Hello everyone I am back and ready to go once again with my thoughts on sets the meta and everything else Pokemon. First I must apologise for the hiatus, due to technical difficulties my Pokemon season had to take a brief break and during that time i focused more on the other games i play. Now its time to dive back into the Pokemon TCG and I cant think of a better way then previewing our new set hitting stores May 9th, Dark Explorers
Right off the bat i wanna talk about what i think is the coolest part of this new set, the Dark type Pokemon support. In this current format Dark type decks have so many amazing Pokemon such as Tyrannitar Prime, Hydregion, and Zoroark just to name a few. However, most of these Pokemon have their drawbacks for instance Tyrannitar and Hydregion have such steep energy costs.
First up on the Dark support list is Darkrai EX
Darkrai EX – Dark – HP180
Basic Pokemon
Ability: Darkness Cloak
As long as this Pokemon is in play, all of your Pokemon with any Darkness Energy attached to them have no Retreat cost.
[D][D][C] Night Spear: 90 damage. Choose 1 of your opponent’s Benched Pokemon, and this attack also does 30 damage to that Pokemon. (Don’t apply Weakness and Resistance when damaging the Bench.)
Pokemon-EX Rule: When Pokemon-EX is Knocked Out, your opponent takes 2 Prize cards.
Weakness: Fighting (x2)
Resistance: Psychic (-20)
Retreat: 2
I love Darkrai EX for the ability Darkness Cloak more then the attack myself. Having free retreat in this game right now is amazing with Pokemon Catcher being so heavy played right now. Darkness Cloak will prevent your opponent from bringing up heavy retreat steep energy attackers to stall while they set up. Don't get me wrong though Night Spear is a amazing attack, being able to do 90 to a active and smack benched Pokemon for 30. Psychic resistance is also majorly noteworthy as Mewtwo EX is very heavy played in at least 3 different decks.
For those of you who have vivid memories of using Expert Belt to destroy your opponent then Dark Pokemon decks might just be for you as Darkness Claw prepares to enter the meta
Darkness Claw – Tool
Pokemon Tool: To use a Pokemon Tool, attach it to one of your Pokemon. Each Pokemon can only have 1 card attached, and the card remains attached.
The attacks of the Dark-type Pokemon that this card is attached to do an additional 20 damage to any Active Pokemon.
You can use any number of Trainer cards during your turn.
Dark Pokemon like Tyrannitar Prime already have many high HP damaging attacks such as Megaton Tail which does a base 120. Add Darkness Claw onto that and your hitting for 140 killing everything non EX in the current format. This card also benefits from not having Expert Belts drawback of losing two prizes when the attached Pokemon dies.
Finally my personal favourite card from this set is the Trainer-Item card Dark Patch
Dark Patch – Trainer
Choose 1 Basic Dark Energy card from your discard pile and attach it to one of your Benched Dark-type Pokemon.
You can use any number of Trainer cards during your turn.
Dark Patch brings something that a deck with Energy hungry Pokemon needs badly, Energy Acceleration. Pokemon like Tyrannitar Prime have attacks that require a massive amount of energy and this card allows for faster power ups of your benched Pokemon. With cards like Junk Arm, Sages Training, and when its finally released Ultra Ball getting basic Dark Energy into your discard pile is a very easy task. and being able to attach two energy a turn makes cards like Hydregion and Tyrannitar Prime, two of hardest hitting attackers the Dark type has this format much more viable.
I myself am very much looking forward to this set as it has the potential to bring the Dark type into the spotlight this format.
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