Buck’s Training (Legends Awakened LA 130) – Card of the Day

pokebeach.comEveryone knows the magic number in the MD-on format. The number is 110, the typical amount of HP for a Pokémon SP LV.X. However, most HGSS-on pokemon cap their damage at 100. The solution? Expert Belt. But there’s always been another solution: Buck’s Training.

Buck’s Training is a Supporter. Of course, it’ll have to be good enough to justify it’s use versus another Supporter. Buck’s has two effects, so let’s cover one at a time.

“Draw 2 cards.” I know you’re groaning because it’s a Bill clone. But Bill is only a bad card because better alternatives like Engineer’s Adjustments exist, and this is a better alternative.

“As long as Buck’s Training is next to your Active Pokémon, each of your Active Pokémon’s attacks does 10 more damage.” (It says something else, but it was errata’d.) This is where things become interesting. Cards inflicting 100 damage, such as Steelix, Blastoise, Wailord, or Magnezone, can now do the extra 10 damage without sacrificing that extra prize when Knocked Out.

Although not an extremely efficient draw engine, it comes at less of a cost than Engineer’s Adjustments, provides more of a benefit than Bill, and is more flexible than PlusPower. It’s a unique combination of effects that may prove worth using.

A problem with Buck’s Training also lies in its effect: It doesn’t work well when fished out by Sableye or when copied by Jirachi. It can’t be used if you can’t draw the cards, so it won’t win you the game if you’re in danger of decking out. It can be searched for with Cyrus’, but it’s not great in SP decks like it is when countering them.

I’ll give Buck’s Training a 1.5/5. Buck’s isn’t easily searched for, so there’s no guarantee you’ll have it when you’ll need it. Drawing 2 cards isn’t enough to call it great. It’s hardly better than PlusPower, seeing as how while you can’t use PlusPower under Trainer Lock, you can only use one Buck’s per turn. However, it still may find a niche in decks like Steelix that can utilize indiscriminate draw power and may have trouble 1-shotting Pokémon SP.

Reader Interactions

3 replies

  1. Anonymous

    I would’ve rated it at least a 2 out of 5, but other than that, this is a great article! It sucks that he’s being rotated in July. :(

  2. Grady

    wait a minute… will this card still add damage after the new rules on supporters go into effect? because it says that “as long as this card is next to your active pokemon.” wouldnt it get discarded right away with the new rules?

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