Ah, the world of fire... It's a world of some of the hardest hitting
pokemon around! And also home to many energy eaters. The opinions on energy
eaters vary ALOT, some say the suck, others say they're the best in the TCG!
When using energy eaters you gotta be smart. First off your deck needs to be
prepared for them, energy retrievals help a bunch. And in most cases
stallers are even more useful! You also have to remember that you need TONS
of energy around 28-30. This way you'll know you can pull off your heavy
hitters attacks enough to cripple your opponent.

First of all we have: Ninetales- I've heard alot about him lately, he's one
of the only two pokemon with an attack that's exactly like GOW
(Victreebell's the other). He can pull off this attack for a cheap 2
colorless. His other attack does 80 for 4 fire and one discard. Wow, you'll
need to fire that up on the bench!... Or not, the Lure attack is of course
an amazing stalling ability. IF the opponent has a bench, if not you better
keep that Ninetales on your bench, with 90HP it won't last long as an
active. Lure can either be like an energy removal, or a major staller + an
energy removal! The first one's great the second one is awesome, it all
depends on who's on the bench. If you lure something like, say a Bulbasaur
with 1 retreat cost your opponent will probably have the energy to quick
retreat it. But he just waisted an energy card, not only that but it took
his energy attachment for the turn! He can't attach energy until the next
turn. If you Lure a pokemon like Lickitung with a whopping 3 retreat cost
you're bound to stall for at least a couple of turns! PLUS it acts as 3
energy removals all at once! And all this while you've been pumping up for
Ninetales' awesome attack. You can still use Lure after, if the pokemon you
just attacked isn't dead, you may want to take out his bench leaving him
with no more pokemon, that is if you can afford another fire energy.
Stallers aren't usually needed with this little doobie, but you may want to
add an energy removal or two. This will reek even more havoc on your
opponent's bench!

Next is, Zapdos- This guy should be used spairingly. I know he has a nice
100 damage attack, but that takes 4 energy to pull off. Keep em on the bench
if you can. Once you do save for it, you should probably save him for a time
when your opponent has only one pokemon left on the bench, then nail em!
This'll give you the win of course, you should try not to use Zapdos' heavy
attack unless it's for this or for when a pokemon like Blastoise, or
Venusaur is out. Make sure you retreat it after though! Then, pump him up
for another blast! Some switches help out alot on retreating him, and
stallers or other good fighting pokemon are NEEDED.

Last but not least is, Charizard- Ah yes the ever popular, sometimes
over-rated sometimes under-rated Charizard. Charizard can suck or blow away
your opponent, it all depends on how you use him. Like most energy eaters
keep him bench until he's pumped up. And when I say pumped up I mean REALLY
pumped up, say 8 energy? This will give you 3 attacks, that's enough to take
out 3 pokemon which should give you the game in most cases. Never send him
out with less then 6 energy, your opponent can easily take him out. You may
say it takes only 2 turns to charge him up again, but it could take more
MUCH more you'll be depending on luck of the draw. You NEED STALLERS WITH
CHARIZARD! Without him you couldn't pull off this killer strategy.

That's all for now!

     -Jared Schroeder >) Questions and Comments go to:
protoss_warrior@hotmail.com

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