Yeah I'm definitely part of the hoarding problem woops. There are some formats that are cheaper than others that are still worth getting into. Others just have to be a long term investment, even for people knee deep like myself, any of the EX series stuff is a massive money commitment.
It may be unpopular, but this was the format that taught me how to play a card game competitively/seriously - things like syngery, deckbuilding choices, and maximizing consistency (what relatively little we had lol). I would not be playing card games today without these sets and this format
@ My first time playing the Pokemon TCG after learning was the Dark Explorers prerelease, I played from there up through XY and then bowed out at Sun and Moon as I moved toward focusing more on MTG.
Yeah that was super common, especially in the post-rotation format that immediately followed 2013 Worlds. As with most BW formats, it's better to play them for no stakes, casual games.
This was the format that I played in as a kid. I remember the older kids telling us about how Stage 1s and 2s used to be viable, but by the time I was competitive, it was nothing but "X-Ball for the KO" on repeat. I enjoyed how a lot of games came down to figuring out the puzzle of damage numbers, but despite that I definitely remember a lot of games feeling either lopsided because one player top-decked their pieces and the other didn't, or boring because the matchup played out exactly as it was supposed to for the 10th time in a row. Also, hearing that people actually like Catcher being on a coin-flip is crazy, as I was leaving I totally thought that that change was going to be terrible for the competitive integrity of the game.
This video perfectly summarizes why I've spent no time digging into BW. Just about every format I have at least a light interest in but the unbalanced nature of the game just doesn't interest my strategy brain.
@creativecomicproductions Some great formats for balance are 2010, 2017, and RSPK. BW is pretty unbalanced for its entire legality even going into XY. 2014 is pretty fun though, if nothing else
I think the TCG needs a new round a team style archetype. They had Team Plasma Ball's unique energies, supporters that bring any plasma cards back from the discard and Deoxy's had good damage boost for damage allies. The blue borders were also unique on the Plasma cards that were not EX (Genesect and Deoxys had crackling blue energy one the borders) One of the later sets even had Flare Hyper tool cards that you attach on your enemy (a confusion tool and a increases enemy attack cost)
@kstanni87 we've gotten similar mechanic to team cards like Ancient and Future (future works very similarly to plasma). The last few games teams have just been goofballs though so there's not really much to do with them
from someone how played before, during and after the format does not really offer much new, big basic heavy format is what we are currently in and people enjoy playing formats that just give a different feeling. hence why the 2006-2010 blocks tend to be more popular.
for ref i did played TDK (top 32 lose to zach L) for both cad national and grinders in worlds (won 3 rounds than lost in r4, you need to win 6 round in a row to make it.)
Yep, played Deluge Blastoise diring this era and even as a kid, I ws so upset i missed the 2010s era and had to play this swingy big basic bull crap...
I started playing during black and white my dad played zoroark, darkrai and damn was it annoying to play. I played virgen though the best deck of all time and i guess not in this exact format
It's a weird feeling to feel validated about my departure from the TCG for all of the BW block as a kid. I really didn't enjoy the sloppy shift to big basic 2 prize pokemon and lack of interesting supporter design.
Nah Base set era and arguably XY were worse eras. A lot of BW just comes off as forgettable on top of the mediocre gameplay is all. In terms of BW being a huge step down from the EX and DP era though, yeah absolutely
I wanna play older formats (maybe not this one, but just in general), but the $$$. Hoarding and grading have put them out of reach.😮
Yeah I'm definitely part of the hoarding problem woops. There are some formats that are cheaper than others that are still worth getting into. Others just have to be a long term investment, even for people knee deep like myself, any of the EX series stuff is a massive money commitment.
2018 is peak… 2018 is like $50… the decision is clear…
Could always proxy the cards with friends. That way, you save the money and get to play the format
@xtbgamer5315 this is my biggest recommendation, especially for formats that are less popular and more expensive
It may be unpopular, but this was the format that taught me how to play a card game competitively/seriously - things like syngery, deckbuilding choices, and maximizing consistency (what relatively little we had lol). I would not be playing card games today without these sets and this format
Oh yeah I was right there with you in the trenches. Learned most of my playing during the BW era before taking XY off completely
@ My first time playing the Pokemon TCG after learning was the Dark Explorers prerelease, I played from there up through XY and then bowed out at Sun and Moon as I moved toward focusing more on MTG.
@@WhimsicottTCGWe had practically the same experience lol
This format was so brutal, I played Blastoise at a regionals and got donked going second cuz I opened lone Squirtle into Tornadus EX. Felt bad man
Yeah that was super common, especially in the post-rotation format that immediately followed 2013 Worlds. As with most BW formats, it's better to play them for no stakes, casual games.
This was the format that I played in as a kid. I remember the older kids telling us about how Stage 1s and 2s used to be viable, but by the time I was competitive, it was nothing but "X-Ball for the KO" on repeat. I enjoyed how a lot of games came down to figuring out the puzzle of damage numbers, but despite that I definitely remember a lot of games feeling either lopsided because one player top-decked their pieces and the other didn't, or boring because the matchup played out exactly as it was supposed to for the 10th time in a row.
Also, hearing that people actually like Catcher being on a coin-flip is crazy, as I was leaving I totally thought that that change was going to be terrible for the competitive integrity of the game.
@@williamtrowbridge4868 coin flip catcher is sacky, but it allowed evolution decks a lot of breathing room under Lysandre came out
You’re quickly becoming my favourite TH-camr ❤
Fluffychomp mentioned let's go! That was what I ran during that era
This video perfectly summarizes why I've spent no time digging into BW. Just about every format I have at least a light interest in but the unbalanced nature of the game just doesn't interest my strategy brain.
@creativecomicproductions Some great formats for balance are 2010, 2017, and RSPK. BW is pretty unbalanced for its entire legality even going into XY. 2014 is pretty fun though, if nothing else
I think the TCG needs a new round a team style archetype. They had Team Plasma Ball's unique energies, supporters that bring any plasma cards back from the discard and Deoxy's had good damage boost for damage allies.
The blue borders were also unique on the Plasma cards that were not EX (Genesect and Deoxys had crackling blue energy one the borders)
One of the later sets even had Flare Hyper tool cards that you attach on your enemy (a confusion tool and a increases enemy attack cost)
@kstanni87 we've gotten similar mechanic to team cards like Ancient and Future (future works very similarly to plasma). The last few games teams have just been goofballs though so there's not really much to do with them
from someone how played before, during and after the format does not really offer much new, big basic heavy format is what we are currently in and people enjoy playing formats that just give a different feeling. hence why the 2006-2010 blocks tend to be more popular.
for ref i did played TDK (top 32 lose to zach L) for both cad national and grinders in worlds (won 3 rounds than lost in r4, you need to win 6 round in a row to make it.)
Yep, played Deluge Blastoise diring this era and even as a kid, I ws so upset i missed the 2010s era and had to play this swingy big basic bull crap...
Such nostalgia for this format, how good is blw block if you've played it? I have just 2013 worlds built rn
@@ScrubbedOut i don't play the block formats, so I can't comment much. It does add silver bangle and virizion genesect to 2013
I started playing during black and white my dad played zoroark, darkrai and damn was it annoying to play. I played virgen though the best deck of all time and i guess not in this exact format
It's a weird feeling to feel validated about my departure from the TCG for all of the BW block as a kid. I really didn't enjoy the sloppy shift to big basic 2 prize pokemon and lack of interesting supporter design.
5:14 seems like you forgot to edit that out
woops
man, this was the era i entered pokemon tcg.
i joined during the worst format ever from the sound of it hahaha
Nah Base set era and arguably XY were worse eras. A lot of BW just comes off as forgettable on top of the mediocre gameplay is all. In terms of BW being a huge step down from the EX and DP era though, yeah absolutely
@@WhimsicottTCG i was in when the xy stuff started coming out so, yup. came in at the worst time XD