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- Thread starter bigbija
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It could work, but even with the pachi/shay engine, you'd need to hit a DCE if you want to hit the donk, which would take up a decent amount of space in a deck if you want to consistently draw into one turn one.
Two other problems I see with this is;
1. Weakness. Zekrom can one shot it with just 40 damage on it and an outrage. Also, Bolt Strike ohko's it, regardless of weakness.
2.HP. 120 is just the wrong number you want to have. Reshiram OHKO's it with a blue flare, zekrom hits it for OHKO with Bolt strike. This card is also prime catcher bait against a majority of decks with its high retreat cost.
Yes, this card can work. Is it good? Not really
Two other problems I see with this is;
1. Weakness. Zekrom can one shot it with just 40 damage on it and an outrage. Also, Bolt Strike ohko's it, regardless of weakness.
2.HP. 120 is just the wrong number you want to have. Reshiram OHKO's it with a blue flare, zekrom hits it for OHKO with Bolt strike. This card is also prime catcher bait against a majority of decks with its high retreat cost.
Yes, this card can work. Is it good? Not really
I don't think Zapdos will function as a deck, however it might make a pretty awesome ZPS tech. Donphan resistance is nice, and you might be able to manage an OHKO on something like a Gothitelle, which could really turn a game around. This card could very well give ZPS an edge on a lot of different decks in the format.
I don't think you guys are realizing this card's full potential, which really lies in it's first attack. A somewhat cheap attack with no drawbacks, doing 50 snipe? That's decent. Enough to warrant more than one spot in ZPS? Probably not. But it could make a nice 1 card tech in there to do some more early game disruption.
Also, googlebox (alot of the time) will put some damage on a reunuiclus or vileplume if they run out of room on their field, and if they don't suspect a Yanmega snipe. This could be played down in one turn, charged up with Pachi/Shaymin and make a nice surprise snipe, in a matchup where you can't play catcher, on either a crucial pokemon on their bench, or just for the last prize or 2 on benched babies/basics.
Also, googlebox (alot of the time) will put some damage on a reunuiclus or vileplume if they run out of room on their field, and if they don't suspect a Yanmega snipe. This could be played down in one turn, charged up with Pachi/Shaymin and make a nice surprise snipe, in a matchup where you can't play catcher, on either a crucial pokemon on their bench, or just for the last prize or 2 on benched babies/basics.
In my opinion Zapdos is a wonderful card, but it is outclassed by Tornadus in a ZPS(T) deck as it also resists the dreaded elephant, and helps you build up your secondairy attacker(s) (if wanted). Tornadus also 2HKO's the elephant, while Zapdos requires 4 heads to OHKO it, or an average of 2 heads per turn (-20 resistance and -20 from the body, meaning you need at least 160 damage with Zapdos to OHKO it if it's at 100% health).
In short, it has 10 more HP than Tornadus, and a more useful first attack, but that's where the good news ends. Of course Zapdos is also a basic, but that applies for Tornadus too, as well as the weakness and resistance stats of the cards. Tornadus has one less retreat, hits for more damage on a reliable way (sure, Zapdos has a higher damage cap, but is very less reliable!), and when you feel like it, you can charge your fellow pokémon as well.
So in my opinion Zapdos is a decent (but flippy) card to use that can either make a fun rogue deck (where I personally would take a basic ZPST deck, and swap the Zekrom for Zapdos, and throw in some Fliptini, and only for the lulz), or as a tech (where it can serve the role as a sniper, or as a risky OHKO'er). However, as long as Tornadus is available in modified, I don't think Zapdos deserves more room than maybe 1 in a ZPST deck as a tech.
When judging as a stand-alone card, I think Zapdos (when maybe combined with Kingdra prime or something of the likes) can make a pretty fun snipe deck which can easily KO evolving basics, wherever they are being build up. The 4x flip attack is never worth it in my opinion (even with Fliptini!) to rely on during a game.
If I were to rate it, I'd probably give it a rating of 2.3/5. 1 full point is given because it's a 120 HP basic, resists the type it usually is weak to (seeing most Lightning types), and sports a weakness that will usually OHKO it anyways when judging the current meta (Zekrom, Magnezone). Another point is given solely for it's first attack, as 50 snipe (at least unconditional) is pretty good, especially on a basic (even being a ''Legendary'' won't always help here, look at the CoL ''Legends'' for example). Then I give 0.3 points because the second attack has a high damage cap (even though it is unlikely), and because it is a decent enough starter (since it will hang around for a while mostly), as well as it's teching possibillity. 2 retreat (aren't Lightning types fast? And wasn't this a BIRD? guess that doesn't matter anymore in the TCG?) and expensive attacks hamper the card greatly, which immediately makes me drop 2 whole points, and the 0.7 drop is simply because of the ''luck factor'' you have with this card (for me that makes a -0.5 drop), and because it simply has nothing else to offer (for me a -0.2 drop).
In short, it has 10 more HP than Tornadus, and a more useful first attack, but that's where the good news ends. Of course Zapdos is also a basic, but that applies for Tornadus too, as well as the weakness and resistance stats of the cards. Tornadus has one less retreat, hits for more damage on a reliable way (sure, Zapdos has a higher damage cap, but is very less reliable!), and when you feel like it, you can charge your fellow pokémon as well.
So in my opinion Zapdos is a decent (but flippy) card to use that can either make a fun rogue deck (where I personally would take a basic ZPST deck, and swap the Zekrom for Zapdos, and throw in some Fliptini, and only for the lulz), or as a tech (where it can serve the role as a sniper, or as a risky OHKO'er). However, as long as Tornadus is available in modified, I don't think Zapdos deserves more room than maybe 1 in a ZPST deck as a tech.
When judging as a stand-alone card, I think Zapdos (when maybe combined with Kingdra prime or something of the likes) can make a pretty fun snipe deck which can easily KO evolving basics, wherever they are being build up. The 4x flip attack is never worth it in my opinion (even with Fliptini!) to rely on during a game.
If I were to rate it, I'd probably give it a rating of 2.3/5. 1 full point is given because it's a 120 HP basic, resists the type it usually is weak to (seeing most Lightning types), and sports a weakness that will usually OHKO it anyways when judging the current meta (Zekrom, Magnezone). Another point is given solely for it's first attack, as 50 snipe (at least unconditional) is pretty good, especially on a basic (even being a ''Legendary'' won't always help here, look at the CoL ''Legends'' for example). Then I give 0.3 points because the second attack has a high damage cap (even though it is unlikely), and because it is a decent enough starter (since it will hang around for a while mostly), as well as it's teching possibillity. 2 retreat (aren't Lightning types fast? And wasn't this a BIRD? guess that doesn't matter anymore in the TCG?) and expensive attacks hamper the card greatly, which immediately makes me drop 2 whole points, and the 0.7 drop is simply because of the ''luck factor'' you have with this card (for me that makes a -0.5 drop), and because it simply has nothing else to offer (for me a -0.2 drop).
But Zekrom EX can do a for sure 150 damage for {L}{L}{C}{C}... I think zapdos is kinda outclassed. Yanmega can snipe for 40 for three energy or for free. I don't think zapdos will be worth it. Articuno may see more play than this guy :/
Zapdos is undeniably outclassed. Sniping honestly sucks now that Catcher is in the format, now that most things with a high retreat aren't useless in the active spot (Magnezone, Emboar, Reshiram, Zekrom, etc). It's second attack is very luck-based as well. I'd rather do a guaranteed 120 for 3 instead of hoping to do more than 100, even with Fliptini.
It's not a BAD card by any means; it's just luck-based. TOO luck-based. I can definitely see it being teched into ZPST, taking out 1 Tornadus for 1 Zapdos in the situations when you REALLY need to snipe, but that's just about all I see it being played in.
It's not a BAD card by any means; it's just luck-based. TOO luck-based. I can definitely see it being teched into ZPST, taking out 1 Tornadus for 1 Zapdos in the situations when you REALLY need to snipe, but that's just about all I see it being played in.
This zapdos is worse than other cards in just about every way. Its HP is low, and it costs too many energies. It doesn't do enough damage either (looking at average damage that is). Zekrom is just a better card in every way. You will have very few situations where Zapdos is better than any other basic. It may be used for clean-up sniping, but we really don't have a spreader that would rather 50 damage than yanmega...
High attack cost, high Retreat Cost, same W/R as Tornadus... and doing an average 100 for 4 (remember that that, even, is certainly not a sure thing), when Tornadus does 80 for 3 and can move energy around, isn't that good. It's just outclassed.
pokemonjoe said:
You read it wrong, Minimidget94 was referring to Zapdos being ''not really good'', as it is outclassed by Tornadus in almost every way. The only real selling point Zapdos has is sniping, and even that is (currently) being done better (read as, Yanmega Prime [or, like Riskbreakers said, Pokémon Catcher]).
But I suppose we'll see what the future has in store for Zapdos.
James said:
Read as Catcher, rather. Catcher is like a pseudo-snipe anyway.