Pokémon Recovery in Gym Leader Challenge: Choosing the Best Options for Your Deck
With the upcoming release of the Night Stretcher card, it's the perfect time to explore the fantastic variety of Pokémon recovery options available in the Gym Leader Challenge format. This slot is one of the most diverse and strategically significant in the game. Selecting the right combination of recovery cards can make all the difference in your deck's performance. Let's dive into the details of each option and see what makes them tick!
Item Cards
Rescue Stretcher
Rescue Stretcher offers remarkable versatility with its dual options: either putting a Pokémon from your discard pile into your hand or shuffling three Pokémon back into your deck. This flexibility allows for both immediate access to key Pokémon and the ability to replenish your deck. It supports both basic and evolution Pokémon, and with the Pokémon going straight to your hand, any coming-into-play effects are activated. However, it doesn't provide any recovery for energy cards. Rescue Stretcher is one of the best cards ever printed. The versatility it offers makes it undeniably a staple in pretty much every Gym Leader Challenge deck.
Night Stretcher
The Night Stretcher card is a versatile addition, allowing you to either put a Pokémon or a Basic Energy card from your discard pile into your hand. This dual functionality ensures you have immediate access to either option as needed. Like Rescue Stretcher, it supports both basic and evolution Pokémon and activates coming-into-play effects by placing the Pokémon directly into your hand. The main limitation is that it only allows recovery of one Pokémon or one Basic Energy at a time. This is one of those recovery cards that fit greatly with decks trying to recycle specific attackers, like any of the HitmonBros, Lost Mine Sableye, Amazing Shot Raikou and plenty more.
Revive
Revive is a straightforward card that puts a Basic Pokémon from your discard pile onto your Bench, providing quick access to basic Pokémon. However, it doesn't activate any coming-into-play effects since the Pokémon goes directly to the Bench. It’s limited to recovering only one Basic Pokémon and offers no energy card recovery. Just like Night Stretcher, this card excels in recovery for decks that prioritize recycling particular attackers. In a lot of decks this card will be powercrept by the aforementioned Night Stretcher, which offers a lot more versatility. However some decks are more than happy to see another instant-access recovery card join the cardpool and will play the entire suit of them. Big hurray for all the broken attackers!
Rescue Carrier
Rescue Carrier is a handy card that retrieves up to two Pokémon with 90 HP or less from your discard pile and puts them into your hand. This allows for immediate use and triggers any coming-into-play effects. It accommodates both basic and evolution Pokémon but is restricted to those with 90 HP or less and doesn’t recover energy cards. Ideal for low HP attackers like Lost Mine Sableye and the Weather Reading Castforms or bench sitters like Bench Barrier Mew and Veil Wave Manaphy.
Super Rod
Super Rod shuffles up to three cards in any combination of Pokémon and Basic Energy from your discard pile back into your deck. This card provides flexibility in recovery, allowing you to balance between Pokémon and energy cards as needed. The downside is that you don't get immediate access to the recovered cards.
Ordinary Rod
Ordinary Rod allows you to choose one or both options: shuffling up to two Pokémon and up to two Basic Energy cards from your discard pile back into your deck. This versatility makes it a strong recovery option, offering the highest combined recovery for Pokémon and energy cards among item options. However, like Super Rod, it doesn’t provide instant access to the recovered cards.
Lana’s Fishing Rod
Lana’s Fishing Rod uniquely allows you to shuffle a Pokémon and a Pokémon Tool card from your discard pile back into your deck, offering a rare tool recovery option. It works for both basic and evolution Pokémon. However, it doesn’t give you immediate access to the recovered cards and is limited to one Pokémon, with no energy recovery.
Max Revive
Max Revive puts a Pokémon from your discard pile on top of your deck, making it accessible on your next draw. This can include both basic and evolution Pokémon, and opens up strategic topdeck combinations. However, it doesn’t provide instant access to the Pokémon and lacks energy recovery. I’m looking at you Emergency Entry Metagross and the Top Entry gang in Lampent, Lombre and Luxio.
Buddy-Buddy Rescue
Buddy-Buddy Rescue allows each player to put a Pokémon from their discard pile into their hand, with your opponent choosing first. This card provides immediate access to a Pokémon and triggers any coming-into-play effects. However, it also benefits your opponent, making it a double-edged sword. It doesn't recover energy cards and is limited to one Pokémon. For decks aiming to reuse certain attackers, this recovery card is an excellent fit, while also giving you the option to recover evolution Pokémon that might have been discarded during play. Just like Revive this one is also powercrept by the new Night Stretcher card. If your deck still needs more than two instant recovery cards there might still be an argument to play Buddy-Buddy Rescue over Revive, since it does allow the recovery of evolution Pokémon as well.
Sacred Ash
Sacred Ash is excellent for shuffling five Pokémon from your discard pile back into your deck, offering the largest pure Pokémon recovery on an item card. It supports both basic and evolution Pokémon. The main drawback is that it doesn't provide immediate access to the recovered Pokémon and lacks energy recovery. However, sometimes it is not optimal to put back that many Pokémon, depending on your deck's strategy and current state it might have been more optimal to recover a smaller amount of Pokémon.
Lure Ball
Lure Ball is an item card that lets you flip three coins and, for each heads, put an Evolution Pokémon from your discard pile into your hand. While the potential to recover up to three Evolution Pokémon might seem appealing, the reliance on coin flips makes this card extremely unreliable and inconsistent. In a competitive setting, the unpredictability of Lure Ball means you can never count on it to perform when you need it most. This lack of reliability, combined with the fact that it only targets Evolution Pokémon, makes Lure Ball an unplayable choice in most decks. No serious player includes this card due to its excessive randomness and limited utility. Where are the Timer Ball stans?
Revitalizer
Revitalizer is a fantastic recovery option exclusively for Grass decks, allowing you to put two Grass Pokémon from your discard pile into your hand. This immediate access to two Pokémon can be a game-changer, especially for setting up crucial plays and activating any coming-into-play effects. It supports both basic and evolution Grass Pokémon, providing flexibility in recovery. Even though it doesn't offer any energy recovery options, this is an undeniable staple in every Grass Gym Leader Challenge deck. Repeated Whip Zarude and Gaia Blaster Shining Genesect anyone, …?
Supporter Cards
Supporter cards offer powerful recovery options, often providing a greater impact compared to item cards. However, their potency is balanced by the rule that you can only play one supporter per turn. Choosing the right supporter for your deck can significantly influence your game strategy and success.
Klara
Klara is a versatile supporter card that lets you choose up to two Pokémon and up to two Basic Energy cards from your discard pile and put them into your hand. This dual recovery capability makes her a strong choice for regaining both Pokémon and energy resources in one turn. The instant access to these cards can help set up crucial plays. This makes Klara the go-to supporter option for decks that lack a better type-specific recovery option.
Lana's Aid
Lana's Aid allows you to put up to 3 in any combination of Pokémon and Basic Energy cards from your discard pile into your hand. This balanced recovery option provides flexibility in replenishing both Pokémon and energy resources as needed. However, the recovered resources are not directly accessible for immediate use on the same turn.
Miriam
Miriam lets you shuffle up to five Pokémon from your discard pile into your deck, then draw three cards. This combination of mass recovery and draw power can be very potent, effectively replenishing your deck while boosting your hand. However, the lack of immediate access to specific Pokémon is a notable drawback.
Brock's Grit
Brock’s Grit is the most extensive recovery option for both Pokémon and Energy cards in the game. This powerful supporter allows you to shuffle up to six cards in any combination of Pokémon and basic Energy cards from your discard pile back into your deck. This capability ensures that you can replenish your resources significantly. Perfect for extremely energy hungry decks like Aqua Storm Kyogre or one of my all-time favorites Spirit Burner Chandelure.
Karen
Karen shuffles all Pokémon from each player’s discard pile into their deck. This card is a double-edged sword; while it can massively replenish your own deck, it also aids your opponent. Its strategic use can turn the tide of a game, especially if you have more to gain from the recovery than your opponent. I have yet to see this card being played in Gym Leader Challenge but this is the most insane Pokémon recovery available so it deserves to be mentioned.
Roseanne's Backup
Roseanne's Backup allows you to choose one or more: shuffle a Pokémon, a Pokémon Tool card, a Stadium card, and an Energy card from your discard pile into your deck. This versatility makes it a highly adaptable card, catering to various recovery needs. However, the lack of immediate access to the cards must be considered.
Team Yell's Cheer
Team Yell's Cheer allows you to shuffle up to 3 in any combination of Pokémon and Supporter cards (except for Team Yell’s Cheer itself) from your discard pile into your deck. This unique supporter card provides a versatile recovery option, enabling you to recycle valuable Pokémon and supporter cards back into your deck for future use. However, like other supporters, playing Team Yell's Cheer consumes your one supporter play for the turn, so strategic timing is essential for optimal gameplay. Team Yell’s Cheer is most frequently seen in control decks to recover supporters in bulk but the extra benefit of Pokémon recovery might come in handy every once in a while.
Thorton
Thorton allows you to choose a Basic Pokémon in your discard pile and switch it with one of your Basic Pokémon in play. Any attached cards, damage counters, Special Conditions, turns in play, and any other effects remain on the new Pokémon. This card provides a unique way to change your board state, potentially bringing a more useful Pokémon into play. However, it only works with Basic Pokémon.
Nanu
Nanu is essentially a Darkness-specific Thorton. It allows you to switch one of your Basic Darkness Pokémon in play with a Basic Darkness Pokémon from your discard pile, with all effects, including damage counters, remaining on the new Pokémon. This provides a tactical advantage in Darkness decks, enabling strategic swaps. Like other supporters, it uses up your supporter play for the turn.
Nessa and Tulip
Last but not least the crème of the crop when it comes to supporter based Pokémon recovery Nessa and Tulip. This pair of supporters has the same powerful recovery effect but they are tailored for different types of decks. Nessa allows you to put up to four in any combination of Water Pokémon and Water Energy cards from your discard pile into your hand, making it ideal for Water decks. Similarly, Tulip provides this same recovery option for Psychic decks, allowing you to put up to four in any combination of Psychic Pokémon and Psychic Energy cards into your hand. Both cards offer immediate access to key resources, but their use is balanced by being limited to your one supporter play for the turn, which can restrict other strategic actions.
Conclusion
Each Pokémon recovery card brings its own strengths and limitations to the table. Whether your deck tries to recycle the same attackers over and over again and needs instant access to these specific Pokémon or prefer a more versatile approach that includes energy recovery, there's a card for you. Choose wisely and tailor your recovery strategy to fit your deck's unique needs, ensuring you stay ahead in the game!