Deck Profiles: BRS - SSP Episode 2 | Palafin

Episode 2 of Deck Profiles BRS - SSP, featuring Palafin ex.

This format has been very rough for competitive Pokemon TCG players. In fact, the last few formats since Twilight Masquerade (TWM) have been pretty rough for competitive Pokemon TCG players. Twilight Masquerade introduced cards that have made some of the most devastating power creep experiences we've experienced as Pokemon TCG players since Tag Team Pokemon were introduced into the Standard format. One of those cards was Palafin ex.

Now, if you've been playing the Pokemon TCG since Twilight Masquerade, you'd be surprised to hear me mention Palafin ex on the list of "devastating power creep" cards from Twilight Masquerade, and this is because this card has seen zero success at official tournaments since it's come out. Don't be deceived, though. Palafin ex is a very powerful card.

Palafin ex's design was made to prevent the formats that we've had the utmost pleasure of being a part of for the last 7 or so months, formats dominated by pay-to-win combos that prevent you from playing the game once set up (and some require little set up, like Raging Bolt). Palafin ex has the attack Giga Impact, which does 250 damage for 1 water energy, but you can't attack next turn. This one shots all Basic Pokemon V (Regidrago, Lugia, etc.) that are meta and all Basic Pokemon ex (Raging Bolt, Roaring Moon, Iron Hands, etc.) that are meta. So, this card prevents pay-to-win formats from taking over.

However, they have. This is not because Palafin does not do what it's designed to do, it's because players haven't tested Palafin enough to come up with sufficient lists to play Palafin at regionals or even league cups.

Palafin is a very powerful best of 3 deck as it wins by setting up. If you have 2, or even 3, chances to set up, your odds of winning the game go up significantly.

You could play Palafin ex in best of 1, but you'll have a much lower win rate than in best of 3. So I would recommend not playing it in best of 1 as you will be sorely disappointed at your results.

Overall, the goal of this video is to help people potentially wanting to test Palafin ex conceptualize new lists to take to best of 3 events so that Palafin gets the play it deserves.

Another reason is to highlight the fact that we haven't needed to have such miserable formats to play in since TWM came out because The Pokemon Company International has provided sufficient Pokemon to counter certain unfair, degenerate playstyles that punish newer, aspiring players and reward lazier, more opportunistic players. And Palafin is one of them.

Palafin just needs more play and these formats (BRS - TWM and on) will be solved.

So this is episode 2 of my BRS - SSP deck profiles. Thank you for listening and I hope you continue to support my work.