The Fool (Intro)
Now I’m sure you know that, just like all the other writers, there’s much more to my life than Pokémon. However, did you know that Pokémon cards aren’t the only ones I enjoy?
(Hint: it isn’t Magic, Yu-Gi-Oh, Poker, or even those things they give you in Vegas…)
Tarot is, in fact, the only card game I truly consider my “other” alongside Pokémon. While I enjoy the latter for its rich strategy, collectability, and competitiveness, I also know how to do tarot readings, and I’m pretty good at it.
(It may not be my manliest hobby, but rest assured: my masculinity is completely intact.)
Anyways, in tarot readings, there are 22 major “trump” cards, and of those, there are two that stand above the rest when it comes to reading: the Fool and World cards. Generally, the Fool is where you are when you start out on your journey, while World signifies completion, as well as the end of an adventure or even era.
Now “Fool” may sound like a negative thing to say, but since the card signifies bravery, open-mindedness, and eagerness, it’s actually a card with some of the greatest potential for a good reading.
Now you guys aren’t paying membership to have your fortunes told, but I actually have a purpose here with this analogy. Whether you’re a Fool for this format (meant as a compliment) or at some other position, you need to have as complete an understanding of this format as possible, so that you can eventually reach the end – the “World” – of your competitive path.
In this article, I’m going to go over a few things. First, I will discuss my play-testing results, as well as several alternative stock lists for archetypes and rogues alike (“Hierophant”). Second, and perhaps most importantly, I will share some major observations about the HGSS-on format (“Hermit”). Finally, I will offer a few unusual tactics I have discovered in my many play-testing games to help offer an edge in some sight spots (“Star”).
So with all that in mind, let’s hop into the mess of things, shall we?
The Hierophant: Testing in HGSS
Aside from its most obvious connotations, the Hierophant card also relates heavily to fundamental forms of education and learning. In the case of a trading card game such as Pokémon, the first fundamental or a new format after having built a few decks is play-testing them!
Thus, you’re fulfilling the Hierophant every time you rush to Red Shark, Apprentice, or league to figure out the newest, best formulation of your deck. Below, I describe several of my testing experiences, with three in-depth Lostgar games.
EMBOAR/MAGNEZONE
This is the deck that everyone has been talking about, and since just about every other author has opined on it, it looks like this is the perfect time for me to finally offer my take on it. I’ve actually been testing myself, but for the most part, the list below has remained unchanged for some time.
