Feel free to discuss to your heart's content... that is why I wrote this.
- Five new Pokémon-EX cards: Charizard-EX leads the charge of powerful new Pokémon-EX to battle with
The big one here is Charizard EX... for the first time since Black and White Next Destinies gave birth to Pokemon EX, the Mack Daddy of them all has finally been honoured with his rightful place at the top of the food chain. Charizard is joined by Magnezone EX, Toxicroak EX, Kangaskhan EX. The 5th has not been leaked anywhere as far as I can tell... any guesses? - New Mega Evolution Pokémon: The expansion features two powerful versions of Mega Charizard-EX (one Fire type, one Dragon type) and more
Mega Charizard EX comes in two flavours, Dragon and Fire and is joined by Mega Kangaskahn EX - New Pokémon: Over 25 Pokémon from the Pokémon X and Pokémon Y video games appear in the XY—Flashfire expansion
Litleo, Pyroar, Helioptile, Heliolisk, Espurr, Meowstic, Screlp, Dragalge, Binacle, Barbarcle, Flabebe, Floette, Florges, Carbink, Goomy, Sliggoo, Goodra, Fletchling, Fletchinder and Furfrou have been revealed... we can only guess about the rest? - 15 new Trainer cards: New Item, Supporter, and Stadium cards bring increased depth and player strategy to competitive battles
Prank Scoop, Sacred Ash, Surprize Megaphone, Flame Torch, Protect Cube, Pal Pad, Blacksmith, Lysandre, Pokemon Center Lady, Pokemon Fan Club and Magnetic Storm have been revealed... again, we can only guess about the rest?
Charizard EX does not look like the beast it should be. At 180 HP with a weakness to water, he faces a OHKO from many of the current water Pokemon doing the rounds. A powered up Keldeo EX does 220, Blastoise does 200, Plasma Kyurem does 240, Articuno with a Muscle Band or a Laserbank does 200.
However, add a Victini (LTR) and you are looking at a possible turn two 120 Fire Blast or 240 against a Virgen deck - no wonder people are getting rid of this grassy duo at the moment. Evolve it to M Charizard EX with 220HP, add Emboar's Inferno Fandango and you could be doing a straight 300 in turn three or a shocking 600 against those pesky weeds. You loose 50 HP for doing this but it can be negated by adding the new Protect Cube item. It does keep it's weakness to water though so is this as good a match-up as some people think?
On the other hand, you can mega evolve the old boy to a 230HP dragon type and use Wild Blaze for a very respectable 300 damage by turn three or a shocking 600 against the likes of Black Kyurem EX (PLS) but you loose 5 cards from your deck and you run the risk of a OHKO from the very popular Xerneas EX at 280 by turn three.
While the old boy is undoubtedly a force to be reckoned with, he is only deadly against grass and the odd Black Kyurem. Will this threat be enough to weaken the ever popular Blastoise deck? Paired with the weakness to Keldo and Blastoise, I highly doubt it. Facing certain death from opponents playing so many of the popular T1 decks, one would be hard pressed to put your money on Charizard but only time will tell I guess... Time and whatever is hidden in the revealed cards perhaps :)
Magnezone-EX - Lightning - HP180 [C][C] Electroball: 40 damage. [L][L][L] Dual Bullet: Choose 2 of your opponent's Pokemon. This attack does 50 damage to those Pokemon. (Don't apply Weakness and Resistance for Benched Pokemon.) This bad boy could be considered as a tech in most decks to counter Yveltal however at a possible 80 on turn one (150 with a Muscle Band and Laserbank combo) or 100 on turn three I don't think it is likely. Raichu (XY) still stands out as the winner with Circle Circuit and a possible 200 damage for a DCE in turn two. There's not a lot of fighting decks doing the rounds at the moment but Landorus is still a threat and with a retreat cost of 3, it is a harsh price to pay if you don't have a switch tech available. |
Toxicroak-EX - Psychic - HP170 Basic Pokemon [C][C] Trioxic: Your opponent's Active Pokemon is now Poisoned. Between turns put 3 damage counters on it instead of 1. [P][P][C] Smash Uppercut: 80 damage. This attack isn't affected by Resistance. Another interesting new EX - here we have a possible turn 1 Laserbank without having to sacrifice space in your deck to the Lasers or Virbanks. You could effectively add 6 more cards to your deck Weak to the ever present Mewtwo EX and Deoxys EX and with a maximum hitting power of 80 (160 against psychic), it would need some strategic thinking to play effectively. Could be a fun card to base a deck on but I doubt it will make T1 anytime soon. |
Kangaskhan-EX - Colorless - HP180 Basic Pokemon [C] Triple Draw: Draw 3 cards. [C][C][C] Family Kick: 70+ damage. Flip a coin. If heads, this attack does 30 more damage. Now here is an interesting addition.- 3 card draw for 1 energy on turn one and a possible turn two 100 however, the first can be negated by an N in your opponent's turn and the second is hardly worth talking about considering that nothing is weak to colourless types... evolve it on turn two to M Kangaskahn EX though and you are set up for a turn three Gangan Punch for 100+ damage limited only by your ability to keep flipping heads... it's a huge gamble though and with a 3 energy retreat cost... interesting, but I don't know if I would consider it anytime soon. M Kangaskhan-EX - Colorless - HP230 Mega Evolution - Evolves from Kangaskhan-EX When 1 of your Pokemon becomes a Mega Evolution, your turn ends. [C][C][C] Gangan Punch: 100+ damage. Flip a coin until you get tails. This attack does 30 more damage for each heads. |
Adaptive Evolution
Now here's an interesting ability. Both Caterpie and Metapod have this ability. In short this ability allows you to evolve in the turn you play the card and in your first turn. This effectively means that you can play Caterpie and evolve it first to Metapod and then to Butterfree all on turn one.
Butterfree - Grass - HP130
Stage 2 - Evolves from Metapod
[G] Quiver Dance: Search your deck for an Energy and attach it to this Pokemon. If you do, heal 40 damage from this Pokemon. Shuffle your deck afterwards.
[G][C][C] Gust: 70 damage.
That is a possible turn two OHKO against most of the starter water Pokemon and even a Keldeo EX if run in conjunction with a Laserbank setup. Add to that the fact that it is weak to lightning - NOT FIRE - this is a pretty good starter combo for a grass deck... if you can get the cards out that is.
Caterpie - Grass - HP40 Basic Pokemon Ability: Adaptive Evolution This Pokemon can evolve on the turn you play it and your first turn. [G] Bug Bite: 10 damage. | Metapod - Grass - HP70 Stage 1 Ability: Adaptive Evolution This Pokemon can evolve on the turn you play it and your first turn. [C][C] Harden: During your opponent's next turn, if this Pokemon would be damaged by an attack, prevent that attack's damage if it is 60 or less. | Butterfree - Grass - HP130 Stage 2 [G] Quiver Dance: Search your deck for an Energy and attach it to this Pokemon. If you do, heal 40 damage from this Pokemon. Shuffle your deck afterwards. [G][C][C] Gust: 70 damage. |
Pyroar - Fire - HP110 Stage 1 - Evolves from Litleo Ability: Intimidating Mane This Pokemon takes no damage from the attacks of your opponent's Basic Pokemon. [R][C][C] Heat Fang: 60+ damage. You may discard an [R] energy attached to this Pokemon. If you do. this attack does 30 more damage. Another interesting card even if it is unlikely to see T1 play. With so many T1 decks playing nothing but basic Pokemon, the Intimidating Mane ability can prevent most decks from doing damage if you can set it up on the bench. Luxio - Lightning - HP80 Stage 1 - Evolves from Shinx [L] Bite: 20 damage. [L][L][C] Electric Counter: 40x damage. Does 40 damage for each Prize card your opponent has taken. Reminiscent of Shamin EX's Revenge Blast which my daughter used with shocking effect against quite a few more experienced players. A possible late game 160 hit to sneak a win. This card could do well against both Blastoise and Yveltal decks Meowstic - Psychic - HP90 Stage 1 - Evolves from Espurr [P] Mastearmind: You may rearrange the damage counters on your opponent's Pokemon in any way you like. [P][P][P] Psychic: 60+ damage. This attack does 10 more damage for each Energy attached to your opponent's Active Pokemon. Wow - move as many damage counters from as many Pokemon to any other Pokemon any way you please. This could surely bring out the ugly in your opponent - LOL. I loved Meloetta's Psychic attack as a 1 energy counter to Mewtwo EX. Not too happy about the cost to do it with this cute kitten though. |
Prank Scoop - Trainer Item Look at the top card of either player's deck. You may discard that card. Lysandre - Supporter Choose 1 of your opponent's Benched Pokemon and switch it with his or her Active Pokemon. Magnetic Storm - Stadium All Pokemon have no Resistance. | Sacred Ash - Trainer Item Choose 5 Pokemon from your discard pile and shuffle them into your deck. Pokemon Center Lady - Supporter Heal 60 HP from one of your Pokemon and remove any special conditions from it. Pal Pad - Item Shuffle 2 Supporter cards from your discard pile back into your deck. | Surprise Megaphone - Trainer - Item Discard all Pokemon Tools attached to your opponent's Pokemon. Pokemon Fan Club - Supporter Choose up to 2 Basic Pokemon from your deck, reveal them, and put them in your hand. Shuffle your deck afterwards. Blacksmith - Supporter Choose 2 [R] Energy from your discard pile and attach them to 1 of your [R] Pokemon. |