All right all you evolution fanatics, I got the hookup.  First, the
introductions:

Dark Dragonair
Evolves from Dratini
60 HP, colorless
TR 33/82

Pokemon Power: Evolutionary Light - Once during your turn (before attack)
you may search your deck for an Evolution card.  Show it to your opponent
and put it in your hand. Shuffle your deck.  Can't use this if under a
status effect.

Trainer - Challenge!
TR 74/82

Ask your opponent if they accept the challenge.  If so, search your deck for
any number of Basic Pokemon and place them facedown on your Benches (if your
Benche isn't full).  If they refuse, draw 2 cards.


Why this rocks:

Step 1. Use a combination of Bills and Challenge!s to fill your bench with
Basics (Don't forget Dratini)  Even if your opponent turns down the
challenge, you still have the equivalent of 8 Bills (16 drawn cards) in your
deck.
Step 2. Once Dark Dragonair is on the board, have him (or them, I like to
have at least 2)  use Evo. Light every turn.  You can have Stage 2s, like
Charizard, as early as turn 3!
Step 3:  Sit back and watch the fun!

You can turn any deck into a Darwin Deck, by following these guidelines:

Dratini x2 / Dark Dragonair x2 (More to taste)
Challenge x4
Bill x4

Total: 12 cards.  You can live with 3 Bills and 3 Challenges, if necessary.

Season with Oak to taste.

The Darwin system fits anywhere (Since the Dratini family is Colorless).  D
Drag. should hang out on the Bench to evolve your heavyweights, but in a
pinch, they're decent battlers, with no weakness, and Resistance to Psychic.
You would have to be spectacularly unlucky (ie, all your D Drag's are hidden
in the Prize pile) to lose with Darwin on your side.

Summary of Darwin Deck:

Pros:
Doesn't take up a lot of deck space.
Goes with anything (splashable)
Decent battling skills
Makes it practicable to have singles (ie, 1 Charizard)
You will destroy your opponents ;-)
Fears no element
Doesn't require coin flips
With a good memory, you can guess what went into your Prizes (When you
search for Evolutions, look for what's not in your deck)
Requires no rares to run (D Drag and Challenge! are UN, and Bill is C)
Multiple D Drags mean multiple Pokemon can evolve in a turn.

Cons:
Useless in decks that don't evolve.
Tips your hand somewhat (You have to show your evolutions to your opponent)

Good luck with your Dark Dragonair training!

Scott Parker
sparker@triad.rr.com