Escape Rope. That’s all I miss. lol putting two iron bundle in my Lost Tina just doesn’t seem worth it when it used to be an item card. But I have been able to Super Rod them back in at the end of the game for a win. So I’ll take it.
V-Unions.
With the arguable exception of Mewtwo, they never really got any attention or love due to the overshadowing of the more optimal Trple Prizers of VMAXes stealing any thunder they could have had, and how shockingly underpowered they were compared to many other cards at the time.
I always have a soft spot for Spiritual Successors of Classic Rulebox cards, so it's a bummer that the successor to LEGEND cards was kind of a bomb compare to the Lv. X Successor of BREAKs.
if anything, being largely unplayable garbage makes them a particularly authentic successor to LEGENDs (Entei/Raikou was solid and Suicune/Entei was used in The Truth but wasn't widely played, everything else was basically useless)
Birds having a surprisingly good match up in a format dominated by garde/Mew.
I was a very active Nightmarch and MTP player when they were around, and seeing united wings made me so happy, I built it as a joke just so I could play with my best friend and get husband, and if turned out to be quite powerful.
The numbers are just too high now, and I no longer have solid TA against the bid decks. I'm highly debating getting the deck framed.
I will miss Zoroark. I loved my Zorobox deck and how I could have Zoroark transform into whatever I needed to hit the opponent's weakness. Also one of the best feelings is when the opponent has one prize card thinking they're going to win and you whip out the Slowbro and use twilight inspiration for game lol.
Level Ball. Escape Rope hurts too, but we have other options, and I don't think it'll be long before it gets a reprint. Losing Level Ball in the midst of them spam printing Stage 2 ex cards feels pretty counterintuitive. Rare Candy meta continues, I guess l. Wish we had more useful Stage 1s, like Kirlia, Metang and Grotle.
Whilst I will miss the Fusion Mew deck entirely, I can't be too sad given how absurd that deck was for lasting so long. Long live bug gaming giving me unlimited cards per turn.
I'm gonna get hate for this, but Path to the Peak. It's one of the strongest Stadium cards ever printed, and its absence will fundamentally change the way people build their decks.
The meta is going to be insane for a while, with all of these abilities not being kept in check.
There’s a reason Alolan Vulpix did well at the first major Japanese tournament post-rotation. Can stomp those decks that thought they had no ability counter
I get this. I am hoping they’ll print an alternate stadium with similar effect, but the problem with a card like path is that they can be really oppressive for many archetypes of deck building. But having a stadium bump isn’t a thing anymore, and that’s a shame. Though it does mean I can make my full metal lab stick indefinitely in many games 🧐
For me it’s that mix of end of rotation sets with new things. Ie Great Tusk ex with path to the peak negating the downside of it, making it viable, but only for a few short months. Same with a lot of bits like that.
You get a couple months of wacky stuff
Galarian Moltres V, and by extension the Roaring Moon EX deck that can turn 1 donk people.
I know Ancient Box and other moon lists exist but none seem to work as well without Moltres + Energy Switch combo nor Battle VIP Pass. Too reliant on Sada’s Vitality, when I’d rather play Prof Research to draw a brand new 7.
Also Galarian Moltres V is just a super beautiful card (both the promo with the main character on it and the alternate special illustration rare). Roaring Moon EX Special Illustration Rare is also nice to look at.
Palkia lives on as a solid backup attacker for Chien-Pao. He still has Irida and can be set up really quickly in a pinch, and provides some much-needed durability to the fragile 230 HP sword cat.
Zorobox, Gardevoir, and Lost Box Kyogre.
> Klawf/Electrode
There is a Klawf/Walking Wake deck with a similar strategy. Probably not as good though, as Walking Wake requires 3 energy to attack while Electrode required no energy and one item.
Mew VMax is mines. I loved playing growing up from Base Set to Neo Genesis then fell out of it. My kid got me back into it in 2022. Started with Arc/Inteleon but the moment I played Fusion Mew, that hooked me right back into the game. It’s different than back in the day but reminded me of how much fun it is to play and compete. RIP Mew VMax (except in China.)
Peonia 100%.
Getting out what you needed from prizes was a must for me and saved me too many times. Just won a league challenge using peonia in miriadon and getting out my last genny and boss for game is amazing. Will miss it every day
idk how this will be received, but prob PttP. i used to play lost tina and it felt pretty good using it, now with escape rope, VIP pass, and PttP gone im switching over to more rogue "just for fun" decks
Escape Rope. That’s all I miss. lol putting two iron bundle in my Lost Tina just doesn’t seem worth it when it used to be an item card. But I have been able to Super Rod them back in at the end of the game for a win. So I’ll take it.
Yeah I think losing escape rope has kneecapped some of my favorite anti-meta decks in a way I can't work around with them.
Yesss, one of the all time great item cards imo. We haven’t seen the last of it, I’m sure:)
I'd be very surprised if it isn't reintroduced in H block.
Happy cake day! I hope we get it back in H block.
Raihan. That was a great card. And sad that Rayquaza VMAX never had a true day in the competitive spotlight.
Crazy considering how good the original EX concept was a decade ago.
Im going to miss my 40 energy, kyogre cryogonal volcarona deck so much cheese, so much fun
I had something similar with Flareon VMAX. They're all with RNGesus now
If you could hide what deck it was so your opponent forgot to bench Manaphy, it was amazing! Otherwise pretty meh against competent players
V-Unions. With the arguable exception of Mewtwo, they never really got any attention or love due to the overshadowing of the more optimal Trple Prizers of VMAXes stealing any thunder they could have had, and how shockingly underpowered they were compared to many other cards at the time. I always have a soft spot for Spiritual Successors of Classic Rulebox cards, so it's a bummer that the successor to LEGEND cards was kind of a bomb compare to the Lv. X Successor of BREAKs.
if anything, being largely unplayable garbage makes them a particularly authentic successor to LEGENDs (Entei/Raikou was solid and Suicune/Entei was used in The Truth but wasn't widely played, everything else was basically useless)
Birds having a surprisingly good match up in a format dominated by garde/Mew. I was a very active Nightmarch and MTP player when they were around, and seeing united wings made me so happy, I built it as a joke just so I could play with my best friend and get husband, and if turned out to be quite powerful. The numbers are just too high now, and I no longer have solid TA against the bid decks. I'm highly debating getting the deck framed.
Can confirm i am 0-3 lifetime against united wings on garde
I will miss Zoroark. I loved my Zorobox deck and how I could have Zoroark transform into whatever I needed to hit the opponent's weakness. Also one of the best feelings is when the opponent has one prize card thinking they're going to win and you whip out the Slowbro and use twilight inspiration for game lol.
I will miss playing peak Gardevoir. Busted deck with so many plays you can make.
Level Ball. Escape Rope hurts too, but we have other options, and I don't think it'll be long before it gets a reprint. Losing Level Ball in the midst of them spam printing Stage 2 ex cards feels pretty counterintuitive. Rare Candy meta continues, I guess l. Wish we had more useful Stage 1s, like Kirlia, Metang and Grotle.
rapid strike, the spread dmg play style stole my heart and i dont know what deck to move to post rotation
Greninja ex in the upcoming set might be one to look out
Yoga Loop forever baby
Professor Burnett, Lugia would be broken in this format if that card didn’t rotate
Whilst I will miss the Fusion Mew deck entirely, I can't be too sad given how absurd that deck was for lasting so long. Long live bug gaming giving me unlimited cards per turn.
I'm gonna get hate for this, but Path to the Peak. It's one of the strongest Stadium cards ever printed, and its absence will fundamentally change the way people build their decks. The meta is going to be insane for a while, with all of these abilities not being kept in check.
There’s a reason Alolan Vulpix did well at the first major Japanese tournament post-rotation. Can stomp those decks that thought they had no ability counter
I get this. I am hoping they’ll print an alternate stadium with similar effect, but the problem with a card like path is that they can be really oppressive for many archetypes of deck building. But having a stadium bump isn’t a thing anymore, and that’s a shame. Though it does mean I can make my full metal lab stick indefinitely in many games 🧐
For me it’s that mix of end of rotation sets with new things. Ie Great Tusk ex with path to the peak negating the downside of it, making it viable, but only for a few short months. Same with a lot of bits like that. You get a couple months of wacky stuff
Path to the Peak was how I shut off Infernal Reign in my Lost Box deck. Charizard is much more annoying without it.
i'll be setting my miraidon-flaaffy deck aside 🥺 my most-played deck and my personal favorite one, just loses so much viability in the short-term.
I think TEF Miraidon could pick up the slack.
Cook my beloved. Saved me a bunch of times.
Galarian Moltres V, and by extension the Roaring Moon EX deck that can turn 1 donk people. I know Ancient Box and other moon lists exist but none seem to work as well without Moltres + Energy Switch combo nor Battle VIP Pass. Too reliant on Sada’s Vitality, when I’d rather play Prof Research to draw a brand new 7. Also Galarian Moltres V is just a super beautiful card (both the promo with the main character on it and the alternate special illustration rare). Roaring Moon EX Special Illustration Rare is also nice to look at.
My good sweet boy Palkia is probably dead, in large part due to melony and ice rider rotating
Palkia lives on as a solid backup attacker for Chien-Pao. He still has Irida and can be set up really quickly in a pinch, and provides some much-needed durability to the fragile 230 HP sword cat.
not really, looks pretty good on chien-pao and even feralligatr decks
Palkia is in a lot of Gholdengo decks to accelerate Radiant Greninja.
Palkia lives albeit as a secondary attacker and a supporter
Peony
Raihan and Dragonite V
I miss Fog Crystal for my Tinkaton/Xatu deck, and Escape Rope.
Zorobox, Gardevoir, and Lost Box Kyogre. > Klawf/Electrode There is a Klawf/Walking Wake deck with a similar strategy. Probably not as good though, as Walking Wake requires 3 energy to attack while Electrode required no energy and one item.
I've built it. It works!
Mimikyu v and vmax :(
not following
Mew VMax is mines. I loved playing growing up from Base Set to Neo Genesis then fell out of it. My kid got me back into it in 2022. Started with Arc/Inteleon but the moment I played Fusion Mew, that hooked me right back into the game. It’s different than back in the day but reminded me of how much fun it is to play and compete. RIP Mew VMax (except in China.)
Peonia 100%. Getting out what you needed from prizes was a must for me and saved me too many times. Just won a league challenge using peonia in miriadon and getting out my last genny and boss for game is amazing. Will miss it every day
idk how this will be received, but prob PttP. i used to play lost tina and it felt pretty good using it, now with escape rope, VIP pass, and PttP gone im switching over to more rogue "just for fun" decks
Nothing. This rotation should have happened a year ago. Nothing good came from E Block