Tuesday, December 10, 2013

Machamp #49/101 -- Plasma Blast Pokemon Card Review

Machamp Plasma Blast Pokemon Card
Pokemon Card Overview:
Today's Pokemon Card Review is of Machamp from the Plasma Blast Pokemon Card Set.  This is the first of two Machamp cards I'll be reviewing from the Plasma Blast set.  Machamp is a stage 2, fighting type Pokemon card, with an hp of 150.  It has a x2 weakness to psychic type Pokemon, no resistance type, and a three colorless energy card retreat cost.  Machamp's Ability is called Badge of Discipline and says that the damage of each of your fighting type Pokemon's attacks is not affected by resistance.  Besides the Ability, Machamp just has one move called Close Combat, this move requires four energy cards, three colorless and one fighting, and does 120 damage, unfortunately if you get a tails when you flip a coin while using this move any attack your opponent does to Machamp during their next turn is increased by 30.

Pokemon Card Strategy:
So as far as strategy goes, since Machamp is a stage 2 Pokemon card, you'll first have to get Machop into play and then evolve it into Machoke before you can evolve Machoke into Machamp, both of those Pokemon are from this set and I've reviewed both of them the last couple of days.  The previous two Pokemon in this family are average at best, both have high retreat costs so if you want to use Machamp in your deck, I would recommend setting this line up on your bench.  And remember, this is the first of two Machamp cards from this set so in tomorrow's review I'll be stating which one I like better from this set.  So like I said, if you want to use this line in your deck, I would set it up on the bench since Machamp requires four energy cards to attack and while on the bench you can utilize Machamp's Ability.  I would use this card in a fairly heavy fighting type Pokemon deck to make best use of Machamp's Ability, I would then put four energy cards on Machamp, and when in the active Pokemon spot I would use Close Combat every turn.  Personally I wouldn't use this line in a deck just because most of the Pokemon in it are average to below average.  But if you do choose to use this line, I wouldn't use more than a 2-1-1 line of Machop, Machoke, and Machamp.

Pokemon Card Rating:
I would give this card a 3 out of 5 rating.  In my opinion this is an average stage 2 Pokemon card from the Plasma Blast Pokemon card set.  I do like that this card has a high hp, pretty decent Ability, and one good move, but the reason I'm only giving this card an average rating is because the retreat cost is high, and the only move this card has is extremely slow, so if you get it into the active Pokemon spot without four energy cards on it, its 150 hp won't seem so high, plus if you flip a tails when attacking, the 150 hp will go faster as well.  Overall, the line of Machop, Machoke, and the first Machamp card from this set gets an average 3 rating from me, Machop was a 2, Machoke and Machamp was a 3.

Tomorrow's Pokemon Card:
So thanks for reading today's Pokemon card review of Machamp from the Plasma Blast set, stay tuned for tomorrow's card review of the second Machamp card from this set.  Make sure to check below for the Free Pokemon TCG Online Codes!

Free Pokemon TCG Online Code Cards:
Today's Quiz for a Pokemon TCG Online Code Card --
Which other English sets has Machamp been in at least twice?
Please respond by including your YouTube username and link to your YouTube channel.  If the question is quite tough, the first correct comment will win, otherwise I'll use a random number generator to choose a winner.

Monday, December 9, 2013

Machoke -- Plasma Blast Pokemon Card Review

Machoke Plasma Blast Pokemon Card
Pokemon Card Overview:
Today's Pokemon Card Review is of Machoke from the Plasma Blast Pokemon Card Set.  Machoke is a stage 1, fighting type Pokemon card, with an hp of 90.  It has a x2 weakness to psychic type Pokemon, no resistance type, and a three colorless energy card retreat cost. Machoke does not have an Ability but it does have two moves.  The first move that this card has is called Last-Chance Chop, this move requires one colorless energy card and does 20 damage plus 70 more damage if Machoke only has 10 hp left on it.  Machoke's second move is called Seismic Toss, this move requires three energy cards, two fighting and one colorless, and does 60 damage.

Pokemon Card Strategy:
So as far as strategy goes, since Machoke is a stage 1 Pokemon card, you'll first have to get Machop into play (I reviewed Machop from this set yesterday) and then evolve Machop into Machoke.  Machoke does have a stage 2 evolution in Machamp that you'll probably want to use with this Pokemon line but since I haven't reviewed that card yet, the strategy below will act like Machoke is the final evolution in this line.  Just a note there are actually two Machamp cards in this set, one rare the other rare holo.  So if you read yesterday's review of Machop you'll know that I thought the card was pretty average but I gave it a below average rating because the retreat cost on the card was higher than any of the energy requirements to attack.  So if you plan on using Machoke in your deck, I would only use a 1-1 line of Machop and Machoke just because they require so many energy cards to retreat.  I would try my hardest to get Machoke onto your bench and get three energy cards on it so when you move it to the active Pokemon spot you can use Seismic Toss right away.  I would then use Seismic Toss every turn until Machoke is about to feint, then I would use Last-Chance Chop.  I personally would not use Machop or Machoke in a deck because neither card is above average and together they just aren't that great.

Pokemon Card Rating:
I would give this card a 3 out of 5 rating.  In my opinion this is an average stage 1 Pokemon card.  This Machoke card does have an average hp, and two pretty decent moves.  This card can attack quickly, do 60 damage regularly, and even do 90 damage in certain situations.  Just like Machop from yesterday, this card's retreat cost is quite high, but since Seismic Toss requires three energy cards the retreat cost really isn't as bad.  Even though Machoke is an average card, the line of Machop and Machoke from this set would get a 2 out of 5 rating for me, Machoke was a 3, Machop a 2.

Tomorrow's Pokemon Card:
So thanks for reading today's Pokemon card review of Machoke from the Plasma Blast set, stay tuned for tomorrow's card review of the first of two Machamp cards from this set, which is the stage 2 evolution in the line of Machop and Machoke.  Make sure to check below for the Free Pokemon TCG Online Codes!

Free Pokemon TCG Online Code Cards:
Today's Quiz for a Pokemon TCG Online Code Card --
What rarity was the Machoke card from Base Set?
Please respond by including your YouTube username and link to your YouTube channel.  If the question is quite tough, the first correct comment will win, otherwise I'll use a random number generator to choose a winner.

Sunday, December 8, 2013

Machop -- Plasma Blast Pokemon Card Review

Machop Plasma Blast Pokemon Card
Pokemon Card Overview:
Today's Pokemon Card Review is of Machop from the Plasma Blast Pokemon Card Set.  Machop is a basic, fighting type Pokemon card with an hp of 60.  It has a x2 weakness to psychic type Pokemon, no resistance type, and a three colorless energy card retreat cost.  Machop does not have an Ability and it only has one move.  The only move that this card has is called Low Kick, this move requires two energy cards, one each of fighting and colorless, and does 30 damage.

Pokemon Card Strategy:
So as far as strategy goes, since Machop is a basic Pokemon card with a stage 1 evolution in Machoke and a stage 2 evolution in Machamp, which I'll be reviewing the next few days, you'll more than likely want to use those cards with this Pokemon.  However, since I haven't reviewed those cards yet, I'll just act as though I plan on using this card without its evolutions.  So on its own, I would not recommend using this card.  I say this because even though Low Kick does do above average damage and Machop has an average hp, the retreat cost is way too high for me to consider using this card in my deck.  If the retreat cost was one energy card or less I would recommend using two of these in a deck but it isn't so I can't recommend using it.  Of course if you plan on using this card in a deck without its evolutions, I would start the game with Machop with possible, wait two turns and then use Low Kick every turn.

Pokemon Card Rating:
I would give this card a 2 out of 5 rating.  In my opinion, this is a below average basic Pokemon card.  Like I mentioned in the strategy section of this post, I do like Machop's only move but because this card has such a high hp, it is getting a below average rating.  So the high retreat cost combined with the slow move makes this card unplayable in my opinion.

Tomorrow's Pokemon Card:
So thanks for reading today's Pokemon card review of Machop from the Plasma Blast set, stay tuned for tomorrow's card review of Machop's stage 1 evolution in Machoke, which is also from this same set.  Make sure to check below for the Free Pokemon TCG Online Codes!

Free Pokemon TCG Online Code Cards:
Today's Quiz for a Pokemon TCG Online Code Card --
How many total English sets has Machop been in?
Please comment with your answer and a link to your YouTube channel.  Only one entry per person per day.  Approximately 24 hours after this review has been posted, I will use a random number generator to select a commenter who has commented with the correct answer. 

Saturday, December 7, 2013

Golurk -- Plasma Blast Pokemon Card Review

Golurk Plasma Blast Pokemon Card
Pokemon Card Overview:
Today's Pokemon Card Review is of Golurk from the Plasma Blast Pokemon Card Set.  Golurk is a stage 1, psychic type Pokemon card, with an hp of 130.  It has a x2 weakness to darkness type Pokemon, no resistance type, and a four colorless energy card retreat cost.  Golurk does not have an Ability but it does have two moves.  The first move that this card has is called Iron Fist of Justice, this move requires two colorless energy cards to use and does 60 damage, however if you have an Team Plasma Pokemon in play the move does nothing.  Golurk's second move is called Shadow Punch, this move requires four energy cards, two each of psychic and colorless, and does 80 damage per turn.

Pokemon Card Strategy:
So as far as strategy goes, since Golurk is a stage 1 Pokemon card, you'll first have to get Golett into play (I reviewed Golett from this set yesterday) and then evolve Golett into Golurk.  If you read yesterday's review, you'll know that I thought Golett was an average basic Pokemon card but the thing that was holding it back some was its high retreat cost.  Well after reviewing this Golurk card you'll know that it has an even higher retreat cost than Golett did, so if you plan on using this Pokemon line in your deck, I would either include a lot of Switch trainers or only have a 1-1 line and make sure Golett and/or Golurk is set up on your bench before moving it into the active Pokemon spot, since both Pokemon have high hp, you can move either one into the active Pokemon spot as soon as they can attack.  If I were to use this Golurk can in a deck, I would make sure to have none or minimal Team Plasma Pokemon in it so I could utilize Golurk's Iron Fist of Justice move, because this move requires only colorless energy it can really be used in any type deck.  Shadow Punch is an average move, but I would primarily use Iron Fist of Justice for its quickness.  Of course if you think you'll need to retreat Golurk you'll have to put four energy cards on it anyways so then you can use Shadow Punch.

Pokemon Card Rating:
I would give this card a 3 out of 5 rating.  In my opinion this is an average stage 1 Pokemon card from the Plasma Blast set.  I definitely like that this card has an extremely high hp, and two moves both doing a good amount of damage.  But this card only gets an average rating from me because you need so many energy cards to retreat it, because of this you can't use this card solely for its Iron Fist of Justice move.  Overall the line of Golett and Golurk from the Plasma Blast set is an average line, it gets a 3 from me.

Tomorrow's Pokemon Card:
So thanks for reading today's Pokemon card review of Golurk from the Plasma Blast set, stay tuned for tomorrow's card review of Machop, which is from this same set.  Make sure to check below for the Free Pokemon TCG Online Codes!

Free Pokemon TCG Online Code Cards:
Today's Quiz for a Pokemon TCG Online Code Card --
What English set has a secret rare Golurk card in it?
Please respond by including your YouTube username and link to your YouTube channel.  If the question is quite tough, the first correct comment will win, otherwise I'll use a random number generator to choose a winner.