The Avenger, version 47
by: The Outcast
Rosedale Center, Roseville,
MN
Saturday, June 2, 2001
About 200 participants(in tourneys-there
was more at the league zone)
Pojopeople, this is NOT
Karen Switala! That's my mom's email I am writing from since mine stopped
working.
The Avenger, version
47
Pokemon(12)
1 Rocket's Zapdos
3 Electabuzz
1 Magby
3 Growlithe
2 Arcanine
2 Scyther
Energy(18)
9 Electric Energy
9 Fire Energy
Trainers(30)
4 Energy Removal
4 Super Energy Removal
4 Professor Oak
2 Misty's Wrath
3 Nightly Garbage Run
3 Rocket's Sneak Attack
1 The Rocket's Trap
3 Computer Search
3 Item Finder
3 Gust of Wind
OK, I know you guys are all laughing your heads
off. A last minute Shinders Trip before the Tournament Started was unfruitful,
and I had to go to the tourney with only 1 Rocket's Zapdos. Ouch. So, I splashed
in a last minute R's Trap just for fun, and 1 Magby to metagame Slowking Lock
Decks. Finally, I finished the deck. My Friend Jake and I were going to go to
the tournament with Jake's Dad, who was taking us. We arrived at Rosedale Mall
at 10:03, just 3 minutes after opening time. We wasted time at the League Zone
until the League Judge told us if we were to enter the qualifiers, we had to go
to Pokemon Central and get signed up. We sorted our decks and had them checked,
then got our Free Stuff and Entry Cards and went over to the league zone to
practice. in case you care, Jake ran a Wiggly/Sneasel/Cleffa deck. It was 10:45
and we had to be at the qualifier zone by 11:15. The line that we were in was
only 25 minutes, compared to the 2 1/2 hour one at the Mega Mall Tour a couple
of years ago. I got crushed by a Rain Dance deck, as I drew no electric energy
for the whole duel. So, we High Tailed it to the Qualifier Zone after getting
lost twice. I learned what the Tournament Format was. There were to be eight
32-person single elimination tournaments throughout the day. The top 2 from each
tournament would advance to the Finals at 3:00, a 16 person elimination
tournament. The top 2 in the finals earned trips. Here was the prizes handed
out:
1st round loss: 1 Neo Pack
2nd round loss: 2 Neo Packs
3rd round loss: 4 Neo Packs
4th round loss: 8 Neo Packs and a
Hat
4th round win: Shirt, hat, 24 Neo Packs and a
spot in the Final 16
There was nothing extra for anyone who went to
the finals and lost. The top 2 got trips in addition to the shirt, hat, and 24
neo packs.
I was in the second tournament at 11:15. After
being briefed by Master Trainer Conrad, I received our pairing and
were set to begin. It turns out, this tournament was starting out in round 2
with only 16 people, so we were all credited with a first round win and
guaranteed 2 boosters. Master Trainer Conrad called "Go!" and the battle
began.
ROUND 1
Freebie.
ROUND 2
Outcast vs. ???? with Electric Deck
I suppose you could call this kid's deck
electric, but it was mostly colorless. He had Elekid, Electabuzz, R. Zapdos, and
the Dragonite and Dark Dragonite family, as well as the prerequisite Cleffa. I
was the only one in my tournament who did not run Cleffa! He got Dark Dragonite
and a fully powered Dragonair out on the third turn, and I had Growlithe and
Magby. Something told me I was going to lose. He crushed both and got me down to
a lone Scyther. The prize count was 6-3 in his favor. Then, the tables turned. I
Oaked, CPUed, and then removed every energy he had in play. I then Gusted up
Dragonair and stalled with Scyther while I powered up R. Zap and Arcanine. He
flipped a lot of tails on Playful Punch, and I eventually cleaned him out with
Arcanine after his Dark Dragonite flipped tails on Giant Tail which was his last
chance at beating me. The final prize count: 2-0. Whew! That was
hard.
Record: 2 wins, 0 losses(we all got
freebies in the first round)
I talked to Jake after the match and he told me
he won on the 2nd turn with MP Mewtwo against some kid who had a lone Natu. I
then watched this kid-I think his name was Michael-win a long and hard battle
with a Steelix Deck. Then, the pairings were announced and round 3(actually
round 2 for us) began.
ROUND 3
Outcast vs. Michael? with a Steelix
Deck
Yup, I had to face the same guy I just watched.
His deck was good, but this was a very easy battle. He had a lone Gligar. I had
Scyther and R. Zapdos. I sent up Zappy and Plasma'd twice, which he then removed
with Gold Berry. He Oaked twice, but got no basic, so I won with a 3rd turn
Electroburn.
Record: 3 wins, 0 losses
I watched him open his 4 boosters, and get
nothing good except for Ampharos. I then went back and forth between Jake who
was battling some guy named Silas with a Koga's Beedrill deck, and watching the
only girl in the tournament kick butt with a Darkness/Metal deck. Jake
eventually lost due to retreating a Ditto with 50 damage (slaps head) and I got
into my seat and prepared for round "4".
ROUND 4
Outcast vs. Silas with Koga Grass
Deck
This was it. The final four. If I won, I was in
the finals at 3:00 and would win 24 boosters. If I lost, I'd still be
happy, I'd have 8 packs. Who knows, maybe even a Lugia. I knew this guy's deck
from watching him beat Jake. It was a hard game, with him having the upper hand
for the first part, but the tables turned when I gusted out Koga's Beedrill and
Flared it for a knockout. Now he was energyless, but still only one prize away
from victory. I needed 2. I powered up Arcanine and Took Down Brock's Lickitung.
He sent out his other Lickitung and Tongue Slammed Arcanine. I was scared. I had
80 damage on Arcanine and we had 1 prize apiece. If I Took Down, we would go
into sudden death. If I passed, retreated, or Flamethrowered, he would gust up
Arcanine and Tongue Slam for the game. Then, I noticed the CPU Search in my
hand. I CPU'd for a Gust, Gusted up Scyther, and flamethrowered for the
game.
Record: 4 wins, 0 losses
I MADE IT! I was in the finals, and had won a
shirt, a hat, and 24 packs! The girl with the dark-metal deck had lost to a guy
with a Typhlosion Deck, and so we were the 2 finalists. Jake's Dad wasn't going
to loiter around the mall till 3, so we went back home. We ate Taco Bell and
cracked my packs. I got a lot of good stuff, like Elekids, Metal Energy,
Skarmories, Murkrows, Typhlosion and Feraligatr(the good ones), Cleffa, Sneasel,
and at last, the card I dreamed of, a Lugia!!! That was worth the whole thing to
me, just getting a Lugia. We played some matches at Jake's house, then my dad
took us back to the mall at 3. I only brought the holograms from the packs with,
thinking maybe I could trade them. I left the metal energy and the Elekids back
home, and that cost me, dearly. I played the kid with the Typhlosion Deck once
for practice, and beat him by 1 prize. I tried to get an Entei from him, but we
had to go get our decks checked. Then, we got our pairings and began the
finals!
ROUND 5(The Final Sixteen)
Outcast vs. Kyle with Typhlosion
Deck
Hehe. Every time I watch or play someone, I have
to play them next round. This was a very easy match. He didn't get any of his
Quilavas, Typhlosions, or Goldberries, and any energy he played, I promptly
removed. I won't bore you with the details. I got him down to Entei and Took
Down for the victory, winning by bench out and prize out at the same
time.
Record: 5 wins, 0
losses
I was in shock. I was only 2 battles away from
the trip, and with an unfinished deck! Only 1 R. Zapdos! I won so fast that I
sat down and watched other matches. It turns out this one guy used a fake name
to get in the 14- qualifiers and was disqualified. The DCI Judges were trying to
figure out what to do about all the people he eliminated. I shuffled my deck
twenty times and sat down for my next match.
ROUND 6(The Final Eight)
Outcast vs. ??? with Steel Chansey
Deck
I was scared. This guy was very good, and I
heard him telling his friends that "they were going to kick butt, this was going
to be so easy compared to the Chicago qualifier, there was nobody good here."
Here was where the Elekid Mixup came back to haunt me. It turns out, you COULD
change your deck before the finals. I reached into my pocket ready to drop Magby
for Elekid and my R. Trap for Metal Energy, and they weren't there! I had
forgotten! Dang it! Thanks to this, this guy went on to give me the longest and
most intense match I have ever played. I had only Magby at the beginning, and
only a lucky flip saved me from being 1st-turned by Erika's Dratini. He slapped
down Rockets' Training Gym, so Magby couldn't retreat for free. I finally drew
one energy and started Sputterin'. He was trying to stall me, and so he kept
counting our decks and searching my discard. He laid a metal on Chansey which
nullified Sputter. He finally drew his last card, but then Lassed back 5
trainers! Dang!!!! He had 4 prizes and I had 5, so I had to work fast after
Master Trainer Jamie said there was only 1 minute left(we were allowed 25)I was
about to send out Zappy and Electroburn for a tie, but as his turn ended they
said Time up. I had lost. Now here's why Elekid would have helped me-I had Magby
out the whole match, Sputtering for nothing because of Metal. With 47 turns of
Playful punching, I would have certainly drawn 2 prizes. But, I blame my defeat
on poor shuffling(as well as his very good deck). I examined my deck afterward,
and found that of the 18 energy cards in my deck, the bottom 14 cards of my deck
were ALL energy. That's why Magby was out all match, I never drew any
energy!!!!!! I congratulated him and wished him luck, then left to reconstruct
my deck with Elekids.
Record: 5 wins, 1 loss
Well, I won 24 packs. Not bad at all. Especially
the Lugia. Now, Props and Slops!
Props to:
My Lugia
My final opponent for playing a very good
deck
Jake's Dad for taking me
Wizards for giving away so many
boosters
Taco Bell Tacos
George W. Bush
The Typhlosion kid for comforting his 2nd round
opponent who was having a hard time with his defeat
Jesus for dying for me
Slops to:
Me for not bringing Elekid
Jake for retreating a Ditto with 50
damage
Shinders for not having more R.
Zapdoses
Outcast
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