Okay, i'm sure everyone's heard about the possibility of a 15 trainer limit
for decks.  Well, I just wanted to talk about some of the effects of this
rule and some of the reasons why it's being considered.

    Well, first off, why did Wizards choose to consider limiting the number
of trainers in a deck?  1 word: Trapper.  Trapper is a new deck concept built
solely around a mess of trainers and focuses solely on hand denial.  The plan
is to use Imposter Oak's Revenge to get one's opponent down to 4, then remove
the rest of the cards with The Rocket's Trap.  Tickle Machine might also find
its way into this combo (once it comes out in gym Challenge) but as of now,
TRT, IOR, and RSA are the main cards in this combo.  A standard trapper deck
might be 50% or 60% trainers, in order to get the cards to eliminate your
opponent's hand.  Without a hand, the player is helpless, and the game goes
very fast.  However, this sort of battle is not really a game, its a
slaughter.  The possible effects of this sort of nearly invincible deck made
Wizards think for once in their existance and consider the limitation of
trainers, in order to prevent the proliferation of these death machines. 
Although this isn't exactly the kind of limitation most of have been hoping
for, this is the first major new rule that Wizards has inroduced into the
game.  Perhaps this is a sign from Wizards that shows they really DO care
about the game. 

    So, what will this new rule do for us?  Lots.  It cripples all Haymaker
variants and other speed decks like Raindance.  Without the speed provided by
the necessary 20-30 trainers in the deck, these decks lose almost all oft he
edge they held over other, more unique decks.  Without Challenge!, Professor
Oak, and PC Search, Wigglytuff holds little over Dewgong, and without
Professor Oak, Computer Search, and Switch, that all-powerful MP Mewtwo will
fall to the likes of Rocket Porygon.  A few less trainers probably IS a good
thing for those of us who design our own unique, non-archetype decks. 
    This rule also does something else...it promotes the use of multiple
Stage 2's.  If your opponent won't be going 0 to 60 on turn 1 with their
Haymaker, then there's nothing to stop you from using a Curse/Increase Pain
Double Gengar Trouble deck.  Future decks will focus on POWER instead of
speed.  Fire will get a higher following and who knows..maybe, just
maybe...those little kids can use their beloved Base Charizards safely in a
deck.  Cards like Machamp or Venusaur will be used much more, as will other
Stage 2 powerhouses.  Cards with built in speed/power bonuses (like MP
Pikachu) will find added use as well.
    Finally, this rule will promote the use of utility pokemon.  Dk.
Dragonair, Erica's Exeggcutor, Dk. Kadabra, Kangaskahn, Dk. Golduck, Slowpoke
(F) and a whole bunch of other pokemon with trainer-like attacks will find
their way into deck to compensate for the loss of trainers.

    Well...those ARE all predictions, so don't email me saying "you are so
stupid, Haymaker will never die," because I don't have psychic powers that
let me see the future.  The possible effects I've discussed are exactly that
POSSIBLE.  I'm sure that there are other possible effects that I've left out,
and I'm sure time will prove me wrong about some of the other stuff.  But for
now, those are my best guesses.

                                                -FossilMagikarp
                                            email:edestus360@aol.com