We’re still a few weeks away from the beginning of State Championships and Next Destinies has been on the street since early February. We know exactly what card pool we’re working with going to go into States with and everybody is throwing deck ideas around. As I’m typing this, school has been really stressing me out lately, so I can’t begin to tell you how excited I was to get my hands on these new cards and get to some serious testing.
I don’t want to go too far out on limb here, but I’m expecting to see one of the most open metagames we have seen at the States level in a few years. In my last article I touched on some deck and ideas I was hoping to test, but sadly I was off in some of my predictions on what cards would be in Next Destinies. So I’ve had to rebuild, refocus, and retool different decks and ideas which I’ll talk about later in this article.
Starting out, I just wanted to give a quick rundown on some of my “highlights” and “lowlights” of Next Destinies (NXD). When I look the spoilers, I usually decide on what I want to preorder from the set. Or, if I feel the set is going to dramatically make an already existing card/s better, if I should try to buy/trade for them. This is a lot like playing the stock market; over time I’ve had some big wins and some big losses, but I’ve covered this far more in-depth in previous articles so I’ll digress.
Anyways, in this case I’m casting a very narrow net, and really only looking for good deals and great buys (hence why I didn’t purchase $65 Mewtwo EXs). When I’m reviewing a set however, I cast a much wider net while trying to stay realistic at the same time. This really just comes from a lot of experience and something nobody is perfect at. I’ve certainly underestimated really good cards in the past (Chandelure NVI) and wasted plenty of time testing subpar decks (Lostgar).
When it comes to doing this for articles I try and talk about everything that I think has potential, but at the same time being realistic to the readers. If something has potential I’m going to say it, but I won’t overhype or oversell you on the card either. I know most of the other writers have given their views on the set, but we all have some different ideas on what think is going to make an impact.
Next Destinies Set Review
Amoonguss NXD: My first thoughts went right to using it with Leafeon UD, but I quickly realized how Roserade UL was just overall better. Having the option to reuse Roserade’s Ability every turn, combined with its superior, somewhat solid late game attack means that Amoonguss will be lucky to find a spot in your binder rather than a shoebox. It’s actually kind of cool though to see what started out as Pooka’s “bad deck” has almost made it to the competitive level.
The deck has potential (1 Colorless for 100-150 damage) and it really just needs something small to push it into the mainstream, but it certainly wasn’t this set. I don’t ever believe that it’s going to be Tier 1 nor am I trying to tout it as such, but it would be nice for it to occasionally pop up on the tournament scene.
Chandelure NXD 20: This card really brings a lot to the already popular deck and I expect most variations to go with a 3-1 split (3 Psychic, 1 Fire). What the new Chandelure does is essentially spread 90 damage on the board for a single Fire Energy, and in combination with the Ability of the Psychic Chandelure, it makes setting up KOs relatively easy. It brings a new type to the deck (Fire), which slightly improves your very poor Durant match up.
It also helps you type match as well as cover your weaknesses (though Darkness is hardly popular). Lastly it provides you with a heavy hitter 80 damage (with a coin flip for 100) for 2 energy is really good especially in conjunction with the Psychic one to take down big threats.
Even with all the benefits this Chandelure brings to the table, it also brings some downsides. The biggest one is Rainbow Energy; you just simply can’t get around not playing 3-4 Rainbows in the deck. The damage cap has certainly been raised and while 120 damage is no longer the only “danger zone,” it is still there. While this really doesn’t negatively affect the Fire Chandelure it does drop the Psychic one right back into that danger range.
Looking at Litwick NXD and Lampent NXD, they are all around subpar to the Promo Litwick and Lampent NVI. I’ll share my list and talk about the deck more in depth a little later in the article.
Gardevoir NXD: The Next Destinies Gardevoir might not be same format dominating Gardevoir we had back in Secret Wonders, but I am excited about the numerous possibilities this Gardevoir brings to the table, both now and in the future. Energy acceleration as always been a winning strategy and it just comes down to what to pair it with.
The two biggest partners right now are Gardevoir/Mewtwo EX and Gardevoir/Gothitelle. Later in the article, I’ll talk about a hybrid version of both decks that I’m testing.
Musharna NXD: When my brother and I were talking about the new set, he made the comment “What makes Musharna so good?” We already have Noctowl HS which has a better attack and retreat cost and that card see next to no play.” This really made me question whether Musharna is that good, or do I like it because it’s new?
The answer: the difference between 1 card and 2 is simply huge, and in many situations making sure you’re not sticking another dead card in your hand especially big if your trying to setup a good Tropical Beach draw.
The horrible retreat cost mean that it’s going to be little more than Pokémon Catcher bait in any deck that doesn’t run Vileplume. This card is by no means a replacement for Tropical Beach, but the draw power this card provides makes it possible to play Vileplume based decks without it.
… then I realized I completely read this card wrong and I thought it had a Uxie LV.X “Trade Off” or “Pokedex” ability where one card went into the hand and the other went on the bottom of the deck. I decided to leave the original review just to show how big of a difference there is between the 2nd card going on top and going to the bottom. The card went from an 8/10 in my book to a 5/10 or 6/10.
Just because I’m putting the worse of the 2 cards back on top of my deck doesn’t make the card useless, however, because each turn you are getting to look at 2 new cards. Then depending on your hand you can play a Supporter that let’s you shuffle (like N or Collector) to rearrange my deck to get rid of the “bad” card.
Lucario NXD: Better HP, Ability, and higher damaging attack than it near identical Diamond and Pearl counter-part, Lucario DP (which was in the spotlight for a good 6 months back in 2007/2008)… but it will probably never see competitive play nowadays. I mention it only to show an example of the ominous power creep.
Shiftry NXD: Really cool Ability, but that’s not enough to make up for its bad weakness, low HP, and horrible attack. Shiftry falls perfectly into my category of “I wish a better card had this Ability.”
Cinccino NXD: Even when this card gets swinging, 100 damage a turn just isn’t as impressive as it used to be. To go along with this, despite its great Ability, 90 HP is just too vulnerable and 3 Colorless for 100 is just too low to have this card see any serious play. I would have loved to see this Ability on something a bit more durable like Regigigas EX.
Cilan: It does a great job doing what it’s supposed to do and is certainly a step up from Interviewer’s Question. The fact that only Emboar BLW 20, Feraligatr Prime, and possibly Celebi Prime based decks can advantage of it means it won’t see a lot of play though.
Skyarrow Bridge: The only real serious combo I see with this card now is Celebi Prime, but it’s definitely a card to keep an eye on as we get new sets, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see other possibilities and combos present themselves in the future. The idea of running 4 Smeargle UD and then 2-3 Bridge to set up early game is going around, but I find this to be just to inconsistent.
Even if your opponent opens with Pokémon Collector, if they go first you won’t have a chance to use it with Portrait. Along with so many other “discard your hand” or “shuffle and draw” Supporters, Smeargle can easily present problems as well as it can solve them.
Prism Energy: Another card that falls into that category of “it’s good at what it does.” Decks that rely heavily on Basics might just find their energy line-up a little less strained. I’ve heard a lot of people asking what makes Prism so good when we already have Rainbow Energy. If 10 damage didn’t mean anything, then nobody would ever play PlusPower. I would definitely expect to see this card at States in decks that can incorporate it like Durant and The Truth.
Heavy Ball/Level Ball: I know a lot of the writers really didn’t like these 2 cards, but I am going to disagree. I don’t see them as cards to replace Pokémon Communication, rather I think of them as additions or added search.
The second thing to keep in mind is that they are very deck specific since both of them will most likely only be able to search out a handful of the Pokémon in your deck and should only be played alongside a full set of Communication. The counts are always going to depend on space and the deck, but I expect to see these pop up in the 0-2 range per deck.
Shaymin EX: I think this card has a lot of potential. For just 2 energy (a Grass and a Colorless), late game you can be hitting for some serious damage. I expect to see this card finish games and steal wins come States. I want to stress though not to build your deck around Shaymin EX, but rather include the card if your deck can support it.
What I mean by this is your deck should already have easy energy acceleration (Celebi Prime) and already (or easily able to) include Grass, Rainbow, or Prism Energy. Leaving this guy on the bench for even a turn is going to be nothing more than 2 easy prizes for your opponent.
Reshiram EX: I’ve heard a lot of comments about how this is exactly what Typhlosion/Reshiram needed, but to be honest I’m not sure it’s enough to bring the deck back to Tier 1 status. The difference between needing 3 Energy and 4 Energy to do big damage takes most likely an entire turn to accomplish with the deck.
Double Colorless Energy helps this problem, but it doesn’t fully solve it since you still need a DCE in hand. You also become vulnerable to Lost Remover, which could present varying levels of problems based on the game state.
The other problem is that 150 damage just isn’t as impressive as it used to be and the deck doesn’t always have room to run the necessary 3-4 PlusPower required. I also find that Afterburner damage and the “flip for self damage” can really change knock outs and makes a normally vary sturdy 180 HP rather fragile.
The other idea I’m throwing around is that Emboar might be another viable way to play this card. At least that way I can power it up in one turn and have access to RDL as a finisher (possibly stealing 3 prizes!). This certainly isn’t a deck I’m going to hype or to be honest probably test much, but I like the idea enough to mention it.
Zekrom EX: I’m running into the same issues with this card and Eelektrik as I am with Reshiram EX and Typhlosion Prime. The difference between 3 Energy and 4 Energy to do a main attack is huge and begs to be played along side DCE. Losing 2 Energy every time I want to do big damage (which can be paid in full with a DCE) is a huge weakness especially if this is an attack I’m going to rely on over the course of the game.
Mainly what I found in testing is Zekrom EX is a great addition to certain decks, but you can’t rely on him as your sole main attacker in most cases.
Kyurem EX: It’s attack costs vs. damage output ratio is simply too far apart for this card to be good. Kettler talked about using this card in a Ross style build (which even he was shaky on its usefulness). Outside of that though I would go ahead and stick it in the trade binder.
Mewtwo EX: To put it simply, it’s overhyped, but not completely undeserving of its hype either. The 2 energy (CC) first attack makes the card extremely splashable and its ability to put quick damage on the board makes it a very playable card. I might actually consider him “broken” or a “problem” if it wasn’t for the fact that it perfectly counters itself. If my opponent has 3 energy on Mewtwo EX, all I need is a Mewtwo EX and a DCE to score the 1HKO – even Evolite won’t be enough to save their Mewtwo EX.
Leaving only 2 energy on your Mewtwo EX doesn’t really solve this problem either. In this scenario, you’re maxing out at only 40 damage a turn (plus what energy your opponent has) and your opponent is still only a PlusPower shy of scoring a retaliatory OHKO with their Mewtwo EX.
A lot of people on the forums have been asking how to approach this “Mewtwo EX vs. Mewtwo EX” war and come out on the winning side. There are a few tricks to keep in mind, but there is no straightforward answer. The first thing to do is do try and determine if your opponent is playing DCE or some form of energy acceleration to power Mewtwo EX up in one turn, which is basically all of the decks in the format.
Even decks that normally don’t run DCE can tech it in along with Mewtwo EX, especially for these Mewtwo EX vs. Mewtwo EX situations. I know the above isn’t exactly a lot of help, but I’m trying to realistic here. The next thing to do is judge the game state. If your opponent has only 2 prizes left, then pushing up Mewtwo EX might be a bad play.
If it’s earlier in the game, always expect they have the Mewtwo EX to counter yours, and always have a contingency plan. In certain situations you can even bait your opponent using this strategy, perhaps letting them get the KO on your Mewtwo EX before dropping N to control the game.
I know all of this isn’t a definite answer, but to be honest it’s a really tough situation. The take away points are basically you’re never “safe” to drop Mewtwo EX. Just do your best to read the game state and drop it when you feel it’s the “safest.” On top of everything else, always assume they have the return KO and have a plan in case they do.
“Hope for the best, prepare for the worst” is the attitude to have in these situations. Being able to make good reads is important, but you also need to keep in mind making the right decision doesn’t always mean you win either. Sometimes you really just have to weigh the pros and cons and hope for the best.
Regigigas EX: I’ll be the first to admit I got caught up in its high HP and hard hitting second attack, and overhyped this card when I first saw the set lists. Fighting is just such a bad weakness to have right now, especially for something you have to put effort into to get set up. Take away the weakness and this card might have seen a good amount of play.
Secrets/Full Arts/Alternative Arts: I’ve talked about it in previous articles, but I absolutely love how they are doing Secrets, Full Arts, and Alternative Arts. The pictures look tremendously better for the players that really want to “pimp” out their decks and provide amazing trade bait for those that don’t care. While the regular versions stop the prices from getting out of hand, it really is a win-win all around and smart move by the company.
Buying Cards
Next Destinies was released on February 8th, just a little under a month before State Championships begin on March 10th. This 1 month gap honestly does not give players a ton of time to track down the cards they need for their decks, especially if it’s more than 1 or 2 cards. In my opinion this is the best overall set we’ve have had in a long time, and it will be hugely influential on States, which also means the cards will have a nice price tag attached to them, at least for a little while.
Normally when a new set is released I can get just about everything I want from it for just around $40 or so. I’ll probably end up spending a quite a bit more money on this set, mainly because I’ll likely have to break down and buy Mewtwo EXs. But at the same time I’m not just spending money without thinking, and I always try to get the best deals possible.
Just a little bit of time can save you a whole lot of money in the end. I simply don’t understand why people overpay for their cards; it has to be a combination of not caring and not knowing what to do.
TnT
Troll and Toad really seems to be wising up when it comes to preorders and the absolute steals I’ve gotten in the past just don’t seem to be there anymore. I’ll always still watch them because you can get some good deals. Just be careful not to fall into the initial hype. When a set is officially released, 95% of cards are going to go down in price. I’ve said it before but I really want to reiterate it: the absolute worse time to buy cards is after prereleases begin and before the set officially hits the streets.
At this time, there is a very small supply in circulation and a very high demand. I saw Mewtwo EX going for $80+ on eBay directly after the prerelease, but in the last few days I’ve caught a few BINs on eBay for under $50. It’s such a competitive market and a lot of people are trying to undercut each other. The choice you need to make is deciding how long you can wait to buy the card you need, but still leave adequate time for them to be mailed to you in time for States. I’ve had a few instances where I was waiting by my mailbox the day before the tournament, and it’s not fun.
In the past I usually have bought most of my singles from Troll and Toad or Professor Oak, but good deals on these sites are getting harder and harder to come by. This time around I’ve actually found the best deals on eBay and actually few complete steals.
Don’t Buy Packs
I almost never buy packs; it simply not worth it. A box of NXD goes for $90-ish on eBay. The average haul for the boxes appears to be 2 EXs and 1-2 FA with the possibility of a secret (averaging 1 in 2 boxes). Unless I pull Mewtwo EX, I’m probably not going to come out ahead in terms of value on that box.
There are other possible outcomes where I could possibly break even on the box, but just because I break even (or even if I actually come out head) it doesn’t mean I’m going to get what I want/need from the set. This often puts me in the situation where I just spent all this money on a box and then I have to spend more money to get what I actually need.
Note to Parents: I know many younger kids love to open packs and often spend their allowance on packs. When I was growing up I bought a pack a week because I loved opening them. If you have a child like this I would suggest saving up and buying a box instead. In my area packs retail right around $4, but if you buy a sealed box the packs come to only about $2.50 a piece, which is huge savings.
Friends
The actual best place to buy cards is from independent people/dealers. I have friends that do buy boxes or even cases. Often they’re looking to sell stuff to make back some of the money they shelled out. It works out really well for everybody because you get the card below market value, while they don’t have to pay an arm and a leg on eBay and PayPal fees.
This is all about connections and the area you live in/player base. This might not be a viable option for everybody, but if it’s an option available to you, take advantage of it. On a side note, most gaming stores have policies where you can’t buy/sell on their property, so make sure to abide by these rules. Saving a few dollars isn’t worth getting a bad reputation at your store.
eBay
For me eBay is back on top as the best place to buy cards. Sellers always have to be competitive with each other and PayPal makes it safe for the buyer. I’ve only had a few issues with sellers in the past and PayPal has always sided with me; the burden of proof always seems to be on the seller.
Right after a set is released I try and give it a few weeks for the market to “play itself out.” All of sudden a supply is released into a huge demand and there is still quite a bit of fighting over the hot new stuff. After a few weeks though the market starts to stabilize and many of the people with more cash than common sense already have the cards they need, so I’m not bidding against these people.
As I’m writing this, it’s now February 20th and I’m only just starting to buy the cards I need. The market has started to stabilize, but I still have a few weeks before States so I’m not agonizing by my mailbox, waiting for the cards to arrive either.
Note: The people who have the money and are determined to have the cards they want now are your worst nightmare because you’re either not going to win the auctions, or end up paying way to much. It’s hard sometimes, but being patient and waiting a few weeks in many cases will save you a lot of money.
Always check the lowest BIN (buy it now) prices first. Just the last night, I saw 2 Mewtwo EX sell for $65 when there was a BIN for $49.99. Two people just wasted $15 because they didn’t take 30 seconds to check the BIN prices. I actually picked one up on eBay the other day for $46 and all it took me was about an hour of effort (and when I say effort, I mean having eBay open on a second screen to snipe the auction while I was doing my homework). Not a bad trade off for saving $20.
Going along with this, don’t get caught up in the bidding war. If any of you have ever seen the show Storage Wars or the million spin-offs, you know what I’m talking about. Even experienced buyers will really get into it and catch the “I must win this item” mentality when bidding, and after they won it realize they way overpaid for the item. It’s the exact same way with eBay; before you start bidding you need to have a hard number in your head and tell yourself “I will not pay more than X amount.”
If the card goes over that price then let it go, especially because for a new set there will be another auction in a couple of hours. If you’re consistently losing the auctions, than perhaps you need to re-evaluate how much you’re willing to pay. Looking at the completed listings will give you a good idea what you should expect to pay for a given card.
Also always wait until the last possible moment to place your final bid. I try and get it in with about 10 seconds or less left. I know this isn’t always possible with a busy schedule, but it is ideal. Like I discussed earlier, people get caught up in “bidding wars.” If I place my maximum bid early then a competing bidder might sit there and run up their bids a dollar or so at a time, and in many cases they’ll bid higher than they normally would.
My Opinion on the Format
When talking about decks in the format, I’m going to avoid ranking them in tiers. I feel at times tiers can be misleading since the concept implies that a tier 2 deck should never or rarely beat a tier 1 deck. This isn’t always case since this doesn’t take into account things such as matchups and other factors.
Instead I’m going to rank the decks by “playability” and by this I mean how I think the deck overall stacks up in the current meta, taking into account things such as the decks own strengths and weakness, along with how I feel it will compete against other popular decks.
