Article PTCG BJF Review: Caterpie Line

Prior Reviews:

Spoiler

None As of yet this is my first one

GOOOOOOODDDDD MMOORRRINNNNIIINNNGGG, or depending if you are reading this in a different time zone- good afternoon, good evening or good night. If you'll look to your left you'll find out that my name is Apawn and now that I've gotten that ripped-off PTCG intro and names out of the way we can delve into the deep stuff

One of my greatest passions in Pokémon is trading and collecting the original Pokémon TCG sets (More so foils then anything else as well as the original 3-Base, Jungle and Fossil) and I thought it be fun for me to start a series of PTCG reviews on these cards (And if said series stays popular continue it). Without father interruption, let us begin:

Caterpie (Base):
40 HP | W: | R: | RC:
- String Shot (10): Flip a coin. If heads, the Defending Pokémon is now Paralyzed.

Honestly one of the many pieces of trash that make up a major portion of the original sets I affectionately call "The Dumps". However I disagree compared to a lot of these very hard to set up Stage 2s (This Meta is very Basic oriented) its one of the better ones thanks to its stall factor in paralysis. But alas this Mon can be taken out by The Haymaker Mons (Magmar, Mewtwo, Scyther, Hitmonchan and Electabuzz) very easily.

Metapod (Base):
70 HP | W: | R: | RC:
- Stiffen: Flip a coin. If heads, prevent all damage done to Metapod during your opponent's next turn. (Any other effects of attacks still happen.)
- Stun Spore (20): Flip a coin. If heads, the Defending Pokémon is now Paralyzed.

Caterpie's evolution takes to mind its previous stall tactics and becomes even more stall-esk. I find it very nice that it has an attack for DCE allowing it to have a shared energy cost with its evolution for a single energy attachment with how energy denial is heavy in this particular meta. Both attacks, were as in modern day would be horrible beyond all degrees, were pretty nice in the old-school meta. It did depend on a lot of coin flips though....

Butterfree (Jungle):
70 HP | W: | R: | RC:
- Whirlwind (20): If your opponent has any Benched Pokémon, he or she chooses 1 of them and switches it with the Defending Pokémon. (Do the damage before switching the Pokémon.)
- Mega Drain (40): Remove a number of damage counters from Butterfree equal to half the damage done to the Defending Pokémon (after applying Weakness and Resistance) (rounded up to the nearest 10). {Jungle Text Is different in later prints for both attacks but effects are the same}

Now its time for the main attraction, Butterfree! This card has many ups and downs, it has the same HP as its previous stage and as The Haymaker Mons, Its weak to Magmar too (both of which are downs). Its ups are that it has Free Retreat and a DCE attachment attack (Both being very nice with an energy denial being as heavy as is). In addition it also resists Hitmonchan unlike its prior evolution's at the max only being able to take 10 damage from it. I'm going to say straight up its 2nd attack is garbage- really, really smelly garbage. 4 energy attachments is only remotely viable in decks with the starters (Charizard being very iffy in this case). Its the first attack that we should focus on. The additional effect I believe could be nice in a total denial deck were you make sure the Mons that your opponent needs stay out of the active (Given things like Switch and Gust of Wind exist in this metagame). Throw in a few Scythers and you'll might just have a meta shaking deck!

Well that's all for this review, Thanks for reading!

~Like 3 Memes in a Pod- Apawn