The perks of being liberated. (The Plasma engine )

Plasma is a new mechanic that is to be introduced to everyone outside of Japan in early 2013. Plasma re-introduces the owner's mechanic back into the tcg. This sort of idea was introduced all the way back when Gym Challenge and Gym Heros debuted. There have been only a handful to see play since and now we get one more to add to bunch in Plasma.


Which leads me to this. I'm going discuss the perks that come along with being a Plasma Pokemon. While the Pokemon themselves are very special, the tools that work along side them are what make them a force to be reckoned with.

Colress Machine – Trainer
Item (Team Plasma)
Search your deck for a Plasma Energy and attach it to one of your Team Plasma Pokemon. Shuffle your deck afterwards.
You can use any number of Item cards during your turn.

This card right here makes Plasma some of the fastest the game has to offer. The most common energy acceleration we have right now are Dark Patch, Eelektrik and the newly released Blastoise. All of these are great in their own right but there are some negatives. Dark Patch and Eelektrik accelerate energy from the discard so often do you see players slowed by this set back when they fail to get energy discard fast enough and can fall behind. Blastoise can take a devastating blow from a late game N. If all you energy get whipped off the field via a big KO and your hand get's dropped too low to recover, then you wont be attacking again anytime soon.

The only downsides I see that come with Colress Machine are that it only works for Plasma Pokemon and that it only grabs Plasma Energy which are only limited to four per deck. But aside from that, this card will 99% off the time net you an energy from your deck thus thinning your deck and building up attackers faster than before.

 Plasma Frigate – Trainer
Stadium (Team Plasma)

All Pokemon that have Plasma Energy attached to them have no Weakness.

This card stays in play when you play it. Discard this card if another Stadium card comes into play. If another card with the same name is in play, you can’t play this card.

In a format based one one shots and two shots, giving you're main attackers no weakness really gives you the edge in the prize trade.

 

 Plasma Energy – Special Energy (Team Plasma)  

This card provides 1 [C] Energy.

 Plasma Energy has no effects. It's just a [C] energy. But some of the Plasma Pokemon get a boost from having it attached and Lugia EX (arguably the most hyped and powerful of the bunch) need it to attack. 

 

 

Remember Holon's Adventurer? HEEEE'S BAAAAAAACK!

Team Plasma Grunt – Trainer
Supporter (Team Plasma)

Discard a Team Plasma card from your hand. Then, draw 4 cards.

You may play only 1 Supporter card during your turn (before your attack).

Not 100% because Plasma Grunt forces you to discard but close enough.

 

 

Plasma Ball

Plasma Ball – Trainer

Item (Team Plasma)

Search your deck for a Team Plasma Pokemon card, reveal it, and add it to your hand. Shuffle your deck afterwards.

You can use any number of Item cards during your turn.

This card adds MAJOR consistency to any Plasma build. Grab a Plasma Pokemon was zero draw back? Yes please!

As of right now, these five cards are the only ones that  work exclusively with the Plasma mechanic.. So this would be known as the "Plasma Engine". Seems a bit undeveloped at the moment but I'm sure that in time, more will come about pushing the game into the age of liberation.

Other cards to look out for

Colress – Trainer
Supporter (Team Plasma)

Shuffle your hand into your deck. Then, draw an amount of cards up to the number of Pokemon on both your and your opponent’s Bench.
You may play only 1 Supporter card during your turn (before your attack).

This is almost just like Steven's Advice but with one big set back. It's shuffle rather than straight draw like Steven's was. This is by no means bed but that card could be trouble when it's your only supporter in your opening hand and your opponent is playing a big basic deck that tend to have very few benched Pokemon.

Poison Hypnotic Beam – Trainer
Item (Team Plasma)

The Defending Pokemon is now Poisoned. Flip a coin. If heads, the Defending Pokemon is also Asleep.

You can use any number of Item cards during your turn.

This card can be paired greatly with Ninetales DRX, Ratticate BC and the new Plasma Giratina.

 

Metagross - Psychic - HP140
Stage 2 - Evolves from Metang

Ability: Plasma Search
Once during your turn (before your attack), you may search your deck for a Team Plasma card, show it to your opponent, and put it into your hand. Shuffle your deck afterwards. You can't use more than one Plasma Search ability each turn.

[P][C][C][C] Psycho Trip: 60 damage. The Defending Pokemon is now Confused.
Weakness: Psychic (x2)
Resistance: none
Retreat: 2

The attack is nothing great but that ability is absolutely amazing. Remember Pidgeot from Fire Red Leaf Green? It's just like that big specifically for Plasma. This card boosts consistency to the max. The should probably be considered part of the engine, along with this next card.

Plasma Badge - Trainer
Item (Team Plasma)

Pokemon Tool: Each Pokemon can have only 1 Pokemon Tool attached to it at any time.

The Pokemon that this Tool is attached to counts as a Team Plasma Pokemon.

You can use any number of Item cards during your turn.

It is unknown whether or not we will get this card or how it will be distributed if we do. This baby right here gives EVERY Pokemon the same perks that the Plasma get. Makes the engine basically universal and opens up the door to a lot of creativity. It's one downside is that it's a tool and Tool Scrapper exists.

And I've saved arguably the best for last.

Ghetsis – Trainer
 
Supporter (Team Plasma)
Look at your opponent’s hand. Your opponent shuffles all Item cards there into his or her deck. Then, draw from your deck the amount of cards your opponent shuffled into his or her deck.
You may play only 1 Supporter card during your turn (before your attack)

.
 This card is absolutely amazing and highly disruptive. A completely one sided Lass and many think that it's broken, game changing and I for one wouldn't be surprised if this is a mistranslation. This card is believed to make the biggest impact on the game. Bigger than any I listed previously.
 

 
Conclusion

It's isn't the best we've ever seen but it's  certainly a step forward and this is sure to make a BIG splash in the meta game come states so be prepared. I, for one, am very excited for this and can't wait to see what comes of it.