Synergy and Pokémon

  • The working together of two things (muscles or drugs for example) to produce an effect greater than the sum of their individual effects.
  • A synergy is where different entities cooperate advantageously for a final outcome. If used in a business application it means that teamwork will produce an overall better result than if each person was working toward the same goal individually.
  • In computing, Synergy is a software application for sharing a keyboard and mouse between multiple computers. It is used in situations where several PCs are used together, with a monitor connected to each, but are to be controlled by one user. …
  • Larry Fast (Lawrence R. Fast) is a synthesizer expert and composer. He is best known for Synergy, his 1975-1987 series of synthesizer music albums, and for his contribution to a number of popular music acts, including Peter Gabriel, Foreigner, and Hall and Oates.
  • Synergy is a Half-Life 2 co-operative multiplayer modification for Half-Life 2, ‘, ‘, and ””. The modification also features custom made cooperative maps.
  • Synergism, in general, may be defined as two or more agents working together to produce a result not obtainable by any of the agents independently. The word synergy or synergism comes from two Greek words: erg meaning “to work”, and syn meaning “together”; hence, synergism is a “working together.”
  • Synergy is a corporation owned by the Government of Western Australia. Synergy is Western Australia’s largest energy retailer with approximately 900,000 industrial, commercial and residential customers, generating total annual revenue of more than $1.5 billion.
  • Christine Trelane, formerly known as Synergy is a fictional character in the Wildstorm universe. She was created by Jim Lee and Brandon Choi as a member of Stormwatch.
  • Synergy is the first live album by Covenant, released as a stand alone CD in 2000, as well as a CD/VHS set by Dependent Records.
  • Synergy is a 1999 studio album by jazz-fusion group Dave Weckl Band.
  • Synergy is the third studio album by Norwegian Christian extreme metal band Extol. It was released in 2003 on Century Media, but was licensed to Solid State Records.
  • SYNERGY, released on February 27, 2002, is the fourth original album by Japanese band m.o.v.e, and the theme for this CD was for the music to be of a trance style. Since the album was so long, five of the songs had to be shortened. …
  • This is a selected list of Source engine Mods (modifications). This list is divided into single-player and multiplayer mods.
  • Synergy (Bay mare April 23, 2005 – ) was a Thoroughbred racehorse who was bred in France. She is a bay mare by Victory Note (by Fairy King) out of Kuddam (by Doyoun). Synergy is a full sister to Veendam, a winner in France. …
  • Combined action; the combined healthy action of every organ of a particular system; as, the digestive synergy; An interaction between drugs where the effects are stronger than their mere sum.

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Poké-Synergy

As you can see, there isn’t really 1 definition of synergy. From albums to horses, its range of definition is so broad that you wouldn’t know where to begin. However, I will take the following three definitions, and meld them into Poké-Synergy:

Combined action; the combined healthy action of every organ of a particular system; as, the digestive synergy; An interaction between drugs where the effects are stronger than their mere sum.

The working together of two things (muscles or drugs for example) to produce an effect greater than the sum of their individual effects

Synergy is where different entities cooperate advantageously for a final outcome. If used in a business application it means that teamwork will produce an overall better result than if each person was working toward the same goal individually.

Narrowing the Definitions

All right; here we have our three definitions which will be melded into one. Lets start by removing the drug reference’s, as they don’t quite work with Pokémon.

Combined action; the combined healthy action of every organ of a particular system; as, the digestive synergy; An interaction where the effects are stronger than their mere sum.

The working together of two things (muscles for example) to produce an effect greater than the sum of their individual effects

Synergy is where different entities cooperate advantageously for a final outcome. If used in a business application it means that teamwork will produce an overall better result than if each person was working toward the same goal individually.

Watering Down the Definitions

Next, we’ll water down some of the unnecessary sequence:

Combined action. An interaction where the effects are stronger than their mere sum.

The working together of two things (muscles for example) to produce an effect greater than the sum of their individual effects

Synergy is where different entities cooperate advantageously for a final outcome.

Melding Together the Definitions

And now, we simply need to mash these definitions together.

Combined action. An interaction where the effects are stronger than their mere sum. The working together of two things (muscles for example) to produce an effect greater than the sum of their individual effects. Where different entities cooperate advantageously for a final outcome.

So there we have our definition for synergy. Now, how does it relate to Pokémon?

Synergy in Pokémon

In Pokémon, synergy is when two or more cards compliment each other. There are many types of synergy in Pokémon, but I’ll list a few:

Luxray GL LV.X and Garchomp C LV.X – While many say that this infamous combo have no synergy, Luxray GL LV.X’s “Flash Impact” does 30 damage to one of your Pokémon. Garchomp C LV.X’s “Healing Breath” is the perfect tool to heal that all off. This is: Where different entities cooperate advantageously for a final outcome.

Vileplume UD and Gengar SF – The dynamic duo, the synergy here is Vileplume’s “Allergy Flower” and Gengar’s “Poltergeist” With Vileplume not letting trainers be played, and Gengar increasing its damage for each trainer held in hand. These work alone, but are much more successful paired with each other. The working together of two things (muscles for example) to produce an effect greater than the sum of their individual effects.

Illumise TM and Volbeat TM – Combos like these are so simple they were made for each other. In their attacks, they clearly state the other’s name.Combined Action.

So now that we know what synergy is, how do we apply synergy to Pokémon?

Many of the top decks have no synergy what so ever in terms of Pokémon. However, the simplest type of synergy which nearly all decks use is Energy. The simple Energy card provides synergy to your deck. Have a Fire Pokémon? R Energy isn’t a bad idea.

One of the most important types of synergy is your engine. Speed decks like Shuppet rely on a speed engine to set up right away. SP decks like Luxchomp rely on an SP engine packed with all of Team Galactics Inventions. A deck like Vilegar runs on a Supporter engine, etc. If you tried putting a Supporter engine in Shuppet, it simply wouldn’t work. Or a Speed engine in Luxchomp would actually slow it down a fair bit as they wouldn’t have access to their SP trainers, and don’t even think about an SP engine in Vilegar.

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Your Deck and Synergy

So, does your deck have synergy? Of course it does, all decks have synergy. However, you want your deck to have the highest amount of synergy possible. A deck which doesn’t have enough perfect synergy would be like a puzzle with a piece missing. Here are a few ways to test your decks synergy:

Does your deck need two Pokémon in play to work? How fast can you set up both of them? Does your engine best suit your deck?

These are a few ways to test your synergy, but there are many more. The biggest thing to consider is: Does your deck have synergy, and does that synergy help you out?

You, Your Deck, and Synergy

Do you like your deck? Does it suit your play style? It’s often more important that it does than that your deck is a top contender. I refuse to play anything without Gengar SF in it. Its not that I’m just a stubborn deck builder, it’s that me and Gengar stick together. If you are most comfortable with Sablock, play it! This isn’t always the case, but if you stick to your best deck, you’ll most likely succeed.

So, synergy may not seem like a whole screaming deal, but I find it to be one of the most important parts of Pokémon. With the endless synergy out there, there are thousands of possibilities.

Reader Interactions

13 replies

  1. Sophie Grace Hirst

    This is a very uninteresting article; MtthwRddl is correct to highlight an imbalance in your focus. If I am being honest, I don’t really get your point about the lack of consensus regarding a definition of synergy, though this may prove, on my part, to be ignorant (I got bored very quickly reading this article).

    Broadly speaking, I have noticed a lack of quality in your articles. I appreciate your attempts at originality, but they just aren’t working. If you insist on creating an article that doesn’t add to existing knowledge in the metagame, it must be interesting. This, regrettably, was not.

  2. Matthew Riddle

    I would have liked less explanation of the technical term and more emphasis on how it applies to the pokemon tcg. Also, I wish you had more or better examples. I think we all know the winning decks have synergy. Maybe you could have spoken of past winning decks like LBS, or MetaNite, decks that may not be around in spirit anymore (s2-setup r.i.p) but could be used as a guide on finding the right partner for a player’s stage 2 focus.

  3. Anonymous

    Sorry genguy, but i’m going to have to agree with the majority here. You should have given many, many more examples. For example, Blastoise PL and Delcatty PL were practically printed together for a reason. Same goes with Ampharos PL and Manectric PL, Blastoise UL/Floatzel UL, Electrode Prime/twins, Donphan prime/Machamp prime, and billions of others that exist. Your focus was too far off of the pokemon franchise, and too far on the Merriam Webster franchise.

  4. Anonymous

    Thanks for writing articles for us Genguy. You do bring up a really important topic here. I recently have built and have been playing Charizard. That deck has the most synergy of anything I’ve played ever. No matter what card you play it benefits every other card in play. Likewise I’ve played decks where every card I’ve played was like shooting myself in the foot.

  5. Jak Stewart-Armstead

    Far too much copy/paste irrelevant filler. It’s an important topic with lots to write about. It shouldn’t need padding. That’s really not up to standard. Especially as the actually relevant stuff only got really brief explanations.

    The examples needed more explanation, and you needed more of them. It looked like you were struggling to think of things to say. There are waaaay better examples than Volbeat/Illumise that people actually use today. How about Toxitank? Gyarados/Regice/Junk Arm? Gigas/Mesprit????? You don’t even have to go into ancient uber-combo decks like LBS to make the point (though that would be interesting).

    Sorry to be negative. I was looking for something nice to say as well, but you didn’t make it easy for me. More research, less padding next time please.

  6. Jak Stewart-Armstead

    Far too much copy/paste irrelevant filler. It’s an important topic with lots to write about. It shouldn’t need padding. That’s really not up to standard. Especially as the actually relevant stuff only got really brief explanations.

    The examples needed more explanation, and you needed more of them. It looked like you were struggling to think of things to say. There are waaaay better examples than Volbeat/Illumise that people actually use today. How about Toxitank? Gyarados/Regice/Junk Arm? Gigas/Mesprit????? You don’t even have to go into ancient uber-combo decks like LBS to make the point (though that would be interesting).

    Sorry to be negative. I was looking for something nice to say as well, but you didn’t make it easy for me. More research, less padding next time please.

  7. Jonah Davids

    Gee guys, it may not be obvious, but this is targeted at newer players. I wasn’t planning on giving a lecture or anything, I imply wanted to give newer players a fee on what synergy is.

    • Anonymous  → Jonah

      I did see what you were trying to do there, but a beginner will probably not want to read the long block of text either. Most juniors and seniors, if they CAN understand it, will just TL;DR it. Masters that are new to the game probably have a pretty good idea of the textbook definition of synergy, which is why focusing upon synergy within the tcg itself would have been a better idea. I’m not saying this article was bad, not at all, but that the focus was a bit off.

    • Jak Stewart-Armstead  → Jonah

      But newer players are not well targeted by giving them a ton of irrelevant filler to wade through before they get to the meaningful bit.

      Newer players need GOOD examples, not just bad ones and they need MORE explanation of how things work, not less.

      You can’t use the ‘new player’ thing to justify poor content. They deserve better. It’s almost become a cliche to defend a bad article by saying ‘oh it’s for new players’ Exactly HOW does all that filler and really shallow analysis do anything for them?

  8. Jonah Davids

    Okay. I can see you guys didn’t like this article. You claim the information is not padded out enough, that the article is mainly filler, and that you basically hate it.

    If you don’t like my article, its fine. Some will benefit from this article. Some won’t.

  9. DrMime

    I’d like to see Pokemon based on Peter Gabriel, Foreigner, and Hall and Oates.

  10. Sergio Ortiz

    great grammar article,
    but really i didn’t get the point out of these
    maybe next time you should also add some conclusions or final touths

  11. Wesley Joubert

    Is it just a coincidence that I was reading this article and the ad at the top said synergy: just move your mouse from one computer to another?

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