pokebeach.comAfter looking at the Card of the Day request thread (which is quite pitiful, might I add), I realized a high demand for reviews of T/S/S cards. Well, somewhere along the way I noticed Engineer’s Adjustments was requested. Which leads me to the Card of the Day…
Engineer’s Adjustments is a Supporter, so it’s effect will have to justify its use by being better than other Supporters you could have used that turn.
Its effect is simple: Discard an energy to draw 4 cards. That’s very strong draw power. It works well with decks such as Steelix or Charizard that make use of their discarded energies. Natural partners for Engineer’s Adjustments are Stadiums such as Conductive Quarry or Burned Tower, which allow you to recover energies from the discard pile.
I’d be cautious about running Engineer’s Adjustments in low-energy decks, although there aren’t many cards that are going to let you draw 4 cards. If you have enough energy in your deck, it could be chosen over Volkner’s Philosophy.
A different comparative card is Bill, which gives the measly effect of drawing 2 cards. This isn’t powerful enough to justify its position as a Supporter. The next card up in drawing power is Cheerleader’s Cheer, which allows it you to draw 3 cards, but also allows your opponent to draw 1. This could be a better card than Engineer’s Adjustments in a deck like Vilegar, but not a replacement, nor would I recommend running Cheerleader’s Cheer in just about any other deck. In Black and White, Cheren, a new Support card, allows you to draw 3 cards without penalty, which may replace Engineer’s in a few low-energy decks.
Engineer’s Adjustments is the best way to draw cards indiscriminately and quickly, and for a fairly low cost. It’s crucial to decks such as Steelix, and could probably see play in Regigigas and Charizard. It’s a pretty unique card that has found its niche and will probably keep it through the next format. I’m biased, as I run Steelix, but it’s still a great card that’ I’ll give a 4/5.
Also helps Magnezone decks obviously, although in testing, not 100% necessary depending on build.
Cheren was cut from BW, so that’s not coming unfortunately.
Other than that, other options missed are things like Professor Oak’s Visit (Not actually that bad, best solid drawpower atm imo), and Sage’s Training (meh, some decks like it I guess)
It was tempting to compare it to cards like POTN or Cynthia’s Feelings, but I decided that those were hand refresh instead of draw power. I decided to rate it more based on wanting to keep cards than get new ones.
Not Pont, Professor Oak’s Visit lets you draw three cards and put one card from hand to the bottom of the deck. I understand this article is more about pure drawpower than refresh.
Oh wow. I totally misread that, and forgot about that card. Cheren’s gonna be the top dog when it hits USA/UK, I think.
What’s wrong with Emcee, it guarantees a draw with hardly any downside, or Team Rocket’s Trickery, it’s disruptive and no downside for the user.
I think the rating might be a 3 or 3.5/5 because it really only works in some decks, like charizard, steelix, and some magnezone. When sp does get rotated and the format slows down a lot it could make the decks I mentioned become a lot better. Thats all I think you might disagree and thats fine.
I think we need to get some kind of card rating standard going. I enjoy the Cotd and this was a typically good read. However, there seems to be no rhyme or reason to the ratings cards get. 4/5 for a card that is only good in certain decks doesn’t seem to warrant that kind of rating. I personally don’t care about the rating most of the time, but new readers might be confused. Especially when other cards that are better received lower ratings (rhyperior lvl x, Lucario COL, Aarons Collection etc.
it’s based on the opinion of the reviewer, and in my opinion, it’s better than Rhyperior Lv.X, Lucario CL, and Aaron’s Collection.
it’s based on the opinion of the reviewer, and in my opinion, it’s better than Rhyperior Lv.X, Lucario CL, and Aaron’s Collection.
better than rhy x whaat
Random suggestion for a rating scheme:
0 = This card is utter garbage. It can’t be used in any deck
1 = This card is pretty crappy. It may only work as a tech for a tech, but it’s definitely not meta. Also, evolving basic that just isn’t that good.
2 = Decent card, but it doesn’t see any competitive play because it’s meta. Might make it to the league, but you won’t see it at a tournament.
3 = Decent tech in specific decks. It may not fit in every deck, but the deck it does fit in it fits well in.
4 = Required card for specific deck. It doesn’t go in every deck, but it is absolutely essential to making the deck it is in function in the meta.
5 = This card is in every single deck. If you’re not playing it, you’re an idiot.
If it doesn’t help anyone else, it definitely helps me, as I am known for my crappy rating system. :P Live & learn, I guess. :P Thanks!
So a potential 5 cards to fit on that list (just springing to mind) could be:
0 = Spinda SV
1 = Good Rod UL
2 = Nidoking TM
3 = Blissey Prime
4 = Vileplume UD
5 = Pokemon Collector
Not trying to start a debate about the cards I picked, but it’s a good comparison for your suggestions. This would make this card about a 2.8 ~ just a bit worse than Blissey Prime.
:D
I agree with your rating system, and I want to bring up a vote to put it in place. Shall we do so by voting on the post where he placed the rating system? I believe that would be fair.