Pichu (HeartGold & SoulSilver HS 28) – Card of the Day

Written by | June 10, 2011 | 26 comments | 1,199 views | Rating: +7

kn3ll_ here, feeling the hype from Nintendo’s E3 conference! Definitely check it out if you didn’t see it live.

After reading Mr. Herbot’s article on the Baby Pokemon this format, one in particular caught my attention: Pichu HS.

Pichu is a Basic Pokemon with 30 HP, no weakness, no retreat, and no resistance. Weird! 30 HP is terrible, but we’ll get around to that!

It’s Poke-Body, as you probably know, is “Sweet Sleeping Face”. When Pichu is asleep, it can’t be hurt by damage from attacks. That means it’s still vulnerable to some rarer threats in the format such as Crobat and Kingdra. But it doesn’t get any protection on the bench. Tough luck! But, let’s not get ahead of ourselves. How does Pichu fall asleep anyways?

For no energy, Pichu’s “Playground” will allow you and your opponent to search for as many Basic Pokemon as you like and put them on your bench, on the disadvantage that you put your Pokemon down first. It also puts Pichu asleep to activate his Poke-Body.

So, you can get you and your opponent a super Pokemon Collector. But it’s totally different. It plays from deck to Bench, which is why it caught my attention.

Pichu allows decks to get all the basics it needs, but puts Zekrom at a significant disadvantage, as Zekrom relies on putting cards from the hand to the Bench. It generally sets up a good match for both you and your opponent, a fair, fun battle for both of you.

However, Pichu is great only when one player has it. If both players run Pichu, Pichu becomes useless. I would not want to use Playground if my opponent had a Pichu. It’s just silly.

Pichu gets a 3/5 in my book as it makes for fun times and shuts down what I think to be the best deck in the format. It’s a great tool that will surely see some amount of play, especially decks that need Zekrom counters in terms of quick set-up.

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  • Anonymous

    It also really helps Jumpluff and Cinccino (especially Jumpluff) because it boosts their attacks right away. It also helps Jumpluff get it Sunfloras out really quickly to start searching for the deck’s Stage Ones and Stage Twos.

    • Anonymous

      but if you choose first and put down hoppip’s they will choose not to fill their bench up as its optional as to how many you take… but if you take cinccino they will fill their bench up as it doesnt matter, the best deck for pichu would be both cinccino and jumpluff in 1 deck to maximize effect as either way your good for big damage attacks for small energy costs (1 grass or DCE) shame cinccino isnt grass to make sunflora even more useful, and jumpluff resists cinccino’s biggest threat in donphan prime

    • Anonymous

      but if you choose first and put down hoppip’s they will choose not to fill their bench up as its optional as to how many you take… but if you take cinccino they will fill their bench up as it doesnt matter, the best deck for pichu would be both cinccino and jumpluff in 1 deck to maximize effect as either way your good for big damage attacks for small energy costs (1 grass or DCE) shame cinccino isnt grass to make sunflora even more useful, and jumpluff resists cinccino’s biggest threat in donphan prime

    • Anonymous

      i agree with DragonRite11
      i have a jumpluff deck and i run..very quick set for them

  • Anonymous

    I think pichu is great if you can get it out turn one. Since neither you nor your opponent can evolve on turn one, it isn’t too big of a deal if they get their basics out.

    If you have to use it turn two or later they can then evolve their basics which will put you behind.

    All in all it’s a good fun card everyone should probably mess around with a little to see if they like it.

  • Anonymous

    I like how it doesn’t say anything about not being able to search any more if your Bench is full, like a lot of other cards do. 10 benched Pokémon for Cin/Jumpluff anyone?

  • Anonymous

    I like how it doesn’t say anything about not being able to search any more if your Bench is full, like a lot of other cards do. 10 benched Pokémon for Cin/Jumpluff anyone?

  • Anonymous

    Dude, I really like you stuff, but I think respectfully disagree.

    It does not shut down Speed Zekrom. It says “may” search. The Zekrom player could simply decline. They could bring out one or five Basics. It does not really do anything negative to Speed Zekrom.

    As for every other deck, if the player using Pichu goes second you are helping out your opponent way more than yourself. All of those Basics brought out at the end of your first turn (the second turn of the game) can be immediately evolved on the opponents second turn (the third turn of the game). Thus, you have made it easier for them to set up on turn three.

    If this card already did not work in Jumpluff, I just do not see it taking off in the next format.

    I think it should be a 1 or 1.5.

    • http://twitter.com/mngf87 Martin Garcia

      Ii think you got it wrong there. If your opponent gets his basics on your turn, it doesnt not allow him/her to evolve their Pokemon, since its technically the first turn of those pokemon on the field. So you would still get the first evolution, IMO.

    • Anonymous

      Actually, I asked a judge about the ruling on this, and he said that if you use Playground, your opponent can’t evolve the pokemon they get from it right away, because it hasn’t been on the field for a turn yet. 

      As a side note, this card, while benefitting your opponent, in a deck like Cinccino, (where Pichu could be a decent play) you’ll be able to Reversal their unevolved basics up (with a degree of luck) since Cinccino should be running four Reversal and four Junk Arm, so the personal benefits can still outweigh those given to your opponent, if played in the correct deck.

      • Anonymous

        I believe that Judge was incorrect, with all due respect.

        That is only true if it is your very first turn of the game (because the rulebook says that you cannot evolve on your very first turn).

        Howere, if it is the 3rd turn of the game and your opponent just used Playground you can evolve. The rule says that the Pokemon must be in play from the beginning of your turn.

        http://pokegym.net/forums/showthread.php?t=148000

        That is a link explaining.

        If you use Pichu on the second turn of the game, you have definately given your opponent a head start/advantage.

      • Dave W

        Pokemon TCG Comprehensive Rules Page 10, 307.2e states, “A Pokemon may not be evolved unless it has been in play continuously since the start of its owner’s current turn.” So yeah, you can evolve if your opponent used Pichu the turn prior and it is not your Turn 1.

    • Anonymous

      I don’t think you understand. Even if Zekrom chose to play basics, it would do them no good because they rely on hand-to-bench powers to set up. It does not give Zekrom any siginificant advantage, while giving you an opportunity to prepare all the basics you need. The Zekrom player WILL decline, giving you another 1-5 basics while giving him… nothing!

      • Anonymous

        except for 3 more zekrom’s and magnemite’s or another basic of stage 2 (if they want any chance at late game they will run something besides zekrom and the mega magnet is the best choice as partner for zekrom), they dont get shaymin or pachirisu but they can get out as many of their main attacker as they want and neither cinc nor pluff can OHKO it without outside help ie. the almighty plus power

      • Anonymous

        If they put those down, there’s no space for the other necessary Pokemon. Think about it.

      • Anonymous

        i didnt mean fill the bench up with them, just as many as they want to keep a constant stream of zekroms and magnet draws available… 1 magnemite and 2 zekrom still leaves room for the pachirisu and shaymin

    • Anonymous

      yo..Dick move
      it could slow down zekrom.Because if i used it im pretty sure that your gonna wanna have pokemon to defend yourself
      If you know that im gonna get like 2hoppip 2sunkern, you thats going to be bad and yeah..

      • Anonymous

        Look, no reason to say “dick move.” Grow up child.

        You also did not prove me wrong. That does not slow Zekrom down. What you described is speeding yourself up. So, yes it may help you, but it does not hurt them. The Speed Zekrom player will simply go about his business and one-shot everything on your field. Sorry man, but Jumpluff and Cinccino just does not with hard enough. You (most likely) are not going to win an early game speed prize race with Zekrom. The beautiy of it is that you have to likely hit a triple PlusPower drop to get a OHKO. So, Zekrom can just sit back, absorb the blow, and return the damage with 20 tacked on.

        To me a 3 out of 5 means that this card will see moderate to significant play without being a liability. I just do not think that will happen. It already is not played in Jumpluff. If it does become popular, I will apologize.

  • Anonymous

    I run a cinncino jumpluff deck, and pichu is so helpful.  If they fill there bench you get hoppip, and if they don’t you get minncino.  They might have all the basics they need but you will be able to swarm which will really give them some trouble.

    • Anonymous

      You must put your basics out first. You do not get to react to what they are doing.

  • bjgames2011

    Yeah, the only deck that I would ever run a Pichu in is Jumpluff or Cinncino. Other then that it is near worthless.

    • Anonymous

      I disagree. I’ve been using Pichu in my LostGar build and have gotten some pretty good results. When you combo it with Ditto TM you start a good bench lock and can seeker up their basics later.

      • Anonymous

        how is it bench lock? they choose how many pokemon they take with pichu’s playground if any at all… ditto limits them to 4 but pichu is entirely optional

      • Joe Humphries

        its not a bench lock in regards to pichu, it just stops them playing an additional pokemon whilst in play,  theoretically meaning more in their hand.

  • Anonymous

    People need to stop bashing people who write these CoTD articles. They are good articles that people spent time on.

  • Anonymous

    nice love the analysis keep it up 
    check out legendpeice.blogspot.com