The Worst Cards in Pokemon Pocket’s Mythical Island Mini-Set

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Summary

  • Drednaw failed to make a splash due to its awkward evolution, high energy cost, and lackluster damage output.
  • Galvantula struggles to find a place in Lightning-Type decks, offering either disruptive play or little utility.
  • Primeape’s new variant falls short compared to its older version, lacking in damage and synergy with popular decks.

Other than unique and seldom-seen editions, the Mythical Island expansion for Pokemon Pocket introduced 68 fresh and revamped cards, with Mew ex as the main attraction. The mini-set was generally well-liked, and it appears players are satisfied with its influence on the game strategy, inspiring more imaginative deck construction. However, not all cards in the Mythical Island expansion were popular. In fact, some turned out to be underwhelming Pokemon that might soon be overlooked. Here is a list of those “less-than-impressive” cards from the Pokemon Pocket Mythical Island mini-set.

The List’s Criteria

  • Abilities and effects: One of the main criteria for this ranking is the card’s text, effect, and damage. Cards with mediocre abilities or Energy-heavy attacks are considered less favorable.
  • Synergies with current META decks: Cards with little to no synergy with top-performing decks or those without new synergies are ranked lower.
  • Fanbase reception: The overall reactions to the cards in the Mythical Island expansion have also influenced these rankings.

It’s possible to argue that every one of these Pokémon can be justified when they are strategically placed within a deck and utilized at optimal times. Nevertheless, this list highlights their general effectiveness, disregarding the specific circumstances where each card might succeed.

6. Drednaw

Drawback: Below-Average Attack ROI

As a seasoned Pokémon Trading Card Game enthusiast with years of collecting and playing under my belt, I can confidently say that the recent introduction of cards like Vaporeon in Mythical Island and the surge of Gyarados ex has given the illusion of increased opportunities for cards like Drednaw. However, I believe this is simply excessive optimism. In my experience, Drednaw has struggled to establish a foothold in the current metagame for several reasons.

Firstly, its high cost and slow attack speed make it difficult to utilize effectively in quick, fast-paced games. Secondly, its abilities and attacks don’t seem to synergize well with other cards commonly used in the current meta, limiting its versatility. Lastly, the prevalence of cards that can easily knock out Drednaw before it can do significant damage has made it a risky play in most games.

In conclusion, while the presence of Vaporeon and Gyarados ex may create the illusion of more room for Drednaw, I believe that its poor performance in the current meta and its inherent flaws make it unlikely to become a staple card in competitive play anytime soon.

  1. Drednaw is a Stage One Pokemon. The player must spend time and effort evolving it, which isn’t worth it in most META Water-Type decks.
  2. Drednaw requires three Water Energies. In exchange, it only deals 70 damage and has a “chance” to discard one Energy from the opponent’s Active Pokemon. That’s not a tempting trade-off.
  3. Drednaw isn’t Retreat-friendly. Even if the player uses their Leaf on Drednaw, it still requires one additional Energy to retreat, thanks to its hefty three-Energy Retreat cost.

5. Galvantula

Drawback: Incongruity with the Archetype

In the game of Pokemon Pocket, Galvantula is experiencing an existential dilemma because it doesn’t fit well within the current META, or meta-game strategy. It may even be questioning its purpose, as the Lightning-Type category seems to have no space for this Pokemon. However, creative fans have developed unique decks with Galvantula that can annoy opponents into giving up early. Yet, these decks might not be sufficient to secure Galvantula’s survival in the grand scheme of things.

The problem lies in Galvantula being either a game-altering move or simply a frustrating card to interfere with your opponent’s strategy. There seems to be no neutral stance, and that can be disheartening. Despite consistently dealing damage and offering effects, it may not always be the ideal pick for Lightning-Type decks, which is why it finds itself on this list.

4. Primeape

Drawback: Debuffed Attack

In the latest expansion of Mythical Island, the revamped Primeape stands out as quite an unusual card. This new version, being a debuffed variant, leaves one wondering why players might opt for it over the original Genetic Apex Primeape. The novelty lies in its ability to dish out 50 damage with just two Fighting-Type Energies, providing a sense of reliability. However, the Genetic Apex Primeape deals a total net damage of 40 with the same Energy investment, boasting an additional 10 HP and the crucial advantage of increasing its attack power by 60 points (resulting in a total damage of 100).

As a long-time Pokemon trainer with years of battle experience under my belt, I must say that it’s disheartening to see the newer versions of Pokemon overshadowing their older counterparts. Take Primeape for instance, a beloved Pokemon from my childhood, but now overshadowed by the Genetic Apex version. The older Primeape was a reliable counter to Druddigon in the META (Meta-game), but with the increasing popularity of Druddigon, players are opting for the newer variant instead. It’s tough to see my beloved Pokemon being sidelined and I can’t help but feel a sense of nostalgia for the good old days when Primeape was a force to be reckoned with.

3. Ponyta

Drawback: Added RNG

Initially, it may appear that the version of Ponyta found on Mythical Island offers an enhancement or upgrade. However, when you delve deeper and crunch the numbers, the disadvantage of utilizing this variant becomes apparent. If a move deals 40 damage but has just a 50% probability of landing, its average damage output equates to a guaranteed 20-damage attack. This is because the expected damage is calculated as (40 * 0.5) = 20. In simpler terms, while it can deal higher damage, the move’s success isn’t guaranteed, making it statistically equivalent to a consistent 20-damage attack.

In some cases, people may claim that Ponyta from Mythical Island complements Rapidash due to their shared reliance on random number generation for potential benefits. Nevertheless, in the current Pokemon Pocket META, decks based on coin flips tend to underperform in high-level competitive play, where reliability is paramount. As a result, despite any synergy between these two new cards, it essentially amounts to repetition.

2. Florges

Drawback: Awkward Synergies

In practice, Florges is an intriguing scenario. On the surface, its concept appears enticing: a Pokemon capable of holding the Active position for some time and healing benchmates. Given that Florges is a Psychic-Type, coupled with the latest introduction of Mew ex and Budding Expeditioner, it seems primed for victory. Hypothetically, Florges can heal retreating Pokemon while Mew ex goes back to the hand and heals itself using Budding Expeditioner, creating a mutually beneficial situation. However, this is not typically what transpires in gameplay.

The problem lies in using Florges as it’s a Stage Two Pokemon, which diminishes its usefulness considerably. Mewtwo decks have an inherent slowness due to Gardevoir’s Evolution process. Including Florges in this already congested group only intensifies the issue. By the time Florges is ready for action, your opponent has probably placed their main attacker on the active field, and that Pokemon will likely eliminate Florges in a single round after that.

1. Slurpuff

Drawback: Futile Existence

In the Mythical Island expansion, Slurpuff stands out as the least favorable card. Constructing a strategic deck that leverages this Pokemon effectively is remarkably challenging. Slurpuff is a Stage 1 Psychic-Type Pokemon; it dishes out 60 damage when equipped with one Psychic Energy and one Colorless Energy, but that’s essentially its only noteworthy feature.

Slurpuff has one advantage – it is weak against Steel. At present, there are not many powerful Steel-type teams that could take advantage of this. Nevertheless, this single trait does not significantly improve its standing. It’s challenging to envision a scenario where Slurpuff will be a major player in the META. However, we can only predict based on current conditions. The future may hold surprises.

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2025-01-02 08:06