Articuno ex · FireRed & LeafGreen (RG) #114

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1. 

   Crystal

   (2 years ago)

   This is a follow-up to a discussion on Articuno GX CES #31, which is a spiritual reprint of this card. That card originates from SM6b, which is a spiritual reprint set of some of the best cards from the Neo, e-Card, ADV, and PCG blocks of the game.. so the question that came up is, what’s special about this card that it deserved a reprint? (It kinda seems eh.)

   In scrounging around for some discussion of this card, I thought it would make sense to link examples here instead.

   https://archive.ph/G2unn
   This is a pretty straightforward breakdown from a JP source, and seems to be the most likely reason the card was seen fit as a candidate for a reprint. Blastoise ex‘s Energy Rain can let Articuno ex use Cold Crush over and over while not necessarily consuming your Energy attachment for the turn, and players were excited to have a reliable form of Energy Removal back in the game.

   Messy Pokégym thread from 2005, but it’s describing the same concept as above, Blastoise ex + Articuno ex, as the core functioning mechanic of the deck. Even though it sounds like the deck is just suboptimal in its composition, it still made some “noise” and “turmoil”. Why didn’t it get refined and go on to win Worlds? My guess is because this thread came out only a few months before EX Unseen Forces released, and Blastoise would go on to find better partners in the B-L-S archetype.

   https://web.archive.org/web/20071012223307/https://www.pojo.com/COTD/2004/September2004/10.htm
   This is Pojo’s review of Articuno ex from 2004. They’re sceptical of it doing well in Modified (re: what would be “Standard” in today’s terminology, right?), but note that it is a gg if you happen to use it in Limited (re: “Prerelease”).

   https://web.archive.org/web/20200924150517/https://www.pojo.com/articuno-gx-pokemon-review/
   Here is Pojo’s 2020 review of Articuno GX, and discussion of Articuno ex does come up. Of particular interest, someone brings up a recollection of a deck comprised of Articuno ex + Zapdos ex + Moltres ex doing decently, using Legendary Ascent to conserve energy attachments while shuffling between the 3 birds to cover a decent gamut of options insofar as striking for weaknesses and choosing optimal resistances.

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     CrystalCrystal

     (2 years ago)

     * https://archive.ph/G0IUh is an archived link to the Pokégym thread I’m missing from the post.

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