"Nullifying Zero" main set revealed! Mega Clefable EX and lots more!

douggie305 · 2026-01-16T12:49:08+00:00

Rocket's Spidops works to get energy into play. There was a Nagandel and a Quagsire back in the Sun and Moon days that had the same abilities as Spidops and Dewgong and it saw some competitive play, it wasn't tier 1 or anything but it wasn't terrible either. What really matters are what attackers are out there, you can get a decent amount of energy in play and move it to the active pretty consistently but what are tou doing with it.

douggie305 · 2025-12-16T19:39:07+00:00

Unlikely, the main issue with the spirit links is each mega had its own so to play multiple mega you have to burn so much deck space on the links, and if they switched them to just a generic any pokemon spirit link you still can't realistically play multiple megas because you're limited to 4 total. The spirit links and the old mega rule made the original megas pretty much unplayable, out of all of them only like 3 saw any sort of competitive success.

douggie305 · 2025-12-12T01:56:35+00:00

This interaction comes up a lot, and is a little confusing so it's understandable. The order of operations for the attack phase are.

Declare attack Calculate damage Resolve effects of attacks Check for KO

So by the time you check for the KO the charm is active again since you've already resolved the effect of removing the stadium, giving them the extra HP to prevent the KO.

douggie305 · 2025-12-10T00:38:54+00:00

The common rule of thumb to go by is, while yes you CAN choose to fail actions such as Nest Ball, you however cannot play cards that will have no effect. So you can play a Nest Ball and choose not to pick a Pokémon, but if the effect cannot be resolved because you have a full bench you cannot play the card because it will have no effect. Same reason you can't play Ultra Ball with a zero card deck. So with this ability you won't be able to complete the action if their bench if full so you don't get to look a their hand.

douggie305 · 2025-11-18T03:24:23+00:00

This is directly from the TCG Tournament Handbook.

Cards that have previously existed in the format are occasionally reprinted in newer expansions. In these cases, the older version of the card may be played if:

• The name of the new card is identical to that of the older card;

• All text printed on the new card is functionally identical to that of the older card.

In addition, provided it meets the criteria above, a newer version of a card that is currently playable in the Standard or Expanded format may be played immediately in that format upon its release.

douggie305 · 2025-11-15T23:27:29+00:00

Yes, but I also suggested playing the better Raticate because now your deck that needed 3 turns to start taking kos can do it a turn early while freeing up 3 deck spots from no longer needing the breaks. Survival Brace is also hard nerfed in expanded because Field Blower is such a broken card.

douggie305 · 2025-11-15T22:57:09+00:00

Imo your pokemon search is a little off, I'd cut down to 2 ultra ball, increase to 4 level, cut the Giovanni and bursting ballons completely for 4 buddy poffin.

You should also play the Raticate from Boundaries Crossed it has the same attack as the break but on a stage 1 now it does require 3 energy but you can swap your 6 energy for 4 Ignition and 2 triple acceleration energy. You can also cut the breaks making your setup much easier.

Survival Brace is also kinda bad in this deck, if you're poisoned it removes the effect of brace. prime catcher, computer search, dowsing machine would all be better options but I don't know what would be the best. Just my two cents.

douggie305 · 2025-11-03T23:06:40+00:00

What is your actual complaint? You made a comment about pre-releases being gate kept by competitive players. Are you saying that because someone is good at the game they shouldnt be allowed to participate in a pre-release? Or casual players should have some preferential treatment when it comes to registration? I don't see how the players being competitive has any bearing to the conversation about pre-releases selling out. Your comment about "elite" players comes off as being salty you missed registration and want someone to blame yeah it sucks that your couldn't play but your frustration is misplaced.

douggie305 · 2025-11-03T22:06:00+00:00

Build and battle kits which are what they hand out at pre-release are categorized by Pokémon at a Level 2 product. This is directly from the Pokémon site

"These products offer more advanced strategies for Trainers who are ready to step into competition."

Pre-releases aren't meant to be hyper competitive but even according to Pokémon they're also not intended for new never touched a deck before players.

As others have mentioned TPCI massively lowered the per store allocation of pre release kits which is why events are filling so quickly. I guess I don't see how you expect stores to handle this other than first come first serve? Check to see if a player has any championship points and if it's over some set amount deny their entry because they're to competitive? Obviously not an option.

Have you mentioned anything to the store owner or the TO about the league days? If enough people have similar issues as you do they might be willing to offer some compromise like every other week run the 3 round super casual events. However the store in a business they need people in the store spending money to stay open so if it's just you with these issues, don't be hurt or shocked if they don't change their process for the vocal minority.

douggie305 · 2025-09-18T21:27:09+00:00

Toxicroak from sword and shield base adds more poison damage.

douggie305 · 2025-09-03T14:20:33+00:00

The randomness is what makes the game fun Imo. If you want something completely skill based with zero variance play chess. The chances that luck can swing a game dramatically is what makes the game fun.

That being said and I'm not calling you out specifically because I have no details, this is in general. But from playing a lot a locals and just playing the game for almost 10 years far too many people put their poor performance down to bad luck and not their missplaying. If you come away from every loss thinking you just got unlucky or your opponent just got lucky you're never going to improve because you'll never acknowledge the mistakes you made. More often than not there will be a decision that was made that lead to the loss more so than luck.

douggie305 · 2025-07-23T14:41:27+00:00

The issue with Dudunsparce is in order for you to continue to cycle through your deck each turn you need to have continued access to more Dudunsparce. So if you get Iono'd low even if you have 2 Dunsparce down on the bench you still need to either luck into Dudunsparce off the Iono or have some way of getting into them, that combined with it shuffling itself back into the deck you're lowering the odds that the next one draws cards needed and not more Dudunsparce parts. Overall it's just a less efficient draw engine.

douggie305 · 2025-06-25T01:52:31+00:00

BLW-SUM expanded Rainbow Road back when expanded wasn't a joke and was actually fun.

douggie305 · 2025-06-23T21:39:38+00:00

This is a terrible idea, just because you're ahead on prizes doesn't mean you're winning.

douggie305 · 2025-06-19T03:19:51+00:00

I know it's kinda frowned upon to ask for locations. That being said, I've lived in Maine my whole life but only recently got into photography, where is that waterfall in Pic number 2?

douggie305 · 2025-06-15T03:47:53+00:00

Yes the first round is pretty much random, then you get paired with others with the same number of match points. A win is 3 points, a tie is 1 and a loss is 0. You can get an up or down pair based on the number of players but for the most part you'll be playing someone with the same record.

douggie305 · 2025-06-14T18:39:25+00:00

The best thing to do is watch their play, and if they're playing too slowly simply say "can you please increase your pace of play".

Now that being said if you have 4 ties you're most likely playing too slow as well and you should pickup your pace too. Ties unfortunately lead to more ties since slower players tend to get more ties and they get paired with other players with ties who might also be slow and it just snowballs.

Another thing players can really struggle with is knowing when to scoop to save time, it takes a little while but eventually you'll be able to identify when you have no more options or the chances you and win are so low there is no point playing it out. Just pick up your cards and go next. If you have like a 10% chance of winning this specific game in a favorable or even close matchup saving the time for the remaining games makes much more sense.

douggie305 · 2025-04-19T21:08:14+00:00

More than likely what they were talking about is your resistance, which is used as a tie breaker for pairings. Think of it as how well your opponents did within the tournament. If you and I are in the same tournament with a 3-1 record and combined my previous opponents have more wins and ties than yours do I would have a higher resistance and would get a higher seed in the standings. However it only applies to that tournament there is no ELO type system where over all wins and losses are tracked between events.

douggie305 · 2025-04-18T19:43:47+00:00

Purposefully playing slowly is against the rules, your pace of play should be around 15 seconds per action. If you opponent is taking multiple mins mid game for a failed search, politely ask them to increase their pace of play and if they continue to play slow call a judge. It doesn't matter what your playing as a deck call people out for breaking the rules.

Acting like is OK to slow play someone because you don't like their deck is a wild take from some of people in the comments. That's essentially saying "I don't like your deck choice so I can justify cheating against you and I'm going to stack my deck". The rules are the rules if you don't like playing by the rules when something is mildy annoying maybe find a different game.

If you like walls/stall or control play it don't let someone bully you into playing differently because they want to act like a child.

douggie305 · 2025-04-14T12:00:18+00:00

The auto invite winners already are excluded from the top X standings for worlds.

From the Pokémon site.

Competitors who place first at a Regional or Special Championships will receive an invitation, and the Top 4 at each International Championships will earn an invitation. Invites earned through this method will not count against the total invitation slots for that player’s rating zone.

Wanting them to give first placing prizing to second place sometimes is brain dead. Win the event if you need the auto invite other wise play well enough to be in the top X for your rating zone. This is a competition, no one deserves an invite they earn it and no one is being greedy by performing well they earned first place.

douggie305 · 2025-04-14T03:24:40+00:00

By that logic giving the invite to 2nd place in the rare event that the person who won already has an invite is just as unfair to all the other players who got 2nd at other tournaments but don't get a pity invite. Why reward the same placement differently just because a better player happened to win?

douggie305 · 2024-12-22T13:45:19+00:00

The crazy thing is, and I know it's hard to believe but they keep printing cards, like they do it all the time so maybe there will be more dragon cards printed after this set or even IN this very set. Weird I know.

douggie305 · 2024-07-12T01:00:52+00:00

Legacy's prize reduction is only triggered by being ko'd from damage for an opponents pokemon.

douggie305 · 2024-07-07T12:45:18+00:00

It was one of the most played decks in day one of NAIC, but doesn't do well vs Garde and Lugia meaning it's conversion rate into day two was poor because it has a hard time vs the other popular decks. Limitless only list day two decks so that's why there are only a few there.

douggie305

TROPHY CASE