One Hit KO

A big hello to all you OHKOers out there.  This is Pikkdogs here with another Pikk Three article.  This Pikk Three article is special, because it is all about Special Energies.  We will do 3 card reviews for the special energies that are currently legal, then get a sneak peek into a new energy that may be coming into our format in the next year.  But first, I must introduce my extra-dimensionary sidekick Pedro.

Hey Pedro what’s going on today?

Hey Pikkdogs, I have some news for you.  Next Destinies Pre-Releases will start on January 28th, and the set will be released on February 8th.  So you can practice early for states so you know exactly how you will lose at states. 

That’s always nice.  However, I do like to be surprised by the way I lose.

I can appreciate that.  We also have one last weekend for Cities this coming weekend.  So you might be able to lose one last time.  And finally, things are starting to come out of Japan about the new Dragon type Pokemon that we are getting.  We have received the first 3 Dragon type Pokemon.  We still don’t know all about the set, so continue to stay tuned for more news.

Pedro, you didn’t make any jokes this time?

Ok, you want some weird news and jokes okay.  We can talk about Snoop Dogg.  The D-O double G got arrested this past weekend for marijuana possession.  Lawyers predict that Snoop will get up to one yizzle in the jizzle.  That good enough for you. 

Very nice, let’s get on to the article.

Card #1 Rainbow Energy

Description– Rainbow Energy is a really cool card with a cool effect.  When you attach Rainbow Energy, you also attach 1 damage counter.  While attached to a Pokemon, Rainbow Energy counts as every type of energy, but only 1 unit of it.  So that means that if you attach Rainbow to Ninetales, it gets a damage counter and you act like it is a normal fire energy.  But, if it is in your hand you cannot use it for something like “Roast Reveal.”

Analysis– Rainbow Energy has been around with us for a long time.  It is one of the oldest cards in the format.  Usually it is not a very successful card.  When I re-entered the game in the Diamond and Pearl era, Rainbow Energy was  a crap that was worth only a quarter or so.

Now that we don’t have things like Scramble Energy, SP Energy, and Double Rainbow Energy; Rainbow Energy is now  a good card.  It is used in a lot of decks.  In almost any deck that has multiple types, you will see Rainbow Energy.  It is a staple in top decks like Six Corners and Donphan and Dragons.

Putting  1 damage counter on your Pokemon every time you attach this card is not a great effect, however, it is not terrible.  You can deal with an extra damage counter.  You just have to be careful so that your extra damage counter does not put your Pokemon into OHKO range.  I have played this card a lot, and there were several times where I couldn’t attach this card because it would either knock the Pokemon out, or lead to a knockout in the following turn.

But, giving you the ability to have any type of energy on the Pokemon is a great thing.  For Pokemon like Roserade, Rainbow Energy can activate Poke-Powers in a way that basic energy cannot.  There is no substitute for the ability to put a lot of different Pokemon in the same deck, and still have them work.  Rainbow Energy is one of the major reasons why Six Corners work, and that just shows why Rainbow Energy is great.

Final Rating– 8/10– Rainbow Energy is a really good card in this format.  With so many high HP Pokemon out there you have to be able to hit for weakness, and to hit for weakness you need a lot of different types in your deck, and if you have a lot of types you need the Rainbow Energy.  It is a good card that works in a lot of decks.  It has been a good card for a long time, and it will probably be a good one in the future.

Card #2 Double Colorless Energy

 

Description– Double Colorless Energy is just what the title suggests, it provides 2 units of colorless energy.  If a Pokemon has an attack that costs FCC, you can use the attack with a fighting energy and a DCE.

Analysis– DCE was a card that was first released in Base Set 2, and then was re-released in the Heart Gold Soul Silver set.  The ability to provide 2 units of energy with one card is amazing, however, it does not work with every Pokemon.  The only Pokemon that can really benefit from this card are the Pokemon that have double colorless energy requirements.

I can’t really speak for how successful the card was when it first came out, but I can tell you that it ruled the format on its re-release.  Along with Garchomp C Lv. X, DCE provided one heck of a one two punch.  SP decks were able to dominate because DCE allowed Garchomp to snipe basic Pokemon before they evolved.  The only thing that stopped the great DCE/Garchomp combo was last year’s rotation.

Although Garchomp C is no longer in the format, that does not mean that DCE is no longer used.  It is still used in a lot of decks, especially those that feature the Energy Trio (Reshiram, Zekrom, and Kyurem).  These BBP (Big Basic Pokemon) are on their way to breaking the format, and DCE is helping them attack faster.  DCE also was used a lot with Tornadus, and the Tornadus/DCE combo helped Zekrom become the BDIF earlier this year.

However, the format has changed and Zekrom is no longer the BDIF.  Most of the BBP no longer has the double colorless energy requirement, and instead have a double energy requirement of a specific type and then one colorless.  It is true that right now, DCE is not as playable as it once was.

But overall, I think DCE will stay popular.  With Mewtwo EX coming out, Double Colorless will be about as popular as it was with Garchomp C.  This new combo will do very good, and might even rule the format.

Final Rating– 9/10– Ya gotta love getting 2 for the price of one, and DCE does exactly that.  No this card does not work in every deck, but it works in a lot of decks and could soon be part of a dominating deck.

Card #3 Rescue Energy

Description– Rescue Energy is another special energy card.  This card only provides one unit of colorless energy, but has another cool effect.  When the Pokemon that this card is attached to is knocked out from damage from an attack, the Pokemon and its evolutions get returned to your hand, but all the energies and tool cards get discarded.

Analysis– Rescue Energy is a card that has never been in the format before.  It is kind of hard to gage how important this card is.  It no doubt has been used in great decks, but they don’t really have a lot of great measurable effect on the game.  Rescue Energy was a better card when Broken Time Space was in the format.  When BTS was in the format, you could attach Rescue to a stage 2 and when it gets knocked out you can just lay the Pokemon back down and evolve it all in one turn.  The Rescue Energy/BTS combo was best used in the Lostgar deck that was good about a year ago.

But the past is the past, so let’s look at what we can do with this card right now.  Without BTS, Rescue Energy is best used with basic and stage 1 Pokemon.  It works well with Mew Prime in a lock deck with Vanilluxe.  Instead of having to tech in Revives or Super Rods, you can just use Rescue Energy and kill two birds with one stone, providing energy and recovery.  There are a lot of decks that this card can be used with, almost any deck that there is.  It does not work great with a lot of decks, but it is always an option and it will always be a decent card.

Final Rating– 7/10– It was a great card with BTS, now it is just a cool card in certain situations.  More of a rogue choice right now.  It will always be a good card, just not a great card.

A Look Ahead

Here is some info on upcoming special energies.

Prism Energy

Prism Energy is kind of like a better version of Rainbow Energy for basic Pokemon.  You still get it being every type of energy, but you no longer need the damage counter.  The drawback being is that it only works on basic Pokemon, if you are not a basic, it only provides a colorless energy.

It does not seem like a game changing card since Rainbow Energy is in the format.  It is a better card, but not that much better.  Kind of think of it like the Cheren to Rainbow’s Cheerleaders Cheer.  It is a better card, but not that much better.  That one less damage counter is great, but it is nothing that will make or break a deck.  Even though it is not a game changer, any advantage that the BBP can get will just improve how great they are already are.  It should be a playable card.

Look forward to more info on Prism Energy and more new cards in the future.

Well Pedro, I am done.  What do you have to end us today.

Well today, January 12th, is the birthday of Jack London.  Author of some great American Novels like Sea Wolf, The Call of the Wild, and White Fang. Do you like the Jack London Pikkdogs?

Sure, love the Jack London.  Not a big fan of The Call of the Wild, but I do love the horror that is Sea Wolf.  His short stories are also some of the best, gotta love the “Batard” and “To Build a Fire.”  Do you like White Fang Pedro?

Oh Hell Yeah, White Fang is my favorite dancer at my local strip club. 

Okay, we did enough to tarnish the reputiation of Jack London, let’s leave the people in peace.  Good Night everybody.

 

 

Category: Pikks Three | Tags: DCE, Double Colorless Energy, pokemon special energies, Prism energy, rainbow energy, Rescue Energy