Okay, this is my first article… now that that’s out of the way, let’s begin:
The latest TCG set has come out, and it seems pretty balanced. Notably, it includes several Legendary Pokémon. Much like the Greek deities of old, these powerful Pokémon of myth can wreak destruction. The question is, which ones have the power of Zeus, and which ones fall in the Aphrodite and Dionysus category? Today, we’ll be looking at the Pokémon pantheon from BW3 and determining which cards may help players achieve victory.
Virizion
We’ve got a Grass type with a good 110 HP and a nice retreat of one. Of course, Grass isn’t too great of a type with Reshiphlosions and Magneboars blasting fire everywhere. Double Draw looks like something a Basic Common would have. However, its second attack is worth a look. 40 for two isn’t too good, but when it becomes 80 for two after its first use, Virizion is actually looking pretty good.
However, there doesn’t really seem to be any need for a card like Virizion in the metagame at the moment. Perhaps as an addition to MewBox decks, since the two energy cost is already covered by Mew Prime, and the deck uses Grass energy? It looks like Virizion is going to have to wait on the sidelines while his brothers rock the metagame (but more on that later).
FlipTini
Most of Victini’s stats are forgettable, and his attack is bleah. Victory Star is a great ability that could have Victini find itself in decks that use many coin flips during attacks. The problem? Well, actually, there’s two.
First, Victini has a shaky 60 HP, so he is susceptible to Catcher Prizes. Second, nobody really uses decks that have attackers that rely on coin flips. However, the fact that the word “coins” is plural makes Victini somewhat more playable. Flip-a-coin-until-you-get-tails/multi-flip attacks (Vanilluxe?) are twice as likely to hit for massive damage due to this ability, as you can stop at any time and start over. Sharpedo may find space for this card, but even with Victini, the odds of successfully killing your opponent’s hand are low.
BenchTini
While Victini does not have great HP, he has better HP than its other two forms… but only by 10 points. He still has a decent retreat of one. Fire is an OK type, but this card can at least be charged by Emboar and Typhlosion Prime. “V-Create” can be considered another form of “Do the Wave.” In fact, let’s compare the two:
Do the Wave:
- Can be used even if you don’t have the necessary amount of Benched Pokémon
- Can be charged with DCE
V-Create:
- Can do 100 damage with one less Benched Pokémon
- Is on a Basic
- The Pokémon has 30 more HP
I’d say that the two are roughly as good, but depending on the deck, one may be more useful than the other. One major problem is that Victini cannot do anything if you don’t have at least four Benched Pokémon. So, this card is very situational. However, this + Pichu in Magneboar may be fun, because Pichu can search out many Benched Pokémon, preparing “V-Create.”
Kyurem
Kyurem is exactly the same as his counterparts, Reshiram and Zekrom (who have had a major impact on the metagame) except for his second attack and typing. Water is looking good right now, with Donphan, Typhlosion, and Reshiram running around. Water with Metal weakness is especially good, as few Metal types are being played right now (though that is likely to change soon).
Glaciate isn’t the greatest thing in the world, as 30 damage isn’t much. However, when your opponent has many Pokémon out (think Cinccino), the effect can be devastating, especially since 30 damage is just enough to OHKO a Baby.
Jirachi can devolve many of your opponent’s Pokémon at once, which, paired with Kyurem, can cripple your opponent’s strategy, as the lower HP Basics may not be able to bear the damage of their evolved forms. Kyurem is a fairly situational card due to his second attack, and it may see some play, perhaps only for its type paired with Outrage (as an alternative to the other dragons).
Right now, this card is on the hype train. Whether it will run out of coal, or whether it will plow right through the metagame, only time will tell.
CheapTini
The reason I call this card CheapTini is because his attack is like a cheap trick. It is either broken or useless (though another name may be ViConstipated, if you look at the picture :P). Psychic is a mediocre type, but pretty bad for this card, as it already does high damage, so it doesn’t need type effectiveness much. Similarly, his weakness isn’t that important, as Victini will probably be OHKOed anyway. If you don’t like bad coin flips, avoid this card at all costs.
Despite its synergy with FlipTini, the card is still very risky. However, 120 damage for one energy is beyond phenomenal. This is mostly the kind of card you’d throw in a Psychic deck just for the heck of it. Even though CheapTini will probably not be used much, don’t be surprised if he shows up in some Gothitelle decks.
Terrakion
I’ve always thought this guy was the coolest of the ‘ions. That menacing grin, combined with the horns and bulkiness looks super cool. Anyway, let’s see if this card lives up to its looks. This Pokémon has a rock-solid 130 HP, but a hefty retreat of four. Grass weakness isn’t so bad, as Grass decks aren’t used much.
Land Crush is a vanilla attack, doing 90 for three. Where have we seen that before? …That’s right! Donphan Prime! Donphan Prime’s second attack isn’t used much, though. Retaliate also does 90 damage, and for one less energy. The catch? You have to have lost a Pokémon last turn. Terrakion may be a decent Revenge-KOer, but Bouffalant is better because he has a lower retreat and can be charged with DCE (though it does have 40 less HP). Terrakion may see some play, but he won’t break the metagame.
Landorus
110 HP and one retreat… sounds great so far. Resistance to Electric is handy, as it saves the Pokémon from being OHKOed by Zekrom’s “Bolt Strike.” Water weakness isn’t too bad either. Now let’s look at its attacks. “Abundant Harvest” is a kinda crummy attack, as it does no damage but charges Landorus up. OK, but not great.
However, it does allow a T2 “Gaia Hammer.” In my opinion, this card isn’t half bad. It OHKOs Magnezone Prime and Cinccino, and in the case of the latter, it does 10 damage to each of those Benched Pokémon that were played for “Do the Wave.” Need to protect your own Bench? Try Eviolite (if the Pokémon you’re trying to protect are Basics). 80 for three isn’t too bad, especially with the potentially great side effect. Just watch out! Under some conditions, this card may do more harm than good, especially if an enemy Yanmega Prime is looking for some targets to pick off.
Cobalion
This card is a fairly popular card in Japan (see Esa Juntunen’s Eye on Japan article), but why? Let’s find out! 120 HP and two retreat – not too shabby. Resistance to Psychic is nice, but a Weakness to Fire is kinda nasty. “Energy Press” does 20 damage for two, but 20 more for each energy on the Defending Pokémon.
This means that a fully charged Kyurem is OHKOed. This means that a Beartic charged for “Sheer Cold” is OHKOed. This means that Mew Prime is OHKOed (assuming that a Grass and a Psychic are attached and that no Eviolite is attached).
Then, of course, there is… “Iron Breaker.” When I first saw this attack, I thought the card was broken. It may not be quite broken, but it is still extremely good. This attack not only does a pretty good amount of damage, but it prevents the opponent from attacking. Let me repeat that: it prevents the opponent from attacking.
Once more – … never mind. Beartic has such an attack too, but the attack does 30 less damage, and Beartic has worse stats overall. Cobalion may become especially popular when Mewtwo EX is released (due to the resistance and effect that hinder Mewtwo EX).
Now for the ranking (which I listed next to the Greek god that corresponds in power):
8 Virizion – Aphrodite
These two pretty much just stand aside and smile, and probably get hurt if they try to battle.
7 CheapTini – Ares
Both of these do some damage, but are unpredictable. Victini is easily KOed, and Ares often whined a lot about relatively minor injuries.
6 FlipTini – Hera
Neither participates in the action too much. FlipTini relies on a poor strategy (coin flips), and is overall not that useful.
5 BenchTini – Hephaestus
Both are fiery and cool, but both have also been crippled by an outside source. Hephaestus was thrown from Olympus by Zeus, and BenchTini is overshadowed by Cinccino, who seems to be the play for most decks (Stage 1s doesn’t use Fire energy). Still, fire is a really cool thing to have control over.
4 Landorus – Athena
These two kind of spread things around and attack sometimes through strategy. However, both are powerful warriors, if not the most powerful.
Now for the Big Three.
3 Terrakion – Poseidon
Both have raw power, but both just don’t quite cut it as “most powerful.”
2 Kyurem – Hades
Kyurem and Hades kind of sit on the sidelines and grin – not uselessly like Virizion and Aphrodite – but silently weakening the foe until he or she is destroyed. There is a reason why the Ancient Greeks were afraid to say Hades’s name – they worried that he would notice them.
1 Cobalion – Zeus
I bet you knew this was coming. These two are powerful, but they can also paralyze the opponent, with lightning, a terrifying appearance, or a Breaker (whatever that is).
I think that pretty much sums it up. Good luck at your next tournament, and watch out for Zeu – er – Cobalion!
