Card of the Day – Machamp Prime (Triumphant 95)

Written by | October 11, 2010 | 47 comments | 4,593 views | Rating: +2

No, you haven’t fallen into a wormhole that propelled you 3 months into the future, I am indeed reviewing a pretty interesting card from the upcoming Triumphant set, Machamp Prime.

Machamp Prime is a Stage 2 Pokemon with a very respectable 150 HP, the same as its Level Up form. It has a x2 weakness to Psychic, meaning that the usual Machamp SF counters will still hit you for weakness. It has a disappointing, but expected retreat cost of 3.

Machamp SF was known as the “SP” killer due to it’s “Take Out” attack that can knock out any Basic Pokemon. Take Out gained even more strength when Unown G, the only thing that can protect a basic from it, was rotated out of the format.

The thing that is stopping Machamp SF from becoming a Tier 1 Deck is the fact that it has very poor match up vs VileGar and other non-SP decks. However, Machamp Prime may be able to change that.

Machamp’s Poke-Power, “Fighting Tag” lets you move all Fighting energy attached to your active Pokemon to Machamp. Then, you switch Machamp with your active Pokemon. This is a very potent Poke-Power because it can be very useful for saving your Pokemon from being KOed.

Its first attack, “Crushing Punch,” does 60 for FCC and also discards a special energy card attached to the defending Pokemon. 60 for 3 is extremely low damage in today’s Format, but its effect helps make up for that. In the current modified format, special energies are very common, so being able to discard them will be very helpful. Call, Warp, Double Colorless, SP Energy, Rainbow and the upcoming Rescue Energy are all cards that will be Crushing Punch food.

Machamp’s second attack, “Champ Buster,” for the huge cost of FFCC does 100 damage plus an additional 10 for each damaged Pokemon on your bench. This attack maxes out at a massive 150 damage, but on average you’ll be doing about 120, which for 4 Energies, is good, but just too slow for the format.

However, one huge thing for Machamp is that both Crushing Punch and Champ Buster can abuse Double Colorless Energy, which means that Machamp Prime can be swinging at turn two.

I think that Machamp Prime will be able to give Machamp decks the power it needs to be able to face all decks in the format. Also, one other thing to note is that the typical Machamp SF counter in SP decks is to use Lucario GL with Uxie LV.X or with Toxicroak and Skuntank. None of those counters will be able to OHKO Machamp Prime, as they won’t reach 150 damage, it’ll take 2-3 “Flash Bites.”

I think that running 2 Machamp SF and 2 Machamp Prime would be a good balance and would allow the deck to do well against SP and still be able to combat other decks such as VileGar.

Rating 4.5/5 (I think this card can make Machamp decks a tier 1 or tier 2 deck.)

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  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Anthony-Desiata/100001090365250 Anthony Desiata

    in my own opinion it gets a 3/5 yes he is strong yes he can be paired well with some things (insert card here)
    but we still don’t know the full format yet and they haven’t even given us a distinct set list so i think its too soon to say so and so is gonna be (insert blabber about BDIF here)

    • http://www.youtube.com/user/pgmcsskater pgmcsskater

      Now that i think about the cards that are coming out in triumphant… I think the meta will stay the same. Lost Gar will suck in a 60 card format.. it wont be as consistant as in the 30 card Japanese format.

      • Anonymous

        I might have to disagree. Gengar Prime is good here because of twins and the fact that very few decks can kill a 130 HP pokemon in one hit. It will take usually two hits, which means you took probably 2 or more pokemon to the lost zone which essentially taking 2 prizes. (With hunter there is no hiding….lol). In fact the only two decks I know that can OHKO are Tyranitar, which as a deck is ok and vilegar. And also you can easily turn it into a supporter based deck, so not even trainer lock hits it that hard (or even add a trainer lock of your own).

      • http://www.youtube.com/user/pgmcsskater pgmcsskater

        with hunter there is hiding.. its called “old amber” all you have to do is tech one in and youre set. I highly doubt gengar with run trainer lock because it needs to set up quickly and to start lost zoning early. Also Gengar Prime doesnt hit hard enough. SP will only need to tech in weavile g to 1 shot Gengar prime, and VileGar will be good on its own.

  • Anonymous

    open your eyes to the sunshine man, combine it with donphan prime and regice/Regirock and your swinging for 150 and can discard your trainers.

    • Anonymous

      Exactly. The first time I read Machamp prime, Donphan came to mind.

      • Anonymous

        Me too. It’s a great card. Donphan damages the bench and builds up towards Heavy Impact, then you drop the Machamp Prime to move those energys, throw DCE on, and swing for 150.

      • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_7RI3R7YN4GXE4Z7N53MHNEZF7E Dakota Streck

        If you do that strategy, you’d only do 140 unless if you get the active Donphan damaged.

      • http://www.facebook.com/people/Martin-Garcia/676689170 Martin Garcia

        Maybe, but i dont think dealing 140 for 4 energy is bad either, and we still haven’t added expert belt to the math.
        Im not a champ fan, but this one might be actually useful.

      • Anonymous

        i say unown p for +10.

      • Rocket Prof

        if you opt for rainbow energy it doesn’t have the potential to get p sprayed and you can splash a tech in there like umbreon or something else that only takes one energy…

      • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_7RI3R7YN4GXE4Z7N53MHNEZF7E Dakota Streck

        Probably won’t do that, because if I start with Eevee, it’ll make the match up a lot harder because it’ll be impossible to Ripple Swell.

      • Rocket Prof

        did i miss something… ? Where did Ripple Swell Come in… this is Machamp P right?

      • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_7RI3R7YN4GXE4Z7N53MHNEZF7E Dakota Streck

        Yup, I’m glad you see that too.

      • 2decktom

        Totally agree with you guys.

      • Anonymous

        Me too. It’s a great card. Donphan damages the bench and builds up towards Heavy Impact, then you drop the Machamp Prime to move those energys, throw DCE on, and swing for 150.

    • Rocket Prof

      the pokemon i was looking run in this deck were maybe a 3-3 donphan, a 4-3-2 prime/2SF for champ, 1 regice, 1 regirock, 1 azelf, 1 relicanth and a 2-1 uxie x

      • Anonymous

        what about the x or the tu basic machamp? They both work.

  • Anonymous

    I really like using Machamp and was hoping that Machamp prime would make a straight Machamp deck really playable.
    However, I don’t think it does. Even if you go 2-2 SF and Triumphant, you really can’t do more then 60 unless you get four energy on Machamp Prime. Usually you do 60 for a DCE on Machamp SF with Hurricane Punch, so you gain nothing there.
    If you are thinking about using Champ Buster, I don’t see that adding much either. If you could get 4 on Machamp SF you were usually doing 100+ because of Rage, if you lived that long.

    Playing this with Donphan is the obvious matchup here and seeing how many people were already running Machamp with Donphan, this would fit right in. It will probably make a nice deck, but still I wish it was more usable with just Machamp SF.

    • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_7RI3R7YN4GXE4Z7N53MHNEZF7E Dakota Streck

      I disagree with you, this makes Machamp much more playable. I don’t think it’s the next LuxChomp, but becoming a Tier 2 deck wouldn’t be difficult for it. Plus, if you put it with Donphan, you will have a better Trainer Lock match up. Lastly, Crushing Punch is better via hurricane punch because, even though it costs 1 more energy, it is better for multiple reasons:
      It’s easier to get Machamp Prime powered up.
      It’s not flippy.
      It discards special energies, so it’ll slow your opponent down a bit, especially if they run a heavy special energy lineup.

      btw, njpokedad, I’m not targeting you with this, kinda responding to everyone.

      • Anonymous

        Dakota, I don’t disagree with anything you are saying. However, the thing is that Machamp is already a tier 2 deck. It easily beats SP and can donk anything if lucky enough. What am I saying is Machamp prime doesn’t make it any better. From what I can tell it remains as good as it already is. When playing stage two decks like Kingra, Gyarados and Vilegar it will still have a ton of problems. Machamp prime may actually be worse. At least with SF you can attack for 40 with 1 energy. Then 60 for two. Prime cannot attack till it has three and thats only for 60. Those decks don’t run many Special energy cards either. Maybe you will be able to get Champ SF out and attack a turn or two then move the energy to Machamp prime, however it will slow the deck down alot. You will lose 2 Machamps SF, 2 Primes and more energy. The one good thing is you probably won’t need the lvl x anymore. I do see this working very well with Donphan though. Well enough to creep towards top tier, still will not be top tier until SP is gone, but then we lose SF anyway.

      • Anonymous

        dce is calling.

  • Anonymous

    VileGar still pummels this deck, especially now that it’s x2 weakness, not +30. That means it needs only 3x T/S/S to OHKO

    • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_7RI3R7YN4GXE4Z7N53MHNEZF7E Dakota Streck

      Like the others are saying, putting it with Regice/Regirock, you’d be able to get rid of them.

    • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_7RI3R7YN4GXE4Z7N53MHNEZF7E Dakota Streck

      Like the others are saying, putting it with Regice/Regirock, you’d be able to get rid of them.

    • Anonymous

      Very few decks can beat every deck. Machamp alone will autoloss to Vilegar. With Donphan though, it may stand a chance. Especially if triumphant delivers us something to get around Feinting Spell.

      Right now I am trying Azelf X with my Machamp deck, since I run Azelf anyway.

      • Anonymous

        azelf only works on psy types, but exploud sv works.

      • http://www.facebook.com/people/Austin-Mitchell/100001472467418 Austin Mitchell

        I think he means Azelf X is to knock out Gengar.

      • Anonymous

        Exactly

      • Anonymous

        didn’t mean to offend. i don’t believe triumphant has anything to counter feinting Spell, but it does have some incredible cards that will certainly change the meta game. Even the Magnezone Prime gets me excited.

      • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_7RI3R7YN4GXE4Z7N53MHNEZF7E Dakota Streck

        I know there are some good cards, but which in particular are you referring to?

        I know Rescue Energy, Junk Arm and that’s about it.

        lol, thanks

      • http://www.facebook.com/people/Martin-Garcia/676689170 Martin Garcia

        there is also the twins supporter, blackbelt, the lost world, gengar prime, and i think im still missing one more, but cant remember.

      • Anonymous

        Gengar primes, twins, hunter, palkia/Dialga Legend, Lost World Stadium…….

      • Anonymous

        Spiritomb, yanmega prime, solrock, celebi prime, magnezone prime, nidoking, mew prime and even lost remover can be good in certain occasions

      • Anonymous

        I wasn’t offended. Did I sound that way. I’m sorry. I was just agreeing with you.

      • Anonymous

        Doesn’t work Azlef only protects Psychic Pokemon

      • Anonymous

        Tech in 1 Ditto La and 1 Psychic Energy!! Works like a charm! ( see The Ditto Trick in the 6P archives)

    • http://www.facebook.com/bmhill2 Brent M. Hill

      Tech in an umbreon from undaunted and your good to go.

      • Anonymous

        That’s what Relicanth SV is for…..

  • http://www.facebook.com/VileplumeL0ck Nick McKinney

    I think a Machamp Prime/Ursaring Prime deck would be interesting. Use Unown P/Rainbow Energies, and you have two heavy hitters that can abuse Double Colorless energy.

    • Rocket Prof

      not a bad idea, but i tested with UrsaringP and the 3 energy cost for the first attack and 4 for the second attack is just too expensive to make it competitive… i’m not trying to discourage you from your deck idea, so prove me wrong! i’d love to see ursa have a good build!!

      • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_7RI3R7YN4GXE4Z7N53MHNEZF7E Dakota Streck

        One good thing, though is that it can use DCE, so each attack can be used 1-2 turns faster.

      • Rocket Prof

        yeah, the only unfortunate thing about that is that there isn’t a cheaper attack to use to bide your time until you can use a bigger attack… and using memory berry nixes the chance of using an ebelt

      • http://www.facebook.com/bmhill2 Brent M. Hill

        Unown P or Rainbow energy is a better option than a memory berry ursaring. Also Dialga G Lv X will turn off that body. Plus 110 is a bit low for a pokemon that needs damage to work effectively, so an e-belt is a must. I think a good idea would be 3 Machamp SF 1 Machamp Prime and 2 Ursaring Prime with unown P or rainbow energy, possibly a mix of both. And if all else fails Leafeon Lv. X to get those energies attached.

  • Anonymous

    Perfect for Machamp/Donphan. Senario:

    • Anonymous

      Oops! Forgot the rest of the post. Like I was Saying:
      Damaged Belted Donphan was dealing 110 with his Heavy Impact attack. Because he’s belted, you don’t want to loose 2 prizes, but you don’t have energy, warp point, switch, SSU, etc.. to retreat him. So just use Machamp’s Power Fighting Tag to :
      a. Retreat Donphan (For Free)
      b. Load up Machamp with 3 energies
      c. Get in a fresh attacker to attack with Champ Buster or Crushing Blow
      You have yourself a nice working deck!!!

      • Anonymous

        I love this idea! I thought about this and told people at my league about the idea. They think that it would be too slow. BOGOS! Donphan, slow thats just crazy!