Plasma Counterattack

 This morning on Facebook, Pokemon announced the imminent arrival of the latest booster set to be released in the Pokemon Trading Card Game - Plasma Blast. This marks the arrival of another 101+ cards, and for the first time since they were introduced cards designed to counter the onslaught of Team Plasma. The Plasma Storm set introduced Team Plasma into the TCG, followed by Plasma Freeze which greatly improved their arsenal. Plasma Blast further empowers Team Plasma, but also sees the Unova region's champion Iris and member of the Elite 4 Caitlin stand up to their nefarious schemes.

From the official Pokemon website:
"Challenges ring out, Pokémon duel, and the battle for Unova enters the next chapter in the Pokémon TCG: Black & White—Plasma Blast expansion! With Virizion-EX by your side, you must lead the counterattack against the failing forces of Team Plasma as they mount their last stand behind the twinned might of Team Plasma Dialga-EX and Palkia-EX! Victory is within your grasp, when suddenly you face your greatest test...the mighty and mysterious Genesect-EX takes the battlefield, supported by devastating ACE SPEC cards that give it additional attacks! Trainers, it’s time to break the ice!

Pokémon TCG: Black & White—Plasma Blast is the latest expansion to the Pokémon Trading Card Game franchise and will be available in stores on August 14, 2013, bringing over 100 new cards to collect and play."

With that out of the way, let's have a look at some of the new cards that will feature in the upcoming expansion.

Starting with the aforementioned Virizion-EX, this card completes the legendary trio from Unova to join Terrakion-EX and Cobalion-EX. While Virizion-EX lacks the hitting power of its brothers, it comes with two very useful abilities. First of all, Verdant Wind prevents any pokemon you have in play with an attached grass energy from being affected by special conditions. Due to the popularity of Hypnotoxic Laser this ability with certainly come in handy for a grass type deck or any other deck that can make use of grass energy.

Emerald Slash might only hit for a modest 50 damage, but the ability to attach more grass energy from your deck straight onto your benched pokemon is invaluable. For a mere two energy cost, it can quickly pump up your waiting bench before retreating Virizion-EX to bring a heavy hitter out to fight.

The mysterious Genesect-EX has joined the battle under the control of Team Plasma, and it brings some powerful abilities to bear on those who would oppose them. Its Red Signal will allow you to drag out an opponents pokemon when attaching a Plasma Energy to it and let you attack where your opponent may want to be gathering their strength. Megalo Cannon hits for twice as much as Virizion-EX's attack, as well as making one of your opponent's benched pokemon take 20 damage in preparation for Genesect-EX's next strike.

This isn't the end of Genesect-EX's power, as two Ace Spec trainer cards are available for it - G Booster and G Scope. G Booster will hit for a massive 200 damage at the cost of discarding two energy, and G Scope allows Genesect-EX to hit any pokemon your opponent controls for 100 damage. It's also worth noting that those attacks only need the same amount of energy as you would already need to use Megalo Cannon, so you can start boosting up your other benched pokemon while Genesect-EX brings the fight to the foe.

Genesect-EX may be intimidating, but Champion Iris is well prepared with her dragon types. Her Haxorus is set to lead the charge against Team Plasma, and while its Dragonaxe may not seem too great at first but even a single extra energy will hit for 80 damage and put a dent in any pokemon.

Haxorus's true strength lies in it's Strike of the Champion attack. Are an opponent's Team Plasma aligned pokemon causing you some grief? This is for you. If the defending pokemon is a Team Plasma pokemon, Strike of the Champion will allow Haxorus to knock it out directly. From the smallest Durant up to the fearsome Lugia-EX or the previously mentioned Genesect-EX, rest assured that Haxorus can deal with your foe.

Alongside the Ace Spec cards G Booster and G Scope, there is now the option to include a single Master Ball in your deck. I couldn't find an English translated image, but then again I didn't look too hard either. According to Bulbapedia, Master Ball will let you search your deck for any pokemon and add it to your hand. While this may not seem too great at first, consider this:

• Poke Ball will fetch any pokemon, but you must flip a heads.
• Great Ball will fetch any pokemon from the top seven cards of your deck.
• Ultra Ball will fetch any pokemon, at the cost of discarding two cards.
• Heavy Ball will fetch any pokemon, but it must have a retreat cost of three or more.
• Level Ball will fetch any pokemon, but it must have 90HP or less.

Having said that, Master Ball will give you any pokemon in your deck for free. If I can get one, I would most likely swap out the Gold Potion in my Plasma Steel deck to include one.

The last card I'll talk about for now is Jirachi-EX, since Jirachi is one of my favourite pokemon. Now Jirachi-EX isn't a particularly good Pokemon-EX, given that it has only 90HP and its attack will put both itself and the defending pokemon to sleep. What makes it useful is its ability.

When played from your hand onto your bench, Jirachi-EX allows you to take a supporter card from your deck and add it to your hand. At first glance this means you would only be able to do it once, but if you combine it with Super Scoop Up or another Ace Spec card from Plasma Blast known as Scoop Up Cyclone (same effect but no coin flip, much like Master Ball) and you can search multiple supporter cards. With a little luck, Jirachi-EX can increase your search power by quite a bit.



What card am I looking forward to the most? I'd say it's the full art version of Iris. If you were to look on Serebii, you would find that my only weakness is full art trainer cards. Seriously, it's on there. Check it out if you don't believe me! While Iris's effect isn't quite as good as Caitlin's, she has a full art version. That makes it worth wanting, although I would love a full art Jirachi-EX too. Did you see that card just above here? Awesome, innit?

Before I end this session's ramblings, a quick reminder that Tuesday 25th (yes, that's the Tuesday next week) is the first Pokemon TCG tourney for the holidays and the last tournament at the Card House's current location. What better way to spend a final hurrah than by coming in to play some games of Pokemon? The next two scheduled Pokemon events will be at the new location on the 2nd and 7th of July, and I'd love to see you all there! If you don't come though, it would mean that I win by default. Come on down and try to make me work for the prize!

Signing off, Professor Troy (I might fill the new store with traps and change my title to Gym Leader)