John Kettler
Author Archive
Moving Forward with Standard, and a Guide to Coping with Format Rotations
“Before we get too far into discussion, let’s set the stage for Standard. Recently I’ve read a lot of hate regarding the current Standard. And I mean a lot. However, consider this: We haven’t had a genuine rotation in almost three years! Things like Juniper and N have been legal for around four years! Back in the days of 2004-2008, format rotations were so dramatic, critical engines and Supporter lineups changed almost every season. Here’s a brief, non-exhaustive overview of the cards decks used to function back then: 2004-2006 Setup Pokémon: Pidgeot RG, Magcargo DX 20 Supporters: TV Reporter, Steven’s Advice,…
Moving on from States, and Approaching Nationals “States Reflections Preparation Week One – Oklahoma State Championship Week Two – Texas State Championship Wild Blaze!!! Conclusion Since many of my fellow writers will be tackling – and already have tackled – the States experience in far greater detail, I’ll let them get down to reading the tea leaves of the results. However, I do have a relatively unique perspective on these tournaments that can help illuminate not just what we need to conquer this format, but figuring out the ideal approach to preparing for large, significant tournaments. To start, I suppose we should discuss my results. I made…
Understanding the Biology of X and Y “When reading today’s discussion, please keep three things in mind… 1: No running in the lab. (Ash…) 2: Remember that this is a jumping-off point for testing, and not the end of it. Many of the thoughts, tactics, and lists discussed here are actually the beginning of what may be months of breakthroughs, especially since X and Y is such a groundbreaking set. 3: This article’s main purpose is discussing applications of the new set, and not necessarily new uses for old cards. You’ll definitely see recommendations on playing Darkrai, Emboar, Plasma, etc., but they’re not our primary topics of…
It drifted in on the flow of ocean waters from a frigid place. It keeps its head iced constantly to make sure it stays nice and cold. (Eiscue)
Different Decks and Surprising Techs “First off, some of you may be wondering who on Earth I am. The Underground dynamic has changed, and I haven’t written an article in nearly five months, so I figured a reintroduction would help here. My name is John Kettler: I’m a competitive player who’s been in the game seriously for about a decade. I have a lot of regional success in my home state of Texas, as well as modest success at the National and Worlds levels. More importantly, though, I’m a long-time contributor to SixPrizes.com as an Underground writer, as well as founder and administrator of HeyTrainer.org.…
With jaws that can shear through steel rods, this highly aggressive Pokémon chomps down on its unfortunate prey. (Drednaw)
Its thick and fluffy fur protects it from the cold and enables it to use hotter fire moves. (Raboot)
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