One Hit KO

Hey all members of Omar-Nation.  Welcome to a special edition of Pikkdogs Pikks three.  Usually I provide you a review of three cards; one that is commonly used, one that I feel is under-rated, and one that is from a new or yet un-released yet.  But this edition of Pikk Three is special.  This edition mixes up the former two categories.  This a review of three cards from the Black and White cards that are good, but not many people are talking about them.  So now that you know whats coming at you, lets start the party!

Card Number 1, Crush Hammer

Description- The first card on our list is Crush Hammer, which is basically a re-printed Energy Removal 2.  It is a trainer card that allows you to flip a coin, and if heads you can discard an energy attached to one of your opponent’s Pokemon.

Analysis– The ability to discard an energy is not really something that we have in the current format.  That means that it is something that you can’t really get with other cards.  The ability to discard an energy is fairly useful.  If your opponent is trying to tank against you, you can discard a key energy card.  You can also use Junk Arm to use it again later in the game.  It is also a card that is useful no matter what deck you play against, this makes it fairly flexible.

However, this card is not talked about much for a good reason, it isn’t format changing.  It can be useful, but it can also be locked from use.  With the expected popularity of Vileplume and the Gothitelle deck, you may not be able to use this card very much.  The success of this card is also dependent on the format.  Right now discarding energy would not be very popular, because the format emphasizes one hit knock outs.  But, if OHKO’s are not very realistic in the next format, this card could be more popular.

Final Rating– 6/10-  It is a good card that does thing that not a lot of other cards can do.  But, the uncertainty of the format make this card unpredictable.

Card Number 2, Musharna

Description– Musharna is a stage 1 Pokemon Psychic Pokemon with 90 HP and a 2 retreat cost. Its first attack does 20 damage and puts the defending Pokemon to sleep for one Psychic energy.  Its second attack, “Dream Eater”, does 90 damage for PC if the defending Pokemon is asleep.

Analysis– 90 damage for 2 energies is pretty good.  This card won’t make the best deck ever, but it could be pretty decent.  With 90 damage for two energies and the ability to use Pokemon Catcher (Gust of Wind), you have a lot of options.  The catch is that you need to get your defending Pokemon asleep.  A lot of Pokemon can put other Pokemon to sleep through attacks, but the chance that the Pokemon will still be asleep on your next turn is very low.  So, you will need something that can put your defending Pokemon to sleep from a Poke-Power. 

If there is no rotation, you can use Vileplume La, which fits will into a trainerlock build.  If you attach a grass energy to Vileplume, you can put the defending Pokemon to sleep with his “Energy Reaction” Poke-Power.  But, another Stage 2 Pokemon and the necessity to attach an energy to him is a lot.  So you can also use Hypno HGSS.  For a coin flip you can put the defending Pokemon to sleep with his “Sleep Pendulum” Poke-Power.  Hypno is only a stage 1 Pokemon that will only sit on your bench, so its not too much of a hassle to setup.  The problem is the coin flip, the good thing is that you can use multiple “Sleep Pendulums” per turn, if you have multiple Hypnos.

So is 2 for 90 with “Sleep Pendulum” good enough?   Well it is good, but unless you can get multiple Hypnos out, it will not be very consistent.  But, if you can get multiple Hypnos out, then watch out because 90 damage will be able to knock out most of your opponent’s bench.  Which makes Musharna a great combo with Pokemon Catcher.

Final Rating– 6/10- Has great potential, but unless you can swarm with Hypnos or find another consistent way to put the defending Pokemon asleep, the deck is a little too inconsistent.

Card Number 3, Reuniclus

Description-  Reuniclus is a stage 2 Psychic Pokemon with 90 HP and a 2 retreat cost.  It’s attack, “Psywave”, does 30 damage plus 10 for every energy on the defending Pokemon, for three Psychic energies.  Its ability “Damage Swap” lets you move one damage counter from one of your Pokemon to another, as many times as you want per turn.

Analysis-  The first thing you think about with Reuniclus is, “what’s up with that name?”  The second thing you think about is, “30 damage for 3 energies?”  But, then the third thing you realize is that “moving damage counters around is awesome.”

So the attack is lackluster at best, but the ability is pretty cool, it is pretty similar to the power of the base set Alakazam.  You can move as many damage counters as you want from one Pokemon to another.  This means that you can put up one tanking Pokemon and then move all damage counters off of him, and hide the damage counters on another Pokemon.  Even if you have to knock out a benched Pokemon, it is better than losing your main attacker and all his energies.

The bad part of this strategy is that it has never worked in the past.  In the base set days Alakazam was just too slow.  And, today Alakazam 4 Lv. X does not work thanks to a lack of good tanking SP Pokemon and the existence of Garchomp C LV.X.   These two similar Pokemon never panned out, and I fear that Reuniclus could share the same fate.  With Pokemon Cather released, it seems like Reuniclus’s basic form will be knocked out before you can even evolve it.

Final Rating– 7/10-  Even though it is slow, I think that it is a great card.  If Spiritomb stays in the format, you might be able to get this Pokemon out and ready to support a tanking Pokemon.

Well thats what I think of some of the better cards in the Black and White set that aren’t being talked about.  As you can see from the ratings, I don’t think a lot of these cards will be great, but I do think they have potential.  So  be sure to take notice of these seldom talked about cards.  And, if you would be so kind to share your ratings on these cards we would love you to put them in the comment box.

So long and thanks for all the fish!

Category: Pikks Three | Tags: Crush Hammer, Musharna, Reuniclus