>Dear Spike & Vulpix:
>
>I have a BIG challenge for you. I have been working on one deck since
>Base
>Set 1 Came out in Japanese. Since the American Release, I have used
>only
>English Cards in the deck, hoping to make it leagal for my local D.C.I.
>Sanctioned Tournament. However, this deck, which I hope will become
>its own
>unique archetype in time, has one problem--it is very weak against 2
>archetypes: Freezing Rain Dance (Rain%20Dance with Articuno &
Lapras)
>and
><UGH!> Hitmonchan Haymaker. Unfortunately, I don't have the
money to
>buy
>thousands of Rare & Rare Holographic (let alone PROMO) Pokémon Cards
>that I
>know would kick those archetypes' rear-ends! Anyways, I hope you can
>help
>me with this deck--I've also included a list of ALL of my available
>Rares &
>Rare Holographics. If you could limit yourself to these and the ones
>that
>are available in theme decks, I'd really appreciate it, since I really
>want
>to be a Pokémon Master without buying 40 Rare Cards for a deck, even
>though
>that is quite hard, unlike my butt-whipping (except against Black)
>"Elvish
>Worm Deck from the Jungle" for Magic: The Gathering.
>
>BUTTERFREE'S GANG
>Qty. Card Name Card Type
Expansion
> 04 Caterpie
Basic Grass Pokémon Base Set 1 & 2
> 04 Metapod
Stage 1 Grass Evolution Base Set 1 & 2
> 04 Butterfree Stage 2 Grass
Evolution Base Set 2 & Jungle
> 02 Koffing
Basic Grass Pokémon Base Set 1
> 03 Bulbasaur Basic
Grass Pokémon Base Set 1 & 2
> 02 Ivysaur
Stage 1 Grass Evolution Base Set 1 & 2
> 01 Venusaur
Stage 2 Grass Evolution Base Set 1 & 2
>
> 02 Pokémon Breeder Trainer
Base Set 1 & 2
> 02 Energy Retrieval Trainer
Base Set 1 & 2
> 04 Professor Oak Trainer
Base Set 1 & 2
> 04 Mr. Fuji
Trainer
Fossil
>
> 28 Grass Energy Energy
Base Set 1 & 2
>
>
>Here's The Basic Strategy--
>
>Caterpie-Metapod-Butterfree
> Caterpie I usually will keep in my hand until I get a Metapod or a
> Butterfree & Pokémon Breeder. Usually, I let a Metapod go
out into
> battle when it has 2 Grass Energy, since it is rather powerful for
> a Second Stage of Evolution with 70 Hit Points. Butterfree is
the
> goal though. Once a Butterfree is in Play, I have very good
> control of my deck. Butterfree are my primary fighters in this
> deck.
>
>Bulbasaur-Ivysaur-Venusaur
> Bulbasaur is a pain--I don't play it until Ivysaur is in my hand.
> Ivysaur I use as a mean, green, poisoning machine. It's POISON
> POWDER attack essentially does damage equal to VINE WHIP in one
> turn, plus it isn't too difficult since I have all Grass Energy
> Cards in my deck. Venusaur is for Pokémon Power: Energy
Trans.
> This way my dying Pokémon don't cause me to lose energy. Also,
> when necessary (just never versus a fire-type Trainer) I can use
> SOLARBEAM for a sweet 60 damage, and for a mere 2 Colorless Retreat
> Cost, well that is definitely AWESOME for a Monstrous Stage 2
> Pokémon.
>
>Koffing
> Koffing is the deck's emergency generator. If I am getting a
> really bad hand, I can rely on Koffing to devastate the opponent
> with as many as two status effects simultaneously, since CONFUSION
> & POISON are two status effects that can exist simultaneously.
>
>
>Pokémon Breeder
> Pokémon Breeders are my cards that I use to replace the Metapods
> that are discarded for Energy Retrievals. (See Energy
Retrieval)
>
>Energy Retrieval
> Energy Retrieval is just for if I should lose some energy (usually
> during the early part of the match) that I really need back. I
> discard a Metapod to use them.
>
>Professor Oak
> Professor Oak often saves my butt when I have nothing but manure
> for a hand. Enough said (as though you didn't know the strategy
> behind Professor Oak)
>
>Mr. Fuji
> Originally I used Scoop-Up, but when Fossil came out, Mr. Fuji
> Promptly replaced them, since most of my Pokémon can get on the
> bench for very little (or no) retreat cost. Then, even if I
can't
> Energy Trans to save the energy, it still gets back in the deck for
> later use.
>
>
>Thanks Spike! Thanks Vulpix! I hope you could help me & post
this--it
>may
>be somewhat significant to younger trainers whose parents can't spend
>$100+
>per month for Pokémon Cards.
>
>[list of rares deleted]
***
Hmm. Well... huh. Please excuse me if I'm missing something here... but lemme
sketch out a proposal. You have rares and holos. Unfortunately, they're not the
ones you need. Can you think of some way to perhaps convert them into the ones
you need? Something called "trading?" Hope I'm not insulting you if
there's some reason why trading doesn't work for you. In any event, I'll try to
fix your deck, as per your request, using only what you have.
1) Hmm... does nobody at all in your area play fire? Fossil Magmar would burn
this deck to a toasty crisp. Hell, even Ponyta would kill you. While it's gonna
be hard to avoid such a weakness altogether, I'll try to help you with it a bit.
First of all, drop a Metapod and a Butterfree, making a 4-3-3 evolution line.
I'd like to make it 4-3-2 for space, but Butterfree is important here, or so you
say. Then add in a Venusaur, making 3-2-2-- hardly ideal, but workable. If you
are going with the Energy Trans strategy, you NEED two Venusaur to avoid one
ending up in prizes. Finally, drop in your Kangaskhan-- it's a solid Poke all
around, provides weakness against fire and Energy Trans's well. Now, as for the
two decks you're having problems with. The best defense for you against
Hitmonchan would be Scyther (instead of Koffing, probably) but apparently that's
not an option, at least not right now. In his absence, I suggest you try to grab
Butterfree really early. He'll give haymaker some serious problems if you can
2) Buddy, if you think you need the two retrieval AND 28 energy, you've got
another think coming. But we'll be dropping some energy, so leave Retrieval in.
You don't need 4 Oaks, so drop them to 3. Then drop Fuji to 2 or 3. Add in at
least 3 Bills, a couple of Computer Searches (you NEED these), and finally a few
Energy Removals. We're gonna make a huge energy cut in just a second...
3) NO deck needs 28 energy, except maybe a Mulli-Mewtwo. And Venusaur decks
(especially Venusaur decks with 3 Oaks and 2 Retrievals) need even less than the
norm. I'd recommend going all the way down to 22 energy here. If we have extra
space (not likely, but who knows) we'll fit a couple more in.
***
20 Pokemon:
4 Caterpie
3 Metapod
3 Butterfree
2 Koffing
1 Kangaskhan
3 Bulbasaur
2 Ivysaur
2 Venusaur
18 Trainers:
2 Energy Retrieval
2 Pokemon Breeder
3 Bill
3 Oak
2 Mr. Fuji
3 Computer Search
3 Energy Removal
22 Energy:
22 Grass Energy
***
As you can see, I decided to go for another Computer Search to fill the 1 slot
we have left. I know it's a rare, but the card is amazing, especially since you
need to put together all the elements of your evolution families and then find
energy to power them with.
Hope this helps. This deck was pretty good. A more radical solution would have
been to replace Venusaur with either a Stage 1 family or a bunch of basics.
Probably could have been made to work, but I didn't want to stray that far from
this deck, and it would have required a lot of rares.
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