HG/SS series

[AkaiKage]

I have to admit, compared to the previous TCG generations, I don't really care much for the cards in these sets thus far. The return of the dreaded x2 Weakness to everything, the ridiculous amount of energy costs in their attacks and the fat retreat costs really make them less desirable than anything. The only decent structure that I actually have tested is the Feraligatr (Prime. Of Course.) and thats mainly due to his Rain Dance ability that make new cards like Gyarados usable. Other than his devastating Hydro Crunch attack, all of the cards in this set are rather for not.

I think this is their way of going back to their old ways. And in my best opinion, its old for a reason.

 

[donavannj]

We won't really truly see effective tournament play of these cards until SP Pokemon leave the format.

Though I think this is a very good set of cards, if you actually look at some of what they do. Blissey Prime has big potential in decks that have energy recovery. Ampharos Prime gives the Ampharos decks another good PokeBody that helps accelerate the Stormfront (I think that's the set) Ampharos's Damage Bind PokeBody. Raichu is a pretty efficient attacker (80 for two is a lot). DCE's are amazing in any deck. As for the retreat costs, someone seems to have been just looking at the Pokemon Primes and ignoring the other cards in the set, or has been comparing the set to SP cards, which may be out of the format for 2011.

 

[Rocket_Executive]

I think it's good, it forces you to get creative about which cards you combine them with, especially if you try to combine them with diamond & pearl and arceus cards. The X2 weakness doesn't matter so much if every card has X2 weakness, and once diamond and pearl and eventually arceus cards are out it will mean an even playing field. Up until now, you didn't really need to worry about type match-ups because you could usually negate the effects of +10 or +20 with a Nidoqueen or something. Now everyone will have to seriously take type into account, which will make for more complicated strategizing. Plus, havn't you seen the trainers? PONT, Elm, copycat, not to mention double colourless. Also, you may not know, but rare candy is being reprinted in the next set, fortunately.
And the art!!!! It's the best so far, in my opinion. Even beats out the older WotC cards in a lot of cases. I can see why it would be frustrating for people who are so used to their decks and the old diamond and pearl format, but it really had to change, there were some decks and cards that had just become to good and it wasn't really fair anymore. And it still isn't! Darn Flygon.

 

[donavannj]

Whoops. I mean 100 for 2 energy when I was talking about Raichu's attack.

 

[1 Up]

I've only just recently started playing the TCG again and so i got myself one pack of HG/SS cards. I then went home and put together loads of my D/P cards (from my Gallade deck) to make a half decent deck. In my pack I got a shiny heracross, spinarak and Ariados which i thought were pretty cool but I see what you mean how some of them are pretty weak. Heracross's best attack only does about 30 damage and Ariados's about 40 so i was a little bit peed off, but overall I don't really see much of a problem with this set, but that's probably because i'm not too much of a competitive card player. When I get to an event this'll probably be a different story though.

 

[donavannj]

I've only just recently started playing the TCG again and so i got myself one pack of HG/SS cards. I then went home and put together loads of my D/P cards (from my Gallade deck) to make a half decent deck. In my pack I got a shiny heracross, spinarak and Ariados which i thought were pretty cool but I see what you mean how some of them are pretty weak. Heracross's best attack only does about 30 damage and Ariados's about 40 so i was a little bit peed off, but overall I don't really see much of a problem with this set, but that's probably because i'm not too much of a competitive card player. When I get to an event this'll probably be a different story though.

It's actually not that bad of a set for playing. It's moreso that SP and the Flygon variants (specifically FlyChamp) are just too dominant at the moment.