What’s new Pussy Cat woah woah woah woah

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBdSqk78nHw

So, it is officially coming. I know Worlds has just happened but seeing as I was rather jealous of people going and gutted that I was unable to attend, I’ve been preparing for Battle Roads. I will be at Worlds next year (hopefully as a competitor but I didn’t qualify this year so it would be folly to assume I automatically will next year) so I want to get as much of a jump on next season as I can.

That brings me to this article. There are a lot of important changes coming up; Beartic could be a force, Kyurem has me worried and Pokémon-EX could change everything (though we won’t know for a while) but it’s Pokémon Catcher I’m talking about today.

pokebeach.comThis WILL be a game changer and anyone who thinks differently may be mistaken. In the past I tried to be a rebel and not use Claydol or Uxie (I know!) but all it took was being smashed a few times by those cards and I realised that I had to run them. Similarly, there will be very few decks that don’t run Catcher and people who try and avoid it will change their minds when their benches get pulled apart a few times.

Until now (I’m talking the format up to Worlds) we’ve had a situation where pretty much everyone plays Pokémon Reversal and more than a few games are decided by who can hit heads on their reversals. Pokémon Catcher will take this luck element away by allowing you to switch your opponent’s active Pokémon with whichever of their bench you choose. No flip.

This means that anyone, at any time (unless you have Vileplume on the bench or Gothitelle active to block trainer-items) can pull up any of your benched Pokémon and either attack them or snipe around them. This means big Bench-sitters like Emboar, Magnezone and Typhlosion are far less safe than before.

Now, this will lead to some changes. Firstly, Switch will become a much better card, allowing you to bring your active Pokémon back without wasting energy (assuming it was not one-hit). I am not saying that decks such as Magneboar and Reshiphlosion will cease to be viable, I’m just saying that they’re more precarious, seeing the ease with which the support Pokémon can be made active.

I think the big change however is in which Pokémon will be the bestest and that’s where’s the focus of my article will be. In short, any Pokémon that can attack on T2 for a single energy, for 60 or more damage, will be fantastic when Catcher comes out.

pokebeach.com
Hasta la vista, baby.

Playing Magnezone / Yanmega? Just get rid of their Magnemites and leave them will only Yanmegas. Playing Reshiplosion? Just kill their Cyndaquils and leave them powering up Reshirams manually. When Catcher hits you will see a lot of games where a person sets up a Pokémon and sweeps. These are the Pokémon that will do that.

Now, I am taking a simplistic view here and I will talk below about ways around this and how more complicated decks such as Megajudge and Reshiphlosion will still be viable, but first I would like to examine the Pokémon which, in my opinion, will benefit most from Catcher.

Feel free to disagree with me and please tell me in the comments but also; please don’t just flame the article because you disagree with one of my points!

Donphan

I’m gonna try and be brief about this because I recently published a 6000 word article about this creature (although I have apparently been referred to as “the Donphan guy” which is pretty sweet). He hits for 60 for a single energy and is a Stage 1, which is phenomenal!

You should have a T2 Donphan and this means hitting for 60 every turn of the game. All you need to do is pick off benched Pokémon and make sure you choose the right ones to stop your opponent setting up.

The fact that he hits for a single energy and is a Stage 1 makes him possibly the easiest Pokémon to abuse Catcher with. Just make sure that you run Switch and a lot of PlusPowers. Also, if you run Donphan as a tech, do remember that he has a CCCC Retreat Cost and is a right pain to have stuck active.

Kingdra

pokebeach.comLike Donphan, Kingdra hits for 60 for a single energy but I like him less. Partly this is because he is a Stage 2 and thus, harder to get out consistently and on T2 but also it’s because if the opponent plays a Fire Pokémon then your base damage is 20, which is pants.

Kingdra should be awesome as it should counter many of the best attackers in this format but with it being effectively useless against Emboar, Reshiram and Typhlosion it basically leaves it just as a decent Donphan counter.

If your opponent isn’t playing Fire Pokémon and you can swarm them consistently then you can abuse Catcher just like Donphan does but, to be honest, this one is better as a tech. It does however an amazing Poké-Power “Spray Splash” which allows you to place a damage counter on any Pokémon once per turn.

Again, PlusPower is vital and again if you get going T2 then you can sweep nicely with Catcher but it will be more difficult.

Yanmega

Anyone heard of this one? He’s used a lot right now and this will continue. He is a Stage 1 who can hit for 70 for no energy. He also has free retreat and a resistance to Fighting (hello Donphan). Oh, and if you can’t find Pokémon Catcher he can still hit any of the bench for 40.

The problem with Yanmega is his inconsistency. Yanmega only hits for free if you can match your opponents hand size. Now I have played a LOT of games with Yanmega and a LOT of games against Yanmega (someone at my league began proxying him when he was first translated and still plays with him today) and I know that often this is not a problem. We have Copycat, we have Judge and often you won’t even need those. But I also know that it is not always possible.

If you play Yanmega you NEED to be able to match your opponents hand size and if you can’t then you give up a turn of attacking. Of course, this is why Yanmega is not played alone, he is played with Kingdra or Magnezone or Jumpluff or someone else entirely. Yanmega will still be awesome and will gain strength with Catcher (heck, he hits for more than Donphan or Kingdra) but do be aware of his problems.

Zekrom

pokebeach.comI think that, of all the attackers in the format, Zekrom gains the most from Catcher. Imagine this: You set up a Zekrom on T1 and hit for 120. You then have 40 damage on Zekrom and can “Outrage” for 60, the same as Donphan and Kingdra. While you take a few easy prizes you can charge up another Zekrom ready to hit for 120 when a bigger Pokémon comes out. Simples.

This gives Zekrom both a heavy hitting side and a way to abuse Catcher for easy, small kills. It means that anything with 70+ hp can just be caught with “Bolt Strike” and then Outrage takes the rest of them. If your opponent gets set up then Zekrom will still be vulnerable but being able to hit the bench with Catcher and usefully attack with Outrage makes this dragon a real beast.

Just make sure you have a VERY consistent list. There’s little room for techs with this one.

Cinccino

I read a while ago that Cinccino plus Catcher will be a genuine Tier 1 deck. I’m not sure about this now but I think Cinccino will be much better with Catcher. If you fill your bench and get 2 energy (ideally a DCE) attached by T2 then you’re hitting for a base of 100. Oh, and he’s a Stage 1. This makes him a much bigger hitter than Kingdra or Donphan and more consistently big hitting than Zekrom.

There are 2 main problems with Cinccino and that’s his fragility and the need for DCE. He has only 90HP and a weakness to Donphan and that means he will be killed frequently. He also really needs a DCE as attaching 2 energy will mean he can’t be powered up every turn. If you’re using him then you need Energy Exchanger to make sure you always have a DCE when you need it.

Cinccino is not perfect but he can hit hard and fast and with Catcher allowing you to choose your kill you can really do some early, consistent damage and sweep. It will win a lot of games but something tells me not enough to make it proper Tier 1, especially with the amount of Donphan I think we’ll see. He will survive a “Sonic Boom” though….

Now, I would like to just take a minute to point out 2 Pokémon that I believe will not gain much from Pokémon Catcher, though I have seen comments to the contrary.

Reshiram

pokebeach.comNow, I am NOT saying Reshiram is bad. Reshiphlosion is clearly one of the best decks around at the moment and I think Catcher will not change that. It will allow Reshiram to kill big Bench-sitters or maybe Outrage smaller Pokémon (although most top players will make sure to 1HKO Reshiram and hence eliminate the Outrage threat). Typhlosion also has only a CC Retreat Cost (manageable in a deck with decent energy acceleration) and an attack that is definitely worth using.

The reason that Reshiram will not gain too much is (ironically) the fact that he cannot damage himself which means he cannot abuse Outrage for easy bench kills. Sure you can choose your kill with Catcher but that means (often) burning 2 energies and relying on Typhlosion or Emboar to get him back on track and let’s not forget that these Bench-sitters will be vulnerable to Catcher.

If you can get a consistent T2 Typhlosion or Emboar you’ll be laughing, just make sure you have a very consistent list and make sure you pack Switch or people will Catcher them up and try and snipe around you (though this is a not such a problem with Typhlosion as he has a smaller Retreat Cost and a better attack).

Zoroark

Sure, Zoroark is a stage 1 who can attack for a DCE but his “Foul Play” depends purely on the Pokémon you’re facing. Of course this allows Zoroark to take out benched Emboars, RDLs, Magnezone etc but then your opponent is setting up good Pokémon. This article is about Pokémon that can attack cheaply and sweep without your opponent having a chance. Zoroark is not one of these Pokémon.

He will still be a useful tech but, to be honest, usually if your opponent has a good Pokémon that Zoroark would like to copy, he’ll be active and hence you won’t need Catcher. It also means (most of the time) that you’ve let your opponent set up a good pokemon.

So, what do we do about it?

Vileplume UDpokebeach.comI think the worst thing about Pokémon Catcher is that it forces you to have a very fast deck. Slower decks now are likely to see all their key Pokémon Catchered up and taken out before they get going. This does not mean no Stage 2s but it does mean having to prioritise consistency (more than usual) and less room for techs. If you run a Stage 2 then it must be going on T2.

I would also recommend playing more basics, i.e. 4 Yanma, 3 Yanmega. This means that when (and this is likely) one of them gets taken out it doesn’t harm your chances of getting your main attacker going. It may also be worth running revive for this same scenario.

If your deck is fast and consistent enough then Catcher will not faze you as much as most but if it’s not then you could be in a lot of trouble.

You could run Vileplume but it’s not as good as last season and needs an article itself if we want to fully explore it. It prevents Catcher but I’ve yet to see a top-tier Vileplume deck this season. It could change but I’m sceptical.

Edit: Rather than re-write this I’m gonna just point out that someone just got second at Worlds with a crazy Vileplume-centred deck. One-off from a fantastically inventive player or proof that Vileplume is here to ruin Catchers’ day? Time will tell.

P.S. I don’t like Gothitelle! (His attack is rubbish and swarming is difficult with a 3 energy attack and the need to be active to keep the lock on. Good HP and weakness though).

Is it a good thing?

pokebeach.comGiven that we have Pokémon Reversal then I think it must be a good thing. Now we know we can drag bench Pokémon up and hit them rather than relying on a flip. I think it’s a silly situation where a game can be decided on who hits heads on their Reversals. Now we know everyone is on an even footing, regardless of coin luck.

Personally though, I wish neither of them were legal. It means that Bench-sitters are too vulnerable, leading to fewer options and less creativity. This is not a good thing. As I mentioned above the format is moving toward fast hitters who can be swarmed. This is not as good as a situation where we can all be creative and make more elaborate, slow-burn decks (except, apparently, Ross Cawthon who just does anyway!).

As for the argument people are making that Pokémon Catcher will make it easier for bad players to beat good players, I disagree. Good players will make decks that set up fast enough to not be destroyed by Catcher and will prepare for Catcher.

Bad players will also not Catcher the best targets and hence will not make the most of it. I think Catcher will actually be of a greater benefit to the more skilled players, it gives back control that Pokémon Reversal took away.

Now, I’m not saying decks like Reshiphlosion and Reshiboar will no longer be viable, nor am I saying that the only option will be running Pokémon like Donphan and Cinccino. I merely want to share my thoughts and point out how I think the format will change because of Catcher. I see a change toward fast, smaller hitters who take out the bench before the opponent can get big hitters online. If you disagree, that’s what the comment section is for!

Reader Interactions

16 replies

  1. Anonymous

    I think that a straight Zekrom/Reshiram/Tornadus deck would be really interesting. You could play max Defenders, regular Potion, Catcher, Junk Arm, and Junk Arm. You could use Potion/Defender to control the damage on Reshiram/Zekrom and use Outrage to KO stuff. You could also manually build the energy from 120 by turn four.

    The deck would give up no easy prizes. It would hit hard in the late game. It could abuse Catcher. I think it has potential…

  2. tim h

    How to use catcher effectively:

    Go first, attach first, evolve first, use a supporter first, catcher first, disrupt first, KO first, get a head start in the prize race…

    • Anonymous  → tim

      how to counter:

      go second, start Reshiram, play down at least 2 Cyndaquil at a time (possibly even 3), use Twins, get turn two Typhlosion, evolve Cyndaquil into Quilava, sweep…

      You just need to play a 4-2-4 line with 3/4 Twins, and 4 Rare Candy.

      I honestly do not think that it makes Donphan overpowered, because it is capped at 90 damage and will most likely only be attacking for 60. Aside from taking that first easy prize it doesn’t hit hard enough. I honestly feel that Cinccino gains the most (although not enough to be legit tier 1). After Cinccino is Zekrom and Reshiram.

  3. Steven Nilsen

    Nice article.  I think you should had also mentioned Seeker along with Switch.  We’ll probably see a lot of Seeker, to remove catch-able babies (if they are even playable) on the defense and to DONK on offense.  

    That’s my prediction.  Expect to see a DONK deck, which, like it or not, makes the game a touch more interesting, if not infuriating.

  4. Anthony Smith

    What’s new Pussy Cat(cher) woah woah woah woah

    What’s new Pussy Cat(cher)

    Pussy Cat(cher)

    :^(

    • Ross Gilbert  → Anthony

      Hey, i think i know what you’re getting at. I promise it’s an unintended conincidence! I just thought it would be silly and fun to riff on an old song title.

      Sorry if anyone found it inappropriate! I’ll make sure i get a friend to vet my titles in future.

        • pokejav  → Anthony

          It sure was funny once you pointed it out. My innocent mind didn’t think about it, but once I did, it is VERY funny, IMO.

  5. Ben Bradly

    Great article, being a reshipholsion player, I am somewhat worried about catcher, but for now I don’t think it will be too much of a problem.

  6. Reigne Decolongon

    vileplume would be cool if you have a jumpacked supporters and stadiums otherwise you will just have to use your luck and the advantage of vileplume would be the opponents pokemon catcher it is a counter which is really good to prepare a stronger pokemon like reshiram or zekrom and if you have a LEGEND card you as well use zoraork and vileplume to to it when vileplume dies zoroark will take over and if you dont have a switch the opponent will do it for you with the pokemon catcher but that was a disavantage because of your opponent gets to chose which pokeon to switch so your bench must be full of strong pokemon and zoraork would also be an ultimate weapon for counter and prime or strong pokemon whikch you need zoroark quickly in play if you only have vileplume in play thats to bad but stoutland to be a revival material thats why you need to keep him alive by    switching or max potion and crushing hammer that would be nice for odor sleuth move will be a slight advantage for a strategy.

  7. Mariano Treviño

    I definetly think that Catcher IS a tide-turner whenever it appears. I mean, not only to troll at T1, but even when
    the oponent has all his/her techs on the bench, you can disrupt the game by simply getting rid of them. I believe is the most useful trainer of the current format… did I said too much? XD

    PS: Excellent artice btw! :D

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