I know what you're thinking: oh no, not another Pokemon set. Don't worry. I've been there too. I've played more than my fair share of custom Magic sets based on Pokemon, and all of them have left me feeling disappointed.
When I decided to make my own Magic set based on Pokemon, I knew it was going to be a huge undertaking. There's so much in the Pokemon universe, how can you convey it all through Magic cards? The answer that I found is, unfortunately, you can't, and that's where I feel many other custom sets went wrong. They tried to incorporate type advantages, realistic evolutions, Pokemon abilities, gym leaders, catching Pokemon, and more all at once and it all kind of fell apart.
For this set, my goal was to instead simply evoke the flavor of the Pokemon world through Magic cards, not try to force one world into another. I wanted to try and do for Pokemon what Innistrad and Theros did for horror and Greek mythology. I picked what I felt were the most important qualities of the Pokemon universe and tried to translate them into Magic cards. For me, they were these four key points: (1) having all 151 original Pokemon, (2) an evolution mechanic, (3) a distinct mechanic for each Pokemon type, and (4) each Pokemon having its types. For more details on the mechanics, check below.
After months of playtesting and drafting with friends, I'm very happy with where the set is. It plays like an advanced supplemental set (such as Modern Masters), and all two and three color combinations (and occasionally four and five) have solid archetypes and can win matches.
There was a lot of work to get the set as balanced as it is. Dividing all the Pokemon up evenly into five colors, figuring out what each type's ability was, deciding what the other non-Pokemon cards in the set would be, and so much more. If people are interested, I'd be happy to upload some playtest videos and write in more detail the reasoning behind some of the creative decisions. If you do play with the set, let me know what you think. I'd love to hear
Side note: There are a total of FIFTEEN mechanics in this set: one for each type, plus the evolution mechanic. Since that is a very high number, the set's complexity is already extremely high even for a "supplemental" set, so the abilities were kept as simple as humanly possible, with some of them borrowing mechanics used in other Magic sets.
Evolution - As long as CARDNAME is on the battlefield, each creature you control named PRE-EVOLUTIONS is a copy of CARDNAME.
The evolution mechanic was tricky to come up with. Every custom Pokemon set takes its own stab at it, usually something like the original Pokemon TCG, or a variant of Champion, or some cost-reduction mechanic. In my opinion, those are all a little boring and don't reward you enough. Or they reward you too much to the point of broken. I wanted the mechanic to be good whether you drew evolutions or pre-evolutions first, and I wanted it to be fun and exciting when it happened, but not oppressively so. Making all the pre-evolutions copies of the evolutions fulfills all of those, and it also rewards synergistic drafting. Maybe other people won't be too interested in taking those Charmanders, but if you have a Charizard, you're going to take as many Charmanders as you can pick up.
Bug Type - When CARDNAME enters the battlefield, if it isn’t a token, you may pay its casting cost. If you do, put a token onto the battlefield that’s a copy of CARDNAME.
I know that I said the abilities had to be simple, and Bug Type looks like anything but simple at first glance. But, to be fair, it is by far the most complex one, and I think the flavor makes up for it. What's more bug-ish than making more bugs? The exception where it prevents the token from copying itself prevents you from making as many copies as you have mana available, which would make it far too powerful.
Dragon Type - When CARDNAME enters the battlefield, you may exile another target creature you control, then return that card to the battlefield under your control.
Dragon Type started out as letting you choose a color for it to have protection from when it entered the battlefield. It stayed that way for a long time, until someone drafted the all-Dragons deck and destroyed everyone in a series of extremely un-fun games. I changed it to what it currently does, to evoke the flavor of dragons helping out other Pokemon, and to synergize with all of the enters-the-battlefield abilities of many of the creatures in the set. Since each color has at least one enters-the-battlefield ability, Dragon Types can be a powerful addition to any deck.
Electric Type - CARDNAME can’t be blocked except by two or more creatures.
Originally Electric Type let you tap a creature when it attacked. Similar to Dragon Type, it stayed that way for a while until someone drafted a mono-red Electric/Fire deck and everyone who played him was miserable. I knew that Electric Type needed to change, but I still wanted it to grant some sort of evasion, to help out the aggro archetypes. It's current form lets it do just that, without being oppressive.
Fighting Type - When CARDNAME enters the battlefield, you may have it fight target creature.
Since "fight" is already a keyword in Magic, I really needed to have Fighting Type make use of it somehow. Letting them fight when they attacked was too good, having them fight when they died wasn't intuitive, paying a cost and tapping it to fight was also too good, so all that was left was having them fight when they entered the battlefield. After trying it out, I was happy that it played very well, giving the caster an option between a kill spell, a creature, and if strategized well, an occasional two-for-one.
Fire Type - When CARDNAME enters the battlefield, it deals damage equal to its power to target player.
This one didn't take long to figure out. Direct damage, burn, right to your opponent's face. I like how it naturally scales up to be more powerful right along with the creature's power. This lets bigger creature deal more damage, and smaller ones deal less, without having to add in any extra words or rules.
Ghost Type - When CARDNAME dies, you may destroy target creature.
Ghost Type originally let you destroy a creature when it entered the battlefield. That was a little too good, and it synergized a bit too oppressively with the blink/recursion effects in the set. Changing it into a death trigger allowed your opponent to interact with it a bit more; he or she could just not attack into it, or attack with some creatures they don't care about, trade off, and then afterward play the creature they didn't want you to kill. The death trigger makes it feel more ghost-like too.
Grass Type - CARDNAME has “T: Add G to your mana pool."
Grass Type is the only type ability that's an activated ability. I didn't want too many activated ability keywords since that would make the board state a bit hard to keep track of, but having one felt fine, especially when it is as flavorful as this one. There's nothing more grass-y than basically being part of the land yourself.
Ground Type - Whenever CARDNAME attacks, it gets +1/+1 until end of turn.
This was a tough one. I originally wanted to do "underground flying," that is, it can't be blocked except by creatures with Ground Type. But that didn't play very well since there aren't a ton of creatures with Ground Type. Then I tried making it unblockable except by creatures without flying, but that was a bit complex. Next on the list was giving it pseudo-unblockability by making it indestructible when it attacked, but that was just a tad broken. It's current form gets across the flavor of it attacking, going underground, and getting stronger, without being annoying or un-fun to play against, and it also mirrors Rock Type nicely.
Ice Type - When CARDNAME enters the battlefield, you may tap target creature. It doesn’t untap during its controller’s next untap step.
This one was set from the start. Freezing creatures in Magic is already set in stone as tapping it and then not letting it untap for a turn, and I wanted to play into that space already in people's heads. I played around with letting them tap any permanent instead of just creatures, but that made tempo decks way too good, and it was switched back right away.
Normal Type - When CARDNAME enters the battlefield, you gain life equal to its toughness.
Normal Type was a tough one. At first I didn't even know if I should include an ability for it. After all, it's Normal Type; who cares, right? But if I had an ability for every other type, then I knew I had to come up with one for Normal as well. Not only is it somebody's favorite type, but I needed something good for white since so many of its creatures are Normal Type. Gaining life played nicely into white's philosophy, as well as doing something that most people would probably consider "normal." Like Fire Type, I enjoy how it naturally scales along with the creature.
Poison Type - Whenever CARDNAME attacks, defending player loses 1 life.
Originally Poison Type gave any creature blocking or blocked by it -1/-1 until end of turn, but that just made people build up armies of Poison creatures that would team up and block any attacker and kill it before it did anything, discouaraging pretty much all combat. I changed it to basically wither after that, but after a few tests I saw that just giving creatures -1/-1 counters wasn't all that interesting if nothing else in the set played with them, and there were already so many +1/+1 counters in the set that I didn't want to change the whole theme around for just one type. I like the current form, which gives aggro decks a bit of a boost and still gets across the poison flavor.
Psychic Type - When CARDNAME enters the battlefield, look at the top card of target player’s library. You may put that card on the bottom of that player’s library.
Psychic Type changed around a lot. First you just looked at your opponent's hand, which was too weak. Then you looked at their hand and had them discard a card of your choice, which was too strong. Then they just discarded a card of their choice, but that ended up being too strong with Water Type (and for some reason there's a billion Water/Psychic dual-type Pokemon). I needed Psychic Type to be something that played well with Water Type, but that was fine on its own as well. I settled with fatesealing either yourself or your opponent, which may sound scary, but plays quite well. As long as you're not fatesealing your opponent every turn (like Jace, the Mindsculptor does), it's not too bad to have it every now and then. Plus, in limited, you're mostly going to be fatesealing yourself.
Rock Type - Whenever CARDNAME blocks, it gets +1/+1 until end of turn.
Originally this prevented one damage whenever it was dealt damage, but that ended up being confusing and either insanely good or not doing much at all. I changed Rock Type along with Ground Type, so that they would mirror each other, one to be aggressive and the other to be defensive. However, as hardcore Pokemon fans may point out, Geodude is both Rock and Ground Type, so why doesn't he have Ground Type? It's the same reason why Bulbasaur isn't Grass/Poison, or Ghastly isn't Ghost/Poison. For some reason there were no Rock-only, Grass-only, or Ghost-only Pokemon in the original 151, but I had to make some for the sake of the set being balanced. Otherwise it would be impossible to divide everything up into equal amounts of color pie. It's a small flavor-miss, but I feel that it's worth it for the better gameplay it creates.
Water Type - When CARDNAME enters the battlefield, draw a card.
And finally, Water Type. Originally Water Type bounced any creature in play, which I thought was fine until I started playtesting it. It was way too oppressive. Instead of being rewarded for casting your huge Pokemon, you were punished by having it bounced a billion times as little Water Types kept hitting you until you died. I wanted to create an environment where games went long and where it was a good thing to cast your big dudes. So instead of bouncing, Water Type was changed to blue's other favorite thing to do: drawing cards. This not only helps smooth draws to help you get to the creatures you need to win, but it helps control be a much more viable archetype.
(Note: These are not all of the possible draft archetypes in the set, only the main ones. There are niche archetypes as well, in addition to ones focused around certain rares/uncommons such as the Fishing Rod deck, the Rare Candy all-evolutions deck, the Missingno deck, and more.)
WU - Control or Tempo
White/Blue's control deck focuses on taking as many Water Types as possible to draw a ton of cards; Normal Types to gain life, trade, and stay alive; Dragon Types to recur their Water and Normal Types; and then end the game with a fatty (such as Dewgong, Dragonite or Blastoise.)
White/Blue's tempo deck focuses on Ice Types, White's fliers, and Blue's tempo cards like TM11 - Bubblebeam and Great Ball to beat down while stalling out the opponent.
White/Blue's uncommon TM, TM13 - Ice Beam, provides efficient removal that helps both archetypes.
UB - Control or Aggro-Tempo
Blue/Black's control deck uses Water Types to draw cards, Psychic Types to make sure those cards drawn are optimal, and Ghost Types to keep threats off the board until a fatty comes to close out the game (such as Tentacruel, Gengar or Kabutops).
Blue/Black's aggro-tempo deck uses Water Types/Psychic Types to draw into a steady stream of removal and bounce like HM01 - Cut and Ice Heal, letting their Poison Types continually get through for more and more damage.
Blue/Black's uncommon TM, TM29 - Psychic, acts as removal and card advantage for both archetypes.
BR - Aggro or Control
Black/Red is the ultimate aggro deck, combining Red's Fire Types for direct damage, Electric Types for evasion, and Black's Poison Types for life loss. A turn two Ekans is one of the scariest starts in the set.
Black/Red's control deck is all about board control, using Red's Fighting Types and Black's Ghost Types to destroy everything, until you've Psychic Type'd your way into a good fatty to finish the game with (like Weezing, Machamp or Alakazam).
Black/Red's uncommon TM, TM03 - Sword's Dance, is not what you want to see your opponent play on their Poison Type, especially if you don't have a blocker out. It will get two counters, once for the Poison Type lifeloss and again for the combat damage, adding up very quickly.
RG - Midrange-Aggro or Ramp-Aggro
Red/Green's Midrange-Aggro deck makes use of Fighting Types and Red removal spells like Repel to clear the way for your Electric Types and Bug Type armies. Cards like Mankey can be extremely powerful for removal when necessary, and beating down fast when the coast is clear.
Red/Green's Ramp-Aggro deck uses Grass Types to get you ahead on mana and cast Fire Type fatties like Arcanine and Rapidash, quickly killing your opponent out of nowhere. Creatures like Tangela and Oddish can beat down just fine when they're not busy ramping you, especially when they're backed up with pump spells like Potion (which their Grass Type can help pay for).
Red/Green's uncommon TM, TM17 - Submission, can easily kill two of your opponent's creatures by having them fight each other. It helps your aggro armies get through in the late game, or you can ramp into it and quickly put a stop to your opponent's plan.
GW - Aggro or Ramp-Control
Green/White's aggro deck is all about White's fliers and Green's Bug Types to swarm the opponent. Cards like Exp. All let you kill out of nowhere, and cards like Jigglypuff help you remain firmly on the beatdown while also gaining life and playing double-duty on defense.
Green/White's ramp-control deck has Normal Types to buy time, Grass Types to ramp, and Dragon Types to get extra value out of your Normal Types and Bug Types. Cards like Weedle and Pidgey will help you stay alive until you cast your fatties (like Clefable, Venusaur or Pidgeot).
Green/White's uncommon TM, TM32 - Double Team, turns your swarm of creatures into an army to be reckoned with.
WB - Aggro or Midrange-Control
White/Black's aggro deck is all about taking to the skies with the highest number of flying types. Cards like Farfetch'd, Zubat and Spearow will peck at your opponent until Golbat and Fearow come to finish them off.
White/Black's control deck stays alive with Normal Types gaining life, Ghost Types two-for-one-ing, and Psychic Types finding you what you need until your bigger creatures come down like Persian or Khangaskhan. Cards like Max Revive and TM42 - Dream Eater make it all too easy to outlast your opponent.
White/Black's uncommon TM, TM10 - Double-Edge, gives midrange/control decks a huge advantage against aggro, wiping out most of their side while leaving you with an even bigger dude ready to swing.
UR - Tempo-Aggro or Control
Blue/Red's tempo-aggro deck uses direct damage from Fire Types, evasion from Electric Types, and more aggressive Water Types like Goldeen and Horsea to provide a steady stream of cheap, efficient threats to take out your opponent before they knew what hit them. Cards like Pokeball can help you recur your Fire Types for even more damage while providing you more gas to keep going.
Blue/Red's control deck plays the slower game of amassing card advantage with Water Types, using Fighting Types to keep the board clear, and blocking with value cards like Magikarp. Then it can cast crazy threats like Gyarados to end the game out of nowhere. Cards like Ultra Ball help you rebuy your Water Types, draw more cards, and keep your opponent in check at the same time.
Blue/Red's uncommon TM, TM35 - Metronome, lets the weaker Water Types and Fire Types potentially turn into massive threats later in the game. Did your opponent block your enchanted Squirtle with their Ivysaur? Well they'd better hope you're not too lucky, or else you'll end up with a 7/7 Ivysaur that will eat their's right up.
BG - Aggro-Midrange or Ramp-Control
Black/Green's aggro-midrange deck wants to keep the opponent scared right from the beginning with Poison Types like Nidoran Male, and take over and destroy them in the midgame with your Bug Types like Venomoth. With good kill spells like Silph Scope and TM06 - Toxic, it's not hard to do.
Black/Green's ramp-control deck is all about value. Getting tons of uses out of your Ghost Types and Bug Types with Revive and Ether, all the while ramping up with your Grass Types to the fatties that you found with your Psychic Types (like Muk, Nidoqueen or Vileplume).
Black/Green's uncommon TM, TM50 - Substitute, let's you get even more value out of your creatures. You can attack freely into your opponent, dealing even more damage, or you can put it on your opponent's threat, destroy it with a kill spell, and get it for yourself.
RW - Aggro or Aggro-Control
Red/White's aggro deck wants to do one thing: kill fast using Fire Types, Electric Types, and White's fliers. Pikachu and Vulpix can be very scary cards for your opponent to see if they don't have much of a board yet. Cards like Paralyze Heal can make life even worse for your opponent just when they thought they were going to stabilize, and HM04 - Strength can turn drawing those extra lands late-game into even more damage.
Red/White's aggro-control deck can play the beatdown early on with Fire Types and fliers, but then change gears if the game slows down, getting value with Fighting Types, Normal Types, and combining them with Dragon Types. You can choose to go a bit bigger and pack cards like TM38 - Fireblast to decimate your opponent before you end the game with a Ninetales equipped with a Protein or targeted by an X Defend.
Red/White's uncommon TM, TM23 - Dragon Rage, takes all those Normal Types in your aggressive deck and turns them into direct damage.
UG - Ramp or Ramp-Control
Green/Blue's ramp deck wants to do just one thing: find fatties and cast them. It uses Water Types to dig through the deck, and Grass Types to cast them quickly. A turn three Exeggute into a turn four Exeggutor will quickly beat through anything the opponent can cast.
Green/Blue's ramp-control deck just wants cards: cards in hand and on the battlefield. You get board advantage with Bug Types, card advantage with Water Types, and thanks to cards like Staryu, you can turn your ramping Grass Types into even more draw in the lategame. Good stalling cards like Kakuna or HM03 - Surf will help you survive until you crush your opponent with your overflowing resources.
Green/Blue's uncommon TM, TM31 - Mimic, lets you finally answer the question: what's better than having one fatty out? Why, having two of course.
WUB - Control
White/Blue/Black has one goal: making life miserable for the opponent. You gain life and trade early with your Normal Types, get crazy card advantage with your Water Types, and destroy anything that makes it through the cracks with Black's kill spells and Ghost Types. There's nothing more satisfying than using Dratini to Dragon Type your Mewtwo, turning your opponent's already decimated board into a barren wasteland of concession.
UBR - Aggro-Control
Blue/Black/Red wants to beat down when necessary and hold back to defend when necessary too. It uses Red's burn spells, Fighting Types, and Black's kill spells to keep the board clear and make way for attackers, and utilizes Water Types to close out the game by finding you even more removal like Max Repel. Cards like Seadra and Arbok can both attack for serious damage and keep the opponent from attacking just as well when needed.
BRG - Midrange-Ramp
Black/Red/Green wants to keep the board clear and has an easy time doing it with Grass Types ramping you up to cast multiple kill spells a turn and quickly bringing out powerful midrange creatures like Grimer and Growlithe. If your opponent somehow manages to deal with them, well then they still have to deal with them again thanks to cards like Moltres and Mew that decimate the late-game
RGW - Aggro-Midrange
Red/Green/White wants to hit fast and quick with Fire Types, Electric Types, and fliers, but also pack a bit of a bigger punch for the later game too with powerful cards like Scyther, Clefairy and Primeape. Tauros is not only scary by itself, but with the help of a few Fire Types and Normal Types, it can turn into an unstoppable monster all too quickly.
GWU - Ramp-Control
Green/White/Blue isn't too concerned about what the opponent is doing; why would it be when everything you're casting is just way better than them anyway? Slowpoke and Seel shut down any aggression while getting value and stalling for time, and Cloyster and Wigglytuff make your opponent wonder why they even bothered to attack in the first place. Just take your time, cast your game-ending Butterfree or Articuno that you ramped into no problem, and bring the game to its obvious conclusion.
WUR - Tempo-Aggro
White/Blue/Red wants to kill the opponent fast and disrupt them by making them spend lots of mana on creatures that you temporarily disable. Ice Types and efficient removal like White's TM44 - Rest combine well with evasive Electric Types and fliers, or in Magnemite's case, both. A timely X Accuracy can end the game out of nowhere, even when the opponent thinks they've stabilized.
BUG - Midrange-Control
Blue/Black/Green is the king of value town. You can make use of recursive cards like Revive, Ether, and Itemfinder to get double use out of all your two-for-one Ghost Types, Water Types, and Bug Types, which you'll have no problem casting thanks to your Grass Types. Defensive Rock Types and cards like Tentacool can help you stall until your destructive late-game cards, like the beef-factory Brock, Pokemon Breeder, or a soul-crushing Master Ball.
WRB - Aggro
Black/Red/White is as aggro as it gets. Fire Types, Electric Types, Poison Types, and fliers all come together to make life a living hell for your opponent starting turn one. Ground Types like Sandshrew and Cubone are especially good here, making sure you can land a threat even if your mana isn't perfect. Be sure to enjoy the look on your opponent's face as you drop a game-ending Magmar or Zapdos, swiftly bringing their life to zero when they thought they'd built up an impenetrable defense.
RUG - Tempo-Control
Red/Green/Blue wants to keep the opponent off-balance until it slowly but surely ends up simply taking over the game. It can beat down and stall in the early game using Fire Types, Electric Types, Blue bounce spells, and Green dudes like Tangela, then switch roles in the late-game using its Grass Types to power out armies of Bug Types like Parasect that can be replayed for value with cards like Pokeball and Ultra Ball. Your opponent may have laughed at those Poliwags and Bellsprouts you played in the early-game, but once you wipe the board with a TM38 - Fireblast that they survive, then evolve them into Poliwraths and Victreebells, you'll be the last one laughing.
BWG - Midrange-Ramp
Green/White/Black just wants to play some good, fair Magic... by crushing its opponent to death with an overwhelming board state. Dragon Types combined with Normal Types, Psychic Types, and Bug Types help you survive the early-game against aggro decks and get value later too. Don't forget about recurring them with Green/Black spells for extra value, especially your Ghost Types and Black removal. Ramping into a Chansey will make your opponent question when they even bothered playing, though you can always choose to be merciful and bring about a quick death using an Exp. All if you wish.
WUBRG - Control
The ultimate draft plan: take nothing but bombs and mana-fixing. With common dual lands for each two color combination, uncommon badges that let you ramp like crazy and color-fix, plus common artifacts like Fossil that fix mana too, it's not inconceivable to reliably cast Gary Oak, Pokemon Master; Misty, Jealous Gym Leader; and Hyper Potion in the same deck. Prioritizing stones (such as Water Stone) to find your bombs and mana, and playing Rock Types like Geodude so that you'll still be able to do some serious blocking and survive no matter what kind of mana you have, is a good way to go.
Ditto 4W
Creature — Pokemon (R)
Normal type (When this creature enters the battlefield, you gain life equal to its toughness.)
You may have Ditto enter the battlefield as a copy of any creature on the battlefield, except it gains normal type.
1/1
Dodrio 3W
Creature — Pokemon (U)
Flying, normal type (When this creature enters the battlefield, you gain life equal to its toughness.)
Evolution—Doduo (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Doduo is a copy of this.)
3/3
Doduo 2W
Creature — Pokemon (C)
Flying
Normal type (When this creature enters the battlefield, you gain life equal to its toughness.)
2/2
Dragonair 2WW
Creature — Pokemon (U)
Dragon type (When this enters the battlefield, you may exile another target creature you control, then return that card to the battlefield under your control.)
Evolution—Dratini (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Dratini is a copy of this.)
3/4
Dragonite 5WWW
Creature — Pokemon (R)
Flying, dragon type (When this enters the battlefield, you may exile another target creature you control, then return that card to the battlefield under your control.)
Evolution—Dratini or Dragonair
Whenever another creature enters the battlefield under your control, put a number of +1/+1 counters on it equal to its power.
5/7
Dratini 1W
Creature — Pokemon (C)
Dragon type (When this enters the battlefield, you may exile another target creature you control, then return that card to the battlefield under your control.)
1/2
Eevee 1W
Creature — Eevee Pokemon (C)
Normal type (When this creature enters the battlefield, you gain life equal to its toughness.)
2/2
Escape Rope 1WW
Instant (R)
Exile target creature or planeswalker. Its controller may search his or her library for a basic land card, put that card onto the battlefield tapped, then shuffle his or her library.
Exp. All 2WW
Instant (C)
Creatures you control get +2/+2 until end of turn.
Farfetch’d 1W
Creature — Pokemon (C)
Flying
Normal type (When this creature enters the battlefield, you gain life equal to its toughness.)
2/1
HM 02 — Fly 2W
Enchantment — Aura (C)
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature gets +1/+0 and has flying.
1W: Return HM 02 - Fly to its owner’s hand.
Kangaskhan 5WW
Creature — Pokemon (U)
Normal type (When this creature enters the battlefield, you gain life equal to its toughness.)
Whenever you gain life, put a 1/1 white Baby creature token onto the battlefield.
5/5
Lickitung 4W
Creature — Pokemon (C)
Normal type (When this creature enters the battlefield, you gain life equal to its toughness.)
Whenever you gain life, put a +1/+1 counter on Lickitung.
1/3
Max Revive 4W
Sorcery (U)
Return target creature card from your graveyard to the battlefield. You gain life equal to its toughness.
Paralyze Heal 1W
Instant (C)
Exile target creature you control, then return that card to the battlefield under your control with a +1/+1 counter on it.
Pidgeot 5WW
Creature — Pokemon (R)
Flying, first strike, vigilance, normal type (When this creature enters the battlefield, you gain life equal to its toughness.)
Evolution—Pidgey or Pidgeotto
5/6
Pidgeotto 3WW
Creature — Pokemon (U)
Flying, normal type (When this creature enters the battlefield, you gain life equal to its toughness.)
Evolution—Pidgey (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Pidgey is a copy of this.)
3/5
Pidgey 1W
Creature — Pokemon (C)
Flying
Normal type (When this creature enters the battlefield, you gain life equal to its toughness.)
1/3
Porygon XW
Creature — Pokemon (U)
Normal type (When this creature enters the battlefield, you gain life equal to its toughness.)
Porygon enters the battlefield with X +1/+1 counters on it.
0/0
Raticate 4W
Creature — Pokemon (U)
First strike, normal type (When this creature enters the battlefield, you gain life equal to its toughness.)
Evolution—Rattata (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Rattata is a copy of this.)
4/4
Rattata 2W
Creature — Pokemon (C)
First strike
Normal type (When this creature enters the battlefield, you gain life equal to its toughness.)
2/2
Release 3WW
Sorcery (R)
Exile all creatures. Each player gains 1 life for each creature he or she controlled exiled this way.
Snorlax 7WW
Creature — Pokemon (R)
Defender, normal type (When this creature enters the battlefield, you gain life equal to its toughness.)
Whenever Snorlax blocks or becomes the target of a spell or ability, you may put an awake counter on Snorlax.
As long as Snorlax has an awake counter on it, it loses defender and gains vigilance.
8/8
Thunder Stone W
Sorcery (C)
Look at the top five cards of your library. You may reveal a land or white creature card from among them and put it into your hand. Then put the rest on the bottom of your library in any order.
TM 15 — Hyper Beam 3WW
Enchantment — Aura (R)
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature gets +2/+2 and has “2WW, T: This creature deals 10 damage to target attacking or blocking creature. Enchanted creature doesn’t untap during your next untap step.”
TM 44 — Rest 2W
Enchantment — Aura (C)
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature can’t attack or block, and its activated abilities can’t be activated.
X Defend XWW
Instant (C)
Target creature gets +X/+X and gains lifelink until end of turn.
UUUUUUUUUU
Blastoise 5UUU
Creature — Pokemon (R)
Water type (When this creature enters the battlefield, draw a card.)]
Evolution—Squirtle or Wartortle
Whenever Blastoise enters the battlefield or attacks, you may return target creature to its owner’s hand.
4/8
Goldeen 2UU
Creature — Pokemon (C)
Water type (When this creature enters the battlefield, draw a card.)
Goldeen can’t be blocked.
2/1
Great Ball U
Artifact (U)
When Great Ball enters the battlefield, exile target creature until Great Ball leaves the battlefield. (That permanent returns under its owner’s control.)
At the beginning of your upkeep, put a wobble counter on Great Ball. When Great Ball has three or more wobble counters on it, sacrifice it.
Ice Heal 2U
Instant (C)
Return target permanent to its owner’s hand.
Itemfinder 1U
Sorcery (U)
Return target noncreature card from your graveyard to your hand.
Kabuto 2U
Artifact Creature — Pokemon (C)
Water type (When this creature enters the battlefield, draw a card.)
Rock type (Whenever this creature blocks, it gets +1/+1 until end of turn.)
1/1
Kabutops 6U
Artifact Creature — Pokemon (R)
Trample, water type, rock type (When this creature enters the battlefield, draw a card. Whenever this creature blocks, it gets +1/+1 until end of turn.)
Evolution—Kabuto (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Kabuto is a copy of this.)
6/3
Kingler 4U
Creature — Pokemon (U)
Hexproof, water type (When this creature enters the battlefield, draw a card.)
Evolution—Krabby (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Krabby is a copy of this.)
3/3
Krabby 3U
Creature — Pokemon (C)
Hexproof
Water type (When this creature enters the battlefield, draw a card.)
2/2
Link Cable Trade 4UU
Sorcery (R)
Exchange control of any number of target creatures you control with the same number of target creatures you don’t control. Untap all permanents exchanged this way.
Master Ball 3UU
Instant (R)
Counter target spell. If a creature spell is countered this way, put that card onto the battlefield under your control instead of into its owner’s graveyard.
Omanyte 1U
Artifact Creature — Pokemon (C)
Water type (When this creature enters the battlefield, draw a card.)
Rock type (Whenever this creature blocks, it gets +1/+1 until end of turn.)
0/1
Omastar 5U
Artifact Creature — Pokemon (R)
Hexproof, water type, rock type (When this creature enters the battlefield, draw a card. Whenever this creature blocks, it gets +1/+1 until end of turn.)
Evolution—Omanyte (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Omanyte is a copy of this.)
3/5
Pokeball 1U
Sorcery (C)
As an additional cost to cast Pokeball, return a creature you control to its owner’s hand.
Draw two cards.
Pokedex 5U
Sorcery (R)
Search your library for a card and put that card into your hand. Then shuffle your library.
Draw two cards.
Poliwag 2U
Creature — Pokemon (C)
Flash
Water type (When this creature enters the battlefield, draw a card.)
1/3
Poliwhirl 3U
Creature — Pokemon (U)
Flash, water type (When this creature enters the battlefield, draw a card.)
Evolution—Poliwag (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Poliwag is a copy of this.)
2/4
Seaking 4UU
Creature — Pokemon (U)
Water type (When this creature enters the battlefield, draw a card.)
Evolution (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Goldeen is a copy of this.)
Seaking can’t be blocked.
4/2
Squirtle 1U
Creature — Pokemon (C)
Water type (When this creature enters the battlefield, draw a card.)
1/1
Staryu 4U
Creature — Pokemon (C)
Water type (When this creature enters the battlefield, draw a card.)
8: Exile Staryu, then return it to the battlefield under your control. Activate this ability only any time you could cast a sorcery.
3/1
TM 11 — Bubblebeam 3U
Enchantment — Aura (U)
Enchant creature
When TM 11 - Bubblebeam enters the battlefield, you may return up to two target creatures to their owners’ hands.
Enchanted creature gets +1/+1.
Ultra Ball UU
Instant (C)
As an additional cost to cast Ultra Ball, return a creature you control to its owner’s hand.
Counter target spell.
Vaporeon 4U
Creature — Eevee Pokemon (R)
Water type (When this creature enters the battlefield, draw a card.)
Evolution—Eevee
When Vaporeon enters the battlefield, you may search your library for an Eevee creature card, reveal it, and put it into your hand. If you do, shuffle your library.
3/3
Wartortle 2UU
Creature — Pokemon (U)
Water type (When this creature enters the battlefield, draw a card.)
Evolution—Squirtle (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Squirtle is a copy of this.)
3/2
Water Stone U
Sorcery (C)
Look at the top five cards of your library. You may reveal a land or blue creature card from among them and put it into your hand. Then put the rest on the bottom of your library in any order.
X Accuracy XUU
Instant (C)
Target creature gets +X/+0 and can’t be blocked this turn.
BBBBBBBBBB
Abra B
Creature — Pokemon (C)
Psychic type (When this creature enters the battlefield, look at the top card of target player’s library. You may put that card on the bottom of that player’s library.)
1/1
Alakazam 5BBB
Creature — Pokemon (R)
Psychic type (When this creature enters the battlefield, look at the top card of target player’s library. You may put that card on the bottom of that player’s library.)
Evolution—Abra or Kadabra
Whenever an opponent becomes the target of a spell or ability you control, that player exiles the top seven cards of his or her library.
6/3
Antidote 2B
Sorcery (C)
Target opponent reveals his or her hand. You choose a nonland card from it. That player discards that card.
Drowzee 2B
Creature — Pokemon (C)
Lifelink
Psychic type (When this creature enters the battlefield, look at the top card of target player’s library. You may put that card on the bottom of that player’s library.)
2/2
Gengar 5BB
Creature — Pokemon (R)
Flying, lifelink, ghost type (When this dies, you may destroy target creature.)
Evolution—Ghastly or Haunter (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Ghastly or Haunter is a copy of this.)
5/4
Ghastly 2BB
Creature — Pokemon (C)
Flying
Ghost type (When this dies, you may destroy target creature.)
1/1
Golbat 4B
Creature — Pokemon (U)
Flying, poison type (Whenever this creature attacks, defending player loses 1 life.)
Evolution—Zubat (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Zubat is a copy of this.)
4/2
Haunter 3BB
Creature — Pokemon (U)
Flying, ghost type (When this dies, you may destroy target creature.)
Evolution—Ghastly (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Ghastly is a copy of this.)
3/1
HM 01 — Cut 1B
Enchantment — Aura (C)
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature gets -1/-1 and can’t block.
1B: Return HM 01 - Cut to its owner’s hand.
Hypno 4BB
Creature — Pokemon (U)
Lifelink, psychic type (When this creature enters the battlefield, look at the top card of target player’s library. You may put that card on the bottom of that player’s library.)
Evolution—Drowzee (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Drowzee is a copy of this.)
4/4
Kadabra 2BB
Creature — Pokemon (U)
Psychic type (When this creature enters the battlefield, look at the top card of target player’s library. You may put that card on the bottom of that player’s library.)
Evolution—Abra (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Abra is a copy of this.)
5/2
Moon Stone B
Sorcery (C)
Look at the top five cards of your library. You may reveal a land or black creature card from among them and put it into your hand. Then put the rest on the bottom of your library in any order.
Mr. Mime 2B
Creature — Pokemon (R)
Indestructible, psychic type (When this creature enters the battlefield, look at the top card of target player’s library. You may put that card on the bottom of that player’s library.)
Whenever Mr. Mime is dealt damage, put that many barrier counters on Mr. Mime.
Remove ten barrier counters from Mr. Mime: Target player exiles the top ten cards of his or her library.
0/1
Nidoking 6B
Artifact Creature — Pokemon (R)
Trample, ground type, poison type (Whenever this creature attacks, it gets +1/+1 until end of turn and defending player loses 1 life.)
Evolution—Nidoran Male or Nidorino (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Nidoran Male or Nidorino is a copy of this.)
7/5
Nidoqueen 6B
Artifact Creature — Pokemon (R)
Lifelink, ground type, poison type (Whenever this creature attacks, it gets +1/+1 until end of turn and defending player loses 1 life.)
Evolution—Nidorna Female or Nidorina (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Nidoran Female or Nidorina is a copy of this.)
5/7
Nidoran Female 1B
Creature — Pokemon (C)
Poison type (Whenever this creature attacks, defending player loses 1 life.)
1/2
Nidoran Male 1B
Creature — Pokemon (C)
Poison type (Whenever this creature attacks, defending player loses 1 life.)
2/1
Nidorina 3B
Creature — Pokemon (U)
Poison type (Whenever this creature attacks, defending player loses 1 life.)
Evolution—Nidoran Female (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Nidoran Female is a copy of this.)
3/4
Nidorino 3B
Creature — Pokemon (U)
Poison type (Whenever this creature attacks, defending player loses 1 life.)
Evolution—Nidoran Male (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Nidoran Male is a copy of this.)
4/3
Revive B
Sorcery (C)
Return target creature card from your graveyard to your hand.
Silph Scope 2BB
Instant (U)
Destroy target creature. Look at its controller’s hand.
TM 06 — Toxic B
Enchantment — Aura (C)
Enchant creature
At the beginning of each upkeep, put a toxic counter on TM 06 - Toxic.
Enchanted creature gets -1/-1 for each toxic counter on TM 06 - Toxic.
TM 27 — Fissure 3BB
Enchantment — Aura (R)
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature gets +3/+3 and has “Whenever enchanted creature blocks or becomes blocked by a creature, destroy that creature.”
TM 36 — Self Destruct 4BB
Enchantment — Aura (R)
Enchant creature
At the beginning of your upkeep, destroy enchanted creature.
When enchanted creature dies, destroy all creatures and planeswalkers.
TM 42 — Dream Eater 3BB
Enchantment — Aura (C)
Enchant creature
When TM 42 - Dream Eater enters the battlefield, tap enchanted creature.
Whenever enchanted creature becomes untapped, its controller sacrifices it and you gain life equal to its toughness.
X Special XBB
Instant (C)
Target creature gets +X/+0 and gains deathtouch until end of turn.
Zubat 2B
Creature — Pokemon (C)
Flying
Poison type (Whenever this creature attacks, defending player loses 1 life.)
2/1
RRRRRRRRRR
Burn Heal 3R
Instant (C)
Destroy target artifact or land.
Charizard 5RRR
Creature — Pokemon (R)
Flying, double strike, fire type (When this creature enters the battlefield, it deals damage equal to its power to target player.)
Evolution—Charmander or Charmeleon (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Charmander or Charmeleon is a copy of this.)
5/4
Charmander 1R
Creature — Pokemon (C)
Fire type (When this creature enters the battlefield, it deals damage equal to its power to target player.)
2/1
Charmeleon 4RR
Creature — Pokemon (U)
Fire type (When this creature enters the battlefield, it deals damage equal to its power to target player.)
Evolution—Charmander (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Charmander is a copy of this.)
4/4
Electabuzz 1RR
Creature — Pokemon (R)
Electric type (This creature can’t be blocked except by two or more creatures.)
Whenever Electabuzz attacks, until end of turn it gets +1/+1 for each other attacking creature.
2/2
Electrode 5R
Creature — Pokemon (U)
Haste, electric type (This creature can’t be blocked except by two or more creatures.)
Evolution—Voltorb (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Voltorb is a copy of this.)
6/2
Fire Stone R
Sorcery (C)
Look at the top five cards of your library. You may reveal a land or red creature card from among them and put it into your hand. Then put the rest on the bottom of your library in any order.
Flareon 2R
Creature — Eevee Pokemon (R)
Fire type (When this creature enters the battlefield, it deals damage equal to its power to target player.)
Evolution—Eevee
When Flareon enters the battlefield, you may search your library for an Eevee creature card, reveal it, and put it into your hand. If you do, shuffle your library.
2/3
Hitmonchan 3R
Creature — Pokemon (C)
Fighting type (When this creature enters the battlefield, you may have it fight target creature.)
1/4
Hitmonlee 1RR
Creature — Pokemon (C)
Fighting type (When this creature enters the battlefield, you may have it fight target creature.)
3/1
HM 04 — Strength R
Enchantment — Aura (C)
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature has “R: This creature gets +1/+0 until end of turn.
1R: Return HM 04 - Strength to its owner’s hand.
Hurt Itself in Its Confusion 3RR
Instant (R)
Each creature deals damage to itself equal to its power.
Jolteon 3R
Creature — Eevee Pokemon (R)
Electric type (This creature can’t be blocked except by two or more creatures.)
Evolution—Eevee
When Jolteon enters the battlefield, you may search your library for an Eevee creature card, reveal it, and put it into your hand. If you do, shuffle your library.
3/2
Machamp 5RR
Creature — Pokemon (R)
Fighting type (When this creature enters the battlefield, you may have it fight target creature.)
Evolution—Machop or Machoke
Whenever Machamp attacks, you may have it fight target creature.
Whenever a creature dealt damage by Machamp this turn dies, put a +1/+1 counter on Machamp.
6/4
Machoke 3RR
Creature — Pokemon (U)
Fighting type (When this creature enters the battlefield, you may have it fight target creature.)
Evolution—Machop (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Machop is a copy of this.)
4/3
Machop 1R
Creature — Pokemon (C)
Fighting type (When this creature enters the battlefield, you may have it fight target creature.)
2/1
Magnemite 2R
Artifact Creature — Pokemon (C)
Flying
Electric type (This creature can’t be blocked except by two or more creatures.)
2/1
Magneton 4R
Artifact Creature — Pokemon (U)
Flying, electric type (This creature can’t be blocked except by two or more creatures.)
Evolution—Magnemite (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Magnemite is a copy of this.)
3/2
Max Repel XR
Instant (C)
Max Repel deals X damage to target creature or planeswalker.
Ponyta 2RR
Creature — Pokemon (C)
First strike
Fire type (When this creature enters the battlefield, it deals damage equal to its power to target player.)
2/3
Rapidash 5RR
Creature — Pokemon (U)
First strike, fire type (When this creature enters the battlefield, it deals damage equal to its power to target player.)
Evolution—Ponyta (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Ponyta is a copy of this.)
4/5
Repel 1R
Instant (C)
Repel deals 3 damage to target creature or player.
TM 25 — Thunder 4RR
Enchantment — Aura (R)
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature gets +1/+1 and has “Whenever this creature attacks, it deals damage equal to its power to target creature or player.”
TM 26 — Earthquake 1RR
Enchantment — Aura (U)
Enchant creature without flying
When TM 26 - Earthquake enters the battlefield, creatures without flying can’t block this turn.
Enchanted creature can’t block.
TM 38 — Fireblast 2R
Enchantment — Aura (U)
Enchant creature
When TM 38 - Fireblast enters the battlefield, it deals 2 damage to each creature.
Enchanted creature gets -1/-1.
Voltorb 3R
Creature — Pokemon (C)
Haste
Electric type (This creature can’t be blocked except by two or more creatures.)
3/1
X Speed XRR
Instant (C)
Target creature gets +X/+0 and gains first strike until end of turn.
GGGGGGGGGG
Awakening 1G
Instant (C)
Destroy target artifact or enchantment.
Bellsprout 3G
Creature — Pokemon (C)
Reach
Grass type (This creature has “T: Add G to your mana pool.)
2/4
Bulbasaur G
Creature — Pokemon (C)
Grass type (This creature has “T: Add G to your mana pool.)
1/1
Caterpie G
Creature — Pokemon (C)
Bug type (When this creature enters the battlefield, if it isn’t a token, you may pay its casting cost. If you do, put a token onto the battlefield that’s a copy of it.)
1/1
Ether 3G
Sorcery (U)
Return up to two target permanent cards from your graveyard to your hand.
Gloom 3GG
Creature — Pokemon (U)
Trample, grass type (This creature has “T: Add G to your mana pool.)
Evolution—Oddish (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Oddish is a copy of this.)
5/4
HM 05 — Flash 2G
Enchantment — Aura (C)
Enchant creature
Flash
Enchanted creature gets +0/+1 and has hexproof.
1G: Return HM 05 - Flash to its owner’s hand.
Hyper Potion 3GGG
Sorcery (R)
Untap all creatures you control. Creatures you control get +3/+3 and gain trample until end of turn.
Ivysaur 4GG
Creature — Pokemon (U)
Grass type (This creature has “T: Add G to your mana pool.)
Evolution—Bulbasaur (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Bulbasaur is a copy of this.)
6/6
Kakuna 2G
Creature — Pokemon (U)
Deathtouch, bug type (When this creature enters the battlefield, if it isn’t a token, you may pay its casting cost. If you do, put a token onto the battlefield that’s a copy of it.)
Evolution—Weedle (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Weedle is a copy of this.)
1/3
Leaf Stone G
Sorcery (C)
Look at the top five cards of your library. You may reveal a land or green creature card from among them and put it into your hand. Then put the rest on the bottom of your library in any order.
Metapod 3G
Creature — Pokemon (U)
Bug type (When this creature enters the battlefield, if it isn’t a token, you may pay its casting cost. If you do, put a token onto the battlefield that’s a copy of it.)
Evolution—Caterpie (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Caterpie is a copy of this.)
3/4
Oddish 2GG
Creature — Pokemon (C)
Trample
Grass type (This creature has “T: Add G to your mana pool.)
3/3
Paras 2G
Creature — Pokemon (C)
Bug type (When this creature enters the battlefield, if it isn’t a token, you may pay its casting cost. If you do, put a token onto the battlefield that’s a copy of it.)
Grass type (This creature has “T: Add G to your mana pool.)
2/2
Parasect 2GG
Creature — Pokemon (U)
Bug type, grass type (When this creature enters the battlefield, if it isn’t a token, you may pay its casting cost. If you do, put a token onto the battlefield that’s a copy of it. This creature has “T: Add G to your mana pool.)
Evolution—Paras (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Paras is a copy of this.)
4/3
Pinsir 3GG
Creature — Pokemon (R)
Bug type (When this creature enters the battlefield, if it isn’t a token, you may pay its casting cost. If you do, put a token onto the battlefield that’s a copy of it.)
G, T: Pinsir fights target creature. (Each deals damage equal to its power to the other.)
3/3
Potion 1G
Instant (C)
Target creature gets +3/+3 until end of turn. Untap that creature.
Tangela 1G
Creature — Pokemon (C)
Reach
Grass type (This creature has “T: Add G to your mana pool.)
2/2
Throw a Rock 1G
Instant (C)
Destroy target creature with flying.
TM 21 — Mega Drain 4GG
Enchantment — Aura (R)
Enchant creature
When TM 21 - Mega Drain enters the battlefield, exile target creature.
Enchanted creature gets +X/+Y, where X is the exiled creature card’s power and Y is its toughness.
TM 22 — Solar Beam 2GG
Enchantment — Aura (R)
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature gets +2/+2 and has “T: Put a +1/+1 counter on this creature,” and “3GG, T, Remove a +1/+1 counter from this creature: Destroy target noncreature permanent.”
Venusaur 5GGG
Creature — Pokemon (R)
Grass type (This creature has “T: Add G to your mana pool.)
Evolution—Bulbasaur or Ivysaur (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Bulbasaur or Ivysaur is a copy of this.)
When Venusaur enters the battlefield, untap all creatures you control, then draw a card for each creature that untapped this way.
6/8
Victreebell 5GG
Creature — Pokemon (R)
Reach, hexproof, grass type (This creature has “T: Add G to your mana pool.)
Evolution—Bellsprout or Weepinbell (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Bellsprout or Weepinbell is a copy of this.)
6/7
Vileplume 5GG
Creature — Pokemon (R)
Trample, deathtouch, grass type (This creature has “T: Add G to your mana pool.)
Evolution—Oddish or Gloom (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Oddish or Gloom is a copy of this.)
7/6
Weedle 1G
Creature — Pokemon (C)
Deathtouch
Bug type (When this creature enters the battlefield, if it isn’t a token, you may pay its casting cost. If you do, put a token onto the battlefield that’s a copy of it.)
1/1
Weepinbell 3GG
Creature — Pokemon (U)
Reach, grass type (This creature has “T: Add G to your mana pool.)
Evolution—Bellsprout (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Bellsprout is a copy of this.)
4/5
X Attack XGG
Instant (C)
Target creature gets +X/+X and gains trample until end of turn.
WUBRGWUBRG
Articuno 4WWUU
Legendary Creature — Pokemon (M)
Flying, ice type (When this enters the battlefield, you may tap target creature. It doesn’t untap during its controller’s next untap step.)
Creatures your opponents control don’t untap during their controller’s untap step.
5/5
Cloyster 3WU
Creature — Pokemon (U)
Vigilance, ice type (When this enters the battlefield, you may tap target creature. It doesn’t untap during its controller’s next untap step.)
Evolution—Shellder (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Shellder is a copy of this.)
3/5
Dewgong 4WU
Creature — Pokemon (U)
Ice type (When this enters the battlefield, you may tap target creature. It doesn’t untap during its controller’s next untap step.)
Evolution—Seel (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Seel is a copy of this.)
4/6
Lapras 2WU
Creature — Pokemon (R)
Ice type (When this enters the battlefield, you may tap target creature. It doesn’t untap during its controller’s next untap step.)
Water type (When this creature enters the battlefield, draw a card.)
Lapras can’t be blocked.
2/4
Seel 2WU
Creature — Pokemon (C)
Ice type (When this enters the battlefield, you may tap target creature. It doesn’t untap during its controller’s next untap step.)
2/3
Shellder 1WU
Creature — Pokemon (C)
Vigilance
Ice type (When this enters the battlefield, you may tap target creature. It doesn’t untap during its controller’s next untap step.)
1/3
TM 13 — Ice Beam WU
Enchantment — Aura (U)
Enchant creature
When TM 13 - Ice Beam enters the battlefield, tap enchanted creature.
Enchanted creature doesn’t untap during its controller’s untap step.
Golduck 3UB
Creature — Pokemon (U)
Psychic type, water type (When this creature enters the battlefield, look at the top card of target player’s library, then you may put that card on the bottom of that player’s library, and draw a card.)
Evolution—Psyduck (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Psyduck is a copy of this.)
3/5
Mewtwo 6UUBB
Legendary Creature — Pokemon (M)
Flying, psychic type (When this creature enters the battlefield, look at the top card of target player’s library. You may put that card on the bottom of that player’s library.)
Whenever an opponent becomes the target of a spell or ability you control, that player sacrifices half of the permanents he or she controls, rounded up.
6/6
Psyduck UB
Creature — Pokemon (C)
Psychic type (When this creature enters the battlefield, look at the top card of target player’s library. You may put that card on the bottom of that player’s library.)
Water type (When this creature enters the battlefield, draw a card.)
1/1
Starmie 4UB
Creature — Pokemon (R)
Psychic type, water type (When this creature enters the battlefield, look at the top card of target player’s library, then you may put that card on the bottom of that player’s library, and draw a card.)
Evolution—Staryu
4: Exile Starmie, then return it to the battlefield under your control.
4/2
Tentacool 3UB
Creature — Pokemon (C)
Water type (When this creature enters the battlefield, draw a card.)
Poison type (Whenever this creature attacks, defending player loses 1 life.)
3/3
Tentacruel 5UB
Creature — Pokemon (U)
Water type, poison type (When this creature enters the battlefield, draw a card. Whenever this creature attacks, defending player loses 1 life.)
Evolution—Tentacool (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Tentacool is a copy of this.)
6/6
TM 29 — Psychic 3UB
Enchantment — Aura (U)
Enchant creature
You control enchanted creature.
At the beginning of the end step, if you control no other creatures, sacrifice enchanted creature.
Arbok 3BR
Creature — Pokemon (U)
First strike, poison type (Whenever this creature attacks, defending player loses 1 life.)
Evolution—Ekans (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Ekans is a copy of this.)
4/1
Ekans BR
Creature — Pokemon (C)
First strike
Poison type (Whenever this creature attacks, defending player loses 1 life.)
2/1
Jesse and James, Team Rocket 3BR
Planeswalker — Jesse and James (M)
Starting Loyalty: 4
+2: Until end of turn, the next time a creature an opponent controls dies, return it to the battlefield under your control.
-4: Untap target creature and gain control of it. It gains haste until end of turn. At the beginning of the next end step, sacrifice it.
-12: You get an emblem with “At the beginning of your upkeep, you gain control target creature chosen at random that you don’t control.”
Koffing 1BR
Creature — Pokemon (C)
Flying
Poison type (Whenever this creature attacks, defending player loses 1 life.)
1/3
Magmar 1BR
Creature — Pokemon (R)
Fire type (When this creature enters the battlefield, it deals damage equal to its power to target player.)
B: Target creature with power less than Magmar’s power can’t block it this turn.
R: Magmar gets +1/+0 until end of turn.
2/1
TM 03 — Swords Dance BR
Enchantment — Aura (U)
Enchant creature
Whenever an opponent loses life, put a +1/+1 counter on enchanted creature.
Enchanted creature has “2BR: Each opponent loses 1 life.”
Weezing 4BR
Creature — Pokemon (U)
Flying, poison type (Whenever this creature attacks, defending player loses 1 life.)
Evolution—Koffing (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Koffing is a copy of this.)
3/5
Arcanine 6RG
Creature — Pokemon (U)
Trample, fire type (When this creature enters the battlefield, it deals damage equal to its power to target player.)
Evolution—Growlithe (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Growlithe is a copy of this.)
6/6
Growlithe 3RG
Creature — Pokemon (C)
Trample
Fire type (When this creature enters the battlefield, it deals damage equal to its power to target player.)
3/3
Mankey 2RG
Creature — Pokemon (C)
Haste
Fighting type (When this creature enters the battlefield, you may have it fight target creature.)
3/2
Moltres 5RRGG
Legendary Creature — Pokemon (M)
Flying, fire type (When this creature enters the battlefield, it deals damage equal to its power to target player.)
Whenever a source you control deals damage to an opponent, you may return target creature card from your graveyard to your hand.
5/5
Primeape 4RG
Creature — Pokemon (U)
Haste, fighting type (When this creature enters the battlefield, you may have it fight target creature.)
Evolution—Mankey (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Mankey is a copy of this.)
5/3
Scyther 2RG
Creature — Pokemon (R)
Flying, bug type (When this creature enters the battlefield, if it isn’t a token, you may pay its casting cost. If you do, put a token onto the battlefield that’s a copy of it.)
When Scyther enters the battlefield, add RRGG to your mana pool.
2/2
TM 17 — Submission 4RG
Enchantment — Aura (U)
Enchant creature
When TM 17 - Submission enters the battlefield, you may have enchanted creature fight another target creature.
Enchanted creature gets +1/-1.
Ash Ketchum, Pokemon Trainer 1GW
Planeswalker — Ash (M)
Starting Loyalty: 2
+1: Put a +1/+1 counter on up to one target creature. It gets +1/+1 until end of turn.
0: Put a legendary 1/1 red and white Pokemon creature token named Ash’s Pikachu onto the battlefield.
-6: You get an emblem with “Creatures you control have lifelink, trample, hexproof, and vigilance.”
Chansey 8GW
Creature — Pokemon (R)
Normal type (When this creature enters the battlefield, you gain life equal to its toughness.)
When Chansey enters the battlefield, put ten 0/1 white and green Egg creature tokens onto the battlefield.
2/10
Clefable 4GW
Creature — Pokemon (U)
Flash, normal type (When this creature enters the battlefield, you gain life equal to its toughness.)
Evolution—Clefairy (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Clefairy is a copy of this.)
5/5
Clefairy 3GW
Creature — Pokemon (C)
Flash
Normal type (When this creature enters the battlefield, you gain life equal to its toughness.)
3/3
Jigglypuff 1GW
Creature — Pokemon (C)
Vigilance
Normal type (When this creature enters the battlefield, you gain life equal to its toughness.)
2/3
TM 32 — Double Team 2GW
Enchantment — Aura (U)
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature gets +1/+1 for each other creature you control.
Other creatures you control get +1/+1.
Wigglytuff 3GW
Creature — Pokemon (U)
Vigilance, normal type (When this creature enters the battlefield, you gain life equal to its toughness.)
Evolution—Jigglypuff (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Jigglypuff is a copy of this.)
4/5
Fearow 4WB
Creature — Pokemon (U)
Flying, normal type (When this creature enters the battlefield, you gain life equal to its toughness.)
Evolution—Spearow (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Spearow is a copy of this.)
5/4
Gary Oak, Pokemon Master 2WB
Planeswalker — Gary (M)
Starting Loyalty: 3
+1: Up to one target creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn. Up to one other target creature gets -1/-1 until end of tun.
-2: Put a 1/1 black and white Fangirl creature token onto the battlefield. Each opponent sacrifices a creature.
-7: You draw seven cards. Each opponent discards seven cards.
Jynx 2WB
Creature — Pokemon (R)
Psychic type, ice type (When this creature enters the battlefield, look at the top card of target player’s library, then you may put that card on the bottom of that player’s library, and you may tap target creature. It doesn’t untap during its controller’s next untap step.)
Whenever an opponent or creature an opponent controls becomes the target of a spell or ability you control, that opponent or that creature’s controller loses 1 life and you gain 1 life.
3/4
Meowth WB
Creature — Pokemon (C)
Deathtouch
Normal type (When this creature enters the battlefield, you gain life equal to its toughness.)
2/2
Persian 3WB
Creature — Pokemon (U)
Deathtouch, normal type (When this creature enters the battlefield, you gain life equal to its toughness.)
Evolution—Meowth (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Meowth is a copy of this.)
4/4
Spearow 2WB
Creature — Pokemon (C)
Flying
Normal type (When this creature enters the battlefield, you gain life equal to its toughness.)
3/2
TM 10 — Double-Edge 3WB
Enchantment — Aura (U)
Enchant creature
When TM 10 - Double-Edge enters the battlefield, all creatures get -2/-2 until end of turn.
Enchanted creature gets +2/+2.
Gyarados 6UR
Creature — Pokemon (U)
Flying, water type (When this creature enters the battlefield, draw a card.)
Evolution—Magikarp (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Magikarp is a copy of this.)
7/5
Horsea 2UR
Creature — Pokemon (C)
Haste
Water type (When this creature enters the battlefield, draw a card.)
2/2
Magikarp UR
Creature — Pokemon (C)
Water type (When this creature enters the battlefield, draw a card.)
0/3
Misty, Jealous Gym Leader 4UR
Planeswalker — Misty (M)
Starting Loyalty: 5
+1: Draw a card. Then if you have fewer cards in hand than an opponent, draw another card.
-X: Misty deals X damage to target creature. Then if an opponent controls more creatures than you, Misty deals X damage to another target creature.
-10: Return up to ten target permanents to their owners’ hands. Then Misty deals damage to each opponent equal to the number of cards in his or her hand.
Poliwrath 5UR
Creature — Pokemon (R)
Flash, water type, fighting type (When this creature enters the battlefield, draw a card, and you may have it fight target creature.)
Evolution—Poliwag or Poliwhirl (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Poliwag or Poliwhirl is a copy of this.)
4/5
Seadra 3UR
Creature — Pokemon (U)
Haste, water type (When this creature enters the battlefield, draw a card.)
Evolution—Horsea (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Horsea is a copy of this.)
3/3
TM 35 — Metronome 1UR
Enchantment — Aura (U)
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature gets +1/+1.
UR: Choose a creature on the battlefield at random. Until end of turn, enchanted creature becomes a copy of that creature.
Beedrill 2BG
Creature — Pokemon (R)
Flying, deathtouch, bug type (When this creature enters the battlefield, if it isn’t a token, you may pay its casting cost. If you do, put a token onto the battlefield that’s a copy of it.)
Evolution—Weedle or Kakuna (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Weedle or Kakuna is a copy of this.)
4/3
Grimer 3BG
Creature — Pokemon (C)
Trample
Poison type (Whenever this creature attacks, defending player loses 1 life.)
4/4
Mew 2BBGG
Legendary Creature — Pokemon (M)
Flying, psychic type (When this creature enters the battlefield, look at the top card of target player’s library. You may put that card on the bottom of that player’s library.)
Whenever you become the target of a spell or ability, you may exile a creature card from your graveyard. If you do, put a token onto the battlefield that’s a copy of that card.
3/3
Muk 5BG
Creature — Pokemon (U)
Trample, poison type (Whenever this creature attacks, defending player loses 1 life.)
Evolution—Grimer (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Grimer is a copy of this.)
7/7
TM 50 — Substitute BG
Enchantment — Aura (U)
Enchant creature
When enchanted creature dies, return it to the battlefield under your control.
Enchanted creature gets +1/+1.
Venomoth 1BG
Creature — Pokemon (U)
Flying, bug type, poison type (When this creature enters the battlefield, if it isn’t a token, you may pay its casting cost. If you do, put a token onto the battlefield that’s a copy of it. Whenever this creature attacks, defending player loses 1 life.)
Evolution—Venonat (As long as this is on the battlefield, creatures you control named Venonat are a copy of this.)
3/1
Venonat BG
Creature — Pokemon (C)
Bug type (When this creature enters the battlefield, if it isn’t a token, you may pay its casting cost. If you do, put a token onto the battlefield that’s a copy of it.)
Poison type (Whenever this creature attacks, defending player loses 1 life.)
2/1
Ninetales 3RW
Creature — Pokemon (U)
Double strike, fire type (When this creature enters the battlefield, it deals damage equal to its power to target player.)
Evolution—Vulpix (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Vulpix is a copy of this.)
2/4
Pikachu RW
Creature — Pokemon (C)
Electric type (This creature can’t be blocked except by two or more creatures.)
2/2
Raichu 2RW
Creature — Pokemon (U)
Electric type (This creature can’t be blocked except by two or more creatures.)
Evolution—Pikachu (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Pikachu is a copy of this.)
4/2
Tauros 2RW
Creature — Pokemon (R)
Haste, normal type (When this creature enters the battlefield, you gain life equal to its toughness.)
Whenever a player’s life total changes, put a +1/+1 counter on Tauros.
2/2
TM 23 — Dragon Rage 1RW
Enchantment — Aura (U)
Enchant creature
Whenever you gain life, enchanted creature deals damage to each opponent equal to the amount of life gained.
Enchanted creature gets +2/+0.
Vulpix 1RW
Creature — Pokemon (C)
Double strike
Fire type (When this creature enters the battlefield, it deals damage equal to its power to target player.)
1/2
Zapdos 3RRWW
Legendary Creature — Pokemon (M)
Flying, electric type (This creature can’t be blocked except by two or more creatures.)
Whenever Zapdos deals combat damage to an opponent, you may exile target creature.
5/5
Brock, Pokemon Breeder 5GU
Planeswalker — Brock (M)
Starting Loyalty: 6
+2: Distribute two +1/+1 counters among up to two target creatures you control.
-4: Choose two target creatures you control. Put a token onto the battlefield that’s a copy of one of them with a number of +1/+1 counters on it equal to the power of the other.
-11: For each creature you control, put a token onto the battlefield that’s a copy of that creature. Then put two +1/+1 counters on each creature you control.
Butterfree 3GU
Creature — Pokemon (R)
Flying, bug type (When this creature enters the battlefield, if it isn’t a token, you may pay its casting cost. If you do, put a token onto the battlefield that’s a copy of it.)
Evolution—Caterpie or Metapod
When Butterfree enters the battlefield, for each creature token you control, put a token onto the battlefield that’s a copy of that token.
3/5
Exeggute 4GU
Creature — Pokemon (C)
Psychic type (When this creature enters the battlefield, look at the top card of target player’s library. You may put that card on the bottom of that player’s library.)
Grass type (This creature has “T: Add G to your mana pool.)
5/5
Exeggutor 5GU
Creature — Pokemon (U)
Psychic type, grass type (When this creature enters the battlefield, look at the top card of target player’s library. You may put that card on the bottom of that player’s library. This creature has “T: Add G to your mana pool.)
Evolution—Exeggute (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Exeggute is a copy of this.)
8/8
Slowbro 4GU
Creature — Pokemon (U)
Psychic type, water type (When this creature enters the battlefield, look at the top card of target player’s library, then you may put that card on the bottom of that player’s library, and draw a card.)
Evolution—Slowpoke (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Slowpoke is a copy of this.)
5/6
Slowpoke 2GU
Creature — Pokemon (C)
Psychic type (When this creature enters the battlefield, look at the top card of target player’s library. You may put that card on the bottom of that player’s library.)
Water type (When this creature enters the battlefield, draw a card.)
2/3
TM 31 — Mimic 2GU
Enchantment — Aura (U)
Enchant creature you control
When TM 31 - Mimic enters the battlefield, put a token onto the battlefield that’s a copy of enchanted creature.
XXXXXXXXXX
Aerodactyl 5
Artifact Creature — Pokemon (R)
Flying, haste, rock type (Whenever this creature blocks, it gets +1/+1 until end of turn.)
At the beginning of your upkeep, if Aerodactyl is in your graveyard, you may exile another artifact card in your graveyard. If you do, put Aerodactyl on top of your library.
3/3
Bike 4
Artifact (R)
Whenever a creature enters the battlefield under your control, you may untap Bike.
T: Target creature gains haste, first strike, and trample until end of turn.
Blaine’s Volcano Badge 3
Legendary Artifact — Badge (U)
T: Add an amount of R or G to your mana pool equal to the number of badges you control.
Brock’s Boulder Badge 3
Legendary Artifact — Badge (U)
T: Add an amount of G or U to your mana pool equal to the number of badges you control.
Calcium 2
Artifact — Equipment (C)
Equipped creature gets +0/+1 and has deathtouch.
Equip 3
Carbos 3
Artifact — Equipment (C)
Equipped creature gets +1/+1 and has haste.
Equip 1
Cubone 3
Artifact Creature — Pokemon (C)
Trample
Ground type (Whenever this creature attacks, it gets +1/+1 until end of turn.)
2/1
Diglett 4
Artifact Creature — Pokemon (C)
Haste
Ground type (Whenever this creature attacks, it gets +1/+1 until end of turn.)
1/2
Dugtrio 7
Artifact Creature — Pokemon (U)
Haste, ground type (Whenever this creature attacks, it gets +1/+1 until end of turn.)
Evolution—Diglett (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Diglett is a copy of this.)
3/4
Erika’s Rainbow Badge 3
Legendary Artifact — Badge (U)
T: Add an amount of G or W to your mana pool equal to the number of badges you control.
Fishing Rod 5
Artifact (R)
Whenever a creature enters the battlefield under your control, you may untap Fishing Rod.
T: Return target creature you control to its owner’s hand.
Fossil 1
Artifact (C)
1, T: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool.
1, Sacrifice Fossil: Draw a card.
Gary’s Earth Badge 3
Legendary Artifact — Badge (U)
T: Add an amount of W or B to your mana pool equal to the number of badges you control.
Geodude 3
Artifact Creature — Pokemon (C)
Rock type (Whenever this creature blocks, it gets +1/+1 until end of turn.)
1/3
Giovanni’s Earth Badge 3
Legendary Artifact — Badge (U)
T: Add an amount of B or R to your mana pool equal to the number of badges you control.
Golem 8
Artifact Creature — Pokemon (R)
Rock type (Whenever this creature blocks, it gets +1/+1 until end of turn.)
Eevolution—Geodude or Graveler (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Geodude or Graveler is a copy of this.)
2: Target creature attacks this turn if able.
6/7
Graveler 5
Artifact Creature — Pokemon (U)
Rock type (Whenever this creature blocks, it gets +1/+1 until end of turn.)
Evolution—Geodude (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Geodude is a copy of this.)
3/5
HP Up 2
Artifact — Equipment (C)
At the beginning of your upkeep, put a +1/+1 counter on equipped creature.
Equip 1
Iron 1
Artifact — Equipment (C)
Equipped creature gets +0/+2 and has vigilance.
Equip 2
Janine’s Soul Badge 3
Legendary Artifact — Badge (U)
T: Add an amount of U or B to your mana pool equal to the number of badges you control.
Koga’s Soul Badge 3
Legendary Artifact — Badge (U)
T: Add an amount of B or G to your mana pool equal to the number of badges you control.
Lt. Surge’s Thunder Badge 3
Legendary Artifact — Badge (U)
T: Add an amount of R or W to your mana pool equal to the number of badges you control.
Marowak 6
Artifact Creature — Pokemon (U)
Trample, ground type (Whenever this creature attacks, it gets +1/+1 until end of turn.)
Evolution—Cubone (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Cubone is a copy of this.)
4/3
Misty’s Cascade Badge 3
Legendary Artifact — Badge (U)
T: Add an amount of U or R to your mana pool equal to the number of badges you control.
Nugget 7
Artifact (R)
Whenever a creature enters the battlefield under your control, you may untap Nugget.
T: Draw a card.
Onix 3
Artifact Creature — Pokemon (R)
Ground type, rock type (Whenever this creature attacks or blocks, it gets +1/+1 until end of turn.)
At the beginning of your upkeep, put a +1/+1 counter on Onix.
1/1
Poke Flute 6
Artifact (R)
Whenever a creature enters the battlefield under your control, you may untap Poke Flute.
T: Tap or untap target creature.
PP Up 2
Artifact — Equipment (C)
Whenever a creature enters the battlefield under your control, you may attach PP Up to it.
Equipped creature gets +1/+1.
Equip 3
Rare Candy 6
Artifact (R)
6, T, Sacrifice Rare Candy: Search your library for a Pokemon creature card with evolution. Reveal that card, then shuffle your library and put that card onto the battlefield.
Rhydon 8
Artifact Creature — Pokemon (U)
Ground type, rock type (Whenever this creature attacks or blocks, it gets +1/+1 until end of turn.)
Evolution—Rhyhorn (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Rhyhorn is a copy of this.)
6/6
Rhyhorn 6
Artifact Creature — Pokemon (C)
Ground type (Whenever this creature attacks, it gets +1/+1 until end of turn.)
Rock type (Whenever this creature blocks, it gets +1/+1 until end of turn.)
3/3
Sabrina’s Marsh Badge 3
Legendary Artifact — Badge (U)
T: Add an amount of W or U to your mana pool equal to the number of badges you control.
Sandshrew 2
Artifact Creature — Pokemon (C)
Ground type (Whenever this creature attacks, it gets +1/+1 until end of turn.)
1/1
Sandslash 5
Artifact Creature — Pokemon (U)
Ground type (Whenever this creature attacks, it gets +1/+1 until end of turn.)
Evolution—Sandshrew (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Sandshrew is a copy of this.)
3/3
Missingno 6
Creature — Pokemon (M)
At the beginning of each upkeep, put a glitch counter on Missingno, then each player exiles X permanents he or she controls, where X is the number of glitch counters on Missingno.
4/1
TTTTTTTTTT
Celadon City
Land (C)
Celadon City enters the battlefield tapped.
T: Add G or W to your mana pool.
Cerulean City
Land (C)
Cerulean City enters the battlefield tapped.
T: Add U or R to your mana pool.
Cinnabar Island
Land (C)
Cinnabar Island enters the battlefield tapped.
T: Add R or G to your mana pool.
Fuschia City
Land (C)
Fuschia City enters the battlefield tapped.
T: Add B or G to your mana pool.
Indigo Plateau
Land (R)
T: Add 1 to your mana pool.
T: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool. Spend this mana only to cast Pokemon creature spells or activate abilities of Pokemon creatures.
Lavender Town
Land (C)
Lavender Town enters the battlefield tapped.
T: Add U or B to your mana pool.
Pallet Town
Land (C)
Pallet Town enters the battlefield tapped.
T: Add W or B to your mana pool.
Pewter City
Land (C)
Pewter City enters the battlefield tapped.
T: Add G or U to your mana pool.
Pokemon Center
Land (C)
T, Sacrifice Pokemon Center: Search your library for a basic land card and put it onto the battlefield tapped. Then shuffle your library.
Saffron City
Land (C)
Saffron City enters the battlefield tapped.
T: Add W or U to your mana pool.
Vermilion City
Land (C)
Vermillion City enters the battlefield tapped.
T: Add R or W to your mana pool.
Viridian City
Land (C)
Viridian City enters the battlefield tapped.
T: Add B or R to your mana pool.
Evolution somewhat intrigues me.. it doesn't really work like evolution.. i would say, Evolution would work most similarly to our previous Champion mechanic.. but well, your Evolution will create a different game play...
The way i look at it, it encourages strategy with casting the small ones, and hit with an evolution to suddenly give big impact on all creatures... you would want to have many of the non-evolved card around at first then hit with the big one.. (except for the red one.. i would wish i cast Charizard first then i start casting all the Charmanders and or any dragon types to kill opponent with super burn..)
the elemental type somehow restrict the design, all creatures have one of this and somewhat makes the game play less variable. and given all fire type deals damage to opponent when it enters the battlefield and water type gives draw card for each of the creature you cast.. i'm quite certain that the best mix would be a blue and red.. blue for cantrips, while red for the etb burns..
this set has no land ramping method.. each set usually have 2-3..
this set has 2 counter spell.. standard sets has 4-5..
this set has 4 creature removal in the form of destroy, 3 of them are ghost and 1 is a spell.. a soft removal by bouncing is by Blastoise and Ice Heal..
this set has 27 enchantment and all of them are aura with enchant creature..
i'm not really sure if i can build a strong constructed deck with the cards i will try open the MSE set to see further distribution.. but overall, i see that the distribution of the non-creature and as well as the function is not too wide and would need to be adjusted to make a better set..
First, well done
It's not easy to make a full set of anything, and matching a different game's flavor is extremely hard. However, I think things can be implemented a bit more elegantly.
Evolution
Your take on Evolution has some very good gameplay elements, but it runs into some problems. First, it doesn't match the flavor perfectly - not even close to perfectly. Charmander 1 doesn't evolve because a Charizard entered the battlefield, and no pokemon devolves ever in red and blue. Flavor mismatches can be acceptable if gameplay is perfect, though this is less tolerable in a top-down set like this, but there's also some really irritating elements to the gameplay as well. In real life, looking at a charmander and having to mentally replace it with the charizard’s stats over there is a serious complexity tax on our brains. Clone effects are more acceptable, because the card reminds you that it’s something else every time you look at the card. Looking at a Charmander while your Charizard is on the field doesn’t tell you that it’s different. It’s going to create a ton of extra complexity and extra misplays among the players that would be enjoying the set just looking to have a casual time, without having to devote all that extra mental energy. The inherent power of upgrading all your other charmanders when a Charizard comes down also makes evolution cards inherently pricey to cost in general. This makes it harder to play those creatures on their own and have them be good, which was one of the points behind your idea. The judge calls about the implications of the Evolution mechanic would also be VERY frequent, for the same reasons Humility got so many calls (though not as bad as that).
My favorite thing about how you handled evolution was creating a way for the evolved types to be played on their own, even if you don’t have the creature they evolve from. This is an awesome insight and leagues above most attempts. However; the flavor is off, the mental parsing of the mechanic adds a significant amount of board complexity (even the Lorwyn/Morningtide format broke peoples’ brains, there’s tons of stories about players just quitting early at prereleases for morningtide because it was too mentally exhausting), and it will create rules confusion in casual players. None of these elements are great for a fun pokemon set.
I’d suggest the following evolution of the mechanic (see what I did there? I know, right!).
Charizard – 5RRR
Creature - Pokemon
Evolution – When you cast Charizard, you may exile a Charmeleon you control to reduce Charizard’s mana cost by 2RR. If you do, Charizard gains haste.
5/5
I took off Charizard’s other abilities just to use him as an example. For this example, also assume Charmeleon’s mana cost is 2RR.
The idea would be that you can play your Charizard as a new copy, or you can pay the difference in mana cost to evolve your Charmeleon into a Charizard (I’d be okay with certain evolutions providing larger discounts, like Magikarp). This seems to fit the flavor of the games like a glove (exiling instead of sacrificing also makes the flavor fit better) and, since it offers card disadvantage, you can afford to make the costs a lot more forgiving. Of course, you could also have Evolution draw you a card when used to counter this disadvantage, or have evolution gain some additional benefit.
For example…
Charizard – 5RRR
Creature - Pokemon
Evolution – When you cast Charizard, you may exile a Charmeleon you control to reduce Charizard’s mana cost by 2RR. If you do, deal 2 damage to all creatures your opponents control.
5/5
Thoughts?
2) Types
This is a much harder nut to crack. Fundamentally, types are all about the elemental rock/paper/scissors. Your execution seeks to give identity to the types by giving them type-based abilities, but this doesn’t match the flavor at all of what pokemon means by types. I think some of your mechanics are awesome for gameplay (the bug one seems super fun!), but calling them types doesn’t work.
Since it’s clear that it’s impossible to get a weakness/resistance thing to work in Magic across the breadth of types that pokemon has in a way that matches the flavor, I think you’d just be better off pushing types as far away as possible. You can keep a lot of the abilities, but I wouldn’t even call them types. This would also free up a ton of space on the cards to give specific pokemon top-down designs that truly match them. Look at poor Gyarados right now. Evolution and Water Type take up so much of the text box and are worth so much of the power that you have to give it an absurdly high mana cost and, outside of Evolution, it’s nothing special (even Evolution doesn’t make it special, since lots of things have evolution. Gyarados, the super-cool water dragon, is reduced out of necessity to three stock abilities. That’s painful to watch.
3) Where’s my level-up or XP system? I mean, I’ll live without one and evolutions can work here, but it seems a much richer option for exploring something related to pokemon than type would be XP. There’s already a level-up mechanic in the game, and there are surely cool ways to play with training pokemon. A few quick options just off the top of my head…
Charmander – RR
Creature – Pokemon
Training – Whenever Charmander attacks or blocks, you may put a +1/+1 counter on it at the end of combat.
2/1
Magikarp – U
Creature - Pokemon
Training – Whenever Magikarp attacks or blocks, put a training counter on it.
Remove 3 Training counters from Magikarp: Exile Magikarp and search your library, hand and graveyard for a Gyarados card and put it onto the battlefield. Activate this ability only when you could play a sorcery.
0/1
Third option could make it like Level Up, only by dealing combat damage to get the counters on instead of paying mana.
Conclusion
Very good thoughts, very good effort. I think you have a lot more opportunities to take your ideas even further. Note, I'm really looking at the core mechanical design here - which is why I haven't commented on developmental concerns or set balance issues.
i'm not really sure if i can build a strong constructed deck with the cards i will try open the MSE set to see further distribution.. but overall, i see that the distribution of the non-creature and as well as the function is not too wide and would need to be adjusted to make a better set..
Don't forget about the Badges as ramp and lots of the TM's as removal Since all 151 Pokemon have abilities, many of them take the slots of "normal" spells that would be in a set too.
In real life, looking at a charmander and having to mentally replace it with the charizard’s stats over there is a serious complexity tax on our brains. Clone effects are more acceptable, because the card reminds you that it’s something else every time you look at the card. Looking at a Charmander while your Charizard is on the field doesn’t tell you that it’s different. It’s going to create a ton of extra complexity and extra misplays among the players that would be enjoying the set just looking to have a casual time, without having to devote all that extra mental energy.
Thanks a ton for all the feedback. What we usually do when we play is just overlap the cards (ie: place the Charizard over the Charmander). I don't believe it's caused any memory issues in the drafts we've done, which have included 10 year olds to 50 year olds.
The idea would be that you can play your Charizard as a new copy, or you can pay the difference in mana cost to evolve your Charmeleon into a Charizard (I’d be okay with certain evolutions providing larger discounts, like Magikarp). This seems to fit the flavor of the games like a glove (exiling instead of sacrificing also makes the flavor fit better) and, since it offers card disadvantage, you can afford to make the costs a lot more forgiving. Of course, you could also have Evolution draw you a card when used to counter this disadvantage, or have evolution gain some additional benefit.
I've played with Pokemon Magic sets in the past that have done similar things for their evolution mechanic (reducing costs, etc), and the problem is that they just weren't fun. You'd draw the pre-evolutions too late, getting them out too soon made some just broken, and less experienced players wouldn't even want to sacrifice them ("if I just wait a few more turns I can cast it normally anyway!"). I do understand it's not a perfect flavor hit, but the gameplay is so good I feel it's worth it.
This is a much harder nut to crack. Fundamentally, types are all about the elemental rock/paper/scissors. Your execution seeks to give identity to the types by giving them type-based abilities, but this doesn’t match the flavor at all of what pokemon means by types. I think some of your mechanics are awesome for gameplay (the bug one seems super fun!), but calling them types doesn’t work.
Types were definitely tough. Here's the steps I went through to arrive at their execution:
1) Types are so integral to Pokemon they basically need to be included in the set for it to feel like Pokemon. Without them, it would feel like Ravnica without the Guilds.
2) Type advantages/disadvantages as basically impossible to incorporate into the set, so they should just be a flavorful ability instead.
3) Only having certain Pokemon have a "type ability" and other Pokemon of the same type not getting that ability would feel weird. As in, I couldn't give Ponyta and Charmander the "fire ability" and not give it to Growlithe and Moltres too, that would go against intuition.
So that brought me to the logical conclusion that each Pokemon had to have its own type ability. I do agree that it limits what some cards can do, but there are so many other variables on the card (power/toughness, mana cost, other abilities etc.) that I don't feel it hinders the set. Gyarados in particular always gets people excited when they see/play it, despite its simplicity. It's the Pelakka Wurm of the set, what's not to like?
In fact, every draft I've done there's been at least one person who says that their favorite part of the set is that each Pokemon has their type. People love drafting the "all water type deck" or the "grass and bug deck." Without types, I believe the set would feel hollow.
3) Where’s my level-up or XP system? I mean, I’ll live without one and evolutions can work here, but it seems a much richer option for exploring something related to pokemon than type would be XP.
Unfortunately there's only so much complexity I can cram into the set. Originally the badges did something like that, but I changed them as the set became more about playing several colors and casting big dudes. In order to put in a whole XP/level up mechanic, my guess is all the types would have to go, and as said earlier I think that would hurt the heart of the set.
Thanks again for the comments guys. The next time we do a draft of the set I'll post a writeup of how it went and try to include some videos of matches too to show how it all plays out
ah ok.. i see the badges.. hmm.. i must say, it work slightly differently but well.. it does ramp the mana for quite a bit..
i felt that the composition is still somewhat off i will give it a try in Workstation i will create a deck from this pokemon list and will let you know about it
let me know if you would like to have a match with your custom set in MWS
Additional note
i tried making two constructed deck for me to play around and played with a friend here.. both involving Dratini, Tangela, Bulbasaur, Indigo Plateu and Paralyze heal..
one revolving around red and the other revolving around blue...
i find that given the "Enter the battlefield" trigger of Water and Fire type is very-very powerful and repeated use is really scary..
i like the blue base more since it has more control with benefits, it has Pokeball and Ultra Ball plus Dratini.. Pokeball and bounce Dratini or Squirte will give me a 3 card advantage in 1 card at 4 mana.. while Ultra Ball felt like Counterspell with benefits since i get back my Dratini.. and there was one time i do a play with Blastoise and a squirtle out and i bounce in total 4 creatures to opponent hand with the ETB trigger with Paralyze Heal & Dratini play..
the red base felt similar with me waiting for Charmeleon to drop and start the enter the battlefield trigger with Dratini & Paralyze Heal for scary burn.. plus the Arcanine which is quite a cheap one since it burns for 6 and swing for 6 the next turn..
in both deck the Elemental Stones like Water, Leaf and Fire Stone giving an immense advantage at only 1 and giving you the chance to peek 5 and get a pokemon or a land.. the choice presented almost always help me either get my mana fix early game or get pokemon in later game.. this Stones is very powerful, i think it needed to at least be an uncommon.. its superb in all situations..
in both game it felt that what i need to do is to get the lv3 evolution out as soon as possible, thus the 4 Bulbasaur and 4 Tangela which serves as a acceleration, Indigo Plateu is a must 4-of in any deck since it basically in your set read as "T: Add one mana of any color to cast creature spell and activate creature's ability".. then hit with all the big pokemons and have big effect.. overall, it plays better than i thought it would, but the power balance between one color (or type) and another felt somewhat off.. i think white also have a powerful stalling then go with alpha strike hit using Exp. All card.. i can imagine that it would be sick to pair it with Chansey.. but again given so many cards require so many mana.. Bulbasaur & Tangela would be the one up to do the early ramping job for me..
I'm not sure how overlaying the charizard on top of the charmander works. If you can't see both cards on the board, or it becomes difficult to do so, that's very strange. Additionally, you can't trust players to use your clever methods for tracking things, if you've developed them. Have you done silent playtests with this, where you give the cards to players to draft with and say nothing whatsoever, just sit in the back taking notes and let them figure it out on their own? When the game designer is actively helping people, or playing himself, things are very different.
I agree that types are integral to pokemon. However, I don't think your execution on them has anything to do with what types are. To me, it feels like making a D&D-inspired set, creating a wizard class and giving them a mechanic called "Prepare Spell" that just says "T, deal 1 damage to target creature or player". It has nothing to do with preparing spells, and just writing "Prepare Spell" only draws attention to the fact that the mechanic is missing.
Your execution on types is like this. Types are all about type-advantage, which you haven't done anything with (because you can't). Pushing in a huge amount of complexity and cutting your design space off at the knees (because every pokemon of a type has to have these type-based abilities) actually hurts your flavor. Squirtle entering the battlefield and drawing a card has nothing to do with the turtle's actual gameplay and flavor in the source material. Ditto gaining you life has nothing to do with the source material. The execution of types even pushes you into some design problems. For example, the Electric type mechanic does not interact well with flying - as both are evasion mechanics (and there's a question on the Great Designer Search 2 that specifically calls out doing this sort of thing as a mistake even when it fits for flavor reasons). This forces Zapdos into an awkward design, because it has to fly and if you use types-as-mechanics you have to make it an electric type. And high CMC grass type pokemon get to tap for G - which is ridiculous on them. Look at Exeggutor, would anyone put a tap ability to add G onto an 8/8 for 5GU normally? That's just not good design, but you have to do it because you've committed to this execution of types. If you didn't bind yourself to types-as-mechanics, and just tried to match the flavor of each pokemon individually, you wouldn't have these problems.
My main problem with the set is that you have names of pokemon and pokemon-things on the cards, but the flavor is completely off on your core mechanics. Since a pokemon set is all about flavor, this is a serious problem.
Here's my challenge. Take off all the pokemon names/references of the mechanics, abilities cards and so on - then show them to some people. See if they can tell your set is a pokemon set, your mechanics are pokemon mechanics and so on.
EDIT - Also, you're playing fast and loose with the color pie too often. White doesn't get clone effects, which makes Ditto not work. Great Ball's effect isn't blue, it's white. Fight is primary in green, but you have it dominating red and so on.
EDIT 2 - The flavor of the individual cards is also highly questionable. Surf is a debuff you play on an opponent? X defend ups your target's attack as well? Max Repel is a damage card? Rapidash doesn't have haste? Awakening is a Naturalize? The item that wakes up sleeping pokemon ends up destroying artifacts or enchantments instead?
In your attempt to represent everything from the pokeverse in Red and Blue, but also maintain good gameplay, you've ended up keeping all the names but not matching the flavor of a huge chunk (including evolution and the types themselves). Having a card called Awakening that doesn't do anything like what Awakening does in the game undermines your flavor more than if you hadn't represented the Awakening item at all.
At this point, in a real top-down set for Wizards, creative could usually tweak the world of the top-down design to tilt just enough to match the new flavor. Evolution might be called something else, for example. However, you don't have that option - pokemon red and blue is fixed lore. If you made new items and such with pokemonish names you could get away with it, but that's not what you're doing. You need to fit the flavor and not break the color pie.
For cards like Awakening and Max Repel, you can make flavor fit much better by either...
A) Giving it the name of a pokemon move. For example, calling Max Repel "Flamethrower" instead. You have pokemon flavor there and it at least fits the mechanics to the flavor.
B) Just call it something normal, like "Relic Crush" in terms of Awakening and show a picture of a pokemon wrecking something on the card.
Both these executions will help prevent the flavor mismatches you currently have. You might not end up with a card to represent Awakening (though I'd be surprised if you couldn't work an instant that untaps a creature into the game) but flavor that matches means a lot more than representing the thing in name but not having the mechanics fit the name. For example, there would be no point putting in a Zapdos if you ended up making it a blue 0/5 defender common. That would fit about as much as some of your non-creatures do right now.
A lot of the mechanics and designs you ended up with probably play very well, but I don't think you've made a set that fits pokemon very well. That might be a good thing, you might have accidentally made a unique set that's a lot of fun. If you retheme it, you could keep a whole extra set, then work on fixing the flavor issues on the pokemon stuff in the next draft. You'd end up with a flavorful pokemon set and an awesome other set (if it plays as well as you say it does).
Or, of course, I could be totally wrong about the whole thing.
i tried making two constructed deck for me to play around and played with a friend here.. both involving Dratini, Tangela, Bulbasaur, Indigo Plateu and Paralyze heal..
one revolving around red and the other revolving around blue...
I've never made 60 card 4x copies constructed decks with the cards, only draft/sealed, so I'm interested in hearing what that's like. Since the set is intended to be drafted, and custom sets have the luxury of not worrying about constructed implications, I'm mostly concerned with making changes that affect limited, but I'd be happy with tweaking a few if they're completely broken in constructed.
I'm not sure how overlaying the charizard on top of the charmander works. If you can't see both cards on the board, or it becomes difficult to do so, that's very strange. Additionally, you can't trust players to use your clever methods for tracking things, if you've developed them. Have you done silent playtests with this, where you give the cards to players to draft with and say nothing whatsoever, just sit in the back taking notes and let them figure it out on their own? When the game designer is actively helping people, or playing himself, things are very different.
In my experience at the playtests, everyone seems to just naturally overlay their evolutions, like equipment or enchantments. I dunno, it's just never been a problem. I know it's just anecdotal evidence, but with over twenty people it's never come up.
I agree that types are integral to pokemon. However, I don't think your execution on them has anything to do with what types are. To me, it feels like making a D&D-inspired set, creating a wizard class and giving them a mechanic called "Prepare Spell" that just says "T, deal 1 damage to target creature or player". It has nothing to do with preparing spells, and just writing "Prepare Spell" only draws attention to the fact that the mechanic is missing.
I think we just have a disagreement on the core of what makes Pokemon, Pokemon: I believe it's the types, even without advantages/disadvantages, and for you I believe it's leveling-up/EXP. That's perfectly fine, they just both result in very different sets.
You're right that there are a few cards that don't fit the flavor of what they do in the games, but that's just inevitable when trying to take one game format and translate it into another. Originally cards like Surf and Awakening did much more obvious "flavorful" things (grant islandwalk and untap the creature respectively), but as we playtested and the set evolved, we found we just didn't need those cards, and they evolved into what the set needed while still staying as flavorfully true to what they did in the games (Blue needed early defense and we needed more artifact/enchantment destruction). Sure we could've renamed Surf to "Pin Down" or Awakening to "Crash Into" or something in the process, but I feel that keeping the names to evoke the Pokemon world is worth it.
Overall, again I think we're just coming from two different schools of thought. You want the set to be as faithful to Pokemon as possible, while I want good gameplay as much as possible. Unfortunately it's nearly impossible to balance the two perfectly, as many other executions of Pokemon Magic sets in the past have shown. In my experience, the ones that are faithful to the games just never end up being fun to play; I've never played the same one twice, which was part of the inspiration for creating this set.
As with all things Magic though, I know it's hard to judge if you haven't physically played it. I know it's a lot to ask to print out the cards and play, but I'd highly recommend it, to get a feel of what I'm talking about which is nearly impossible to do in theory alone. If you do get some friends together to help you cut/print/sleeve and play, I'd love to hear what all of your reactions are to the games and everything
I agree that it's extremely hard to match things perfectly and also create good gameplay. You've set yourself a herculean challenge. However, I think that you are undermining yourself in places you don't need to. There isn't a point in representing the Awakening item if your representation doesn't have anything to do with the Awakening item. Just call it something that fits. Your commitment to this particular execution of the types, in order to hold onto flavor, leads you to unavoidable design mistakes - like the Exeggutor and Zapdos designs. The things you've chosen to care about are forcing you to make poorly designed cards.
The problem here is that you've gone half-way. You started top-down and realized that the gameplay wasn't playing well. You changed the effects of the cards into things you feel play better. However, you left the names the same - even though they no longer match. This actively hurts the flavor, and it'd be better to either...
A) Keep the names and make cards that fit them.
B) Change the names to fit the new mechanics.
Going half-way creates far more problems than it solves. I don't much mind not having leveling-up in the set, and I wouldn't even mind not having a way to evolve pokemon into higher evolutions. At least, it wouldn't bother me too much. I definitely wouldn't mind not seeing an Awakening card. I'd be able to accept that this single battle isn't going to give any pokemon enough XP to level up, or to evolve, so I'd just enjoy the pokemon-themed cards. I might be minorly confused about where Awakening was, but there's limited cards in the set and Awakening isn't core to the franchise at all. It's just a random item.
However, giving me a card called "Awakening" but has nothing to do with it whatsoever is a massive flavor disconnect. It would be far better to not have a card named awakening at all.
I don't much mind not having leveling-up in the set, and I wouldn't even mind not having a way to evolve pokemon into higher evolutions. At least, it wouldn't bother me too much. I definitely wouldn't mind not seeing an Awakening card. I'd be able to accept that this single battle isn't going to give any pokemon enough XP to level up, or to evolve, so I'd just enjoy the pokemon-themed cards. I might be minorly confused about where Awakening was, but there's limited cards in the set and Awakening isn't core to the franchise at all. It's just a random item.
I think that's where we disagree. I believe not having some sort of evolution mechanic (and some sort of types mechanic too) would completely take away the whole Pokemon feeling of the set, whereas having the occasional card like Awakening to ensure good gameplay isn't a big deal. Renaming Awakening to "Relic Crush" or something else would, I feel, take the player out of the Pokemon world far more.
These are just two different visions for the set that can't really be compromised: it has to be one way or the other. Either only using terms from the game in cards, or allowing the use of non-game terms on cards. I simply chose to go with the former.
While I wholeheartedly admit there are a few imperfect flavor matches, I think that the majority of the cards in the set flavorfully line up with the games, as much as is possible within the confines of Magic. The equipments (Carbos, Protein, etc.), Link Cable Trade, Throw a Rock, Hurt Itself in Its Confusion, the badges (making you more powerful the more you "collect"), the potions, repels, Pokeballs, almost all of the TMs, the Pokemon themselves, and more. Even Surf (and the rest of the HMs) I feel like up with the games as much as possible, since inundating your opponent with water to give -X/-0 such as Hydrosurge and Turn the Tide exist in Magic already.
Hope I'm playing at least a halfway-useful devil's advocate.
To clarify, I wasn't arguing that you shouldn't have Evolution. I was explaining that I'm not tied to any particular element of the game's flavor, the way you were suggesting that I wanted to focus on leveling up. I was reacting to the way the flavor met the mechanics.
Thank you for the in-depth feedback. As someone who's worked in literary critique for several years, I really appreciate the value of the devil's advocate
Again I should just say that one of the biggest reasons I made this set was because of the many other unsatisfactory Pokemon Magic sets I'd played in the past. I've seen so many attempts at making the "perfect" Pokemon set with Stones that evolved Pokemon, Pokeballs that "captured" Pokemon, items to cure specific ailments (untapping, giving haste, removing -1/-1 counters, etc) and more, but none of them worked out as a whole. They tried to remain too faithful to the game and what they ended up with was just no fun to play.
If you'd like to post new cards/mechanics etc., I'd love to see them. Even if I don't agree with them, I want to try it out at least.
In case you're interested, I just wanted to reply to some of the criticisms to explain how I came up with them. I don't want to be argumentative or anything, I just want to show where my line of thinking was coming from. Like you said, anything can be justified with "flavor," so these are just my opinions. Feel free to ignore it if you're not interested
Zapdos is another example, as it has two abilities that both grant evasion - which is redundant.
True, but I think the occasional double-evasion dude (like the many creatures with flying and trample), is okay.
Your use of the Psychic type's ability is also Fateseal 1, which Maro has called one of the least fun mechanics of all time.
True, but as explained in the spoiler, I don't think the occasional fateseal is oppressive. Doing it every turn with JTMS is obviously horrendous, but once or twice a match is not bad. This could just be changed to scry however, since that's what it's used as 90% of the time.
Clone effects are blue, but you've put ditto into white because... You know, normal type. And then he gains you life because... Normal type.
My bad! Ditto definitely needs to be white/blue. I'll look into fixing that for sure.
Dragon Type – Has nothing to do with dragons.
It's supposed to play into the flavor of dragons rescuing/helping others, like in Dragonite's Pokedex. Also to make sweet combos with other ETB abilities.
Normal Type – Has nothing to do with normal.
But what is "normal?" I understand that you disagree with having the types be abilities, but since that's the path I chose, I needed to have a "normal" ability. This is as close as I could get while still being white.
Escape Rope – For some reason, escape ropes now force opposing creatures/trainers to flee and replace them with a basic land.
You're making them "escape" What's left behind is the place they escaped from.
Paralyze Heal – For some reason, paralyze heals let you blink your creatures and then power them up. The blink actually GIVES them summoning sickness again (paralyzing them).
Unless they're being "paralyzed" by an opponent's aura or ice type or they're tapped and you "unparalyze" them to block.
Evolution Stones – Evolution stones now apparently find new pokemon (including basic pokemon) or help you find new areas. Evolution stones don’t actually trigger evolutions.
Very true, but I felt they worked as nice flavorful ways to find mana/Pokemon of their color. I specifically put them in so people could find their evolution cards more easily and combo with their pre-evolutions, so they kind of work with evolution
TM 44: Rest – This TM is now apparently something you play on the opposing pokemon to put them to sleep, instead of a move you teach your own pokemon (and TMs can never be used on opposing pokemon in the game).
This is an interesting point. I always saw the TMs you played on your own Pokemon as teaching them the move, whereas the ones you put on opponents as using the moves on them. Perhaps they could be changed to simply remove the "TM" word, that might make it more intuitive.
X Defend – Provides a huge boost to Power and is probably going to be used to boost an attacker very often. Who knew X Defend, the one-use temporary boost to the defense stat, also increased your attack so much?
The X spells all used to be set power/toughness boosters. I believe X Defend used to give +2/+4 and lifelink or something. But after playtesting, people were confused that they weren't X spells. They had "X" in the name after all! It may have only been a small mismatch, but they were very vocal about it, so I changed them.
Great Ball – Breaks the color pie, this is a white ability. Great Balls are now apparently delaying tactics you use on enemy pokemon, rather than a way to catch pokemon. Those silly trainers, thinking great balls should be used to catch pokemon.
I understand that enchantments that "permanently" get rid of creatures (like Oblivion Ring) are white, but what about the ones that only do it temporarily, like Great Ball? I don't remember any card like this, and I feel like it could be blue. Please show me if there's a card I'm forgetting.
HM 03: Surf – It’s a blue effect, but HM Surf is apparently something you use on enemy pokemon to neutralize them rather than a powerful attack you teach your own pokemon that also helps them get over water. I believe the words “exact opposite” apply here.
(Same as Rest).
Ice Heal – Ice Heal now apparently sends pokemon back to their pokeballs, instead of thawing your own pokemon when frozen solid. Who knew?
Is your "hand" a bunch of Pokeballs? Ice Heal, when used aggressively may be a bit strange, but when used on your own guys to save them from a spell or enchantment, it feels like you're healing them to me.
Water Type – Has nothing to do with Water. Seriously, this (or scry) would make sense for psychic but it has nothing to do with water.
Originally water types bounced creatures, but that was just awful. Making them draw cards instead lead to the exact kind of gameplay I wanted: longer games where you can dig through your deck and find big dudes to cast.
Master Ball – Makes no sense for Master Ball to be an instant when Great Ball is an artifact. I know what you’re going for here, and it works as a card, but you have to unify the designs. You could have Great Ball be cheaper and capture something at below a certain CMC (the way Threads of Disloyalty is limited) OR you can have Master Ball be another color-pie-breaking delaying artifact but you can’t have them be so different in function when they’re the same type of thing in the game. Also, Master Ball needs to be Mythic Rare. It’s a 1-of after all.
As it is, I feel like the Pokeballs already kind of do that. Great Ball can catch them for a bit until they escape, Ultra Ball gets them no matter what, and Master Ball is so good it gives it to you. They feel more powerful each time.
Pokeball – Gah! Another completely different thing? Pokebals apparently no longer catch creatures, they draw you cards and return your existing creature to your hand. You’re looking for a dramatic action like the process of returning a pokemon TO its pokeball, though I have no idea how that draws you cards, but nouning the card name just makes the above problem worse.
This one brings back your own Pokemon to your hand, like a Pokeball All the balls "catch" Pokemon in some way or another. Ultra Ball/Master Ball were changed to any spell because they just weren't good enough as creature-only counterpsells.
TM 11: Bubblebeam – Apparently this TM forces pokemon back into their pokeballs when it’s used and thereafter serves as a weak passive boost to attack and defenses. Unless bubblebeam and TMs in general have changed since I played…
Again I've never seen the hand as Pokeballs. I see it as a water blast that sends them away.
Vaporean – It fetches the thing it evolved from? Vaporean doesn’t do that. I get that you’re trying to make an eevee archetype and the next Eevee you play would count as a Vaporean as well, but again – the flavor here is nonexistent.
You got it with the Eevee archetype. Just some fun things to add a few more layers to the draft. Plus Eevees gotta look out for each other man
X Accuracy – Breaks the color pie, blue does not get X boosts to its attack. The flavor justification of “well blue is pretty accurate” doesn’t fly – any color’s flavor can be used to justify anything. Maro would be most displeased.
Very true. Again, the X spells all originally had set power/toughness boosts, but it confused people because they had X in the name. Unfortunately I can't change the source material, so I either have players confused and upset, or a small color pie violation. I chose to give them what they wanted. Since the two choices are not great though, perhaps these should be changed to something else.
Antidote – Giving your opponent an antidote now allows you to reach into their mind and rip out their thoughts in the best black fashion. I don’t even…
Unless it's the antidote for you against their plan, since you get rid of it before it hurts you.
Drowzee – The pokemon whose name is all about putting his opponents to sleep has no way to put his opponents to sleep, despite that being an extremely easy ability to feature (Dungeon Geists and similar). Okay then. I get you’re trying for the dreameater angle, but that doesn’t work either, as dream eater requires the opponent to be asleep.
You can only be so faithful. I wouldn't even know where to begin incorporating "tapped only lifelink."
Ghost Type – Has nothing to do with Ghost type in the game. There are even precedents in the Phantom creatures that would have been closer.
I dunno, dying and killing come across as pretty ghost-y to me.
Poison Type – It says poison on the card, poison means a very specific thing in Magic (poison counters), poisonous is already a keyword… Has nothing to do with Magic’s preexisting Poison mechanics in any way. Awkward.
Agreed that this was unfortunate. But for some reason this confusion was never brought up during playtests while I never heard the end of the X-spell thing until I changed it. People are weird
HM01: Cut – Cut is apparently something you play on your opponents’ creatures to give them a small debuff. It also is a non-bo with its own ability, since you need to keep it on the opposing creature in order to kill it – meaning there’s never really a good time to bring it back to your hand. And to think I was using this in the games to give my own pokemon a way to cut down shrubs. Silly me.
If you can think of a way to incorporate cutting shrubs into Magic, I would like to see it
I've never made 60 card 4x copies constructed decks with the cards, only draft/sealed, so I'm interested in hearing what that's like. Since the set is intended to be drafted, and custom sets have the luxury of not worrying about constructed implications, I'm mostly concerned with making changes that affect limited, but I'd be happy with tweaking a few if they're completely broken in constructed.
ah i see.. i'm actually currently making a custom set too but i try to do both limited and constructed at the same time.. it will be a Set/Block Constructed though.. so no other outside card will be put inside..
now a few other things that i find a little not-quite-right.. mechanic wise.. Here's the mechanic available: (Stairc has stated many about flavor so i will not touch that anymore )
Fire type (When this creature enters the battlefield, it deals damage equal to its power to target player.)
Water type (When this creature enters the battlefield, draw a card.)
Poison type (Whenever this creature attacks, defending player loses 1 life.)
Fighting type (When this creature enters the battlefield, you may have it fight target creature.)
Electric type (This creature can’t be blocked except by two or more creatures.)
Grass type (This creature has “T: Add G to your mana pool.)
Bug type (When this creature enters the battlefield, if it isn’t a token, you may pay its casting cost. If you do, put a token onto the battlefield that’s a copy of it.)
Normal type (When this creature enters the battlefield, you gain life equal to its toughness.)
Dragon type (When this enters the battlefield, you may exile another target creature you control, then return that card to the battlefield under your control.)
Ground type (Whenever this creature attacks, it gets +1/+1 until end of turn.)
Rock type (Whenever this creature blocks, it gets +1/+1 until end of turn.)
Ghost type (When this dies, you may destroy target creature.)
i felt that the mechanic is somewhat detached from one another and not really supported or have cards that could work in synergy with one another.. A few of Psychic creature give extra effect when we target an opponent and a few of the Normal type do something when you gain life.. but it ends there..
-i felt that Poison Type is not really supported and it's just an extra uninterrupted point of damage when attacking.. no further synergy beyond..
-Water type which felt like cantrip to me, the mechanic is powerful it lets you dig super fast into your deck but there's nothing beyond that, i played around with Blastoise since it has that powerful "Titan-like" ability and turn all my following 1U squirtle super scary to opponent..
-bug type has synergy for the artifact that do something when a creature enters the battlefield since it gives double entry trigger, but none of the artifact would really help the bug type.. it will swarm but if your opponent can swarm the board with better creature, then that will be it.. it would be good if there's really something that you can gain further when you draw, something like Whenever you draw a card trigger to make it work like a clockwork instead of just a mere a cantrip creature..
-Rock, Ground felt like a vanilla creature to me
-Fire & Fighting, Fire is burn and the Fighting creature would felt like creature burn since most of the creature will die when it enters the battlefield with the exception of Poliwrath and Hitmonchan and Machamp .. but Hitmonchan only deal 1 damage..
-Ghost type is revenging and among the real creature removal in the set.. but this felt much like Deathtouch which makes me feel like its another pseudo-vanilla
-Grass ramp quite fast, but it can't stand alone since it definitely needs other type as the finisher..
another thing that i felt lacking is that there's so little creature with activation ability.. or an ability that is not just it's type.. pokemon has so many moves available from Harden, Eggplosion (which i somewhat felt weird that it is not implemented in Exeggutor or Exeggute and instead it's just a Psychic and Grass), Poison Sting or Psychic Barrier.. something that's iconic to a pokemon.. there should be more than enter the battlefield and combat trigger that we can play around some pokemon do not need the Elemental Type to make it flavorful the mana cost could be seen as it's Elemental.. the way we see Venusaur in Green.. we will know that it's already a grass type without the need to "T: Add G to your mana pool."..
and another thing that irks me is that Pokemon has a type.. Charmander is a Lizard Pokemon... Gyarados is a Dragon Pokemon, the same is true for Dratini, Dragonair and Dragonite.. they do not need to have the blinking ability.. imo they need a creature type to really make them a Dragon..
Dragonair4WW
Creature - Dragon Pokemon (R)
Flying
Whenever Dragonair attacks, tap target creature or land an opponent control. It doesn't untap during its controller next untap step.
Evolve Dratini
3/4
imo this will felt more like a Dragonair than just being a creature that can blink.. the ability i use for example is taken from the actual Dragonair card that removes energy.. u can peek in the link to see it..
Thank you for the in-depth feedback. As someone who's worked in literary critique for several years, I really appreciate the value of the devil's advocate
That’s a relief to hear. After writing all that feedback it seems you saw, I felt awful – like I was ripping into someone’s dream when really all you wanted to do was show us something you’ve had fun playing with and give us a chance to have fun with it too. I ended up editing out all that stuff from the previous post, but… Since it seems you’re interested in discussion and saw it anyway, I’ll be happy to respond.
Again I should just say that one of the biggest reasons I made this set was because of the many other unsatisfactory Pokemon Magic sets I'd played in the past. I've seen so many attempts at making the "perfect" Pokemon set with Stones that evolved Pokemon, Pokeballs that "captured" Pokemon, items to cure specific ailments (untapping, giving haste, removing -1/-1 counters, etc) and more, but none of them worked out as a whole. They tried to remain too faithful to the game and what they ended up with was just no fun to play.
100%, nay, 1000% agreed. These are cards that need to actually be played with and they need to play well. However, I think you’ve fallen into the same mistake with some of your own fixations – and lost the flavor in the process.
In case you're interested, I just wanted to reply to some of the criticisms to explain how I came up with them. I don't want to be argumentative or anything, I just want to show where my line of thinking was coming from. Like you said, anything can be justified with "flavor," so these are just my opinions. Feel free to ignore it if you're not interested
I’m very interested to hear as you have to say.
Zapdos is another example, as it has two abilities that both grant evasion - which is redundant.
True, but I think the occasional double-evasion dude (like the many creatures with flying and trample), is okay.
Very few creatures have flying and trample. Usually this happens due to a desperate search for simple gold creatures in Simic’s colors and the designers just staple on two evergreen keywords. It doesn’t make for good design, it’s just done out of desperation.
Your use of the Psychic type's ability is also Fateseal 1, which Maro has called one of the least fun mechanics of all time.
True, but as explained in the spoiler, I don't think the occasional fateseal is oppressive. Doing it every turn with JTMS is obviously horrendous, but once or twice a match is not bad. This could just be changed to scry however, since that's what it's used as 90% of the time.
I’d change it to scry. Fateseal only exists to screw your opponent, while Scry helps you foresee and manipulate your future. Since they’re doing it that way 90% of the time anyway, people who haven’t seen the old mechanic won’t even mind. It also lets you write the mechanic more simply and ties into a keyword players likely have learned before.
My bad! Ditto definitely needs to be white/blue. I'll look into fixing that for sure.
Nice. I’d make him a 0/0 too, since that’s what clones do. It’s worth noting that, while lifegain makes no sense with ditto’s flavor, the mechanics of copying a creature and gaining life equal to its toughness are absolutely awesome. Must feel amazing to copy huge creatures this way.
Dragon Type – Has nothing to do with dragons.
Supposed to play into the flavor of dragons rescuing/helping others, like in Dragonite's Pokedex. Also to make sweet combos with other ETB abilities.
If you explain it to each and every player, it’ll help. Of course you can’t do that. Also, you need to give the dragons flash in order to have them actually be rescuing people, and most people don’t associate dragons with rescuing. Quite the opposite.
Normal Type – Has nothing to do with normal.
But what is "normal?" I understand that you disagree with having the types be abilities, but since that's the path I chose, I needed to have a "normal" ability. This is as close as I could get while still being white.
I believe the fact you end up with having to invent non-matching mechanics for things like “normal type” is another strike against trying to represent types in this way (if at all). The fact that you can’t represent the type adequately is an additional problem.
Escape Rope – For some reason, escape ropes now force opposing creatures/trainers to flee and replace them with a basic land.
You're making them "escape" What's left behind is the place they escaped from.
Except that’s not how Escape Rope works in the game, you can’t throw it at someone and force them to escape. Also, replacing themselves with a land doesn’t actually make sense as the place they escaped from. I’d rename Paralyze Heal or Pokeball (if it’s an instant, if not I’d change it to an instant) as “Escape Rope” instead. Neither is a perfect fit for the flavor currently – but both come really close. There’s actual escaping going on.
Paralyze Heal – For some reason, paralyze heals let you blink your creatures and then power them up. The blink actually GIVES them summoning sickness again (paralyzing them).
Unless they're being "paralyzed" by an opponent's aura or ice type or they're tapped and you "unparalyze" them to block.
Just untap them then. If you want to untap them, just untap them. Also, you can call it Awakening then. Inspired already laid the groundwork of tapped creatures being asleep.
Evolution Stones – Evolution stones now apparently find new pokemon (including basic pokemon) or help you find new areas. Evolution stones don’t actually trigger evolutions.
Very true, but I felt they worked as nice flavorful ways to find mana/Pokemon of their color. I specifically put them in so people could find their evolution cards more easily and combo with their pre-evolutions, so they kind of work with evolution
I saw the combo fetching, but the issue here is that you confuse “referencing something flavorful” to “being flavorful”. If you renamed Path to Exile as Thunderstone, the card would have a pokemon name but it wouldn’t be flavorful because the creative (name and theme of card) doesn’t match the mechanics.
You’ve mentioned many people sacrifice gameplay in exchange for flavor. This is unacceptable, as you rightly say. However, just putting a pokemon reference on a card that doesn’t fit is also unacceptable. You need good gameplay that matches good flavor.
I’d recommend either not using the stones at all as card names, or else capturing the essence of the stones. In essence, a fire stone powers up a fire type pokemon. It does this by evolving specific pokemon in the game, but you can’t represent that here. However, it could well do something similar – like boosting a fire pokemon’s stats or giving it a special ability. At least then the essence carries over, rather than the stones doing something they fundamentally don’t do.
TM 44: Rest – This TM is now apparently something you play on the opposing pokemon to put them to sleep, instead of a move you teach your own pokemon (and TMs can never be used on opposing pokemon in the game).
This is an interesting point. I always saw the TMs you played on your own Pokemon as teaching them the move, whereas the ones you put on opponents as using the moves on them. Perhaps they could be changed to simply remove the "TM" word, that might make it more intuitive.
100% agreed. This comes back to what I was saying earlier about Max Repel. You can change a lot of the names that currently don’t fit to names that are also pokemon references and DO fit. Like making Max Repel into Flamethrower. And you could change Rest into Sing or Sleep Powder. That way it makes a lot more sense, it’s still a pokemon name and you don’t violate TM flavor.
X Defend – Provides a huge boost to Power and is probably going to be used to boost an attacker very often. Who knew X Defend, the one-use temporary boost to the defense stat, also increased your attack so much?
The X spells all used to be set power/toughness boosters. I believe X Defend used to give +2/+4 and lifelink or something. But after playtesting, people were confused that they weren't X spells. They had "X" in the name after all! It may have only been a small mismatch, but they were very vocal about it, so I changed them.
I like that you went with player instinct and I think it’s clever to make them X spells. You’ll notice I don’t complain about them not being variable in the game, the name and marriage to the mechanics work well enough. Capturing the essence of the source material and doing something that *feels* right is the soul of adaptation (someone familiar with literary criticism, such as you mention you are, has probably heard this a thousand times already from smarter people than me).
While I don’t think the consumable temporary stat boost items necessarily need to be represented, as they’re such a small part of the mythos, if you are representing them I like their execution as X spells. However, boosting power on the X defend card reads very oddly. I think something more like this would make more sense…
X Defend –XW
Instant
Prevent the next X damage that would be dealt to target creature this turn. You gain X life.
Or…
X Defend –XW
Instant
Target creature gets +0/+X until end of turn. You gain life equal to its toughness.
Or even…
X Defend –XW
Instant
Up to X creatures you control are indestructible until the beginning of the next end step.
Since life gain is pretty tangential to X defend, that last one might fit flavor the best (after all, X defend only works on one creature in the game – so having the X allow you to target more creatures fits the name and the flavor, since it’s like buying more copies of the item, a bit better).
Great Ball – Breaks the color pie, this is a white ability. Great Balls are now apparently delaying tactics you use on enemy pokemon, rather than a way to catch pokemon. Those silly trainers, thinking great balls should be used to catch pokemon.
I understand that enchantments that "permanently" get rid of creatures (like Oblivion Ring) are white, but what about the ones that only do it temporarily, like Great Ball? I don't remember any card like this, and I feel like it could be blue. Please show me if there's a card I'm forgetting.
White both exiles creatures and is the ultimate delaying color. Mark Rosewater has said this a lot. Citing a card isn’t necessary, the way this works actually makes it even more white than Oblivion Ring from what magic’s head designer has talked about endlessly regarding white. But, since you asked, Parallax Wave.
HM 03: Surf – It’s a blue effect, but HM Surf is apparently something you use on enemy pokemon to neutralize them rather than a powerful attack you teach your own pokemon that also helps them get over water. I believe the words “exact opposite” apply here.
(Same as Rest).
Same response.
Ice Heal – Ice Heal now apparently sends pokemon back to their pokeballs, instead of thawing your own pokemon when frozen solid. Who knew?
Is your "hand" a bunch of Pokeballs? Ice Heal, when used aggressively may be a bit strange, but when used on your own guys to save them from a spell or enchantment, it feels like you're healing them to me.
Ice heal prevents being frozen solid. This, if you are restricted to solely your own creatures, fits with escape rope better. A card called, “Return!” and showing a pokeball returning a pokemon would aslo work here – provided it’s only your pokemon. If you want to blow an opponent’s pokemon around, a move like Whirlwind would be a more acceptable name.
Water Type – Has nothing to do with Water. Seriously, this (or scry) would make sense for psychic but it has nothing to do with water.
Originally water types bounced creatures, but that was just awful. Making them draw cards instead lead to the exact kind of gameplay I wanted: longer games where you can dig through your deck and find big dudes to cast.
Still doesn’t have anything to do with water type. To be fair, I have little idea what would work well for water type, but that’s a problem with the all-types-as-mechanics system.
Master Ball – Makes no sense for Master Ball to be an instant when Great Ball is an artifact. I know what you’re going for here, and it works as a card, but you have to unify the designs. You could have Great Ball be cheaper and capture something at below a certain CMC (the way Threads of Disloyalty is limited) OR you can have Master Ball be another color-pie-breaking delaying artifact but you can’t have them be so different in function when they’re the same type of thing in the game. Also, Master Ball needs to be Mythic Rare. It’s a 1-of after all.
As it is, I feel like the Pokeballs already kind of do that. Great Ball can catch them for a bit until they escape, Ultra Ball gets them no matter what, and Master Ball is so good it gives it to you. They feel more powerful each time.
Ultra Ball returns your own pokemon, which we’ll get to later, it doesn’t catch anything. Then it counters a spell for some reason. Master Ball is a great topdown design (well, I think we could do better by bringing in some of your other ideas but I’ll get to that later) and is the strongest piece.
All your ideas regarding balls, and a few other things, have the shards of greatness among them – but you need a unified execution. It needs to be a vertical cycle – the way the Bloodfire creatures (Bloodfire Dwarf, Bloodfire Kavu, Bloodfire Colossus) are a vertical cycle. You even have 4 balls and 4 rarities to play with – if you want to represent them all. That’s perfect.
Pokeball – Gah! Another completely different thing? Pokebals apparently no longer catch creatures, they draw you cards and return your existing creature to your hand. You’re looking for a dramatic action like the process of returning a pokemon TO its pokeball, though I have no idea how that draws you cards, but nouning the card name just makes the above problem worse.
This one brings back your own Pokemon to your hand, like a Pokeball All the balls "catch" Pokemon in some way or another. Ultra Ball/Master Ball were changed to any spell because they just weren't good enough as creature-only counterpsells.
No, only the Master Ball catches pokemon. The greatball is a discount Journey to Nowhere for a temporary number of turns, the Ultra ball just treturns pokemon to your hand and then counters a spell for some reason and the pokeball is just a discount divination spell that requires you to return a creature. What people think of when they think of the balls is catching pokemon. Pokeballs can also return pokemon to you once captured, but that doesn’t capture the core concept of the pokeball. A shiny sword can be used to block attacks, but if you made a sword equipment and just had it give your creature a boost in toughness, people would rightly cry foul.
No matter what, the balls need to be a vertical cycle – not just tangentially related. I have some ideas for this, built off your own designs, but we’ll get to that later.
TM 11: Bubblebeam – Apparently this TM forces pokemon back into their pokeballs when it’s used and thereafter serves as a weak passive boost to attack and defenses. Unless bubblebeam and TMs in general have changed since I played…
Again I've never seen the hand as Pokeballs. I see it as a water blast that sends them away.
The hand fits pretty well as the pack. But either way, this TM has flavor issues of not working the way TMs work. Just calling it bubblebeam (and not bothering with making it an aura) would be a lot stronger than trying to fit it into TM flavor under the current design.
Vaporean – It fetches the thing it evolved from? Vaporean doesn’t do that. I get that you’re trying to make an eevee archetype and the next Eevee you play would count as a Vaporean as well, but again – the flavor here is nonexistent.
You got it with the Eevee archetype. Just some fun things to add a few more layers to the draft. Plus Eevees gotta look out for each other man
Like the gameplay, but the same flavor issues.
X Accuracy – Breaks the color pie, blue does not get X boosts to its attack. The flavor justification of “well blue is pretty accurate” doesn’t fly – any color’s flavor can be used to justify anything. Maro would be most displeased.
Very true. Again, the X spells all originally had set power/toughness boosts, but it confused people because they had X in the name. Unfortunately I can't change the source material, so I either have players confused and upset, or a small color pie violation. I chose to give them what they wanted. Probably unacceptable in a real Magic set, but part of the fun of making custom sets
Just put it in red or white and it’s fine. Flavor’s weird, it should be X Attack. There’s no real way to portray accuracy… Though hey, maybe giving X creatures first strike would work. Actually…
X Accuracy – XU
Sorcery
Up to X creatures you control can’t be blocked until the beginning of the next end step.
That’d fit perfectly in blue.
Antidote – Giving your opponent an antidote now allows you to reach into their mind and rip out their thoughts in the best black fashion. I don’t even…
Unless it's the antidote for you against their plan, since you get rid of it before it hurts you.
No.
It’s bad enoug that every card of this kind in magic has names like “Distress, Thoughtseize, Duress, Inquisition of Kozilek” and similar. Antidote is the wrong name for the wrong color for the wrong effect and it’s referencing an item that heals your pokemon *after* it's been poisoned (the thing that protects you before hand is a vaccine, not an antidote). It does not rip thoughts out of a trainer’s mind and it isn’t a preemptive antidote against an abstract plan (again, antidotes aren't preemptive). Seriously, just changing this to any of the pokemon attacks that DO mess with the mind or cause terror or confusion would work just fine.
“Disable” fits quite well. Certainly a lot better than Antidote.
Drowzee – The pokemon whose name is all about putting his opponents to sleep has no way to put his opponents to sleep, despite that being an extremely easy ability to feature (Dungeon Geists and similar). Okay then. I get you’re trying for the dreameater angle, but that doesn’t work either, as dream eater requires the opponent to be asleep.
You can only be so faithful. I wouldn't even know where to begin incorporating "tapped only lifelink."
I wouldn’t recommend doing that either. I’m pointing out that focusing on the lifelink aspect is again similar to focusing on how a sword helps you block attacks. Drowzee’s main deal is that he puts the opponent to sleep, not that he gains life.
Ghost Type – Has nothing to do with Ghost type in the game. There are even precedents in the Phantom creatures that would have been closer.
I dunno, dying and killing come across as pretty ghost-y to me.
First, it’s weird to reference a pokemon dying in a battle. Second, it’s weird to reference a GHOST “dying”. Third, ghost pokemon are defined in the game by how they’re hard to kill or interact with (check out Phantom Centaur for how Magic handled a similar idea). Fourth, the “vengeful spirit” idea only works when the spirit itself is being vengeful. It doesn’t work with the spirit being vengeful after it’s been destroyed again.
Poison Type – It says poison on the card, poison means a very specific thing in Magic (poison counters), poisonous is already a keyword… Has nothing to do with Magic’s preexisting Poison mechanics in any way. Awkward.
Agreed that this was unfortunate. But for some reason this confusion was never brought up during playtests while I never heard the end of the X-spell thing until I changed it. People are weird
Indeed. But some problems don’t show up in playtests until other things are fixes. This is a smaller issue, because it at least works as a mechanic, but it’s still a problem.
HM01: Cut – Cut is apparently something you play on your opponents’ creatures to give them a small debuff. It also is a non-bo with its own ability, since you need to keep it on the opposing creature in order to kill it – meaning there’s never really a good time to bring it back to your hand. And to think I was using this in the games to give my own pokemon a way to cut down shrubs. Silly me.
If you can think of a way to incorporate cutting shrubs into Magic, I would like to see it
Easy! It destroys forests.
But, of course, I wouldn’t recommend doing that on an actual card. I’d recommend just giving the creature +2/+0 or “first strike” or some mixture.
Frankly, the HMs might work better as artifact with effects that boost your whole team rather than auras (magic prefers this to be on the enchantment card type rather than the artifact type in order to differentiate the permanents, but they bled it in Theros for flavor reasons so you can bleed it here for the same reasons). Since an HM can be applied to as many of your creatures as can learn it – and they don’t forget it if you want to teach it to another creature… Something like following captures the essence rather well.
HM 01 - Cut – 1RW
Artifact
Creatures you control get +1/+0 and First Strike.
Or something similar. Any HM design will bleed flavor of course, but I think any TM or HM has to be something that buffs one or more of your pokemon (one for TMs, since they’re one-use). Just using the specific moves in the names, without referencing the fact it’s an item, could fix the flavor issues behind a lot of your TM designs. It sounds like you had the attack itself in mind when you wrote them, rather than the fact you were portraying an item with that name. Changing the names to the attacks, without the item reference, could solve a lot of problems.
Ball Cycle
To capture the ball flavor of capturing a pokemon, I think they could do one of two things (but whichever is chosen, they all have to work the same way).
A) Gain control of an opponent’s pokemon
OR
B) Do something similar to the Evolution stones – look at the top cards of your deck and pull out a pokemon (not a land). It’s like you went to the wild and caught it!
I believe there are several ways to execute on both options, but I’ll just mention one. You could make the balls all into artifacts and have them work like Sower of Temptation (ETB to gain control of a creature, though different balls are limited to different CMCs, and control it as long as the ball is on the field.
Otherwise, the balls could make great colorless artifacts in the B version and help all decks find their pokemon (as well as support evolution strategies, eevee strategies and so on)
Iphanx
I agree with a lot of Iphanx’s comments. It feels like a lot of opportunity is missed for great cards that play great and have great flavor, and we lose so much of the cool and unique elements of the pokeverse that would make for excellent gameplay… Sacrificed on the altar of the “types must all be portrayed and they shall be mechanics”.
honestly, we can tap into Pokemon TCG to help us really see how it would work in TCG for cards like Pokedex, or Pokeball.. what's interesting too, Pokedex work like Index in magic..
Pokeball - Flip a coin. If heads, you may search your deck for any Basic Pokémon or Evolution card. Show that card to your opponent, then put it into your hand. Shuffle your deck afterward. Great Ball - Search your deck for a Basic Pokémon (excluding Pokémon-ex) and put it onto your Bench. Shuffle your deck afterward. Ultra ball - Discard 2 cards from your hand. (If you can't discard 2 cards, you can't play this card.) Search your deck for a Pokémon, reveal it, and put it into your hand. Shuffle your deck afterward.
not that you have to copy it directly.. but this feels more like pokeball than the current one you have we can definitely borrow a general idea of how we can implement certain item into Trading Card Game
I've played the pokemon TCG earlier editions and I'm all for taking inspiration from clever designs. They're definitely going the route of "pokeball helps you get new pokemon". Making a vertical cycle of mind-control effects might break limited (even if pokeballs only work on very low CMCs) but I think looking at the top 5 cards of your deck and pulling from there feels a bit more like you went through a walk in the tall grass and this is what you have a chance to catch. It also lets the drawbacks be a bit more forgiving, because you aren't getting as much value (fewer cards to search).
Thanks for the comments guys. While I still believe the set plays very well as-is despite a few flavor mismatches, I'm not opposed at all to making changes. As I see it there are two paths to potential change:
(1) Make a few flavor tweaks to the set. This would mostly entail changing some of the card names (Antidote, Escape Rope, etc) to something else based on the games (such as Disable - as suggested - and perhaps Whirlwind or something), as well as fixing up some color violations (X Accuracy and probably the other X-spells). The Pokemon types would stay as they are.
(2) Basically make a whole new set not based on types-as-abilities. This would be starting from a blank slate, giving each Pokemon unique abilities just like individual creatures in any normal Magic set. I was hesitant to do it this way from the start because, as stated before, I've seen it attempted and the result has never been pretty. It always feels weird when one fire type or fighting type gets an ability that the other fire and fighting types don't, and trying to get flavorful abilities for each and every Pokemon can result in even worse mismatches. However, I'd be happy to see some suggestions.
I'll make a copy of the set and try making some of the changes suggested, basically going with (1) above for now. At the next draft of the set, I'll be sure to get some more opinions on what people think should be changed as well.
It's incredible to see you so willing to explore new directions, even after having a long development time with the set. I can't commend you enough for this.
While I think 2 would likely lead down a far less problematic path, I can't guarantee it of course - since it's unexplored territory. On the other hand, the set's themes could be hugely improved with some rather simple flavor tweaks and card-by-card redesigns (leaving the set as a whole mostly untouched). In the game industry, I've found that it's often not a matter of how to get things perfect - it's how to make as big an improvement as you can in as little time as possible. Since redoing types would basically mean starting the set from scratch (though with a lot of great ideas ready to jump in), it might not be worth the effort even if it is the better move as I believe it to be. Comparitively, doing some specific redesigns and flavor tweaks could be accomplished much more quickly and would get you a huge boost.
honestly this somewhat fire me up to actually build and have a try with the Pokemon Set myself i may be want to try it out after i finished with my current custom set
I know what you mean Iphanx. I know what you mean.
You know... It might be fun to accept this as cool pokemon set 1 and work on a collaborative version without the type direction to see what cool set 2 looks like. As an experiment.
It's incredible to see you so willing to explore new directions, even after having a long development time with the set. I can't commend you enough for this.
Having critiqued and been critiqued hundreds of times for writing, I've learned that 9/10 times other people are right They have the advantage of not being entrenched in the subject and giving a fresh look at things. I think that suggestions are always at least worth taking a serious look at.
My first step in trying it out is basically just to rename things and make a few small adjustments, then playtest to see what larger changes those small changes brought about. In the meantime, feel free to take some stabs at individual cards or starting the set from scratch if you're interested. The more quality Pokemon sets out there the better
It's incredible to see you so willing to explore new directions, even after having a long development time with the set. I can't commend you enough for this.
Having critiqued and been critiqued hundreds of times for writing, I've learned that 9/10 times other people are right They have the advantage of not being entrenched in the subject and giving a fresh look at things. I think that suggestions are always at least worth taking a serious look at.
My first step in trying it out is basically just to rename things and make a few small adjustments, then playtest to see what larger changes those small changes brought about. In the meantime, feel free to take some stabs at individual cards or starting the set from scratch if you're interested. The more quality Pokemon sets out there the better
anyway.. overall it's a fun to play and i believe it would be good in draft too after you finished with the tweaking, you can try contact Gerrard's Mom so that your post can be put into the complete set list
Just chiming in to say that I agree with most of the above comments. The things that most bothered me about the set were:
1) The disconnect between the type-mechanics and the actual Pokemon types. (Why is Shellder Ice type? Why doesn't Gastly have Poison type? Why do Mewtwo and Doduo both have flying, but Dragonair doesn't?)
2) The massive disconnect between the names of the instants/sorceries and what they actually did.
3) The evolution mechanic making Pokemon suddenly change from one form to another whenever a higher stage Pokemon ETB'd or died. This ain't Digimon.
ETA: 4) "Creature -- Pokemon." Since this is a self-contained set, you might as well rename Creature to Pokemon and give the Pokemon actual types (so Charmander would be "Pokemon -- Lizard" for example).
Things I liked:
1) Not being the same awkward card-disadvantage exile-discounting nonsense as other custom Evolution mechanics (or for that matter, the Pokemon TCG's.)
2) Badges and towns for color fixing.
3) The Eevee archetype - though it is weird that "Eevee" is the only Pokemon name that is also a subtype, I think it fits. What if the Eeveelutions triggered upon another Eevee entering the battlefield? Then it's like you're "breeding" them to make more Eevees.
You don't mention how big the cube is or how many cards per rarity are in it. What's the difference between rares and mythic rares, for example? Are some archetypes intentionally harder to pick up the cards for than others (like the Storm deck in MMA was)?
Good comments. More and more, I wonder if the evolution concept actually needs to be represented as a mechanic. I know it sounds crazy, but it's really hard to find something that fits the flavor and creatures good gameplay in the process.
However, just because the Pokemon TCG did it... Well, consider the pokemon concept.
1) Evolution happens over the course of dozens of battles, and many levels gained. Assuming each game here is a single battle, I don't see why it'd feel weird if pokemon weren't evolving.
2) Many trainers fight with already-evolved pokemon, so it makes sense that each pokemon's evolved stage should be castable on its own - without needing to evolve into it. I don't see why it'd feel weird if 2nd or 3rd stage pokemon could be played without needing to play the earlier stage pokemon first (this isn't a requirement for this set of course, I'm speaking generally).
I'd like an evolution mechanic, but I've yet to see one that truly plays well and makes sense with the source material.
I wonder what a minimalist approach would be like to a pokemon set - without trying to make evolution or types into mechanics specifically. I'd like to see training worked in at some way, since it seems a very easy mechanic to portray, but putting the same mechanic on ALL creatures in the set seems ridiculous.
anyway.. overall it's a fun to play and i believe it would be good in draft too
Thank you. I've been lucky to have several opportunities to draft the set and it's been a blast each time. If you get a chance to have some friends help print/cut/sleeve the cards and draft it, go for it.
1) Not being the same awkward card-disadvantage exile-discounting nonsense as other custom Evolution mechanics (or for that matter, the Pokemon TCG's.)
Thank you. As it has been brought up, finding the perfect evolution mechanic that balances good gameplay and faithfulness to the game is extremely difficult, potentially impossible. This one isn't perfect, but it's very fun to play while still being fairly flavorful, so I'm happy with it.
ETA: 4) "Creature -- Pokemon." Since this is a self-contained set, you might as well rename Creature to Pokemon and give the Pokemon actual types (so Charmander would be "Pokemon -- Lizard" for example).
Not a bad idea, though I'm not sure if then I'd be obligated to make a few "pokemon type matters" cards in the set (ie: all dragon pokemon get +1/+1 or something).
You don't mention how big the cube is or how many cards per rarity are in it. What's the difference between rares and mythic rares, for example? Are some archetypes intentionally harder to pick up the cards for than others (like the Storm deck in MMA was)?
Ah, sorry about that. It's not drafted as a cube but as a normal set. I've printed out 4x copies of each common, 2x of each uncommon, and 1x of each rare/mythic. We shuffle them all together, organize them into normal packs (11 commons, 3 uncommons, 1 rare/mythic) then draft normally. If you don't feel like wasting as much ink as we do, 2x commons and 1x uncommons/rares/mythics works fine too, though you'd just have slightly smaller packs (9 commons instead of 11). This causes mythics to come up a bit more often than normal, but that just adds to the fun of the draft I'll add this to the main post.
I wonder what a minimalist approach would be like to a pokemon set - without trying to make evolution or types into mechanics specifically. I'd like to see training worked in at some way, since it seems a very easy mechanic to portray, but putting the same mechanic on ALL creatures in the set seems ridiculous.
I'd like to see what a set like that would end up like, but I feel like it'd end up feeling a bit hollow. Without evolution or types, you're left with leveling up to keep it feeling like Pokemon, and like you said putting the same level-up mechanic on each creature would just be crazy.
Still, I'd be happy to see it attempted!
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I know what you're thinking: oh no, not another Pokemon set. Don't worry. I've been there too. I've played more than my fair share of custom Magic sets based on Pokemon, and all of them have left me feeling disappointed.
When I decided to make my own Magic set based on Pokemon, I knew it was going to be a huge undertaking. There's so much in the Pokemon universe, how can you convey it all through Magic cards? The answer that I found is, unfortunately, you can't, and that's where I feel many other custom sets went wrong. They tried to incorporate type advantages, realistic evolutions, Pokemon abilities, gym leaders, catching Pokemon, and more all at once and it all kind of fell apart.
For this set, my goal was to instead simply evoke the flavor of the Pokemon world through Magic cards, not try to force one world into another. I wanted to try and do for Pokemon what Innistrad and Theros did for horror and Greek mythology. I picked what I felt were the most important qualities of the Pokemon universe and tried to translate them into Magic cards. For me, they were these four key points: (1) having all 151 original Pokemon, (2) an evolution mechanic, (3) a distinct mechanic for each Pokemon type, and (4) each Pokemon having its types. For more details on the mechanics, check below.
After months of playtesting and drafting with friends, I'm very happy with where the set is. It plays like an advanced supplemental set (such as Modern Masters), and all two and three color combinations (and occasionally four and five) have solid archetypes and can win matches.
There was a lot of work to get the set as balanced as it is. Dividing all the Pokemon up evenly into five colors, figuring out what each type's ability was, deciding what the other non-Pokemon cards in the set would be, and so much more. If people are interested, I'd be happy to upload some playtest videos and write in more detail the reasoning behind some of the creative decisions. If you do play with the set, let me know what you think. I'd love to hear
Evolution - As long as CARDNAME is on the battlefield, each creature you control named PRE-EVOLUTIONS is a copy of CARDNAME.
The evolution mechanic was tricky to come up with. Every custom Pokemon set takes its own stab at it, usually something like the original Pokemon TCG, or a variant of Champion, or some cost-reduction mechanic. In my opinion, those are all a little boring and don't reward you enough. Or they reward you too much to the point of broken. I wanted the mechanic to be good whether you drew evolutions or pre-evolutions first, and I wanted it to be fun and exciting when it happened, but not oppressively so. Making all the pre-evolutions copies of the evolutions fulfills all of those, and it also rewards synergistic drafting. Maybe other people won't be too interested in taking those Charmanders, but if you have a Charizard, you're going to take as many Charmanders as you can pick up.
Bug Type - When CARDNAME enters the battlefield, if it isn’t a token, you may pay its casting cost. If you do, put a token onto the battlefield that’s a copy of CARDNAME.
I know that I said the abilities had to be simple, and Bug Type looks like anything but simple at first glance. But, to be fair, it is by far the most complex one, and I think the flavor makes up for it. What's more bug-ish than making more bugs? The exception where it prevents the token from copying itself prevents you from making as many copies as you have mana available, which would make it far too powerful.
Dragon Type - When CARDNAME enters the battlefield, you may exile another target creature you control, then return that card to the battlefield under your control.
Dragon Type started out as letting you choose a color for it to have protection from when it entered the battlefield. It stayed that way for a long time, until someone drafted the all-Dragons deck and destroyed everyone in a series of extremely un-fun games. I changed it to what it currently does, to evoke the flavor of dragons helping out other Pokemon, and to synergize with all of the enters-the-battlefield abilities of many of the creatures in the set. Since each color has at least one enters-the-battlefield ability, Dragon Types can be a powerful addition to any deck.
Electric Type - CARDNAME can’t be blocked except by two or more creatures.
Originally Electric Type let you tap a creature when it attacked. Similar to Dragon Type, it stayed that way for a while until someone drafted a mono-red Electric/Fire deck and everyone who played him was miserable. I knew that Electric Type needed to change, but I still wanted it to grant some sort of evasion, to help out the aggro archetypes. It's current form lets it do just that, without being oppressive.
Fighting Type - When CARDNAME enters the battlefield, you may have it fight target creature.
Since "fight" is already a keyword in Magic, I really needed to have Fighting Type make use of it somehow. Letting them fight when they attacked was too good, having them fight when they died wasn't intuitive, paying a cost and tapping it to fight was also too good, so all that was left was having them fight when they entered the battlefield. After trying it out, I was happy that it played very well, giving the caster an option between a kill spell, a creature, and if strategized well, an occasional two-for-one.
Fire Type - When CARDNAME enters the battlefield, it deals damage equal to its power to target player.
This one didn't take long to figure out. Direct damage, burn, right to your opponent's face. I like how it naturally scales up to be more powerful right along with the creature's power. This lets bigger creature deal more damage, and smaller ones deal less, without having to add in any extra words or rules.
Ghost Type - When CARDNAME dies, you may destroy target creature.
Ghost Type originally let you destroy a creature when it entered the battlefield. That was a little too good, and it synergized a bit too oppressively with the blink/recursion effects in the set. Changing it into a death trigger allowed your opponent to interact with it a bit more; he or she could just not attack into it, or attack with some creatures they don't care about, trade off, and then afterward play the creature they didn't want you to kill. The death trigger makes it feel more ghost-like too.
Grass Type - CARDNAME has “T: Add G to your mana pool."
Grass Type is the only type ability that's an activated ability. I didn't want too many activated ability keywords since that would make the board state a bit hard to keep track of, but having one felt fine, especially when it is as flavorful as this one. There's nothing more grass-y than basically being part of the land yourself.
Ground Type - Whenever CARDNAME attacks, it gets +1/+1 until end of turn.
This was a tough one. I originally wanted to do "underground flying," that is, it can't be blocked except by creatures with Ground Type. But that didn't play very well since there aren't a ton of creatures with Ground Type. Then I tried making it unblockable except by creatures without flying, but that was a bit complex. Next on the list was giving it pseudo-unblockability by making it indestructible when it attacked, but that was just a tad broken. It's current form gets across the flavor of it attacking, going underground, and getting stronger, without being annoying or un-fun to play against, and it also mirrors Rock Type nicely.
Ice Type - When CARDNAME enters the battlefield, you may tap target creature. It doesn’t untap during its controller’s next untap step.
This one was set from the start. Freezing creatures in Magic is already set in stone as tapping it and then not letting it untap for a turn, and I wanted to play into that space already in people's heads. I played around with letting them tap any permanent instead of just creatures, but that made tempo decks way too good, and it was switched back right away.
Normal Type - When CARDNAME enters the battlefield, you gain life equal to its toughness.
Normal Type was a tough one. At first I didn't even know if I should include an ability for it. After all, it's Normal Type; who cares, right? But if I had an ability for every other type, then I knew I had to come up with one for Normal as well. Not only is it somebody's favorite type, but I needed something good for white since so many of its creatures are Normal Type. Gaining life played nicely into white's philosophy, as well as doing something that most people would probably consider "normal." Like Fire Type, I enjoy how it naturally scales along with the creature.
Poison Type - Whenever CARDNAME attacks, defending player loses 1 life.
Originally Poison Type gave any creature blocking or blocked by it -1/-1 until end of turn, but that just made people build up armies of Poison creatures that would team up and block any attacker and kill it before it did anything, discouaraging pretty much all combat. I changed it to basically wither after that, but after a few tests I saw that just giving creatures -1/-1 counters wasn't all that interesting if nothing else in the set played with them, and there were already so many +1/+1 counters in the set that I didn't want to change the whole theme around for just one type. I like the current form, which gives aggro decks a bit of a boost and still gets across the poison flavor.
Psychic Type - When CARDNAME enters the battlefield, look at the top card of target player’s library. You may put that card on the bottom of that player’s library.
Psychic Type changed around a lot. First you just looked at your opponent's hand, which was too weak. Then you looked at their hand and had them discard a card of your choice, which was too strong. Then they just discarded a card of their choice, but that ended up being too strong with Water Type (and for some reason there's a billion Water/Psychic dual-type Pokemon). I needed Psychic Type to be something that played well with Water Type, but that was fine on its own as well. I settled with fatesealing either yourself or your opponent, which may sound scary, but plays quite well. As long as you're not fatesealing your opponent every turn (like Jace, the Mindsculptor does), it's not too bad to have it every now and then. Plus, in limited, you're mostly going to be fatesealing yourself.
Rock Type - Whenever CARDNAME blocks, it gets +1/+1 until end of turn.
Originally this prevented one damage whenever it was dealt damage, but that ended up being confusing and either insanely good or not doing much at all. I changed Rock Type along with Ground Type, so that they would mirror each other, one to be aggressive and the other to be defensive. However, as hardcore Pokemon fans may point out, Geodude is both Rock and Ground Type, so why doesn't he have Ground Type? It's the same reason why Bulbasaur isn't Grass/Poison, or Ghastly isn't Ghost/Poison. For some reason there were no Rock-only, Grass-only, or Ghost-only Pokemon in the original 151, but I had to make some for the sake of the set being balanced. Otherwise it would be impossible to divide everything up into equal amounts of color pie. It's a small flavor-miss, but I feel that it's worth it for the better gameplay it creates.
Water Type - When CARDNAME enters the battlefield, draw a card.
And finally, Water Type. Originally Water Type bounced any creature in play, which I thought was fine until I started playtesting it. It was way too oppressive. Instead of being rewarded for casting your huge Pokemon, you were punished by having it bounced a billion times as little Water Types kept hitting you until you died. I wanted to create an environment where games went long and where it was a good thing to cast your big dudes. So instead of bouncing, Water Type was changed to blue's other favorite thing to do: drawing cards. This not only helps smooth draws to help you get to the creatures you need to win, but it helps control be a much more viable archetype.
WU - Control or Tempo
White/Blue's control deck focuses on taking as many Water Types as possible to draw a ton of cards; Normal Types to gain life, trade, and stay alive; Dragon Types to recur their Water and Normal Types; and then end the game with a fatty (such as Dewgong, Dragonite or Blastoise.)
White/Blue's tempo deck focuses on Ice Types, White's fliers, and Blue's tempo cards like TM11 - Bubblebeam and Great Ball to beat down while stalling out the opponent.
White/Blue's uncommon TM, TM13 - Ice Beam, provides efficient removal that helps both archetypes.
UB - Control or Aggro-Tempo
Blue/Black's control deck uses Water Types to draw cards, Psychic Types to make sure those cards drawn are optimal, and Ghost Types to keep threats off the board until a fatty comes to close out the game (such as Tentacruel, Gengar or Kabutops).
Blue/Black's aggro-tempo deck uses Water Types/Psychic Types to draw into a steady stream of removal and bounce like HM01 - Cut and Ice Heal, letting their Poison Types continually get through for more and more damage.
Blue/Black's uncommon TM, TM29 - Psychic, acts as removal and card advantage for both archetypes.
BR - Aggro or Control
Black/Red is the ultimate aggro deck, combining Red's Fire Types for direct damage, Electric Types for evasion, and Black's Poison Types for life loss. A turn two Ekans is one of the scariest starts in the set.
Black/Red's control deck is all about board control, using Red's Fighting Types and Black's Ghost Types to destroy everything, until you've Psychic Type'd your way into a good fatty to finish the game with (like Weezing, Machamp or Alakazam).
Black/Red's uncommon TM, TM03 - Sword's Dance, is not what you want to see your opponent play on their Poison Type, especially if you don't have a blocker out. It will get two counters, once for the Poison Type lifeloss and again for the combat damage, adding up very quickly.
RG - Midrange-Aggro or Ramp-Aggro
Red/Green's Midrange-Aggro deck makes use of Fighting Types and Red removal spells like Repel to clear the way for your Electric Types and Bug Type armies. Cards like Mankey can be extremely powerful for removal when necessary, and beating down fast when the coast is clear.
Red/Green's Ramp-Aggro deck uses Grass Types to get you ahead on mana and cast Fire Type fatties like Arcanine and Rapidash, quickly killing your opponent out of nowhere. Creatures like Tangela and Oddish can beat down just fine when they're not busy ramping you, especially when they're backed up with pump spells like Potion (which their Grass Type can help pay for).
Red/Green's uncommon TM, TM17 - Submission, can easily kill two of your opponent's creatures by having them fight each other. It helps your aggro armies get through in the late game, or you can ramp into it and quickly put a stop to your opponent's plan.
GW - Aggro or Ramp-Control
Green/White's aggro deck is all about White's fliers and Green's Bug Types to swarm the opponent. Cards like Exp. All let you kill out of nowhere, and cards like Jigglypuff help you remain firmly on the beatdown while also gaining life and playing double-duty on defense.
Green/White's ramp-control deck has Normal Types to buy time, Grass Types to ramp, and Dragon Types to get extra value out of your Normal Types and Bug Types. Cards like Weedle and Pidgey will help you stay alive until you cast your fatties (like Clefable, Venusaur or Pidgeot).
Green/White's uncommon TM, TM32 - Double Team, turns your swarm of creatures into an army to be reckoned with.
WB - Aggro or Midrange-Control
White/Black's aggro deck is all about taking to the skies with the highest number of flying types. Cards like Farfetch'd, Zubat and Spearow will peck at your opponent until Golbat and Fearow come to finish them off.
White/Black's control deck stays alive with Normal Types gaining life, Ghost Types two-for-one-ing, and Psychic Types finding you what you need until your bigger creatures come down like Persian or Khangaskhan. Cards like Max Revive and TM42 - Dream Eater make it all too easy to outlast your opponent.
White/Black's uncommon TM, TM10 - Double-Edge, gives midrange/control decks a huge advantage against aggro, wiping out most of their side while leaving you with an even bigger dude ready to swing.
UR - Tempo-Aggro or Control
Blue/Red's tempo-aggro deck uses direct damage from Fire Types, evasion from Electric Types, and more aggressive Water Types like Goldeen and Horsea to provide a steady stream of cheap, efficient threats to take out your opponent before they knew what hit them. Cards like Pokeball can help you recur your Fire Types for even more damage while providing you more gas to keep going.
Blue/Red's control deck plays the slower game of amassing card advantage with Water Types, using Fighting Types to keep the board clear, and blocking with value cards like Magikarp. Then it can cast crazy threats like Gyarados to end the game out of nowhere. Cards like Ultra Ball help you rebuy your Water Types, draw more cards, and keep your opponent in check at the same time.
Blue/Red's uncommon TM, TM35 - Metronome, lets the weaker Water Types and Fire Types potentially turn into massive threats later in the game. Did your opponent block your enchanted Squirtle with their Ivysaur? Well they'd better hope you're not too lucky, or else you'll end up with a 7/7 Ivysaur that will eat their's right up.
BG - Aggro-Midrange or Ramp-Control
Black/Green's aggro-midrange deck wants to keep the opponent scared right from the beginning with Poison Types like Nidoran Male, and take over and destroy them in the midgame with your Bug Types like Venomoth. With good kill spells like Silph Scope and TM06 - Toxic, it's not hard to do.
Black/Green's ramp-control deck is all about value. Getting tons of uses out of your Ghost Types and Bug Types with Revive and Ether, all the while ramping up with your Grass Types to the fatties that you found with your Psychic Types (like Muk, Nidoqueen or Vileplume).
Black/Green's uncommon TM, TM50 - Substitute, let's you get even more value out of your creatures. You can attack freely into your opponent, dealing even more damage, or you can put it on your opponent's threat, destroy it with a kill spell, and get it for yourself.
RW - Aggro or Aggro-Control
Red/White's aggro deck wants to do one thing: kill fast using Fire Types, Electric Types, and White's fliers. Pikachu and Vulpix can be very scary cards for your opponent to see if they don't have much of a board yet. Cards like Paralyze Heal can make life even worse for your opponent just when they thought they were going to stabilize, and HM04 - Strength can turn drawing those extra lands late-game into even more damage.
Red/White's aggro-control deck can play the beatdown early on with Fire Types and fliers, but then change gears if the game slows down, getting value with Fighting Types, Normal Types, and combining them with Dragon Types. You can choose to go a bit bigger and pack cards like TM38 - Fireblast to decimate your opponent before you end the game with a Ninetales equipped with a Protein or targeted by an X Defend.
Red/White's uncommon TM, TM23 - Dragon Rage, takes all those Normal Types in your aggressive deck and turns them into direct damage.
UG - Ramp or Ramp-Control
Green/Blue's ramp deck wants to do just one thing: find fatties and cast them. It uses Water Types to dig through the deck, and Grass Types to cast them quickly. A turn three Exeggute into a turn four Exeggutor will quickly beat through anything the opponent can cast.
Green/Blue's ramp-control deck just wants cards: cards in hand and on the battlefield. You get board advantage with Bug Types, card advantage with Water Types, and thanks to cards like Staryu, you can turn your ramping Grass Types into even more draw in the lategame. Good stalling cards like Kakuna or HM03 - Surf will help you survive until you crush your opponent with your overflowing resources.
Green/Blue's uncommon TM, TM31 - Mimic, lets you finally answer the question: what's better than having one fatty out? Why, having two of course.
WUB - Control
White/Blue/Black has one goal: making life miserable for the opponent. You gain life and trade early with your Normal Types, get crazy card advantage with your Water Types, and destroy anything that makes it through the cracks with Black's kill spells and Ghost Types. There's nothing more satisfying than using Dratini to Dragon Type your Mewtwo, turning your opponent's already decimated board into a barren wasteland of concession.
UBR - Aggro-Control
Blue/Black/Red wants to beat down when necessary and hold back to defend when necessary too. It uses Red's burn spells, Fighting Types, and Black's kill spells to keep the board clear and make way for attackers, and utilizes Water Types to close out the game by finding you even more removal like Max Repel. Cards like Seadra and Arbok can both attack for serious damage and keep the opponent from attacking just as well when needed.
BRG - Midrange-Ramp
Black/Red/Green wants to keep the board clear and has an easy time doing it with Grass Types ramping you up to cast multiple kill spells a turn and quickly bringing out powerful midrange creatures like Grimer and Growlithe. If your opponent somehow manages to deal with them, well then they still have to deal with them again thanks to cards like Moltres and Mew that decimate the late-game
RGW - Aggro-Midrange
Red/Green/White wants to hit fast and quick with Fire Types, Electric Types, and fliers, but also pack a bit of a bigger punch for the later game too with powerful cards like Scyther, Clefairy and Primeape. Tauros is not only scary by itself, but with the help of a few Fire Types and Normal Types, it can turn into an unstoppable monster all too quickly.
GWU - Ramp-Control
Green/White/Blue isn't too concerned about what the opponent is doing; why would it be when everything you're casting is just way better than them anyway? Slowpoke and Seel shut down any aggression while getting value and stalling for time, and Cloyster and Wigglytuff make your opponent wonder why they even bothered to attack in the first place. Just take your time, cast your game-ending Butterfree or Articuno that you ramped into no problem, and bring the game to its obvious conclusion.
WUR - Tempo-Aggro
White/Blue/Red wants to kill the opponent fast and disrupt them by making them spend lots of mana on creatures that you temporarily disable. Ice Types and efficient removal like White's TM44 - Rest combine well with evasive Electric Types and fliers, or in Magnemite's case, both. A timely X Accuracy can end the game out of nowhere, even when the opponent thinks they've stabilized.
BUG - Midrange-Control
Blue/Black/Green is the king of value town. You can make use of recursive cards like Revive, Ether, and Itemfinder to get double use out of all your two-for-one Ghost Types, Water Types, and Bug Types, which you'll have no problem casting thanks to your Grass Types. Defensive Rock Types and cards like Tentacool can help you stall until your destructive late-game cards, like the beef-factory Brock, Pokemon Breeder, or a soul-crushing Master Ball.
WRB - Aggro
Black/Red/White is as aggro as it gets. Fire Types, Electric Types, Poison Types, and fliers all come together to make life a living hell for your opponent starting turn one. Ground Types like Sandshrew and Cubone are especially good here, making sure you can land a threat even if your mana isn't perfect. Be sure to enjoy the look on your opponent's face as you drop a game-ending Magmar or Zapdos, swiftly bringing their life to zero when they thought they'd built up an impenetrable defense.
RUG - Tempo-Control
Red/Green/Blue wants to keep the opponent off-balance until it slowly but surely ends up simply taking over the game. It can beat down and stall in the early game using Fire Types, Electric Types, Blue bounce spells, and Green dudes like Tangela, then switch roles in the late-game using its Grass Types to power out armies of Bug Types like Parasect that can be replayed for value with cards like Pokeball and Ultra Ball. Your opponent may have laughed at those Poliwags and Bellsprouts you played in the early-game, but once you wipe the board with a TM38 - Fireblast that they survive, then evolve them into Poliwraths and Victreebells, you'll be the last one laughing.
BWG - Midrange-Ramp
Green/White/Black just wants to play some good, fair Magic... by crushing its opponent to death with an overwhelming board state. Dragon Types combined with Normal Types, Psychic Types, and Bug Types help you survive the early-game against aggro decks and get value later too. Don't forget about recurring them with Green/Black spells for extra value, especially your Ghost Types and Black removal. Ramping into a Chansey will make your opponent question when they even bothered playing, though you can always choose to be merciful and bring about a quick death using an Exp. All if you wish.
WUBRG - Control
The ultimate draft plan: take nothing but bombs and mana-fixing. With common dual lands for each two color combination, uncommon badges that let you ramp like crazy and color-fix, plus common artifacts like Fossil that fix mana too, it's not inconceivable to reliably cast Gary Oak, Pokemon Master; Misty, Jealous Gym Leader; and Hyper Potion in the same deck. Prioritizing stones (such as Water Stone) to find your bombs and mana, and playing Rock Types like Geodude so that you'll still be able to do some serious blocking and survive no matter what kind of mana you have, is a good way to go.
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Ditto 4W
Creature — Pokemon (R)
Normal type (When this creature enters the battlefield, you gain life equal to its toughness.)
You may have Ditto enter the battlefield as a copy of any creature on the battlefield, except it gains normal type.
1/1
Dodrio 3W
Creature — Pokemon (U)
Flying, normal type (When this creature enters the battlefield, you gain life equal to its toughness.)
Evolution—Doduo (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Doduo is a copy of this.)
3/3
Doduo 2W
Creature — Pokemon (C)
Flying
Normal type (When this creature enters the battlefield, you gain life equal to its toughness.)
2/2
Dragonair 2WW
Creature — Pokemon (U)
Dragon type (When this enters the battlefield, you may exile another target creature you control, then return that card to the battlefield under your control.)
Evolution—Dratini (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Dratini is a copy of this.)
3/4
Dragonite 5WWW
Creature — Pokemon (R)
Flying, dragon type (When this enters the battlefield, you may exile another target creature you control, then return that card to the battlefield under your control.)
Evolution—Dratini or Dragonair
Whenever another creature enters the battlefield under your control, put a number of +1/+1 counters on it equal to its power.
5/7
Dratini 1W
Creature — Pokemon (C)
Dragon type (When this enters the battlefield, you may exile another target creature you control, then return that card to the battlefield under your control.)
1/2
Eevee 1W
Creature — Eevee Pokemon (C)
Normal type (When this creature enters the battlefield, you gain life equal to its toughness.)
2/2
Escape Rope 1WW
Instant (R)
Exile target creature or planeswalker. Its controller may search his or her library for a basic land card, put that card onto the battlefield tapped, then shuffle his or her library.
Exp. All 2WW
Instant (C)
Creatures you control get +2/+2 until end of turn.
Farfetch’d 1W
Creature — Pokemon (C)
Flying
Normal type (When this creature enters the battlefield, you gain life equal to its toughness.)
2/1
HM 02 — Fly 2W
Enchantment — Aura (C)
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature gets +1/+0 and has flying.
1W: Return HM 02 - Fly to its owner’s hand.
Kangaskhan 5WW
Creature — Pokemon (U)
Normal type (When this creature enters the battlefield, you gain life equal to its toughness.)
Whenever you gain life, put a 1/1 white Baby creature token onto the battlefield.
5/5
Lickitung 4W
Creature — Pokemon (C)
Normal type (When this creature enters the battlefield, you gain life equal to its toughness.)
Whenever you gain life, put a +1/+1 counter on Lickitung.
1/3
Max Revive 4W
Sorcery (U)
Return target creature card from your graveyard to the battlefield. You gain life equal to its toughness.
Paralyze Heal 1W
Instant (C)
Exile target creature you control, then return that card to the battlefield under your control with a +1/+1 counter on it.
Pidgeot 5WW
Creature — Pokemon (R)
Flying, first strike, vigilance, normal type (When this creature enters the battlefield, you gain life equal to its toughness.)
Evolution—Pidgey or Pidgeotto
5/6
Pidgeotto 3WW
Creature — Pokemon (U)
Flying, normal type (When this creature enters the battlefield, you gain life equal to its toughness.)
Evolution—Pidgey (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Pidgey is a copy of this.)
3/5
Pidgey 1W
Creature — Pokemon (C)
Flying
Normal type (When this creature enters the battlefield, you gain life equal to its toughness.)
1/3
Porygon XW
Creature — Pokemon (U)
Normal type (When this creature enters the battlefield, you gain life equal to its toughness.)
Porygon enters the battlefield with X +1/+1 counters on it.
0/0
Raticate 4W
Creature — Pokemon (U)
First strike, normal type (When this creature enters the battlefield, you gain life equal to its toughness.)
Evolution—Rattata (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Rattata is a copy of this.)
4/4
Rattata 2W
Creature — Pokemon (C)
First strike
Normal type (When this creature enters the battlefield, you gain life equal to its toughness.)
2/2
Release 3WW
Sorcery (R)
Exile all creatures. Each player gains 1 life for each creature he or she controlled exiled this way.
Snorlax 7WW
Creature — Pokemon (R)
Defender, normal type (When this creature enters the battlefield, you gain life equal to its toughness.)
Whenever Snorlax blocks or becomes the target of a spell or ability, you may put an awake counter on Snorlax.
As long as Snorlax has an awake counter on it, it loses defender and gains vigilance.
8/8
Thunder Stone W
Sorcery (C)
Look at the top five cards of your library. You may reveal a land or white creature card from among them and put it into your hand. Then put the rest on the bottom of your library in any order.
TM 15 — Hyper Beam 3WW
Enchantment — Aura (R)
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature gets +2/+2 and has “2WW, T: This creature deals 10 damage to target attacking or blocking creature. Enchanted creature doesn’t untap during your next untap step.”
TM 44 — Rest 2W
Enchantment — Aura (C)
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature can’t attack or block, and its activated abilities can’t be activated.
X Defend XWW
Instant (C)
Target creature gets +X/+X and gains lifelink until end of turn.
UUUUUUUUUU
Blastoise 5UUU
Creature — Pokemon (R)
Water type (When this creature enters the battlefield, draw a card.)]
Evolution—Squirtle or Wartortle
Whenever Blastoise enters the battlefield or attacks, you may return target creature to its owner’s hand.
4/8
Goldeen 2UU
Creature — Pokemon (C)
Water type (When this creature enters the battlefield, draw a card.)
Goldeen can’t be blocked.
2/1
Great Ball U
Artifact (U)
When Great Ball enters the battlefield, exile target creature until Great Ball leaves the battlefield. (That permanent returns under its owner’s control.)
At the beginning of your upkeep, put a wobble counter on Great Ball. When Great Ball has three or more wobble counters on it, sacrifice it.
HM 03 — Surf 1U
Enchantment — Aura (C)
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature gets -3/-0.
1U: Return HM 03 - Surf to its owner’s hand.
Ice Heal 2U
Instant (C)
Return target permanent to its owner’s hand.
Itemfinder 1U
Sorcery (U)
Return target noncreature card from your graveyard to your hand.
Kabuto 2U
Artifact Creature — Pokemon (C)
Water type (When this creature enters the battlefield, draw a card.)
Rock type (Whenever this creature blocks, it gets +1/+1 until end of turn.)
1/1
Kabutops 6U
Artifact Creature — Pokemon (R)
Trample, water type, rock type (When this creature enters the battlefield, draw a card. Whenever this creature blocks, it gets +1/+1 until end of turn.)
Evolution—Kabuto (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Kabuto is a copy of this.)
6/3
Kingler 4U
Creature — Pokemon (U)
Hexproof, water type (When this creature enters the battlefield, draw a card.)
Evolution—Krabby (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Krabby is a copy of this.)
3/3
Krabby 3U
Creature — Pokemon (C)
Hexproof
Water type (When this creature enters the battlefield, draw a card.)
2/2
Link Cable Trade 4UU
Sorcery (R)
Exchange control of any number of target creatures you control with the same number of target creatures you don’t control. Untap all permanents exchanged this way.
Master Ball 3UU
Instant (R)
Counter target spell. If a creature spell is countered this way, put that card onto the battlefield under your control instead of into its owner’s graveyard.
Omanyte 1U
Artifact Creature — Pokemon (C)
Water type (When this creature enters the battlefield, draw a card.)
Rock type (Whenever this creature blocks, it gets +1/+1 until end of turn.)
0/1
Omastar 5U
Artifact Creature — Pokemon (R)
Hexproof, water type, rock type (When this creature enters the battlefield, draw a card. Whenever this creature blocks, it gets +1/+1 until end of turn.)
Evolution—Omanyte (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Omanyte is a copy of this.)
3/5
Pokeball 1U
Sorcery (C)
As an additional cost to cast Pokeball, return a creature you control to its owner’s hand.
Draw two cards.
Pokedex 5U
Sorcery (R)
Search your library for a card and put that card into your hand. Then shuffle your library.
Draw two cards.
Poliwag 2U
Creature — Pokemon (C)
Flash
Water type (When this creature enters the battlefield, draw a card.)
1/3
Poliwhirl 3U
Creature — Pokemon (U)
Flash, water type (When this creature enters the battlefield, draw a card.)
Evolution—Poliwag (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Poliwag is a copy of this.)
2/4
Seaking 4UU
Creature — Pokemon (U)
Water type (When this creature enters the battlefield, draw a card.)
Evolution (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Goldeen is a copy of this.)
Seaking can’t be blocked.
4/2
Squirtle 1U
Creature — Pokemon (C)
Water type (When this creature enters the battlefield, draw a card.)
1/1
Staryu 4U
Creature — Pokemon (C)
Water type (When this creature enters the battlefield, draw a card.)
8: Exile Staryu, then return it to the battlefield under your control. Activate this ability only any time you could cast a sorcery.
3/1
TM 11 — Bubblebeam 3U
Enchantment — Aura (U)
Enchant creature
When TM 11 - Bubblebeam enters the battlefield, you may return up to two target creatures to their owners’ hands.
Enchanted creature gets +1/+1.
Ultra Ball UU
Instant (C)
As an additional cost to cast Ultra Ball, return a creature you control to its owner’s hand.
Counter target spell.
Vaporeon 4U
Creature — Eevee Pokemon (R)
Water type (When this creature enters the battlefield, draw a card.)
Evolution—Eevee
When Vaporeon enters the battlefield, you may search your library for an Eevee creature card, reveal it, and put it into your hand. If you do, shuffle your library.
3/3
Wartortle 2UU
Creature — Pokemon (U)
Water type (When this creature enters the battlefield, draw a card.)
Evolution—Squirtle (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Squirtle is a copy of this.)
3/2
Water Stone U
Sorcery (C)
Look at the top five cards of your library. You may reveal a land or blue creature card from among them and put it into your hand. Then put the rest on the bottom of your library in any order.
X Accuracy XUU
Instant (C)
Target creature gets +X/+0 and can’t be blocked this turn.
BBBBBBBBBB
Abra B
Creature — Pokemon (C)
Psychic type (When this creature enters the battlefield, look at the top card of target player’s library. You may put that card on the bottom of that player’s library.)
1/1
Alakazam 5BBB
Creature — Pokemon (R)
Psychic type (When this creature enters the battlefield, look at the top card of target player’s library. You may put that card on the bottom of that player’s library.)
Evolution—Abra or Kadabra
Whenever an opponent becomes the target of a spell or ability you control, that player exiles the top seven cards of his or her library.
6/3
Antidote 2B
Sorcery (C)
Target opponent reveals his or her hand. You choose a nonland card from it. That player discards that card.
Drowzee 2B
Creature — Pokemon (C)
Lifelink
Psychic type (When this creature enters the battlefield, look at the top card of target player’s library. You may put that card on the bottom of that player’s library.)
2/2
Gengar 5BB
Creature — Pokemon (R)
Flying, lifelink, ghost type (When this dies, you may destroy target creature.)
Evolution—Ghastly or Haunter (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Ghastly or Haunter is a copy of this.)
5/4
Ghastly 2BB
Creature — Pokemon (C)
Flying
Ghost type (When this dies, you may destroy target creature.)
1/1
Golbat 4B
Creature — Pokemon (U)
Flying, poison type (Whenever this creature attacks, defending player loses 1 life.)
Evolution—Zubat (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Zubat is a copy of this.)
4/2
Haunter 3BB
Creature — Pokemon (U)
Flying, ghost type (When this dies, you may destroy target creature.)
Evolution—Ghastly (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Ghastly is a copy of this.)
3/1
HM 01 — Cut 1B
Enchantment — Aura (C)
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature gets -1/-1 and can’t block.
1B: Return HM 01 - Cut to its owner’s hand.
Hypno 4BB
Creature — Pokemon (U)
Lifelink, psychic type (When this creature enters the battlefield, look at the top card of target player’s library. You may put that card on the bottom of that player’s library.)
Evolution—Drowzee (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Drowzee is a copy of this.)
4/4
Kadabra 2BB
Creature — Pokemon (U)
Psychic type (When this creature enters the battlefield, look at the top card of target player’s library. You may put that card on the bottom of that player’s library.)
Evolution—Abra (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Abra is a copy of this.)
5/2
Moon Stone B
Sorcery (C)
Look at the top five cards of your library. You may reveal a land or black creature card from among them and put it into your hand. Then put the rest on the bottom of your library in any order.
Mr. Mime 2B
Creature — Pokemon (R)
Indestructible, psychic type (When this creature enters the battlefield, look at the top card of target player’s library. You may put that card on the bottom of that player’s library.)
Whenever Mr. Mime is dealt damage, put that many barrier counters on Mr. Mime.
Remove ten barrier counters from Mr. Mime: Target player exiles the top ten cards of his or her library.
0/1
Nidoking 6B
Artifact Creature — Pokemon (R)
Trample, ground type, poison type (Whenever this creature attacks, it gets +1/+1 until end of turn and defending player loses 1 life.)
Evolution—Nidoran Male or Nidorino (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Nidoran Male or Nidorino is a copy of this.)
7/5
Nidoqueen 6B
Artifact Creature — Pokemon (R)
Lifelink, ground type, poison type (Whenever this creature attacks, it gets +1/+1 until end of turn and defending player loses 1 life.)
Evolution—Nidorna Female or Nidorina (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Nidoran Female or Nidorina is a copy of this.)
5/7
Nidoran Female 1B
Creature — Pokemon (C)
Poison type (Whenever this creature attacks, defending player loses 1 life.)
1/2
Nidoran Male 1B
Creature — Pokemon (C)
Poison type (Whenever this creature attacks, defending player loses 1 life.)
2/1
Nidorina 3B
Creature — Pokemon (U)
Poison type (Whenever this creature attacks, defending player loses 1 life.)
Evolution—Nidoran Female (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Nidoran Female is a copy of this.)
3/4
Nidorino 3B
Creature — Pokemon (U)
Poison type (Whenever this creature attacks, defending player loses 1 life.)
Evolution—Nidoran Male (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Nidoran Male is a copy of this.)
4/3
Revive B
Sorcery (C)
Return target creature card from your graveyard to your hand.
Silph Scope 2BB
Instant (U)
Destroy target creature. Look at its controller’s hand.
TM 06 — Toxic B
Enchantment — Aura (C)
Enchant creature
At the beginning of each upkeep, put a toxic counter on TM 06 - Toxic.
Enchanted creature gets -1/-1 for each toxic counter on TM 06 - Toxic.
TM 27 — Fissure 3BB
Enchantment — Aura (R)
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature gets +3/+3 and has “Whenever enchanted creature blocks or becomes blocked by a creature, destroy that creature.”
TM 36 — Self Destruct 4BB
Enchantment — Aura (R)
Enchant creature
At the beginning of your upkeep, destroy enchanted creature.
When enchanted creature dies, destroy all creatures and planeswalkers.
TM 42 — Dream Eater 3BB
Enchantment — Aura (C)
Enchant creature
When TM 42 - Dream Eater enters the battlefield, tap enchanted creature.
Whenever enchanted creature becomes untapped, its controller sacrifices it and you gain life equal to its toughness.
X Special XBB
Instant (C)
Target creature gets +X/+0 and gains deathtouch until end of turn.
Zubat 2B
Creature — Pokemon (C)
Flying
Poison type (Whenever this creature attacks, defending player loses 1 life.)
2/1
RRRRRRRRRR
Burn Heal 3R
Instant (C)
Destroy target artifact or land.
Charizard 5RRR
Creature — Pokemon (R)
Flying, double strike, fire type (When this creature enters the battlefield, it deals damage equal to its power to target player.)
Evolution—Charmander or Charmeleon (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Charmander or Charmeleon is a copy of this.)
5/4
Charmander 1R
Creature — Pokemon (C)
Fire type (When this creature enters the battlefield, it deals damage equal to its power to target player.)
2/1
Charmeleon 4RR
Creature — Pokemon (U)
Fire type (When this creature enters the battlefield, it deals damage equal to its power to target player.)
Evolution—Charmander (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Charmander is a copy of this.)
4/4
Electabuzz 1RR
Creature — Pokemon (R)
Electric type (This creature can’t be blocked except by two or more creatures.)
Whenever Electabuzz attacks, until end of turn it gets +1/+1 for each other attacking creature.
2/2
Electrode 5R
Creature — Pokemon (U)
Haste, electric type (This creature can’t be blocked except by two or more creatures.)
Evolution—Voltorb (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Voltorb is a copy of this.)
6/2
Fire Stone R
Sorcery (C)
Look at the top five cards of your library. You may reveal a land or red creature card from among them and put it into your hand. Then put the rest on the bottom of your library in any order.
Flareon 2R
Creature — Eevee Pokemon (R)
Fire type (When this creature enters the battlefield, it deals damage equal to its power to target player.)
Evolution—Eevee
When Flareon enters the battlefield, you may search your library for an Eevee creature card, reveal it, and put it into your hand. If you do, shuffle your library.
2/3
Hitmonchan 3R
Creature — Pokemon (C)
Fighting type (When this creature enters the battlefield, you may have it fight target creature.)
1/4
Hitmonlee 1RR
Creature — Pokemon (C)
Fighting type (When this creature enters the battlefield, you may have it fight target creature.)
3/1
HM 04 — Strength R
Enchantment — Aura (C)
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature has “R: This creature gets +1/+0 until end of turn.
1R: Return HM 04 - Strength to its owner’s hand.
Hurt Itself in Its Confusion 3RR
Instant (R)
Each creature deals damage to itself equal to its power.
Jolteon 3R
Creature — Eevee Pokemon (R)
Electric type (This creature can’t be blocked except by two or more creatures.)
Evolution—Eevee
When Jolteon enters the battlefield, you may search your library for an Eevee creature card, reveal it, and put it into your hand. If you do, shuffle your library.
3/2
Machamp 5RR
Creature — Pokemon (R)
Fighting type (When this creature enters the battlefield, you may have it fight target creature.)
Evolution—Machop or Machoke
Whenever Machamp attacks, you may have it fight target creature.
Whenever a creature dealt damage by Machamp this turn dies, put a +1/+1 counter on Machamp.
6/4
Machoke 3RR
Creature — Pokemon (U)
Fighting type (When this creature enters the battlefield, you may have it fight target creature.)
Evolution—Machop (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Machop is a copy of this.)
4/3
Machop 1R
Creature — Pokemon (C)
Fighting type (When this creature enters the battlefield, you may have it fight target creature.)
2/1
Magnemite 2R
Artifact Creature — Pokemon (C)
Flying
Electric type (This creature can’t be blocked except by two or more creatures.)
2/1
Magneton 4R
Artifact Creature — Pokemon (U)
Flying, electric type (This creature can’t be blocked except by two or more creatures.)
Evolution—Magnemite (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Magnemite is a copy of this.)
3/2
Max Repel XR
Instant (C)
Max Repel deals X damage to target creature or planeswalker.
Ponyta 2RR
Creature — Pokemon (C)
First strike
Fire type (When this creature enters the battlefield, it deals damage equal to its power to target player.)
2/3
Rapidash 5RR
Creature — Pokemon (U)
First strike, fire type (When this creature enters the battlefield, it deals damage equal to its power to target player.)
Evolution—Ponyta (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Ponyta is a copy of this.)
4/5
Repel 1R
Instant (C)
Repel deals 3 damage to target creature or player.
TM 25 — Thunder 4RR
Enchantment — Aura (R)
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature gets +1/+1 and has “Whenever this creature attacks, it deals damage equal to its power to target creature or player.”
TM 26 — Earthquake 1RR
Enchantment — Aura (U)
Enchant creature without flying
When TM 26 - Earthquake enters the battlefield, creatures without flying can’t block this turn.
Enchanted creature can’t block.
TM 38 — Fireblast 2R
Enchantment — Aura (U)
Enchant creature
When TM 38 - Fireblast enters the battlefield, it deals 2 damage to each creature.
Enchanted creature gets -1/-1.
Voltorb 3R
Creature — Pokemon (C)
Haste
Electric type (This creature can’t be blocked except by two or more creatures.)
3/1
X Speed XRR
Instant (C)
Target creature gets +X/+0 and gains first strike until end of turn.
GGGGGGGGGG
Awakening 1G
Instant (C)
Destroy target artifact or enchantment.
Bellsprout 3G
Creature — Pokemon (C)
Reach
Grass type (This creature has “T: Add G to your mana pool.)
2/4
Bulbasaur G
Creature — Pokemon (C)
Grass type (This creature has “T: Add G to your mana pool.)
1/1
Caterpie G
Creature — Pokemon (C)
Bug type (When this creature enters the battlefield, if it isn’t a token, you may pay its casting cost. If you do, put a token onto the battlefield that’s a copy of it.)
1/1
Ether 3G
Sorcery (U)
Return up to two target permanent cards from your graveyard to your hand.
Gloom 3GG
Creature — Pokemon (U)
Trample, grass type (This creature has “T: Add G to your mana pool.)
Evolution—Oddish (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Oddish is a copy of this.)
5/4
HM 05 — Flash 2G
Enchantment — Aura (C)
Enchant creature
Flash
Enchanted creature gets +0/+1 and has hexproof.
1G: Return HM 05 - Flash to its owner’s hand.
Hyper Potion 3GGG
Sorcery (R)
Untap all creatures you control. Creatures you control get +3/+3 and gain trample until end of turn.
Ivysaur 4GG
Creature — Pokemon (U)
Grass type (This creature has “T: Add G to your mana pool.)
Evolution—Bulbasaur (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Bulbasaur is a copy of this.)
6/6
Kakuna 2G
Creature — Pokemon (U)
Deathtouch, bug type (When this creature enters the battlefield, if it isn’t a token, you may pay its casting cost. If you do, put a token onto the battlefield that’s a copy of it.)
Evolution—Weedle (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Weedle is a copy of this.)
1/3
Leaf Stone G
Sorcery (C)
Look at the top five cards of your library. You may reveal a land or green creature card from among them and put it into your hand. Then put the rest on the bottom of your library in any order.
Metapod 3G
Creature — Pokemon (U)
Bug type (When this creature enters the battlefield, if it isn’t a token, you may pay its casting cost. If you do, put a token onto the battlefield that’s a copy of it.)
Evolution—Caterpie (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Caterpie is a copy of this.)
3/4
Oddish 2GG
Creature — Pokemon (C)
Trample
Grass type (This creature has “T: Add G to your mana pool.)
3/3
Paras 2G
Creature — Pokemon (C)
Bug type (When this creature enters the battlefield, if it isn’t a token, you may pay its casting cost. If you do, put a token onto the battlefield that’s a copy of it.)
Grass type (This creature has “T: Add G to your mana pool.)
2/2
Parasect 2GG
Creature — Pokemon (U)
Bug type, grass type (When this creature enters the battlefield, if it isn’t a token, you may pay its casting cost. If you do, put a token onto the battlefield that’s a copy of it. This creature has “T: Add G to your mana pool.)
Evolution—Paras (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Paras is a copy of this.)
4/3
Pinsir 3GG
Creature — Pokemon (R)
Bug type (When this creature enters the battlefield, if it isn’t a token, you may pay its casting cost. If you do, put a token onto the battlefield that’s a copy of it.)
G, T: Pinsir fights target creature. (Each deals damage equal to its power to the other.)
3/3
Potion 1G
Instant (C)
Target creature gets +3/+3 until end of turn. Untap that creature.
Tangela 1G
Creature — Pokemon (C)
Reach
Grass type (This creature has “T: Add G to your mana pool.)
2/2
Throw a Rock 1G
Instant (C)
Destroy target creature with flying.
TM 21 — Mega Drain 4GG
Enchantment — Aura (R)
Enchant creature
When TM 21 - Mega Drain enters the battlefield, exile target creature.
Enchanted creature gets +X/+Y, where X is the exiled creature card’s power and Y is its toughness.
TM 22 — Solar Beam 2GG
Enchantment — Aura (R)
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature gets +2/+2 and has “T: Put a +1/+1 counter on this creature,” and “3GG, T, Remove a +1/+1 counter from this creature: Destroy target noncreature permanent.”
Venusaur 5GGG
Creature — Pokemon (R)
Grass type (This creature has “T: Add G to your mana pool.)
Evolution—Bulbasaur or Ivysaur (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Bulbasaur or Ivysaur is a copy of this.)
When Venusaur enters the battlefield, untap all creatures you control, then draw a card for each creature that untapped this way.
6/8
Victreebell 5GG
Creature — Pokemon (R)
Reach, hexproof, grass type (This creature has “T: Add G to your mana pool.)
Evolution—Bellsprout or Weepinbell (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Bellsprout or Weepinbell is a copy of this.)
6/7
Vileplume 5GG
Creature — Pokemon (R)
Trample, deathtouch, grass type (This creature has “T: Add G to your mana pool.)
Evolution—Oddish or Gloom (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Oddish or Gloom is a copy of this.)
7/6
Weedle 1G
Creature — Pokemon (C)
Deathtouch
Bug type (When this creature enters the battlefield, if it isn’t a token, you may pay its casting cost. If you do, put a token onto the battlefield that’s a copy of it.)
1/1
Weepinbell 3GG
Creature — Pokemon (U)
Reach, grass type (This creature has “T: Add G to your mana pool.)
Evolution—Bellsprout (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Bellsprout is a copy of this.)
4/5
X Attack XGG
Instant (C)
Target creature gets +X/+X and gains trample until end of turn.
WUBRGWUBRG
Articuno 4WWUU
Legendary Creature — Pokemon (M)
Flying, ice type (When this enters the battlefield, you may tap target creature. It doesn’t untap during its controller’s next untap step.)
Creatures your opponents control don’t untap during their controller’s untap step.
5/5
Cloyster 3WU
Creature — Pokemon (U)
Vigilance, ice type (When this enters the battlefield, you may tap target creature. It doesn’t untap during its controller’s next untap step.)
Evolution—Shellder (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Shellder is a copy of this.)
3/5
Dewgong 4WU
Creature — Pokemon (U)
Ice type (When this enters the battlefield, you may tap target creature. It doesn’t untap during its controller’s next untap step.)
Evolution—Seel (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Seel is a copy of this.)
4/6
Lapras 2WU
Creature — Pokemon (R)
Ice type (When this enters the battlefield, you may tap target creature. It doesn’t untap during its controller’s next untap step.)
Water type (When this creature enters the battlefield, draw a card.)
Lapras can’t be blocked.
2/4
Seel 2WU
Creature — Pokemon (C)
Ice type (When this enters the battlefield, you may tap target creature. It doesn’t untap during its controller’s next untap step.)
2/3
Shellder 1WU
Creature — Pokemon (C)
Vigilance
Ice type (When this enters the battlefield, you may tap target creature. It doesn’t untap during its controller’s next untap step.)
1/3
TM 13 — Ice Beam WU
Enchantment — Aura (U)
Enchant creature
When TM 13 - Ice Beam enters the battlefield, tap enchanted creature.
Enchanted creature doesn’t untap during its controller’s untap step.
Golduck 3UB
Creature — Pokemon (U)
Psychic type, water type (When this creature enters the battlefield, look at the top card of target player’s library, then you may put that card on the bottom of that player’s library, and draw a card.)
Evolution—Psyduck (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Psyduck is a copy of this.)
3/5
Mewtwo 6UUBB
Legendary Creature — Pokemon (M)
Flying, psychic type (When this creature enters the battlefield, look at the top card of target player’s library. You may put that card on the bottom of that player’s library.)
Whenever an opponent becomes the target of a spell or ability you control, that player sacrifices half of the permanents he or she controls, rounded up.
6/6
Psyduck UB
Creature — Pokemon (C)
Psychic type (When this creature enters the battlefield, look at the top card of target player’s library. You may put that card on the bottom of that player’s library.)
Water type (When this creature enters the battlefield, draw a card.)
1/1
Starmie 4UB
Creature — Pokemon (R)
Psychic type, water type (When this creature enters the battlefield, look at the top card of target player’s library, then you may put that card on the bottom of that player’s library, and draw a card.)
Evolution—Staryu
4: Exile Starmie, then return it to the battlefield under your control.
4/2
Tentacool 3UB
Creature — Pokemon (C)
Water type (When this creature enters the battlefield, draw a card.)
Poison type (Whenever this creature attacks, defending player loses 1 life.)
3/3
Tentacruel 5UB
Creature — Pokemon (U)
Water type, poison type (When this creature enters the battlefield, draw a card. Whenever this creature attacks, defending player loses 1 life.)
Evolution—Tentacool (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Tentacool is a copy of this.)
6/6
TM 29 — Psychic 3UB
Enchantment — Aura (U)
Enchant creature
You control enchanted creature.
At the beginning of the end step, if you control no other creatures, sacrifice enchanted creature.
Arbok 3BR
Creature — Pokemon (U)
First strike, poison type (Whenever this creature attacks, defending player loses 1 life.)
Evolution—Ekans (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Ekans is a copy of this.)
4/1
Ekans BR
Creature — Pokemon (C)
First strike
Poison type (Whenever this creature attacks, defending player loses 1 life.)
2/1
Jesse and James, Team Rocket 3BR
Planeswalker — Jesse and James (M)
Starting Loyalty: 4
+2: Until end of turn, the next time a creature an opponent controls dies, return it to the battlefield under your control.
-4: Untap target creature and gain control of it. It gains haste until end of turn. At the beginning of the next end step, sacrifice it.
-12: You get an emblem with “At the beginning of your upkeep, you gain control target creature chosen at random that you don’t control.”
Koffing 1BR
Creature — Pokemon (C)
Flying
Poison type (Whenever this creature attacks, defending player loses 1 life.)
1/3
Magmar 1BR
Creature — Pokemon (R)
Fire type (When this creature enters the battlefield, it deals damage equal to its power to target player.)
B: Target creature with power less than Magmar’s power can’t block it this turn.
R: Magmar gets +1/+0 until end of turn.
2/1
TM 03 — Swords Dance BR
Enchantment — Aura (U)
Enchant creature
Whenever an opponent loses life, put a +1/+1 counter on enchanted creature.
Enchanted creature has “2BR: Each opponent loses 1 life.”
Weezing 4BR
Creature — Pokemon (U)
Flying, poison type (Whenever this creature attacks, defending player loses 1 life.)
Evolution—Koffing (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Koffing is a copy of this.)
3/5
Arcanine 6RG
Creature — Pokemon (U)
Trample, fire type (When this creature enters the battlefield, it deals damage equal to its power to target player.)
Evolution—Growlithe (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Growlithe is a copy of this.)
6/6
Growlithe 3RG
Creature — Pokemon (C)
Trample
Fire type (When this creature enters the battlefield, it deals damage equal to its power to target player.)
3/3
Mankey 2RG
Creature — Pokemon (C)
Haste
Fighting type (When this creature enters the battlefield, you may have it fight target creature.)
3/2
Moltres 5RRGG
Legendary Creature — Pokemon (M)
Flying, fire type (When this creature enters the battlefield, it deals damage equal to its power to target player.)
Whenever a source you control deals damage to an opponent, you may return target creature card from your graveyard to your hand.
5/5
Primeape 4RG
Creature — Pokemon (U)
Haste, fighting type (When this creature enters the battlefield, you may have it fight target creature.)
Evolution—Mankey (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Mankey is a copy of this.)
5/3
Scyther 2RG
Creature — Pokemon (R)
Flying, bug type (When this creature enters the battlefield, if it isn’t a token, you may pay its casting cost. If you do, put a token onto the battlefield that’s a copy of it.)
When Scyther enters the battlefield, add RRGG to your mana pool.
2/2
TM 17 — Submission 4RG
Enchantment — Aura (U)
Enchant creature
When TM 17 - Submission enters the battlefield, you may have enchanted creature fight another target creature.
Enchanted creature gets +1/-1.
Ash Ketchum, Pokemon Trainer 1GW
Planeswalker — Ash (M)
Starting Loyalty: 2
+1: Put a +1/+1 counter on up to one target creature. It gets +1/+1 until end of turn.
0: Put a legendary 1/1 red and white Pokemon creature token named Ash’s Pikachu onto the battlefield.
-6: You get an emblem with “Creatures you control have lifelink, trample, hexproof, and vigilance.”
Chansey 8GW
Creature — Pokemon (R)
Normal type (When this creature enters the battlefield, you gain life equal to its toughness.)
When Chansey enters the battlefield, put ten 0/1 white and green Egg creature tokens onto the battlefield.
2/10
Clefable 4GW
Creature — Pokemon (U)
Flash, normal type (When this creature enters the battlefield, you gain life equal to its toughness.)
Evolution—Clefairy (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Clefairy is a copy of this.)
5/5
Clefairy 3GW
Creature — Pokemon (C)
Flash
Normal type (When this creature enters the battlefield, you gain life equal to its toughness.)
3/3
Jigglypuff 1GW
Creature — Pokemon (C)
Vigilance
Normal type (When this creature enters the battlefield, you gain life equal to its toughness.)
2/3
TM 32 — Double Team 2GW
Enchantment — Aura (U)
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature gets +1/+1 for each other creature you control.
Other creatures you control get +1/+1.
Wigglytuff 3GW
Creature — Pokemon (U)
Vigilance, normal type (When this creature enters the battlefield, you gain life equal to its toughness.)
Evolution—Jigglypuff (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Jigglypuff is a copy of this.)
4/5
Fearow 4WB
Creature — Pokemon (U)
Flying, normal type (When this creature enters the battlefield, you gain life equal to its toughness.)
Evolution—Spearow (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Spearow is a copy of this.)
5/4
Gary Oak, Pokemon Master 2WB
Planeswalker — Gary (M)
Starting Loyalty: 3
+1: Up to one target creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn. Up to one other target creature gets -1/-1 until end of tun.
-2: Put a 1/1 black and white Fangirl creature token onto the battlefield. Each opponent sacrifices a creature.
-7: You draw seven cards. Each opponent discards seven cards.
Jynx 2WB
Creature — Pokemon (R)
Psychic type, ice type (When this creature enters the battlefield, look at the top card of target player’s library, then you may put that card on the bottom of that player’s library, and you may tap target creature. It doesn’t untap during its controller’s next untap step.)
Whenever an opponent or creature an opponent controls becomes the target of a spell or ability you control, that opponent or that creature’s controller loses 1 life and you gain 1 life.
3/4
Meowth WB
Creature — Pokemon (C)
Deathtouch
Normal type (When this creature enters the battlefield, you gain life equal to its toughness.)
2/2
Persian 3WB
Creature — Pokemon (U)
Deathtouch, normal type (When this creature enters the battlefield, you gain life equal to its toughness.)
Evolution—Meowth (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Meowth is a copy of this.)
4/4
Spearow 2WB
Creature — Pokemon (C)
Flying
Normal type (When this creature enters the battlefield, you gain life equal to its toughness.)
3/2
TM 10 — Double-Edge 3WB
Enchantment — Aura (U)
Enchant creature
When TM 10 - Double-Edge enters the battlefield, all creatures get -2/-2 until end of turn.
Enchanted creature gets +2/+2.
Gyarados 6UR
Creature — Pokemon (U)
Flying, water type (When this creature enters the battlefield, draw a card.)
Evolution—Magikarp (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Magikarp is a copy of this.)
7/5
Horsea 2UR
Creature — Pokemon (C)
Haste
Water type (When this creature enters the battlefield, draw a card.)
2/2
Magikarp UR
Creature — Pokemon (C)
Water type (When this creature enters the battlefield, draw a card.)
0/3
Misty, Jealous Gym Leader 4UR
Planeswalker — Misty (M)
Starting Loyalty: 5
+1: Draw a card. Then if you have fewer cards in hand than an opponent, draw another card.
-X: Misty deals X damage to target creature. Then if an opponent controls more creatures than you, Misty deals X damage to another target creature.
-10: Return up to ten target permanents to their owners’ hands. Then Misty deals damage to each opponent equal to the number of cards in his or her hand.
Poliwrath 5UR
Creature — Pokemon (R)
Flash, water type, fighting type (When this creature enters the battlefield, draw a card, and you may have it fight target creature.)
Evolution—Poliwag or Poliwhirl (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Poliwag or Poliwhirl is a copy of this.)
4/5
Seadra 3UR
Creature — Pokemon (U)
Haste, water type (When this creature enters the battlefield, draw a card.)
Evolution—Horsea (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Horsea is a copy of this.)
3/3
TM 35 — Metronome 1UR
Enchantment — Aura (U)
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature gets +1/+1.
UR: Choose a creature on the battlefield at random. Until end of turn, enchanted creature becomes a copy of that creature.
Beedrill 2BG
Creature — Pokemon (R)
Flying, deathtouch, bug type (When this creature enters the battlefield, if it isn’t a token, you may pay its casting cost. If you do, put a token onto the battlefield that’s a copy of it.)
Evolution—Weedle or Kakuna (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Weedle or Kakuna is a copy of this.)
4/3
Grimer 3BG
Creature — Pokemon (C)
Trample
Poison type (Whenever this creature attacks, defending player loses 1 life.)
4/4
Mew 2BBGG
Legendary Creature — Pokemon (M)
Flying, psychic type (When this creature enters the battlefield, look at the top card of target player’s library. You may put that card on the bottom of that player’s library.)
Whenever you become the target of a spell or ability, you may exile a creature card from your graveyard. If you do, put a token onto the battlefield that’s a copy of that card.
3/3
Muk 5BG
Creature — Pokemon (U)
Trample, poison type (Whenever this creature attacks, defending player loses 1 life.)
Evolution—Grimer (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Grimer is a copy of this.)
7/7
TM 50 — Substitute BG
Enchantment — Aura (U)
Enchant creature
When enchanted creature dies, return it to the battlefield under your control.
Enchanted creature gets +1/+1.
Venomoth 1BG
Creature — Pokemon (U)
Flying, bug type, poison type (When this creature enters the battlefield, if it isn’t a token, you may pay its casting cost. If you do, put a token onto the battlefield that’s a copy of it. Whenever this creature attacks, defending player loses 1 life.)
Evolution—Venonat (As long as this is on the battlefield, creatures you control named Venonat are a copy of this.)
3/1
Venonat BG
Creature — Pokemon (C)
Bug type (When this creature enters the battlefield, if it isn’t a token, you may pay its casting cost. If you do, put a token onto the battlefield that’s a copy of it.)
Poison type (Whenever this creature attacks, defending player loses 1 life.)
2/1
Ninetales 3RW
Creature — Pokemon (U)
Double strike, fire type (When this creature enters the battlefield, it deals damage equal to its power to target player.)
Evolution—Vulpix (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Vulpix is a copy of this.)
2/4
Pikachu RW
Creature — Pokemon (C)
Electric type (This creature can’t be blocked except by two or more creatures.)
2/2
Raichu 2RW
Creature — Pokemon (U)
Electric type (This creature can’t be blocked except by two or more creatures.)
Evolution—Pikachu (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Pikachu is a copy of this.)
4/2
Tauros 2RW
Creature — Pokemon (R)
Haste, normal type (When this creature enters the battlefield, you gain life equal to its toughness.)
Whenever a player’s life total changes, put a +1/+1 counter on Tauros.
2/2
TM 23 — Dragon Rage 1RW
Enchantment — Aura (U)
Enchant creature
Whenever you gain life, enchanted creature deals damage to each opponent equal to the amount of life gained.
Enchanted creature gets +2/+0.
Vulpix 1RW
Creature — Pokemon (C)
Double strike
Fire type (When this creature enters the battlefield, it deals damage equal to its power to target player.)
1/2
Zapdos 3RRWW
Legendary Creature — Pokemon (M)
Flying, electric type (This creature can’t be blocked except by two or more creatures.)
Whenever Zapdos deals combat damage to an opponent, you may exile target creature.
5/5
Brock, Pokemon Breeder 5GU
Planeswalker — Brock (M)
Starting Loyalty: 6
+2: Distribute two +1/+1 counters among up to two target creatures you control.
-4: Choose two target creatures you control. Put a token onto the battlefield that’s a copy of one of them with a number of +1/+1 counters on it equal to the power of the other.
-11: For each creature you control, put a token onto the battlefield that’s a copy of that creature. Then put two +1/+1 counters on each creature you control.
Butterfree 3GU
Creature — Pokemon (R)
Flying, bug type (When this creature enters the battlefield, if it isn’t a token, you may pay its casting cost. If you do, put a token onto the battlefield that’s a copy of it.)
Evolution—Caterpie or Metapod
When Butterfree enters the battlefield, for each creature token you control, put a token onto the battlefield that’s a copy of that token.
3/5
Exeggute 4GU
Creature — Pokemon (C)
Psychic type (When this creature enters the battlefield, look at the top card of target player’s library. You may put that card on the bottom of that player’s library.)
Grass type (This creature has “T: Add G to your mana pool.)
5/5
Exeggutor 5GU
Creature — Pokemon (U)
Psychic type, grass type (When this creature enters the battlefield, look at the top card of target player’s library. You may put that card on the bottom of that player’s library. This creature has “T: Add G to your mana pool.)
Evolution—Exeggute (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Exeggute is a copy of this.)
8/8
Slowbro 4GU
Creature — Pokemon (U)
Psychic type, water type (When this creature enters the battlefield, look at the top card of target player’s library, then you may put that card on the bottom of that player’s library, and draw a card.)
Evolution—Slowpoke (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Slowpoke is a copy of this.)
5/6
Slowpoke 2GU
Creature — Pokemon (C)
Psychic type (When this creature enters the battlefield, look at the top card of target player’s library. You may put that card on the bottom of that player’s library.)
Water type (When this creature enters the battlefield, draw a card.)
2/3
TM 31 — Mimic 2GU
Enchantment — Aura (U)
Enchant creature you control
When TM 31 - Mimic enters the battlefield, put a token onto the battlefield that’s a copy of enchanted creature.
XXXXXXXXXX
Aerodactyl 5
Artifact Creature — Pokemon (R)
Flying, haste, rock type (Whenever this creature blocks, it gets +1/+1 until end of turn.)
At the beginning of your upkeep, if Aerodactyl is in your graveyard, you may exile another artifact card in your graveyard. If you do, put Aerodactyl on top of your library.
3/3
Bike 4
Artifact (R)
Whenever a creature enters the battlefield under your control, you may untap Bike.
T: Target creature gains haste, first strike, and trample until end of turn.
Blaine’s Volcano Badge 3
Legendary Artifact — Badge (U)
T: Add an amount of R or G to your mana pool equal to the number of badges you control.
Brock’s Boulder Badge 3
Legendary Artifact — Badge (U)
T: Add an amount of G or U to your mana pool equal to the number of badges you control.
Calcium 2
Artifact — Equipment (C)
Equipped creature gets +0/+1 and has deathtouch.
Equip 3
Carbos 3
Artifact — Equipment (C)
Equipped creature gets +1/+1 and has haste.
Equip 1
Cubone 3
Artifact Creature — Pokemon (C)
Trample
Ground type (Whenever this creature attacks, it gets +1/+1 until end of turn.)
2/1
Diglett 4
Artifact Creature — Pokemon (C)
Haste
Ground type (Whenever this creature attacks, it gets +1/+1 until end of turn.)
1/2
Dugtrio 7
Artifact Creature — Pokemon (U)
Haste, ground type (Whenever this creature attacks, it gets +1/+1 until end of turn.)
Evolution—Diglett (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Diglett is a copy of this.)
3/4
Erika’s Rainbow Badge 3
Legendary Artifact — Badge (U)
T: Add an amount of G or W to your mana pool equal to the number of badges you control.
Fishing Rod 5
Artifact (R)
Whenever a creature enters the battlefield under your control, you may untap Fishing Rod.
T: Return target creature you control to its owner’s hand.
Fossil 1
Artifact (C)
1, T: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool.
1, Sacrifice Fossil: Draw a card.
Gary’s Earth Badge 3
Legendary Artifact — Badge (U)
T: Add an amount of W or B to your mana pool equal to the number of badges you control.
Geodude 3
Artifact Creature — Pokemon (C)
Rock type (Whenever this creature blocks, it gets +1/+1 until end of turn.)
1/3
Giovanni’s Earth Badge 3
Legendary Artifact — Badge (U)
T: Add an amount of B or R to your mana pool equal to the number of badges you control.
Golem 8
Artifact Creature — Pokemon (R)
Rock type (Whenever this creature blocks, it gets +1/+1 until end of turn.)
Eevolution—Geodude or Graveler (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Geodude or Graveler is a copy of this.)
2: Target creature attacks this turn if able.
6/7
Graveler 5
Artifact Creature — Pokemon (U)
Rock type (Whenever this creature blocks, it gets +1/+1 until end of turn.)
Evolution—Geodude (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Geodude is a copy of this.)
3/5
HP Up 2
Artifact — Equipment (C)
At the beginning of your upkeep, put a +1/+1 counter on equipped creature.
Equip 1
Iron 1
Artifact — Equipment (C)
Equipped creature gets +0/+2 and has vigilance.
Equip 2
Janine’s Soul Badge 3
Legendary Artifact — Badge (U)
T: Add an amount of U or B to your mana pool equal to the number of badges you control.
Koga’s Soul Badge 3
Legendary Artifact — Badge (U)
T: Add an amount of B or G to your mana pool equal to the number of badges you control.
Lt. Surge’s Thunder Badge 3
Legendary Artifact — Badge (U)
T: Add an amount of R or W to your mana pool equal to the number of badges you control.
Marowak 6
Artifact Creature — Pokemon (U)
Trample, ground type (Whenever this creature attacks, it gets +1/+1 until end of turn.)
Evolution—Cubone (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Cubone is a copy of this.)
4/3
Misty’s Cascade Badge 3
Legendary Artifact — Badge (U)
T: Add an amount of U or R to your mana pool equal to the number of badges you control.
Nugget 7
Artifact (R)
Whenever a creature enters the battlefield under your control, you may untap Nugget.
T: Draw a card.
Onix 3
Artifact Creature — Pokemon (R)
Ground type, rock type (Whenever this creature attacks or blocks, it gets +1/+1 until end of turn.)
At the beginning of your upkeep, put a +1/+1 counter on Onix.
1/1
Poke Flute 6
Artifact (R)
Whenever a creature enters the battlefield under your control, you may untap Poke Flute.
T: Tap or untap target creature.
PP Up 2
Artifact — Equipment (C)
Whenever a creature enters the battlefield under your control, you may attach PP Up to it.
Equipped creature gets +1/+1.
Equip 3
Protein 1
Artifact — Equipment (C)
Equipped creature gets +2/+0.
Equip 2
Rare Candy 6
Artifact (R)
6, T, Sacrifice Rare Candy: Search your library for a Pokemon creature card with evolution. Reveal that card, then shuffle your library and put that card onto the battlefield.
Rhydon 8
Artifact Creature — Pokemon (U)
Ground type, rock type (Whenever this creature attacks or blocks, it gets +1/+1 until end of turn.)
Evolution—Rhyhorn (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Rhyhorn is a copy of this.)
6/6
Rhyhorn 6
Artifact Creature — Pokemon (C)
Ground type (Whenever this creature attacks, it gets +1/+1 until end of turn.)
Rock type (Whenever this creature blocks, it gets +1/+1 until end of turn.)
3/3
Sabrina’s Marsh Badge 3
Legendary Artifact — Badge (U)
T: Add an amount of W or U to your mana pool equal to the number of badges you control.
Sandshrew 2
Artifact Creature — Pokemon (C)
Ground type (Whenever this creature attacks, it gets +1/+1 until end of turn.)
1/1
Sandslash 5
Artifact Creature — Pokemon (U)
Ground type (Whenever this creature attacks, it gets +1/+1 until end of turn.)
Evolution—Sandshrew (As long as this is on the battlefield, each creature you control named Sandshrew is a copy of this.)
3/3
Missingno 6
Creature — Pokemon (M)
At the beginning of each upkeep, put a glitch counter on Missingno, then each player exiles X permanents he or she controls, where X is the number of glitch counters on Missingno.
4/1
TTTTTTTTTT
Celadon City
Land (C)
Celadon City enters the battlefield tapped.
T: Add G or W to your mana pool.
Cerulean City
Land (C)
Cerulean City enters the battlefield tapped.
T: Add U or R to your mana pool.
Cinnabar Island
Land (C)
Cinnabar Island enters the battlefield tapped.
T: Add R or G to your mana pool.
Fuschia City
Land (C)
Fuschia City enters the battlefield tapped.
T: Add B or G to your mana pool.
Indigo Plateau
Land (R)
T: Add 1 to your mana pool.
T: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool. Spend this mana only to cast Pokemon creature spells or activate abilities of Pokemon creatures.
Lavender Town
Land (C)
Lavender Town enters the battlefield tapped.
T: Add U or B to your mana pool.
Pallet Town
Land (C)
Pallet Town enters the battlefield tapped.
T: Add W or B to your mana pool.
Pewter City
Land (C)
Pewter City enters the battlefield tapped.
T: Add G or U to your mana pool.
Pokemon Center
Land (C)
T, Sacrifice Pokemon Center: Search your library for a basic land card and put it onto the battlefield tapped. Then shuffle your library.
Saffron City
Land (C)
Saffron City enters the battlefield tapped.
T: Add W or U to your mana pool.
Vermilion City
Land (C)
Vermillion City enters the battlefield tapped.
T: Add R or W to your mana pool.
Viridian City
Land (C)
Viridian City enters the battlefield tapped.
T: Add B or R to your mana pool.
The way i look at it, it encourages strategy with casting the small ones, and hit with an evolution to suddenly give big impact on all creatures... you would want to have many of the non-evolved card around at first then hit with the big one.. (except for the red one.. i would wish i cast Charizard first then i start casting all the Charmanders and or any dragon types to kill opponent with super burn..)
the elemental type somehow restrict the design, all creatures have one of this and somewhat makes the game play less variable. and given all fire type deals damage to opponent when it enters the battlefield and water type gives draw card for each of the creature you cast.. i'm quite certain that the best mix would be a blue and red.. blue for cantrips, while red for the etb burns..
this set has no land ramping method.. each set usually have 2-3..
this set has 2 counter spell.. standard sets has 4-5..
this set has 4 creature removal in the form of destroy, 3 of them are ghost and 1 is a spell.. a soft removal by bouncing is by Blastoise and Ice Heal..
this set has 27 enchantment and all of them are aura with enchant creature..
i'm not really sure if i can build a strong constructed deck with the cards i will try open the MSE set to see further distribution.. but overall, i see that the distribution of the non-creature and as well as the function is not too wide and would need to be adjusted to make a better set..
It's not easy to make a full set of anything, and matching a different game's flavor is extremely hard. However, I think things can be implemented a bit more elegantly.
Evolution
Your take on Evolution has some very good gameplay elements, but it runs into some problems. First, it doesn't match the flavor perfectly - not even close to perfectly. Charmander 1 doesn't evolve because a Charizard entered the battlefield, and no pokemon devolves ever in red and blue. Flavor mismatches can be acceptable if gameplay is perfect, though this is less tolerable in a top-down set like this, but there's also some really irritating elements to the gameplay as well. In real life, looking at a charmander and having to mentally replace it with the charizard’s stats over there is a serious complexity tax on our brains. Clone effects are more acceptable, because the card reminds you that it’s something else every time you look at the card. Looking at a Charmander while your Charizard is on the field doesn’t tell you that it’s different. It’s going to create a ton of extra complexity and extra misplays among the players that would be enjoying the set just looking to have a casual time, without having to devote all that extra mental energy. The inherent power of upgrading all your other charmanders when a Charizard comes down also makes evolution cards inherently pricey to cost in general. This makes it harder to play those creatures on their own and have them be good, which was one of the points behind your idea. The judge calls about the implications of the Evolution mechanic would also be VERY frequent, for the same reasons Humility got so many calls (though not as bad as that).
My favorite thing about how you handled evolution was creating a way for the evolved types to be played on their own, even if you don’t have the creature they evolve from. This is an awesome insight and leagues above most attempts. However; the flavor is off, the mental parsing of the mechanic adds a significant amount of board complexity (even the Lorwyn/Morningtide format broke peoples’ brains, there’s tons of stories about players just quitting early at prereleases for morningtide because it was too mentally exhausting), and it will create rules confusion in casual players. None of these elements are great for a fun pokemon set.
I’d suggest the following evolution of the mechanic (see what I did there? I know, right!).
Charizard – 5RRR
Creature - Pokemon
Evolution – When you cast Charizard, you may exile a Charmeleon you control to reduce Charizard’s mana cost by 2RR. If you do, Charizard gains haste.
5/5
I took off Charizard’s other abilities just to use him as an example. For this example, also assume Charmeleon’s mana cost is 2RR.
The idea would be that you can play your Charizard as a new copy, or you can pay the difference in mana cost to evolve your Charmeleon into a Charizard (I’d be okay with certain evolutions providing larger discounts, like Magikarp). This seems to fit the flavor of the games like a glove (exiling instead of sacrificing also makes the flavor fit better) and, since it offers card disadvantage, you can afford to make the costs a lot more forgiving. Of course, you could also have Evolution draw you a card when used to counter this disadvantage, or have evolution gain some additional benefit.
For example…
Charizard – 5RRR
Creature - Pokemon
Evolution – When you cast Charizard, you may exile a Charmeleon you control to reduce Charizard’s mana cost by 2RR. If you do, deal 2 damage to all creatures your opponents control.
5/5
Thoughts?
2) Types
This is a much harder nut to crack. Fundamentally, types are all about the elemental rock/paper/scissors. Your execution seeks to give identity to the types by giving them type-based abilities, but this doesn’t match the flavor at all of what pokemon means by types. I think some of your mechanics are awesome for gameplay (the bug one seems super fun!), but calling them types doesn’t work.
Since it’s clear that it’s impossible to get a weakness/resistance thing to work in Magic across the breadth of types that pokemon has in a way that matches the flavor, I think you’d just be better off pushing types as far away as possible. You can keep a lot of the abilities, but I wouldn’t even call them types. This would also free up a ton of space on the cards to give specific pokemon top-down designs that truly match them. Look at poor Gyarados right now. Evolution and Water Type take up so much of the text box and are worth so much of the power that you have to give it an absurdly high mana cost and, outside of Evolution, it’s nothing special (even Evolution doesn’t make it special, since lots of things have evolution. Gyarados, the super-cool water dragon, is reduced out of necessity to three stock abilities. That’s painful to watch.
3) Where’s my level-up or XP system? I mean, I’ll live without one and evolutions can work here, but it seems a much richer option for exploring something related to pokemon than type would be XP. There’s already a level-up mechanic in the game, and there are surely cool ways to play with training pokemon. A few quick options just off the top of my head…
Charmander – RR
Creature – Pokemon
Training – Whenever Charmander attacks or blocks, you may put a +1/+1 counter on it at the end of combat.
2/1
Magikarp – U
Creature - Pokemon
Training – Whenever Magikarp attacks or blocks, put a training counter on it.
Remove 3 Training counters from Magikarp: Exile Magikarp and search your library, hand and graveyard for a Gyarados card and put it onto the battlefield. Activate this ability only when you could play a sorcery.
0/1
Third option could make it like Level Up, only by dealing combat damage to get the counters on instead of paying mana.
Conclusion
Very good thoughts, very good effort. I think you have a lot more opportunities to take your ideas even further. Note, I'm really looking at the core mechanical design here - which is why I haven't commented on developmental concerns or set balance issues.
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Don't forget about the Badges as ramp and lots of the TM's as removal Since all 151 Pokemon have abilities, many of them take the slots of "normal" spells that would be in a set too. Thanks a ton for all the feedback. What we usually do when we play is just overlap the cards (ie: place the Charizard over the Charmander). I don't believe it's caused any memory issues in the drafts we've done, which have included 10 year olds to 50 year olds.
I've played with Pokemon Magic sets in the past that have done similar things for their evolution mechanic (reducing costs, etc), and the problem is that they just weren't fun. You'd draw the pre-evolutions too late, getting them out too soon made some just broken, and less experienced players wouldn't even want to sacrifice them ("if I just wait a few more turns I can cast it normally anyway!"). I do understand it's not a perfect flavor hit, but the gameplay is so good I feel it's worth it.
Types were definitely tough. Here's the steps I went through to arrive at their execution:
1) Types are so integral to Pokemon they basically need to be included in the set for it to feel like Pokemon. Without them, it would feel like Ravnica without the Guilds.
2) Type advantages/disadvantages as basically impossible to incorporate into the set, so they should just be a flavorful ability instead.
3) Only having certain Pokemon have a "type ability" and other Pokemon of the same type not getting that ability would feel weird. As in, I couldn't give Ponyta and Charmander the "fire ability" and not give it to Growlithe and Moltres too, that would go against intuition.
So that brought me to the logical conclusion that each Pokemon had to have its own type ability. I do agree that it limits what some cards can do, but there are so many other variables on the card (power/toughness, mana cost, other abilities etc.) that I don't feel it hinders the set. Gyarados in particular always gets people excited when they see/play it, despite its simplicity. It's the Pelakka Wurm of the set, what's not to like?
In fact, every draft I've done there's been at least one person who says that their favorite part of the set is that each Pokemon has their type. People love drafting the "all water type deck" or the "grass and bug deck." Without types, I believe the set would feel hollow.
Unfortunately there's only so much complexity I can cram into the set. Originally the badges did something like that, but I changed them as the set became more about playing several colors and casting big dudes. In order to put in a whole XP/level up mechanic, my guess is all the types would have to go, and as said earlier I think that would hurt the heart of the set.
Thanks again for the comments guys. The next time we do a draft of the set I'll post a writeup of how it went and try to include some videos of matches too to show how it all plays out
i felt that the composition is still somewhat off i will give it a try in Workstation i will create a deck from this pokemon list and will let you know about it
let me know if you would like to have a match with your custom set in MWS
Additional note
i tried making two constructed deck for me to play around and played with a friend here.. both involving Dratini, Tangela, Bulbasaur, Indigo Plateu and Paralyze heal..
one revolving around red and the other revolving around blue...
i find that given the "Enter the battlefield" trigger of Water and Fire type is very-very powerful and repeated use is really scary..
i like the blue base more since it has more control with benefits, it has Pokeball and Ultra Ball plus Dratini.. Pokeball and bounce Dratini or Squirte will give me a 3 card advantage in 1 card at 4 mana.. while Ultra Ball felt like Counterspell with benefits since i get back my Dratini.. and there was one time i do a play with Blastoise and a squirtle out and i bounce in total 4 creatures to opponent hand with the ETB trigger with Paralyze Heal & Dratini play..
the red base felt similar with me waiting for Charmeleon to drop and start the enter the battlefield trigger with Dratini & Paralyze Heal for scary burn.. plus the Arcanine which is quite a cheap one since it burns for 6 and swing for 6 the next turn..
in both deck the Elemental Stones like Water, Leaf and Fire Stone giving an immense advantage at only 1 and giving you the chance to peek 5 and get a pokemon or a land.. the choice presented almost always help me either get my mana fix early game or get pokemon in later game.. this Stones is very powerful, i think it needed to at least be an uncommon.. its superb in all situations..
in both game it felt that what i need to do is to get the lv3 evolution out as soon as possible, thus the 4 Bulbasaur and 4 Tangela which serves as a acceleration, Indigo Plateu is a must 4-of in any deck since it basically in your set read as "T: Add one mana of any color to cast creature spell and activate creature's ability".. then hit with all the big pokemons and have big effect.. overall, it plays better than i thought it would, but the power balance between one color (or type) and another felt somewhat off.. i think white also have a powerful stalling then go with alpha strike hit using Exp. All card.. i can imagine that it would be sick to pair it with Chansey.. but again given so many cards require so many mana.. Bulbasaur & Tangela would be the one up to do the early ramping job for me..
I agree that types are integral to pokemon. However, I don't think your execution on them has anything to do with what types are. To me, it feels like making a D&D-inspired set, creating a wizard class and giving them a mechanic called "Prepare Spell" that just says "T, deal 1 damage to target creature or player". It has nothing to do with preparing spells, and just writing "Prepare Spell" only draws attention to the fact that the mechanic is missing.
Your execution on types is like this. Types are all about type-advantage, which you haven't done anything with (because you can't). Pushing in a huge amount of complexity and cutting your design space off at the knees (because every pokemon of a type has to have these type-based abilities) actually hurts your flavor. Squirtle entering the battlefield and drawing a card has nothing to do with the turtle's actual gameplay and flavor in the source material. Ditto gaining you life has nothing to do with the source material. The execution of types even pushes you into some design problems. For example, the Electric type mechanic does not interact well with flying - as both are evasion mechanics (and there's a question on the Great Designer Search 2 that specifically calls out doing this sort of thing as a mistake even when it fits for flavor reasons). This forces Zapdos into an awkward design, because it has to fly and if you use types-as-mechanics you have to make it an electric type. And high CMC grass type pokemon get to tap for G - which is ridiculous on them. Look at Exeggutor, would anyone put a tap ability to add G onto an 8/8 for 5GU normally? That's just not good design, but you have to do it because you've committed to this execution of types. If you didn't bind yourself to types-as-mechanics, and just tried to match the flavor of each pokemon individually, you wouldn't have these problems.
My main problem with the set is that you have names of pokemon and pokemon-things on the cards, but the flavor is completely off on your core mechanics. Since a pokemon set is all about flavor, this is a serious problem.
Here's my challenge. Take off all the pokemon names/references of the mechanics, abilities cards and so on - then show them to some people. See if they can tell your set is a pokemon set, your mechanics are pokemon mechanics and so on.
EDIT - Also, you're playing fast and loose with the color pie too often. White doesn't get clone effects, which makes Ditto not work. Great Ball's effect isn't blue, it's white. Fight is primary in green, but you have it dominating red and so on.
EDIT 2 - The flavor of the individual cards is also highly questionable. Surf is a debuff you play on an opponent? X defend ups your target's attack as well? Max Repel is a damage card? Rapidash doesn't have haste? Awakening is a Naturalize? The item that wakes up sleeping pokemon ends up destroying artifacts or enchantments instead?
In your attempt to represent everything from the pokeverse in Red and Blue, but also maintain good gameplay, you've ended up keeping all the names but not matching the flavor of a huge chunk (including evolution and the types themselves). Having a card called Awakening that doesn't do anything like what Awakening does in the game undermines your flavor more than if you hadn't represented the Awakening item at all.
At this point, in a real top-down set for Wizards, creative could usually tweak the world of the top-down design to tilt just enough to match the new flavor. Evolution might be called something else, for example. However, you don't have that option - pokemon red and blue is fixed lore. If you made new items and such with pokemonish names you could get away with it, but that's not what you're doing. You need to fit the flavor and not break the color pie.
For cards like Awakening and Max Repel, you can make flavor fit much better by either...
A) Giving it the name of a pokemon move. For example, calling Max Repel "Flamethrower" instead. You have pokemon flavor there and it at least fits the mechanics to the flavor.
B) Just call it something normal, like "Relic Crush" in terms of Awakening and show a picture of a pokemon wrecking something on the card.
Both these executions will help prevent the flavor mismatches you currently have. You might not end up with a card to represent Awakening (though I'd be surprised if you couldn't work an instant that untaps a creature into the game) but flavor that matches means a lot more than representing the thing in name but not having the mechanics fit the name. For example, there would be no point putting in a Zapdos if you ended up making it a blue 0/5 defender common. That would fit about as much as some of your non-creatures do right now.
A lot of the mechanics and designs you ended up with probably play very well, but I don't think you've made a set that fits pokemon very well. That might be a good thing, you might have accidentally made a unique set that's a lot of fun. If you retheme it, you could keep a whole extra set, then work on fixing the flavor issues on the pokemon stuff in the next draft. You'd end up with a flavorful pokemon set and an awesome other set (if it plays as well as you say it does).
Or, of course, I could be totally wrong about the whole thing.
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You're right that there are a few cards that don't fit the flavor of what they do in the games, but that's just inevitable when trying to take one game format and translate it into another. Originally cards like Surf and Awakening did much more obvious "flavorful" things (grant islandwalk and untap the creature respectively), but as we playtested and the set evolved, we found we just didn't need those cards, and they evolved into what the set needed while still staying as flavorfully true to what they did in the games (Blue needed early defense and we needed more artifact/enchantment destruction). Sure we could've renamed Surf to "Pin Down" or Awakening to "Crash Into" or something in the process, but I feel that keeping the names to evoke the Pokemon world is worth it.
Overall, again I think we're just coming from two different schools of thought. You want the set to be as faithful to Pokemon as possible, while I want good gameplay as much as possible. Unfortunately it's nearly impossible to balance the two perfectly, as many other executions of Pokemon Magic sets in the past have shown. In my experience, the ones that are faithful to the games just never end up being fun to play; I've never played the same one twice, which was part of the inspiration for creating this set.
As with all things Magic though, I know it's hard to judge if you haven't physically played it. I know it's a lot to ask to print out the cards and play, but I'd highly recommend it, to get a feel of what I'm talking about which is nearly impossible to do in theory alone. If you do get some friends together to help you cut/print/sleeve and play, I'd love to hear what all of your reactions are to the games and everything
The problem here is that you've gone half-way. You started top-down and realized that the gameplay wasn't playing well. You changed the effects of the cards into things you feel play better. However, you left the names the same - even though they no longer match. This actively hurts the flavor, and it'd be better to either...
A) Keep the names and make cards that fit them.
B) Change the names to fit the new mechanics.
Going half-way creates far more problems than it solves. I don't much mind not having leveling-up in the set, and I wouldn't even mind not having a way to evolve pokemon into higher evolutions. At least, it wouldn't bother me too much. I definitely wouldn't mind not seeing an Awakening card. I'd be able to accept that this single battle isn't going to give any pokemon enough XP to level up, or to evolve, so I'd just enjoy the pokemon-themed cards. I might be minorly confused about where Awakening was, but there's limited cards in the set and Awakening isn't core to the franchise at all. It's just a random item.
However, giving me a card called "Awakening" but has nothing to do with it whatsoever is a massive flavor disconnect. It would be far better to not have a card named awakening at all.
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I think that's where we disagree. I believe not having some sort of evolution mechanic (and some sort of types mechanic too) would completely take away the whole Pokemon feeling of the set, whereas having the occasional card like Awakening to ensure good gameplay isn't a big deal. Renaming Awakening to "Relic Crush" or something else would, I feel, take the player out of the Pokemon world far more.
These are just two different visions for the set that can't really be compromised: it has to be one way or the other. Either only using terms from the game in cards, or allowing the use of non-game terms on cards. I simply chose to go with the former.
While I wholeheartedly admit there are a few imperfect flavor matches, I think that the majority of the cards in the set flavorfully line up with the games, as much as is possible within the confines of Magic. The equipments (Carbos, Protein, etc.), Link Cable Trade, Throw a Rock, Hurt Itself in Its Confusion, the badges (making you more powerful the more you "collect"), the potions, repels, Pokeballs, almost all of the TMs, the Pokemon themselves, and more. Even Surf (and the rest of the HMs) I feel like up with the games as much as possible, since inundating your opponent with water to give -X/-0 such as Hydrosurge and Turn the Tide exist in Magic already.
To clarify, I wasn't arguing that you shouldn't have Evolution. I was explaining that I'm not tied to any particular element of the game's flavor, the way you were suggesting that I wanted to focus on leveling up. I was reacting to the way the flavor met the mechanics.
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Again I should just say that one of the biggest reasons I made this set was because of the many other unsatisfactory Pokemon Magic sets I'd played in the past. I've seen so many attempts at making the "perfect" Pokemon set with Stones that evolved Pokemon, Pokeballs that "captured" Pokemon, items to cure specific ailments (untapping, giving haste, removing -1/-1 counters, etc) and more, but none of them worked out as a whole. They tried to remain too faithful to the game and what they ended up with was just no fun to play.
If you'd like to post new cards/mechanics etc., I'd love to see them. Even if I don't agree with them, I want to try it out at least.
In case you're interested, I just wanted to reply to some of the criticisms to explain how I came up with them. I don't want to be argumentative or anything, I just want to show where my line of thinking was coming from. Like you said, anything can be justified with "flavor," so these are just my opinions. Feel free to ignore it if you're not interested
True, but I think the occasional double-evasion dude (like the many creatures with flying and trample), is okay.
Your use of the Psychic type's ability is also Fateseal 1, which Maro has called one of the least fun mechanics of all time.
True, but as explained in the spoiler, I don't think the occasional fateseal is oppressive. Doing it every turn with JTMS is obviously horrendous, but once or twice a match is not bad. This could just be changed to scry however, since that's what it's used as 90% of the time.
Clone effects are blue, but you've put ditto into white because... You know, normal type. And then he gains you life because... Normal type.
My bad! Ditto definitely needs to be white/blue. I'll look into fixing that for sure.
Dragon Type – Has nothing to do with dragons.
It's supposed to play into the flavor of dragons rescuing/helping others, like in Dragonite's Pokedex. Also to make sweet combos with other ETB abilities.
Normal Type – Has nothing to do with normal.
But what is "normal?" I understand that you disagree with having the types be abilities, but since that's the path I chose, I needed to have a "normal" ability. This is as close as I could get while still being white.
Escape Rope – For some reason, escape ropes now force opposing creatures/trainers to flee and replace them with a basic land.
You're making them "escape" What's left behind is the place they escaped from.
Paralyze Heal – For some reason, paralyze heals let you blink your creatures and then power them up. The blink actually GIVES them summoning sickness again (paralyzing them).
Unless they're being "paralyzed" by an opponent's aura or ice type or they're tapped and you "unparalyze" them to block.
Evolution Stones – Evolution stones now apparently find new pokemon (including basic pokemon) or help you find new areas. Evolution stones don’t actually trigger evolutions.
Very true, but I felt they worked as nice flavorful ways to find mana/Pokemon of their color. I specifically put them in so people could find their evolution cards more easily and combo with their pre-evolutions, so they kind of work with evolution
TM 44: Rest – This TM is now apparently something you play on the opposing pokemon to put them to sleep, instead of a move you teach your own pokemon (and TMs can never be used on opposing pokemon in the game).
This is an interesting point. I always saw the TMs you played on your own Pokemon as teaching them the move, whereas the ones you put on opponents as using the moves on them. Perhaps they could be changed to simply remove the "TM" word, that might make it more intuitive.
X Defend – Provides a huge boost to Power and is probably going to be used to boost an attacker very often. Who knew X Defend, the one-use temporary boost to the defense stat, also increased your attack so much?
The X spells all used to be set power/toughness boosters. I believe X Defend used to give +2/+4 and lifelink or something. But after playtesting, people were confused that they weren't X spells. They had "X" in the name after all! It may have only been a small mismatch, but they were very vocal about it, so I changed them.
Great Ball – Breaks the color pie, this is a white ability. Great Balls are now apparently delaying tactics you use on enemy pokemon, rather than a way to catch pokemon. Those silly trainers, thinking great balls should be used to catch pokemon.
I understand that enchantments that "permanently" get rid of creatures (like Oblivion Ring) are white, but what about the ones that only do it temporarily, like Great Ball? I don't remember any card like this, and I feel like it could be blue. Please show me if there's a card I'm forgetting.
HM 03: Surf – It’s a blue effect, but HM Surf is apparently something you use on enemy pokemon to neutralize them rather than a powerful attack you teach your own pokemon that also helps them get over water. I believe the words “exact opposite” apply here.
(Same as Rest).
Ice Heal – Ice Heal now apparently sends pokemon back to their pokeballs, instead of thawing your own pokemon when frozen solid. Who knew?
Is your "hand" a bunch of Pokeballs? Ice Heal, when used aggressively may be a bit strange, but when used on your own guys to save them from a spell or enchantment, it feels like you're healing them to me.
Water Type – Has nothing to do with Water. Seriously, this (or scry) would make sense for psychic but it has nothing to do with water.
Originally water types bounced creatures, but that was just awful. Making them draw cards instead lead to the exact kind of gameplay I wanted: longer games where you can dig through your deck and find big dudes to cast.
Master Ball – Makes no sense for Master Ball to be an instant when Great Ball is an artifact. I know what you’re going for here, and it works as a card, but you have to unify the designs. You could have Great Ball be cheaper and capture something at below a certain CMC (the way Threads of Disloyalty is limited) OR you can have Master Ball be another color-pie-breaking delaying artifact but you can’t have them be so different in function when they’re the same type of thing in the game. Also, Master Ball needs to be Mythic Rare. It’s a 1-of after all.
As it is, I feel like the Pokeballs already kind of do that. Great Ball can catch them for a bit until they escape, Ultra Ball gets them no matter what, and Master Ball is so good it gives it to you. They feel more powerful each time.
Pokeball – Gah! Another completely different thing? Pokebals apparently no longer catch creatures, they draw you cards and return your existing creature to your hand. You’re looking for a dramatic action like the process of returning a pokemon TO its pokeball, though I have no idea how that draws you cards, but nouning the card name just makes the above problem worse.
This one brings back your own Pokemon to your hand, like a Pokeball All the balls "catch" Pokemon in some way or another. Ultra Ball/Master Ball were changed to any spell because they just weren't good enough as creature-only counterpsells.
TM 11: Bubblebeam – Apparently this TM forces pokemon back into their pokeballs when it’s used and thereafter serves as a weak passive boost to attack and defenses. Unless bubblebeam and TMs in general have changed since I played…
Again I've never seen the hand as Pokeballs. I see it as a water blast that sends them away.
Vaporean – It fetches the thing it evolved from? Vaporean doesn’t do that. I get that you’re trying to make an eevee archetype and the next Eevee you play would count as a Vaporean as well, but again – the flavor here is nonexistent.
You got it with the Eevee archetype. Just some fun things to add a few more layers to the draft. Plus Eevees gotta look out for each other man
X Accuracy – Breaks the color pie, blue does not get X boosts to its attack. The flavor justification of “well blue is pretty accurate” doesn’t fly – any color’s flavor can be used to justify anything. Maro would be most displeased.
Very true. Again, the X spells all originally had set power/toughness boosts, but it confused people because they had X in the name. Unfortunately I can't change the source material, so I either have players confused and upset, or a small color pie violation. I chose to give them what they wanted. Since the two choices are not great though, perhaps these should be changed to something else.
Antidote – Giving your opponent an antidote now allows you to reach into their mind and rip out their thoughts in the best black fashion. I don’t even…
Unless it's the antidote for you against their plan, since you get rid of it before it hurts you.
Drowzee – The pokemon whose name is all about putting his opponents to sleep has no way to put his opponents to sleep, despite that being an extremely easy ability to feature (Dungeon Geists and similar). Okay then. I get you’re trying for the dreameater angle, but that doesn’t work either, as dream eater requires the opponent to be asleep.
You can only be so faithful. I wouldn't even know where to begin incorporating "tapped only lifelink."
Ghost Type – Has nothing to do with Ghost type in the game. There are even precedents in the Phantom creatures that would have been closer.
I dunno, dying and killing come across as pretty ghost-y to me.
Poison Type – It says poison on the card, poison means a very specific thing in Magic (poison counters), poisonous is already a keyword… Has nothing to do with Magic’s preexisting Poison mechanics in any way. Awkward.
Agreed that this was unfortunate. But for some reason this confusion was never brought up during playtests while I never heard the end of the X-spell thing until I changed it. People are weird
HM01: Cut – Cut is apparently something you play on your opponents’ creatures to give them a small debuff. It also is a non-bo with its own ability, since you need to keep it on the opposing creature in order to kill it – meaning there’s never really a good time to bring it back to your hand. And to think I was using this in the games to give my own pokemon a way to cut down shrubs. Silly me.
If you can think of a way to incorporate cutting shrubs into Magic, I would like to see it
ah i see.. i'm actually currently making a custom set too but i try to do both limited and constructed at the same time.. it will be a Set/Block Constructed though.. so no other outside card will be put inside..
now a few other things that i find a little not-quite-right.. mechanic wise.. Here's the mechanic available: (Stairc has stated many about flavor so i will not touch that anymore )
Fire type (When this creature enters the battlefield, it deals damage equal to its power to target player.)
Water type (When this creature enters the battlefield, draw a card.)
Poison type (Whenever this creature attacks, defending player loses 1 life.)
Fighting type (When this creature enters the battlefield, you may have it fight target creature.)
Electric type (This creature can’t be blocked except by two or more creatures.)
Grass type (This creature has “T: Add G to your mana pool.)
Bug type (When this creature enters the battlefield, if it isn’t a token, you may pay its casting cost. If you do, put a token onto the battlefield that’s a copy of it.)
Normal type (When this creature enters the battlefield, you gain life equal to its toughness.)
Dragon type (When this enters the battlefield, you may exile another target creature you control, then return that card to the battlefield under your control.)
Ground type (Whenever this creature attacks, it gets +1/+1 until end of turn.)
Rock type (Whenever this creature blocks, it gets +1/+1 until end of turn.)
Ghost type (When this dies, you may destroy target creature.)
i felt that the mechanic is somewhat detached from one another and not really supported or have cards that could work in synergy with one another.. A few of Psychic creature give extra effect when we target an opponent and a few of the Normal type do something when you gain life.. but it ends there..
-i felt that Poison Type is not really supported and it's just an extra uninterrupted point of damage when attacking.. no further synergy beyond..
-Water type which felt like cantrip to me, the mechanic is powerful it lets you dig super fast into your deck but there's nothing beyond that, i played around with Blastoise since it has that powerful "Titan-like" ability and turn all my following 1U squirtle super scary to opponent..
-bug type has synergy for the artifact that do something when a creature enters the battlefield since it gives double entry trigger, but none of the artifact would really help the bug type.. it will swarm but if your opponent can swarm the board with better creature, then that will be it.. it would be good if there's really something that you can gain further when you draw, something like Whenever you draw a card trigger to make it work like a clockwork instead of just a mere a cantrip creature..
-Rock, Ground felt like a vanilla creature to me
-Fire & Fighting, Fire is burn and the Fighting creature would felt like creature burn since most of the creature will die when it enters the battlefield with the exception of Poliwrath and Hitmonchan and Machamp .. but Hitmonchan only deal 1 damage..
-Ghost type is revenging and among the real creature removal in the set.. but this felt much like Deathtouch which makes me feel like its another pseudo-vanilla
-Grass ramp quite fast, but it can't stand alone since it definitely needs other type as the finisher..
another thing that i felt lacking is that there's so little creature with activation ability.. or an ability that is not just it's type.. pokemon has so many moves available from Harden, Eggplosion (which i somewhat felt weird that it is not implemented in Exeggutor or Exeggute and instead it's just a Psychic and Grass), Poison Sting or Psychic Barrier.. something that's iconic to a pokemon.. there should be more than enter the battlefield and combat trigger that we can play around some pokemon do not need the Elemental Type to make it flavorful the mana cost could be seen as it's Elemental.. the way we see Venusaur in Green.. we will know that it's already a grass type without the need to "T: Add G to your mana pool."..
and another thing that irks me is that Pokemon has a type.. Charmander is a Lizard Pokemon... Gyarados is a Dragon Pokemon, the same is true for Dratini, Dragonair and Dragonite.. they do not need to have the blinking ability.. imo they need a creature type to really make them a Dragon..
Dragonair 4WW
Creature - Dragon Pokemon (R)
Flying
Whenever Dragonair attacks, tap target creature or land an opponent control. It doesn't untap during its controller next untap step.
Evolve Dratini
3/4
imo this will felt more like a Dragonair than just being a creature that can blink.. the ability i use for example is taken from the actual Dragonair card that removes energy.. u can peek in the link to see it..
That’s a relief to hear. After writing all that feedback it seems you saw, I felt awful – like I was ripping into someone’s dream when really all you wanted to do was show us something you’ve had fun playing with and give us a chance to have fun with it too. I ended up editing out all that stuff from the previous post, but… Since it seems you’re interested in discussion and saw it anyway, I’ll be happy to respond.
100%, nay, 1000% agreed. These are cards that need to actually be played with and they need to play well. However, I think you’ve fallen into the same mistake with some of your own fixations – and lost the flavor in the process.
I’m very interested to hear as you have to say.
Very few creatures have flying and trample. Usually this happens due to a desperate search for simple gold creatures in Simic’s colors and the designers just staple on two evergreen keywords. It doesn’t make for good design, it’s just done out of desperation.
Your use of the Psychic type's ability is also Fateseal 1, which Maro has called one of the least fun mechanics of all time.
I’d change it to scry. Fateseal only exists to screw your opponent, while Scry helps you foresee and manipulate your future. Since they’re doing it that way 90% of the time anyway, people who haven’t seen the old mechanic won’t even mind. It also lets you write the mechanic more simply and ties into a keyword players likely have learned before.
Nice. I’d make him a 0/0 too, since that’s what clones do. It’s worth noting that, while lifegain makes no sense with ditto’s flavor, the mechanics of copying a creature and gaining life equal to its toughness are absolutely awesome. Must feel amazing to copy huge creatures this way.
If you explain it to each and every player, it’ll help. Of course you can’t do that. Also, you need to give the dragons flash in order to have them actually be rescuing people, and most people don’t associate dragons with rescuing. Quite the opposite.
I believe the fact you end up with having to invent non-matching mechanics for things like “normal type” is another strike against trying to represent types in this way (if at all). The fact that you can’t represent the type adequately is an additional problem.
Except that’s not how Escape Rope works in the game, you can’t throw it at someone and force them to escape. Also, replacing themselves with a land doesn’t actually make sense as the place they escaped from. I’d rename Paralyze Heal or Pokeball (if it’s an instant, if not I’d change it to an instant) as “Escape Rope” instead. Neither is a perfect fit for the flavor currently – but both come really close. There’s actual escaping going on.
Just untap them then. If you want to untap them, just untap them. Also, you can call it Awakening then. Inspired already laid the groundwork of tapped creatures being asleep.
I saw the combo fetching, but the issue here is that you confuse “referencing something flavorful” to “being flavorful”. If you renamed Path to Exile as Thunderstone, the card would have a pokemon name but it wouldn’t be flavorful because the creative (name and theme of card) doesn’t match the mechanics.
You’ve mentioned many people sacrifice gameplay in exchange for flavor. This is unacceptable, as you rightly say. However, just putting a pokemon reference on a card that doesn’t fit is also unacceptable. You need good gameplay that matches good flavor.
I’d recommend either not using the stones at all as card names, or else capturing the essence of the stones. In essence, a fire stone powers up a fire type pokemon. It does this by evolving specific pokemon in the game, but you can’t represent that here. However, it could well do something similar – like boosting a fire pokemon’s stats or giving it a special ability. At least then the essence carries over, rather than the stones doing something they fundamentally don’t do.
100% agreed. This comes back to what I was saying earlier about Max Repel. You can change a lot of the names that currently don’t fit to names that are also pokemon references and DO fit. Like making Max Repel into Flamethrower. And you could change Rest into Sing or Sleep Powder. That way it makes a lot more sense, it’s still a pokemon name and you don’t violate TM flavor.
I like that you went with player instinct and I think it’s clever to make them X spells. You’ll notice I don’t complain about them not being variable in the game, the name and marriage to the mechanics work well enough. Capturing the essence of the source material and doing something that *feels* right is the soul of adaptation (someone familiar with literary criticism, such as you mention you are, has probably heard this a thousand times already from smarter people than me).
While I don’t think the consumable temporary stat boost items necessarily need to be represented, as they’re such a small part of the mythos, if you are representing them I like their execution as X spells. However, boosting power on the X defend card reads very oddly. I think something more like this would make more sense…
X Defend –XW
Instant
Prevent the next X damage that would be dealt to target creature this turn. You gain X life.
Or…
X Defend –XW
Instant
Target creature gets +0/+X until end of turn. You gain life equal to its toughness.
Or even…
X Defend –XW
Instant
Up to X creatures you control are indestructible until the beginning of the next end step.
Since life gain is pretty tangential to X defend, that last one might fit flavor the best (after all, X defend only works on one creature in the game – so having the X allow you to target more creatures fits the name and the flavor, since it’s like buying more copies of the item, a bit better).
White both exiles creatures and is the ultimate delaying color. Mark Rosewater has said this a lot. Citing a card isn’t necessary, the way this works actually makes it even more white than Oblivion Ring from what magic’s head designer has talked about endlessly regarding white. But, since you asked, Parallax Wave.
Same response.
Ice heal prevents being frozen solid. This, if you are restricted to solely your own creatures, fits with escape rope better. A card called, “Return!” and showing a pokeball returning a pokemon would aslo work here – provided it’s only your pokemon. If you want to blow an opponent’s pokemon around, a move like Whirlwind would be a more acceptable name.
Still doesn’t have anything to do with water type. To be fair, I have little idea what would work well for water type, but that’s a problem with the all-types-as-mechanics system.
Ultra Ball returns your own pokemon, which we’ll get to later, it doesn’t catch anything. Then it counters a spell for some reason. Master Ball is a great topdown design (well, I think we could do better by bringing in some of your other ideas but I’ll get to that later) and is the strongest piece.
All your ideas regarding balls, and a few other things, have the shards of greatness among them – but you need a unified execution. It needs to be a vertical cycle – the way the Bloodfire creatures (Bloodfire Dwarf, Bloodfire Kavu, Bloodfire Colossus) are a vertical cycle. You even have 4 balls and 4 rarities to play with – if you want to represent them all. That’s perfect.
No, only the Master Ball catches pokemon. The greatball is a discount Journey to Nowhere for a temporary number of turns, the Ultra ball just treturns pokemon to your hand and then counters a spell for some reason and the pokeball is just a discount divination spell that requires you to return a creature. What people think of when they think of the balls is catching pokemon. Pokeballs can also return pokemon to you once captured, but that doesn’t capture the core concept of the pokeball. A shiny sword can be used to block attacks, but if you made a sword equipment and just had it give your creature a boost in toughness, people would rightly cry foul.
No matter what, the balls need to be a vertical cycle – not just tangentially related. I have some ideas for this, built off your own designs, but we’ll get to that later.
The hand fits pretty well as the pack. But either way, this TM has flavor issues of not working the way TMs work. Just calling it bubblebeam (and not bothering with making it an aura) would be a lot stronger than trying to fit it into TM flavor under the current design.
Like the gameplay, but the same flavor issues.
Just put it in red or white and it’s fine. Flavor’s weird, it should be X Attack. There’s no real way to portray accuracy… Though hey, maybe giving X creatures first strike would work. Actually…
X Accuracy – XU
Sorcery
Up to X creatures you control can’t be blocked until the beginning of the next end step.
That’d fit perfectly in blue.
No.
It’s bad enoug that every card of this kind in magic has names like “Distress, Thoughtseize, Duress, Inquisition of Kozilek” and similar. Antidote is the wrong name for the wrong color for the wrong effect and it’s referencing an item that heals your pokemon *after* it's been poisoned (the thing that protects you before hand is a vaccine, not an antidote). It does not rip thoughts out of a trainer’s mind and it isn’t a preemptive antidote against an abstract plan (again, antidotes aren't preemptive). Seriously, just changing this to any of the pokemon attacks that DO mess with the mind or cause terror or confusion would work just fine.
“Disable” fits quite well. Certainly a lot better than Antidote.
I wouldn’t recommend doing that either. I’m pointing out that focusing on the lifelink aspect is again similar to focusing on how a sword helps you block attacks. Drowzee’s main deal is that he puts the opponent to sleep, not that he gains life.
First, it’s weird to reference a pokemon dying in a battle. Second, it’s weird to reference a GHOST “dying”. Third, ghost pokemon are defined in the game by how they’re hard to kill or interact with (check out Phantom Centaur for how Magic handled a similar idea). Fourth, the “vengeful spirit” idea only works when the spirit itself is being vengeful. It doesn’t work with the spirit being vengeful after it’s been destroyed again.
Indeed. But some problems don’t show up in playtests until other things are fixes. This is a smaller issue, because it at least works as a mechanic, but it’s still a problem.
Easy! It destroys forests.
But, of course, I wouldn’t recommend doing that on an actual card. I’d recommend just giving the creature +2/+0 or “first strike” or some mixture.
Frankly, the HMs might work better as artifact with effects that boost your whole team rather than auras (magic prefers this to be on the enchantment card type rather than the artifact type in order to differentiate the permanents, but they bled it in Theros for flavor reasons so you can bleed it here for the same reasons). Since an HM can be applied to as many of your creatures as can learn it – and they don’t forget it if you want to teach it to another creature… Something like following captures the essence rather well.
HM 01 - Cut – 1RW
Artifact
Creatures you control get +1/+0 and First Strike.
Or something similar. Any HM design will bleed flavor of course, but I think any TM or HM has to be something that buffs one or more of your pokemon (one for TMs, since they’re one-use). Just using the specific moves in the names, without referencing the fact it’s an item, could fix the flavor issues behind a lot of your TM designs. It sounds like you had the attack itself in mind when you wrote them, rather than the fact you were portraying an item with that name. Changing the names to the attacks, without the item reference, could solve a lot of problems.
Ball Cycle
To capture the ball flavor of capturing a pokemon, I think they could do one of two things (but whichever is chosen, they all have to work the same way).
A) Gain control of an opponent’s pokemon
OR
B) Do something similar to the Evolution stones – look at the top cards of your deck and pull out a pokemon (not a land). It’s like you went to the wild and caught it!
I believe there are several ways to execute on both options, but I’ll just mention one. You could make the balls all into artifacts and have them work like Sower of Temptation (ETB to gain control of a creature, though different balls are limited to different CMCs, and control it as long as the ball is on the field.
Otherwise, the balls could make great colorless artifacts in the B version and help all decks find their pokemon (as well as support evolution strategies, eevee strategies and so on)
Iphanx
I agree with a lot of Iphanx’s comments. It feels like a lot of opportunity is missed for great cards that play great and have great flavor, and we lose so much of the cool and unique elements of the pokeverse that would make for excellent gameplay… Sacrificed on the altar of the “types must all be portrayed and they shall be mechanics”.
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Pokeball - Flip a coin. If heads, you may search your deck for any Basic Pokémon or Evolution card. Show that card to your opponent, then put it into your hand. Shuffle your deck afterward.
Great Ball - Search your deck for a Basic Pokémon (excluding Pokémon-ex) and put it onto your Bench. Shuffle your deck afterward.
Ultra ball - Discard 2 cards from your hand. (If you can't discard 2 cards, you can't play this card.) Search your deck for a Pokémon, reveal it, and put it into your hand. Shuffle your deck afterward.
not that you have to copy it directly.. but this feels more like pokeball than the current one you have we can definitely borrow a general idea of how we can implement certain item into Trading Card Game
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(1) Make a few flavor tweaks to the set. This would mostly entail changing some of the card names (Antidote, Escape Rope, etc) to something else based on the games (such as Disable - as suggested - and perhaps Whirlwind or something), as well as fixing up some color violations (X Accuracy and probably the other X-spells). The Pokemon types would stay as they are.
(2) Basically make a whole new set not based on types-as-abilities. This would be starting from a blank slate, giving each Pokemon unique abilities just like individual creatures in any normal Magic set. I was hesitant to do it this way from the start because, as stated before, I've seen it attempted and the result has never been pretty. It always feels weird when one fire type or fighting type gets an ability that the other fire and fighting types don't, and trying to get flavorful abilities for each and every Pokemon can result in even worse mismatches. However, I'd be happy to see some suggestions.
I'll make a copy of the set and try making some of the changes suggested, basically going with (1) above for now. At the next draft of the set, I'll be sure to get some more opinions on what people think should be changed as well.
While I think 2 would likely lead down a far less problematic path, I can't guarantee it of course - since it's unexplored territory. On the other hand, the set's themes could be hugely improved with some rather simple flavor tweaks and card-by-card redesigns (leaving the set as a whole mostly untouched). In the game industry, I've found that it's often not a matter of how to get things perfect - it's how to make as big an improvement as you can in as little time as possible. Since redoing types would basically mean starting the set from scratch (though with a lot of great ideas ready to jump in), it might not be worth the effort even if it is the better move as I believe it to be. Comparitively, doing some specific redesigns and flavor tweaks could be accomplished much more quickly and would get you a huge boost.
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You know... It might be fun to accept this as cool pokemon set 1 and work on a collaborative version without the type direction to see what cool set 2 looks like. As an experiment.
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My first step in trying it out is basically just to rename things and make a few small adjustments, then playtest to see what larger changes those small changes brought about. In the meantime, feel free to take some stabs at individual cards or starting the set from scratch if you're interested. The more quality Pokemon sets out there the better
anyway.. overall it's a fun to play and i believe it would be good in draft too after you finished with the tweaking, you can try contact Gerrard's Mom so that your post can be put into the complete set list
1) The disconnect between the type-mechanics and the actual Pokemon types. (Why is Shellder Ice type? Why doesn't Gastly have Poison type? Why do Mewtwo and Doduo both have flying, but Dragonair doesn't?)
2) The massive disconnect between the names of the instants/sorceries and what they actually did.
3) The evolution mechanic making Pokemon suddenly change from one form to another whenever a higher stage Pokemon ETB'd or died. This ain't Digimon.
ETA: 4) "Creature -- Pokemon." Since this is a self-contained set, you might as well rename Creature to Pokemon and give the Pokemon actual types (so Charmander would be "Pokemon -- Lizard" for example).
Things I liked:
1) Not being the same awkward card-disadvantage exile-discounting nonsense as other custom Evolution mechanics (or for that matter, the Pokemon TCG's.)
2) Badges and towns for color fixing.
3) The Eevee archetype - though it is weird that "Eevee" is the only Pokemon name that is also a subtype, I think it fits. What if the Eeveelutions triggered upon another Eevee entering the battlefield? Then it's like you're "breeding" them to make more Eevees.
You don't mention how big the cube is or how many cards per rarity are in it. What's the difference between rares and mythic rares, for example? Are some archetypes intentionally harder to pick up the cards for than others (like the Storm deck in MMA was)?
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However, just because the Pokemon TCG did it... Well, consider the pokemon concept.
1) Evolution happens over the course of dozens of battles, and many levels gained. Assuming each game here is a single battle, I don't see why it'd feel weird if pokemon weren't evolving.
2) Many trainers fight with already-evolved pokemon, so it makes sense that each pokemon's evolved stage should be castable on its own - without needing to evolve into it. I don't see why it'd feel weird if 2nd or 3rd stage pokemon could be played without needing to play the earlier stage pokemon first (this isn't a requirement for this set of course, I'm speaking generally).
I'd like an evolution mechanic, but I've yet to see one that truly plays well and makes sense with the source material.
I wonder what a minimalist approach would be like to a pokemon set - without trying to make evolution or types into mechanics specifically. I'd like to see training worked in at some way, since it seems a very easy mechanic to portray, but putting the same mechanic on ALL creatures in the set seems ridiculous.
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Thank you. As it has been brought up, finding the perfect evolution mechanic that balances good gameplay and faithfulness to the game is extremely difficult, potentially impossible. This one isn't perfect, but it's very fun to play while still being fairly flavorful, so I'm happy with it.
Not a bad idea, though I'm not sure if then I'd be obligated to make a few "pokemon type matters" cards in the set (ie: all dragon pokemon get +1/+1 or something).
Ah, sorry about that. It's not drafted as a cube but as a normal set. I've printed out 4x copies of each common, 2x of each uncommon, and 1x of each rare/mythic. We shuffle them all together, organize them into normal packs (11 commons, 3 uncommons, 1 rare/mythic) then draft normally. If you don't feel like wasting as much ink as we do, 2x commons and 1x uncommons/rares/mythics works fine too, though you'd just have slightly smaller packs (9 commons instead of 11). This causes mythics to come up a bit more often than normal, but that just adds to the fun of the draft I'll add this to the main post.
I'd like to see what a set like that would end up like, but I feel like it'd end up feeling a bit hollow. Without evolution or types, you're left with leveling up to keep it feeling like Pokemon, and like you said putting the same level-up mechanic on each creature would just be crazy.
Still, I'd be happy to see it attempted!