So, The Jungle finally arrived. I already bought my box and then some, and have a first ed. set. I've played in two tournaments using these new cards, and I am beginning to learn the effects these new cards bring to the atmosphere of the pokemon meta game (otherwise known as the gaming environment, and the popular decks that will be made or are made). So, as I did with the basic set, I am going to do a Color Analysis of all 7 colors (remember colorless?) with the expansion set in mind. GRASS: Grass is one of the best, if not the best color now. It has been complimented by so many great additions by The Jungle. Scyther is purely one of the best basic pokemon out there- expect to see him in a new version of the haymaker! Vileplume is purely an EVIL card, one of the best in the set. Pinsir is another new basic pokemon to talk about. Venomoth can be very helpful, and that easy-to-get butterfree uncommon is going to rock some worlds! Grass is so great with Venusaur, beedrill, Nidoking from the basic set- grass is probably going to be the most popular color now. FIGHTING: Fighting wasn't given all that much- but what it was given, was GOOD! Mankey is perhaps the best addition, being to good to be true with that ANNOYING pokemon power! Cubone and Marowak sort of suck, but rhyhorn and rhydon are just marvelous! The guys are GREAT! Fighting has it's Hitmonchan, Machamp, and Dugtrio as well- fighting will still be popular- but not too great. WATER: Water was given absolutely jack shit. Goldeen and Seaking suck ass compared to your alternatives- Dewgong, Garydos, Blastoise, and Polywrath. Vaporean is good, but not that good. Any of the four I just listed will beat that guy to the cut, even though his basic form IS a colorless pokemon. Water is still good- but will it be as powerful as before, with all the hideous new grass and electric cards? ELECTRIC: The new pikachu- well... KICKS ASS! For two lightning, your opponent takes 20 and one of his benched losers takes 10! Wow! Electrode is VERY nice, the new one... Chain Lightning is going to smash single color decks- but, uh... make sure your deck isn't using all electric against an electric pokemon- or you'll kill yourself! Electric is a good color. FIRE: Rapidash is nice, and Flareon is too. But fire still is not anything to get excited about. Play with fire decks, and you WILL be beaten- trust me, if your pure fire deck wins a tournament- either everyone there had pure grass decks with no nidorama... OR, there were 2 people or a lot of starter decks and precon decks... Fire is not a good color right now to choose- although, since grass is so popular... maybe that all grass tournament could be a reality- give it a whirl! PSYCHIC: Psychic was given the ultimate pokemon in the SET! His name? Mr. Mime! Mr. Mime up front, Alakazam on the bench in between four big basics, like Kanghaskhan, Snorlax, or Chansey ( My choice would be Khangaskhan, since he beats chansey in just about every way possible!). Thats called- "DRAW OUT HEAVEN!" Mr. Mime can't and won't be killed- unless your playing against a big poison deck with Tangela or Nidoking or Kakuna or Ivysaur- the only four which will kill you. Expect to see alot of the more "experienced players" or "experts" to be playing with these decks, since they're a little expensive to make and sort of take a little thought and skill to play with. COLORLESS: Colorless was given too many good pokemon. Hell, now we can make pure colorless decks! (Damn, if only you could put 20 or so double colorless energies in it- talk about unstoppable!) Dodrio is one of my favorite, and just behind him is Snorlax. But, leading the pack, and every other colorless pokemon in existence (INCLUDING CHANSEY) is Kanghaskhan. Compare Khangaskhan to Chansey for a moment. Kanghaskhan has 90 HP, Chansey 120. CHANSEY HAS MORE, OH NOOOO!!!! Khangaskhan has 3 retreat cost, Chansey has.. 1!!!!! Well, now that I've given the chansey-lovers credit, let me explain Khangaskhan's advantages. He has the same resistance and weakness as Chansey. His first move is to draw a card, so why retreat him anyways? Replace those four bills in your deck for four Khangaskhans- more basic pokemon, and, probably alot more card access! Khangaskhan's comet punch beats Chansey's double edge any day, because Khangaskhan takes no damage while doing his attack. Realistically- Khangaskhan would win the fight, even if Chansey got the double edge off- Khangaskhan survives, so its game. And that completes my color analysis. Please, send any comments to me and I'll back up my statements. E. Judd "The Pokemaster" gtff@utinet.net