother with HP-on since there's only a couple days until formats rotate so all my reviews will be based on DP-on obviously.   First, I'll start out with its stats and specs. It's all the same compared to the older, reprint-abused Lucario. 90 HP, +20 Psychic, 1 retreat cost, no resistance. Just like the other Lucario, this one is only most effective early game.   Ok, the shining part about this card is the first attack, Focus Blast. For one fighting, it does 30 to wherever you please. That's really good. It can be teched with a multi energy so it can be fit anywhere. Its second attack is ok. 60 for three energy is average. If the pokemon already had some damage on it, it does 80 instead. That can be effective after you already placed damage on the active from Focus Blast early game.   In DP-on, I do not believe that Lucario will make an impact whatsoever yet. But in limited, he will terrorize everyone along side with (if you're lucky) Houndoom. The only cards I can see that can be comboed with this in modified are damage spreading decks or some variant of a Gliscor deck. Maybe Kabutops/ Gliscor?   Modified: 2.5/5. I don't see him going very far yet. We have to wait and see during Battle roads. Someone's going to play it.   Limited: 4/5. Even getting a 1-1 line is still pretty good. Slap a Fighting energy and TM evoluter on Riolu and you are should have game in no time. Just watch out for Grumpig and Swalot.