>>    Hi everyone, this is a simple list of the top ten cards currently out,
>>from both sets. I have another site I always go on--the pojo.com - in
their strategy section they have like 20-25 posts on the 10 best cards.  There
>>were also many arguments of the top ten cards.  I am going to clear some things
>>up here. SOOOOOOOOOOO many people have emailed me telling me that the top
>>two cards are Charizard and Zapdos.  And do you know why they tell me that?
>>Because Charizard and Zapdos are the highest damage dealing cards in the
>>game. Just because they both deal 100 damage doesn't mean they are the
>best.

>>They both have major flaws.  They gobble energy down like they eat it for
>>breakfast.  Both of them have to use four energy to attack, and they both
>>have to discard energy.  They are major targets for energy removal.  But
>now back to my list. This is a logical list of the ten best cards of both sets
>>together.  After each card I will write on why it's good. Here's the list
>in order:

>>1: Hitmonchan,
>>He is the fastest pokemon in the game.  He can do 20 damage for one
>>fighting.  That can be devastating in the early game.  Even though
>>Hitmonchan has a
>>weakness to psychic it's only real psy enemy is Jynx or possibly Mr..
Mime.
>>Jynx is a fast psy pokemon that can match the speed of Hitmonchan.  Mr..
>>Mime
>>isn't too big of a threat to Hitmonchan; Hitmonchan KOing it in 2 turns
>with
>>jab.  The only two major weaknesses Hitmonchan has are to Farfetch'd and
>>Scyther, who can also be
>>fast cards, and have resistance to fighting.  Now the reason I think
>>Hitmonchan is the best card is because it is a basic pokemon, it can
attack
>>with one energy, it has 70 hp, and therefore is VERY devastating,
>especially
>>against lightning and some colorless, and it has very few formidible
>>enemies.
>>
>>2: Electabuzz,
>>Electabuzz is also very fast. It has it's advantages over Hitmonchan but
>>isn't as good. One advantage is that it also can attack for one energy,
>only
>>doing 10 damage but has a 50/50 chance of paralyzing. It's second attack
>>costs
>>one electric energy and a colorless energy. It can do 40 damage or 30 and
>>deal damage to itself. This is probably the reason it is not the very best
>>card,
>>because of it's ability to deal damage to itself. If it didn't do damage
to
>>himself I might rate it as the best card... This card's arch nemesis is
the
>>famous Hitmonchan - because of the weakness, Electabuzz has a heck of a
>time
>>getting past the boxing pokemon. Electabuzz is on the list because it also
>>is very fast, can paralyze first turn, is a basic, and has 70 hp.
>>
>>3: Scyther,
>>I really like Scyther - mainly because alot of people use Himonchan, and
>>Scyther has a resistance to fighting. He beats Hitmonchan in a flash of
>>light. The ONLY card I would worry about when using Scyther is probably
>>Magmar.  Scyther is so fast he would take out any of the fire
>>basics (Growlithe, Charmander, Vulpix, Ponyta) long before they could
>>evolve.  His second attack, for three colorless, does only thirty damage.
>>But
>>he does have swords dance, for one plant, makes his attack do 60 instead
of
>>thirty. That's pretty good. I use Scythers in my deck but I don't waste my
>>deck space with plant energy. Believe me, he works just as well without
>>plant energy. Scyther's on the list because he has no retreat (oh yeah),
>>resistance to fighting, 70 hp, attack for one energy, is basic (all of the
>>pokemon on my list are basic), and is fast (also same thing with all the
>>pokemon).
>>
>>4: Kangaskhan,
>>I like this card because it has 90 hp, and it has card drawing power! For
>>only one energy you get to draw a card.  It has a weakness to fighting
>>pokemon. That kinda bites because the best card, Hitmonchan, is fighting.
>>Hitmonchan tears this card apart. But Kangaskhan does have 90 hp, so it
>does
>>last longer than most pokemon. Kangaskhan does have resistance to psy, so
>>Alakazam and Mewtwo won't do to much to it. This card can be used in
>>haymakers if you play it right.  It's on the list because it's colorless
>>(can use any energy), resistant to psy, high hp, and most of all, card
>>drawing
>>power.
>>
>>5: Farfetch'd
>>Most people don't realize the power of this card.  It crushes Hitmonchan
>>because of the resistance.  It does have a weakness to electric though, so
>>Electabuzz can beat it pretty easily. It can attack for one colorless
>energy
>>but can't use it again. That's why it's so good. You slap on double
>>colorless
>>then use leek slap, then you place any energy next turn and start doing 30
>>damage a turn. This doesn't seem like alot but in the early game it can be
>>devastating to the weaker basic pokemon. It only has a one retreat cost
>too.
>>This card is on the list because it's fast and has low energy costs for
>>retreating and attacking; it also has a resistance to fighting, probably
>the
>>most
>>played color.
>>
>>6: Jynx,
>>This  card also doesn't get the fame it deserves. It is very fast, also
>>attacking for one energy. But it's second attack is awesome! Meditate
doing
>>20 plus 10 more for each counter on the defending pokemon. You place
energy
>>and doubleslap, you place another and doubleslap, then you place an energy
>>and meditate hopefully doing more than 40 damage. It has a weakness to
it's
>>own type though, and no resistance, that's why it's in 6th place. Another
>>reason why it's not so good is because it may not do any damage with
double
>>slap. I do like the 70 hp though. It's on the list because it's once again
>a
>>basic pokemon,
>>can attack for one energy, and has a good amount of hp.
>>
>>7: Professor Oak,
>>I hear alot of people say this card sucks. But I have another point of
>>view... It lets you draw seven cards!!!!!!!  But you have to discard your
>>previous hand though. If you had to shuffle your hand into your deck, this
>>card MIGHT become "broken".  I really helps you get the cards you want and
>>can turn the game around in your favor easily.  If you don't get the cards
>>you want at least you'll get closer to them or even get comp. search,
bill,
>
>>or pokemon trader to help get them out. Pro. oak is on the list because of
>>it's ability to get you out of jams, turn the game in your favor, and just
>>help you get your needed cards.
>>
>>8: Bill,
>>I LOVE this card. You get to draw two and no discarding!!!  Unlike oak it
>>lets you keep your hand and get two extra cards. The reasons for this
being
>>good and all are the EXACT same as oak. It's on the list for the exact
same
>>reasons as oak.
>>
>>9: Energy removal,
>>This card is great. For NO cost you get to grab one of your opponents
>energy
>>cards attached to one of their pokemon and toss it to the discard
pile--for
>>free! This works really good against pokemon like Zapdos and Charizard,
>>because they use a ton of energy and they can't recover after attacking if
>>you keep a steady beat down on them with energy removal.  Super energy
>>removal
>>would be on the list but you have to discard your own energy.  I use this
>>card in every one of my decks. The only decks that wouldn't really be
>>affected by energy removal would be haymakers because they use very little
>>amounts of energy, and rain dance because they can just rain dance it back
>>on. This card is on the list because of it's ability to discard an
>>opponent's
>>energy for free.
>>
>>10: Gust of Wind,
>>This card is probably the most overlooked trainer in the game. First off,
>>it's a COMMON.  And second, you choose an opponent's benched pokemon and
>put
>>it as the active pokemon. That's awesome!  Weak pokemon like Abra,
>Magikarp,
>>and Mankey (also many more) are very vulnerable to this card. You can also
>>gust of wind out very energy costly and powerful pokemon to get them
before
>>they can get enough to attack. This card also works great with enemy
>>pokemon that have high retreat costs, especially Snorlax.  I use at least
>>two
>>of these in every deck I play.  It's on the list because it can (for no
>>cost)
>>bring up enemy pokemon from the bench, that can be devastating to your
>>opponent.
>>
>>That's my list of the top ten cards in the game, I hope you guys post it.
>>Thanx for reading!
>>
>>Griffin Branham
>>branfam@gte.net
>>Until next time...
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