>Spike!  Vulpix!
>
>I wanted to send you two another one of my decks, which I think you'll
>find
>quite interesting to work with.
>
>Psycho PokéPleasure
>
>POKéMON
>
>   Basic Pokémon             Expansion
>
>3 Abra                      Base Set
>2 Dratini                   Base Set
>4 Drowzee                   Base Set
>4 Gastly                    Fossil
>1 Abra                      Team Rocket
>1 Dratini                   Team Rocket
>1 Porygon                   Team Rocket
>16 TOTAL
>
>   Stage 1 Evolutions        Expansion
>
>2 Kadabra                   Base Set
>2 Hypno                     Fossil
>2 Haunter                   Fossil
>1 Team Rocket's Dragonair   Team Rocket
>7 TOTAL
>
>   Stage 2 Evolutions        Expansion
>
>1 Alakazam                  Base Set
>1 Team Rocket's Alakazam    Team Rocket
>1 Dragonite                 "Mewtwo Strikes Back" Promo Card
>3 TOTAL
>
>
>  TRAINERS
>
>2 Pokémon Breeder
>2 Bill
>2 Pokéball
>6 TOTAL
>
>
>28 GRASS ENERGY
>
>
>
>The General Strategy is as follows:
>
>I play out a simple basic to the bench (i.e. Base Set ABRA, Base Set
>DROWZEE, or Base Set DRATINI), and whenever possible, I put out a
>Fossil
>GASTLY or Team Rocket PORYGON as the active Pokémon.
>
>The next goal is evolving a DRATINI (Base Set or Team Rocket) into a
>Team
>Rocket'S DRAGONAIR.  This allows me to access all of my evolution cards
>in
>my deck.
>
>Then I work on getting an ABRA (Base Set or Team Rocket) to evolve into
>a
>KADABRA or (if I have Pokémon Breeder) a Team Rocket's ALAKAZAM.  When
>Team
>Rocket's Alakazam is in play, the advantage becomes all mine.
>
>Then, when necessary, I have Fossil HAUNTER go out as the active
>Pokémon to
>stall using his "Pokémon Power:  Transparency."
>
>HYPNO is primarily to get rid of threatening bench Pokémon, and to keep
>Energy Removal Obsessed opponents from their Energy Removals & Super
>Energy
>Removals.
>
>However, about 1/3 of the games I play I lose, and I can't really
>figure it
>out.  (Perhaps I'm too arrogant)  Nonetheless, if you could help me
>out, I'd
>really appreciate it!
>
>Thanks again for your help Spike & Vulpix!!
>
>P.S.--If you need translations for the T.R. Cards, I play by Edo's
>translations--I'm sure I don't need to tell you where to go for them.
>
>P.S.S.--Vulpix:  I think you should create your own Promotional Card
>(one
>that doesn't stink like the one in Base Sets 1 & 2) and suggest it to
>Wizards of the Coast!!
>_______________________

***

Hmm. Well, I already have a few of the Rocket cards... and for the ones that I don't have, I'm using the translations from the Neo patch for Apprentice, simply because they're the most convenient for me.

1) I think one of the first problems is that you have 4 evolution families in this deck. That's a bit much for any deck. Which two should we remove? Well, let's start by axing Dragonair. I think the TR dragons are cool-looking, and Dragonair is okay in terms of Power and attack, but overall, it just doesn't make the cut. Now, which of the three Psychic families to keep, and which to remove? It's a matter of personal choice, but overall I'd go with the Haunter and Hypno families. If you had the Alakazam family, I probably would have wanted the TR ones, but I don't really feel comfortable recommending those until I've had a bit of experience with them. All evidence suggests that they should be good, but you never know.

Now then, go with Haunter and Hypno. Gengar is pretty much a "must-have" at this point. Normally I dislike having Hypno and Gengar in the same deck (they're redundant) but there isn't exactly a lot of competition for the space. Be sure to use Fossil ghosts and TR Drowzee--the new Drowzee is VASTLY superior to the old one. Now, since your basics are already pretty good, the "good basics" slots should probably go away to non-Psychic Pokemon to help work through resistance. I like Scyther and Kangaskhan--try a few of each.

2) Only 6 trainers???? Mein lieber Gott... These are probably what are losing you those 1/3 of the games. I think you should drop the Breeders here. Normally they help a lot with a Stage 2 family, but Haunter is so good (more so than a normal Stage 1) that you don't really need the Breeders. We can put them back in at the end if we have space. Now delete the Pokeballs. (Duh.) This leaves only your two Bills. Now, add:

1 more Bill (maybe a fourth later on)
2 Oaks
2 Computer Search
4 Energy Removal
2 GOW

We'll see how the remaining slots pan out. Given space, I'd add another Search, maybe another Oak, maybe Item Finder. PlusPowers would come if we found space for all that and still had slots open.

3) Um. I just noticed your energy. GRASS ENERGY?? I'm serious, I didn't read that little bit until just now. Question: how do you power psychic attacks with grass energy? My first inclination is that you're cheating, but maybe you don't know the rules (rolls eyes) or maybe that was just a typo. I gotta give you the benefit of the doubt. In any event, since I've already invested a large amount of time in this fix, I'm going to resist the temptation to chuck your deck in the circular file. Try going here with 18-20 psychic energy, plus 4 DCE for Kanga and Scy.

***

19 Pokemon:

3 Drowzee
2 Hypno
4 Gastly
3 Haunter
2 Gengar
3 Scyther
2 Kangaskhan

17 Trainers:

3 Bill
3 Oak
3 Computer Search
4 Energy Removal
2 GOW
2 Item Finder

24 Energy:

20 Psychic Energy
4 DCE

***

And that's a wrap!



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