Hello everyone. Makoto here. I wanted to start my first post right, here on Pokebeach. I am an experienced player, but please pardon any future bouts of ignorance 
Anyhoo, the more I look at the Absol EX cards, the more I see potential potentially wasted. The mere fact that it doesn't have a Spirit Link card means it has to wait for quite a while before it can Mega Evolve, much less attack. Of course that never stopped M Charizard and his ilk, but that was before Spirit Links. For ease of understanding let's take a look at the cards themselves.
The basic card, Absol EX, is a 170 hp Darkness pokemon with the usual Fighting weakness and Psychic resistance, and has 2 Retreat Cost. Not too bad, all things considered. It's first attack, Dark Fang, for a measly Dark Energy does 20 and has you flip a coin (or roll a die) If heads, you discard a random card from your opponent's hand. The second attack, Dark Edge, for 2 Dark Energy and a colorless, does a solid 100 damage and decreases any damage done to it by 20 before applying weakness and resistance. With the boon of Dark Patch in Expanded, this is easily achievable and puts on some early pressure.
M Absol EX is a 210 hp Darkness type Mega Pokemon with the above stats in Weakness, Resist, and Retreat. It's attack, Disaster Wing, for 2 Darkness energy, does 80 damage and you look at the top card of the opponent's deck. If that card is a Trainer card, the attack does 80 more damage for a total 160. While it is kinda iffy, more than half a player's deck nowadays is Trainers, this may not be too much of a problem. Plus Dark Claw or Muscle Band is there to keep a cosistent 100 damage.
On paper, these cards are amazing, and with the right support, they could lead a really fun deck. If nothing else though, Absol should abuse the Darkness engine.
- Dark Patch should be used over Mega Turbo since it's not locked to Megas, and you're still getting Energy from the Discard pile.
- Dark Claw and/or Muscle Band. It's really up to preference. Either way it's 20 more damage. Brings Dark Edge to 120, and Disaster Wing to 180 optimistically.
- Darkrai EX is always nice. Free Retreat Cost for having a Darkness Energy attached is pretty sweet, but not overly necessary.
- Good ol' Sableye salvages Trainer cards.
- Max Potion is key for Absol in my opinion, and is in fact a staple in most Dark decks. If you are not against a Fighting type you're likely not gonna be knocked out, so healing yourself key to stall out for a Mega.
- Shadow Circle, if nothing else is probably the preferred Stadium. No weakness is always nice.
- Trick Shovel is a funny card and works nicely with M Absol. Look at the top card of the opponent's deck, and you can either put it back or discard it. If it's a Trainer card, you should put it back (unless it's something super scary), and you get the extra damage from Disaster Wing.
There's is such strong potential here for a really nice card and fan-favorite Pokemon that was wasted by not giving it a Spirit Link. but with the right cards it can at least be fun to play. And that's really what matters to me.
So what do you guys think? Is there hope for the Disaster Pokemon? Or will it fall to disaster?
Anyhoo, the more I look at the Absol EX cards, the more I see potential potentially wasted. The mere fact that it doesn't have a Spirit Link card means it has to wait for quite a while before it can Mega Evolve, much less attack. Of course that never stopped M Charizard and his ilk, but that was before Spirit Links. For ease of understanding let's take a look at the cards themselves.
The basic card, Absol EX, is a 170 hp Darkness pokemon with the usual Fighting weakness and Psychic resistance, and has 2 Retreat Cost. Not too bad, all things considered. It's first attack, Dark Fang, for a measly Dark Energy does 20 and has you flip a coin (or roll a die) If heads, you discard a random card from your opponent's hand. The second attack, Dark Edge, for 2 Dark Energy and a colorless, does a solid 100 damage and decreases any damage done to it by 20 before applying weakness and resistance. With the boon of Dark Patch in Expanded, this is easily achievable and puts on some early pressure.
M Absol EX is a 210 hp Darkness type Mega Pokemon with the above stats in Weakness, Resist, and Retreat. It's attack, Disaster Wing, for 2 Darkness energy, does 80 damage and you look at the top card of the opponent's deck. If that card is a Trainer card, the attack does 80 more damage for a total 160. While it is kinda iffy, more than half a player's deck nowadays is Trainers, this may not be too much of a problem. Plus Dark Claw or Muscle Band is there to keep a cosistent 100 damage.
On paper, these cards are amazing, and with the right support, they could lead a really fun deck. If nothing else though, Absol should abuse the Darkness engine.
- Dark Patch should be used over Mega Turbo since it's not locked to Megas, and you're still getting Energy from the Discard pile.
- Dark Claw and/or Muscle Band. It's really up to preference. Either way it's 20 more damage. Brings Dark Edge to 120, and Disaster Wing to 180 optimistically.
- Darkrai EX is always nice. Free Retreat Cost for having a Darkness Energy attached is pretty sweet, but not overly necessary.
- Good ol' Sableye salvages Trainer cards.
- Max Potion is key for Absol in my opinion, and is in fact a staple in most Dark decks. If you are not against a Fighting type you're likely not gonna be knocked out, so healing yourself key to stall out for a Mega.
- Shadow Circle, if nothing else is probably the preferred Stadium. No weakness is always nice.
- Trick Shovel is a funny card and works nicely with M Absol. Look at the top card of the opponent's deck, and you can either put it back or discard it. If it's a Trainer card, you should put it back (unless it's something super scary), and you get the extra damage from Disaster Wing.
There's is such strong potential here for a really nice card and fan-favorite Pokemon that was wasted by not giving it a Spirit Link. but with the right cards it can at least be fun to play. And that's really what matters to me.
So what do you guys think? Is there hope for the Disaster Pokemon? Or will it fall to disaster?
