For today’s review, we’ll be taking a look at Pokemon Collector, which was released in HeartGold & SoulSilver. Pokemon Collector is a Supporter card, which means it escapes Trainer Lock, but is restricted to one per turn. I try not to go too into detail on the pros/cons of Supporter cards every time I review one. Instead, I just make sure to lightly tread the facts to keep them fresh in your mind.
When you use Pokemon Collector, you may search your deck for up to three Basic Pokemon and add them to your hand. The second I read this card, it reminded me of Holon’s Mentor, which had an identical effect but it required you to discard a card from your hand.
Just like Holon’s Mentor was massively played in its respective format, it isn’t rocket science as to why Pokemon Collector sees such heavy play in today’s meta game. Every deck, whether it be SP, Machamp, VileGar, Magnezone, Gyarados needs Basic Pokemon to help set up. Since Roseanne’s Research was rotated out, Pokemon Collector is too good to pass up in 99% of the decks you construct (I have seen some a couple of rogue decks that can function on 4 Call Energy).
Writing this article, I’m thinking of all the cards that combine well with Pokemon Collector, but there are two that I believe to be the most prominent in the format, Pokemon Communication and Unown R.
Early game, have a Collector is your starting hand is really good, but often it can be much less useful late game, when you’re already set up and just looking for that key Level Up or Stage 2 to stay in the game. That’s where Pokemon Communication comes in.
(No longer legal.)
Being an almost identical reprint of Pokemon Trader (effect is essentially the same, but worded differently), Pokemon Communication allows you to return a Pokemon in your hand to your deck to pick out any Pokemon in your deck you like and add it to your hand.
Instead of a Pokemon Collector being useful only to search out Uxie late game, it can now be played in higher counts without as much fear of clogging up your hand later in the game. A cards that can give another card a second lease on life definitely deserves a second look.
The second card that goes well with Pokemon Collector, although not as well as Pokemon Communication does, is Unown R. Unown R is a very underused card that can be great at making use of Collectors late game. If you don’t have any useful Basic Pokemon to search for, sniffing out three Unown R’s can be a great way to access draw power during any stage of the game.
My Recommendation: Play it. LuxChomp, DialgaChomp, Garchomp SV, Machamp, Scizor/Cherrim. Heck, if you play Yu-Gi-Oh!, try to talk your local judge into letting you throw a few into your deck.
My Rating: 4.5/5 (The current Modified Format we play in is widely considered to fastest and most powerful that has ever been seen in the game. Pokemon Collector is a staple in the format, it’s gotta be good)
