Team Y2K

PokeChamp · Site Admin Joined: 03 Mar 2010 Posts: 946 Location: Gengar

Dear reader, you may have traversed this forum in the hopes of finding a cool strategy to use for your deck. Don't read further. This article has absolutely nothing to do with strategy, unless, of course, you'd like to know how I won Florida States and how I achieved similar accomplishments within my lifetime as a senior. This, as the title makes obvious, is my autobiography about my time playing the Pokemon TCG. It is a long story and no reward shall be given for reading the following lines of text. The only reward you can take from reading this is to appreciate the various chances of thinking I intend to give you in this article. Everything in this article is authentic; the characters, locations, successes, failures, decks, players, etc. are all real and very much a part of my life, yours, and the life of all Pokemoners within the state. Enjoy.

It all began with a new friend. His name was Dillard, someone with whom I have not been able to communicate with for a while, by the chance of fate. He started me on my little addiction. One day, I walked over to his place, and he shows me a stack of cards. The first card I see is a masculine octopus-like dude, wielding a spear. It was a Yu-Gi-Oh! card, I thought it was awesome at the time, little did I know it was one of the worst cards in the game. Period.

I got a starter deck and got into the game very heavily. I even went into a tournament, summoned my Blue-Eyes White Dragon without paying a tribute and my opponent patiently tells me that I cannot do this. He promptly beat me with a five-card combo involving a massive loss of life points on my part, then he kindly explained to me the rules of the game.

Once I learned how to play the game, I went to a league for Yu-Gi-Oh! I was swiftly demolishing my first opponent, but then he made a comeback. I played my crush card, the Tribe-Infecting Virus, confident I had just swept the game. Then he smiled. A smug, gleeful smile. I had just been disqualified. The best card in my entire collection was... on the forbidden list.

I did some research into this whole Yu-Gi-Oh! thing, found the forbidden/limited list, spent a small fortune on cards, and learned how to truly play. I was playing a Warriors' Toolbox deck that revolved around Marauding Captain, Command Knight, Don Zaloog, and an ensemble of level-four weenies with a Jinzo tech for Mirror Force (the best card in the game, arguably, that not never really got banned and I never really got the chance to get). That was the day I won my first tournament, albeit on a small scale level. I became obsessed with winning. I defeated the "best" players there, the best decks, even. Cyber-Stein Toolbox, Dark Magician, Stall/Burn, Harpie Ladies... they all fell to me. Not even Skill Drain stood a chance if I managed to get my Jinzo out fast enough (with Premature Burial + Tribute to the Doomed, this could be done on T1 if I was lucky).

Then the game got expensive. I quit because of how expensive I got. Noobs could beat me just because they had a fatter wallet than I did, and I didn't like that. Then along came Pokemon. Oh boy, the nostalgic tug of the games I loved, hidden beneath the veil of card games, my lifelong obsession, packaged with a tinge of addiction. I. Was. Hooked. I quickly assembled a cheap deck, Feraligatr D with Nidoqueen D, and swept league continuously. Only the Masters players could take me down, everyone else was fair game.

More to come on how my career slowly took a turn to the better.[img][/img]

CyndaquilMaster · Moderator Joined: 23 Mar 2010 Posts: 519 Location: Maine

Cool article, love to hear more about it.
_________________
1st in Maine Cities with Turtwig
I made Turtwig a winner Very Happy

http://pokechamp.s2.bizhat.com/viewtopic.php?t=301
Which Card will win? Battle of the Sets MD-TR

Spooki · Joined: 09 Mar 2010 Posts: 183

Keep it going more more! Smile

PokeChamp · Site Admin Joined: 03 Mar 2010 Posts: 946 Location: Gengar

Then my first official tournament ever happened. I got horribly owned by just about everyone (except for some nubs who didn't own sleeves; thank God). I learned a lot from the experience, though, and continued to learn. Then came my first ever States tournament. It was a huge event, I was borrowing Brandon's Flygon EX/Exploud EX deck and it did decent, I even got a few packs and split them evenly with him.

With my newfound knowledge, I tackled regionals head on. I was playing an incredibly rogue Mothim SW/Venomoth SW/Weavile SW deck, called it "Rogue Wing". The idea was to use the first attack to boost damage next turn, then, when it got damaged, hit for a ton of a damage with Mothim's second attack. Throw in Pluspowers and Special Darkness Energies with "Dark Engage" to support them and you could take a few one-hit KOs. Venomoth was for disruption late-game when you were taking a beating. The problem with the deck was it was too frail. Everything in the deck was too easy to one-hit KO. Plox was hitting hard at the time, this is back when they had DRE and Scramble. Yet, despite this, I made top-cuts for the first and only time at regionals. Sadly, I was quickly crushed at the hands of Daniel A's Plox list, I didn't stand much of a chance but impressive results for my first regionals.

I decided I was going to grind into Worlds. It sounds silly at the time, but believe me, when you make top cuts at your first big event, you think you can do anything lol. I took EmpoStar/Spread.dec to the Grinders, I had a winning record but was pulverized. This is where I met GTB, we played in the side event and I crushed his Torterras despite the obvious resistance going for it.

Then I became moderately competitive. I had learned a lot from my travels in the Pokemon TCG, I was itching to test my skills in the new format. Plox dead and gone, I was confident I had a chance to crush the competition. It was the obvious BDIF in its heyday, no deck could crush it except for the mirror (if it had DRE and Scramble and C Crystal, it could probably still win today against SPs). I tested at my league, and hoped for the best.

Then started my first BR season. It wasn't too great, mostly just preparation for Cities.

Cities is where it gets real exciting. I actually top-cutted at a few events, believe it or not.

The first event I made the top cuts was a Cities in Melbourne, I think. I was playing Speed Empoleon, I had went X-1, crushing both the seemingly mighty Grafton R and Jeremy V. Before hand, I suffered many a defeat to Grafton R. He had seemed almost invincible. My first victory against him that day marked the day I was no longer afraid of Grafton R. I was his equal. My last swiss match was against Harrison L, he defeated my badly in the last match and we both made the top two.

The finals match was crushing. He was playing the standard deck at the time, Dusknoir/Gengar/Bronzong. I might have pulled off a win perhaps, but without a counter stadium in the deck to offset Dusknoir Lv.X's Ectoplasm, I was doomed. Second place. Wow, not bad for a kid playing Speed Empoleon with little more than small hopes and a huge dream.

That day, I decided Empoleon was done. After several devastating losses to Kingdra, I took the deck apart, never to revisit the Emperor who, to this day, I have the fondest memories of playing.

States were around the corner, I had a ton of cash to pay on the right deck for the event. Now I will tell you the story of my most treasured deck. To this day, I can't help but crack a grin when I think of it. It was truly "my" deck, or at least I thought it was. I had thought of the idea myself, but later on I learned others had beat me to it.

Pokemon: 9
4 Toxicroak G
2 Skuntank G
2 Crobat G
1 Uxie LA

Energy: 10
10 Psychic

Trainer: 41
4 Galactic's Invention G-105 Poke Turn
4 Galactic's Invention G-101 Energy Gain
3 Galactic's Invention G-103 Power Spray
4 Roseanne's Research
4 Cyrus' Conspiracy
4 Pokedrawer +
4 Pokedex Handy 910is
4 Plus Power
2 Buck's Training
2 Miasma Valley
2 Galactic's HQ
2 Night Maintenance
1 Luxury Ball
1 Lake Boundary

This was my list, doesn't look like much, but many an opponent fell to it. The idea was so simple and consistent, I almost never got a bad hand with it (one or two games suffered from this, though). The idea was simply to get out a Stadium (easier than it looks with the impressive Trainer line). Then, all you needed was a Skuntank to poison the Defending Pokemon and a Toxicroak with a Psychic and an E-Gain attached to it to truly wreck your opponent's face (believe it or not, 60 damage for 1 with added poison was surprisingly efficient at the time. The next best thing was Rampardos, and that suffered from a huge drawback of 40 damage). Toxicroak easily two-hit KO'd each and every Pokemon in the entire format with the sole exception of SPs, my dreaded autoloss.

It seems cruel, but you'll just have to wait until another day to hear about my results with Toxitank. Sad

Try out the list while you're at it, it should give you quite the nostalgic feel. Keep in mind when you're using it it was lot better when I used it. It's quite enjoyable to relive the past of the TCG, this is a very easy deck to use.

Until the next entry.
_________________
Florida State Champion; Seniors
I sacrificed my Queen because I wanted to play like Fischer.

Want to play me in Chess? Challenge me at:
http://www.chess.com/members/view/Bringinthebacon

GTB · Joined: 30 Mar 2010 Posts: 257

I was the reason you played Toxitank, good thing there were no good Dialgas at Florida's states.

CyndaquilMaster · Moderator Joined: 23 Mar 2010 Posts: 519 Location: Maine

You started at States too! I started playing halfway through last season and the first premier event was States. I got 4th in that but 22nd in Regionals. Keep them coming, this is interesting.
_________________
1st in Maine Cities with Turtwig
I made Turtwig a winner Very Happy

http://pokechamp.s2.bizhat.com/viewtopic.php?t=301
Which Card will win? Battle of the Sets MD-TR

PokeChamp · Site Admin Joined: 03 Mar 2010 Posts: 946 Location: Gengar

Oh yes, that's true. I remember it now. You brought it one day and I wanted to see how well I could build it. Do you still have your old list? It would be interesting to compare the similar ideas.

Will update soon.
_________________
Florida State Champion; Seniors
I sacrificed my Queen because I wanted to play like Fischer.

Want to play me in Chess? Challenge me at:
http://www.chess.com/members/view/Bringinthebacon

PkB · SD Creator Joined: 07 Mar 2010 Posts: 147

You ran DialgaG in your states build.

PokeChamp · Site Admin Joined: 03 Mar 2010 Posts: 946 Location: Gengar

CyndaquilMaster · Moderator Joined: 23 Mar 2010 Posts: 519 Location: Maine

What did it say?
_________________
1st in Maine Cities with Turtwig
I made Turtwig a winner Very Happy

http://pokechamp.s2.bizhat.com/viewtopic.php?t=301
Which Card will win? Battle of the Sets MD-TR

PokeChamp · Site Admin Joined: 03 Mar 2010 Posts: 946 Location: Gengar

PokeChamp · Site Admin Joined: 03 Mar 2010 Posts: 946 Location: Gengar

I just remembered, I actually did play Dialga G now. Lol, it's been a long time. That was my original list, before I opted to, last minute, throw in the Dialga G tech.

I took my list to Georgia States. We had a grueling, difficult trip through the constricting traffic of that state. We arrived, though. I had a fairly positive record, X-2 or X-3, can't remember. I made into the top cuts and played against Grafton R. He used Rampardos, a very hyped deck at the time. We played out the first game, it was a very difficult match and I barely lost to him. The second game, I started with Dialga G to his Fossil. I used Deafen and kept him from setting up. By the time he got anything close to getting set up, I knocked out his last Pokemon. Game 3, his hand and mine were crappy. It was a slow game, but I powered through it and took the last game by storm. I had beaten Grafton again... was he as hard to beat as I had once thought he was? Or was I just that good? I contemplated those questions in mind before playing the next game, top four.

My worst matchup... Dialga G Toolbox. Autoloss lol.

Fourth place for me wasn't bad at all, I got a piece of glass and several card packs, pulling me several cards I wanted.

For Florida states, the list was hardly changed, except for a few cards. I can't remember what I changed though. Anyway, I had had a decent day, but luck was beating up on me. I lost a game due to not being able to grab a single Stadium in time. The last game, I though another one of my difficult matchups, Gengar, was going to beat me. I sat, crying a little on the inside that I was about to use. All he had to do was Pitch-Dark me... I waited for the moment I was going to die...

And he used Trick Gas instead. 20 damage, only Pokemon in play. I drew, almost loling at his stupid misplay of a move. I knew he had no idea what was coming. I dropped Uxie, whiffed. Played a few Trainers, whiffed, but had Uxie. Dropped it, got a Stadium. Attached a Psychic an E-Gain, searched for Skuntank, Deep Poison for the knock out. I had donked my way into top cuts.

You may have heard me make the statement, "I have never donked before." I honestly did not remember this occasion, this only the second time I heard of it, only because I am forcing myself to recall a great many details to bring you this article.

Anyway, I was in the top 16. My first game I played, I got to meet PkB. He was playing Dusknoir and maybe Gengar. Can't remember. Anyway, it was actually a pretty tough game. We both took out fair share of knock outs. The only reason he lost is because I was packing six Stadiums, so every time he got Ectoplasm online, I'd shut it back off, killing his advantage. That and Dusknoir was too slow to handle Toxicroak. A lot of details are lost to the time capsule, but I know I won this.

Top 8. Jeremy V. I know he wants revenge. He's an excellent player and I know for a fact he's got an intense rogue at his disposal. When we flip our basics, my Toxicroak to his Dome Fossil, he lols. "My deck has a good matchup against yours!", he exclaimed triumphantly.

Dome Fossil, I thought to myself. He's got Kabutops. I know it's going to Trainer lock me, so I drop all of E-Gains before he gets it online. Even with a Regirock engine, I'm so fast he hardly ever can hit me for 70. He sets up the Trainer lock in every game, yet I persevere. He can't believe it when I've defeated him, 2-0..

Top 4. Jonathon B. He's playing Dusknoir. Much the same story as before with PkB. He later on claims I poisoned his Dialga G when I couldn't have, but no judges caught this and I can't remember this, so I don't know if this was true or not. If it was, I'm honestly sorry.

Top 2. Grafton R. He's got a Gastly. And he uses it correctly. I'm doomed. His GenChamp wrecked me, but I mostly blamed it on the matchup and not our skill levels. Good game, though. The highlight of this is when I knock out a Gastly on the bench with a Crobat G and four Poke Turns as a last resort.

More to come later.
_________________
Florida State Champion; Seniors
I sacrificed my Queen because I wanted to play like Fischer.

Want to play me in Chess? Challenge me at:
http://www.chess.com/members/view/Bringinthebacon

Summer520 · Posted: Sat Aug 21, 2010 7:39 pm Post subject:

HOW DO YOU REMEMBER ANY OF THIS

I always forget my games lol

PokeChamp · Site Admin Joined: 03 Mar 2010 Posts: 946 Location: Gengar

I always thought my memory was bad. :/

Guess it's better than I thought it was.
_________________
Florida State Champion; Seniors
I sacrificed my Queen because I wanted to play like Fischer.

Want to play me in Chess? Challenge me at:
http://www.chess.com/members/view/Bringinthebacon

CyndaquilMaster · Moderator Joined: 23 Mar 2010 Posts: 519 Location: Maine

If it's the end of thread then why are you putting more later?
_________________
1st in Maine Cities with Turtwig
I made Turtwig a winner Very Happy

http://pokechamp.s2.bizhat.com/viewtopic.php?t=301
Which Card will win? Battle of the Sets MD-TR