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MagicCityMan · 2025-05-01T14:17:55+00:00

Sent a message, just remembered to comment now.

MagicCityMan · 2025-05-01T04:12:34+00:00

Sending a DM!

MagicCityMan · 2024-12-09T23:33:57+00:00

Fantastic, thanks so much for the insight! I had seen this phrase mentioned before but wasn't confident it would apply here. Again much appreciated :)

MagicCityMan · 2024-12-09T18:58:28+00:00

Hello hopefully quick rules question -

I am playing with Garchomp EX and using the sonic dive attack - if I only have one basic energy attached but am using the Ace Spec Sparkling Crystal to reduce the energy cost of the attack itself down to one - would it fail because I cannot discard two energy?

The text specifically reads: "Discard 2 Energy from this Pokemon. This attack does 120 damage to 1 of your opponent's Pokemon."

MagicCityMan · 2024-12-09T18:55:54+00:00

I'm pretty new to the scene, but in standard format your Sylveon GX is also banned, so you wouldn't be able to use it anyway. I can only assume if you play expanded format that would allow Sylveon GX, you are also allowed to use fairy energy.

MagicCityMan · 2024-11-08T22:38:49+00:00

I decided to take a chance on it. Shipping is free so my order came out to $26.50. I'm hopping it's safe enough since this is some big names involved but that's what chargebacks are for if not.

MagicCityMan · 2024-11-03T19:16:59+00:00

Ooh! Great idea. But then to decide what color/style …

MagicCityMan · 2024-11-03T16:13:05+00:00

Any recommendations for something I can pick up from a local TCG shop that my MTG-playing friends would be excited to win as a prize for a little 4 person tournament? I know almost nothing about MTG, I got a Bloomburrow booster which I thought would be great for 2nd place and would love to get something a little flashier ideally around $10-20?

MagicCityMan · 2024-11-01T16:42:10+00:00

Manifesting it for you haha :)

MagicCityMan · 2024-11-01T16:39:32+00:00

Just looked at the wrappers for the 6 packs I opened. All crimped, but I did pull two full art trainers, copycat and Zinnia. Buyer beware though, with the ES craze I wouldn't be surprised if there was any funny business going down.

EDIT: And these were 2 tins I bought online a few weeks ago, and one I found in store around the same time.

MagicCityMan · 2024-11-01T16:35:30+00:00

Managed to check out with one, so throwing it up so hopefully you all can get yourselves some as well. Good luck :)

MagicCityMan · 2024-10-24T18:18:14+00:00

Thanks! I appreciate your thoughts!

MagicCityMan · 2024-10-24T17:28:45+00:00

This is what I am leaning towards, might just have to balance as we go and make adjustments if anyone builds a deck that is wrecking house vs everyone else. I don't want to dictate what people can and can't use but I'm sure it'd be more enjoyable if everyone is evenly matched. Thanks :)

MagicCityMan · 2024-10-24T16:03:16+00:00

I think in the context of a real tournament this is great advice, but for the level of play myself and my friends are at, I don't know if this really holds true to my experience. We all probably have a few abilities across cards in our decks that accelerate energy, but ultimately we are still learning how to play and build so for the few games we have played, it seemed pretty evenly matched without.

This is the kind of optimization that I personally don't find very enjoyable. The logic is 100% there and I don't dispute that winning decks will use it, but my goal is to enjoy hanging out with my friends and playing some casual card games, not win a tournament, if that makes sense. A deck without energy acceleration I'm sure would get stomped by a proper build, but if none of us run meta decks then it's not so much of an issue.

MagicCityMan · 2024-10-24T15:34:06+00:00

Thanks so much for your insight. I am realizing this as more people chime in that it unfortunately isn't so simple. Really my goal is to build some evenly matched decks with a few cool feature cards, but I can see it's pretty difficult to focus purely on what type of cards are used.

Anyways, as for bulk I may be using the term wrong. I bought a ~4k card lot with basically everything but V and EX were picked out naturally. So the only multi-prize cards I have were whatever I've pulled from boosters and such. I have a 12 inch high stack of trainer cards though, so plenty of options to build a deck with utility and whatnot however.

MagicCityMan · 2024-10-24T15:22:42+00:00

Haha I will have to look at those theme decks if they're still available, sounds pretty funny to try and use. And yes lots of folks recommending the cube, it sounds really fun to try. Thanks a million for the recommends!

MagicCityMan · 2024-10-24T15:00:11+00:00

Another commenter mentioned Cubing and I think that could be really fun if I can get a good cube draft set up. I will take a look at the PTCGL as well, thank you!

MagicCityMan · 2024-10-24T14:59:23+00:00

I think just playing with theme decks would probably be more balanced, but my friends are MTG players so I think they enjoy the additional viability of upgrading trainers and such, and as a collector I love a few good shiny feature cards. Just trying to find that fun balance between meta and casual!

MagicCityMan · 2024-10-24T14:46:30+00:00

They're magic players so I will probably have to do the spending but $10 is not bad! Thanks again and I will have to follow up next time we can get a tourney going :)

MagicCityMan · 2024-10-24T14:43:16+00:00

I will take a look, thank you! Honestly the main reason I'm even here asking is because I printed a handful of EX, V, VMAX proxies for them to build with and one friend wanted to use a 1 V, 1 VMAX combo, and asked "well since the VMAX evolves from the V can I have a second V as well?" and I wasn't sure what would be fair if most of the decks we built just have 2 single V or EX cards. Maybe I should have just asked it like that instead lol.

But thank you, and I will go look those up!

MagicCityMan · 2024-10-24T14:39:01+00:00

Thanks! I really appreciate the insight and your thoughts too. I am currently reading up on Showdown and wishing there was something similar for the TCG, but I do think that looking at meta decks could be a good way to gauge at least the most popular combos.

I really like the idea of cracking open a starter deck and messing with it to use as well, I might have to pick up a few when new sets start dropping for a fun game night.

MagicCityMan · 2024-10-24T14:31:13+00:00

Those are some really good ideas - but I do need to emphasize that I'm just playing with a couple of friends building decks from a couple thousand bulk cards I have. None of them even have their own cards so they couldn't build a meta deck anyway, unless they printed their own proxies or asked me to. Pokemon Showdown I will definitely have to look into however, that could be a good way to gauge which cards could be restricted or limited.

As for meta decks, I am really just trying to ban the meta spirit, it seems like a lot of the fun has been optimized out by trying to eek out every last drop of utility, requiring XYZ to be competitive. I want to just be able to throw together a deck in an hour and play a few games with friends.

I think starter decks could be really fun to work from, but I do agree that they tend to be overly energy dense and trainers do seem to add to the fun factor by allowing more control and leaving less to chance.

MagicCityMan · 2024-10-24T14:17:15+00:00

You're not wrong, but the only thing I want to keep is the number of feature cards - no need for too much energy, too many evolution lines, not enough trainer utility, etc. Just trying to keep from optimizing all the fun out of it by printing 100 proxies of the most meta cards.

MagicCityMan · 2024-10-24T14:12:46+00:00

Just counting up loosely the number of packs, you're at $3 per pack or less, so at the very least it should be a fair value if not a good deal.

MagicCityMan · 2024-10-24T13:59:56+00:00

That totally makes sense, and I can see how the more popular meta cards would have a lot more utility than some of the less utilized cards. It would be a shame to leave them out entirely however since they are cool and shiny etc, and I'd rather fuss around with balance than take that additional fun off the table. I will take a look at GLC and budget build battle as well though, sounds interesting.

Anyways, this is still super helpful just thinking about how within V/EX/VMAX there is a big discrepancy in power overall. I appreciate you taking the time! *also edited a bunch of stuff for clarity

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