Any Pokemon Masters out there?

[anonerroranonerror]

Hello, how is anyone?

I've lately been interested in the pokemon tcg, specifically the cards which were released when I was very much younger and more gullible for following the pack, specifically pre-Team Rocket cards. Actually, I've been researching slightly and now understand that by the time the US got Team Rocket it was in its mid-life crisis and not as new and scary as I thought it to be, actually Japan having been all the way to Gym trainers' cards by the time the US even got the base set, which again I thought was very different and too out of the ordinary and new to get into.

Anyway, is there anyone out there who has experience within releases between these cards? I've bought a few player's guides and some cards and theme decks to sort of practice with myself, having fun, getting experience with whatever cards there were, for whatever late reasons. Is this an active thing, or is it far dead and completed, like Deep Blue did to Chess? Furthermore, is there anyone who has time to comment on strategies or opinionate about what strategies might've been around should anyone have had the patience? And even furthermore, is bulbapedia an active community or am I looking in the wrong community? The only pokemon-centered thing I've ever been cognizant of has basically been bulbapedia ever since I first started googling pokemon names for game tips.

 

[PaulTheProtist]

I'm fairly involved in the TCG community (even if I haven't been to a tournament in ages).

Currently, the TCG is fairly big (compared to similar card games such as Yu-Gi-Oh and MTG). They have official yearly tournaments. Currently, the metagame is dominated by decks which have one or two major EX Pokémon, with the rest of the cards supporting those Pokémon. Generally, your deck should be at least 50% trainer cards. A good trainer card engine is the backbone of any deck. The theme decks that they sell are good for learning to play the game, but none of them would be any good for any sort of competitive play.

When it comes to the TCG, Bulbapedia isn't very active. It does have some competitive information, but most of it is from the Platinum era (when Pokémon SP dominated the Metagame) and you aren't likely to find much up-to-date information. Furthermore, the TCG forum is one of the less active ones on this site. If you're looking for a community that can help you more, you might want to go to PokéBeach. Feel free to ask me any questions though.