EX Legend Maker

EX Legend Maker Logo

Fieldworker card

EX: Legend Maker is the twelfth set by Pokémon USA, Inc., after the company took over the Trading Card Game from Wizards of the Coast in 2003. The set, which in Japan was named "Eidolon Forest", is set in a forest in the middle of nowhere. Due to a mix-up with translations, this was supposed to be released before EX Delta Species, but was delayed until February 2006 in English-language territories. This is considered by many to be a very good set, for several reasons - possibly for its similarity with Jungle and Fossil original expansions, or possibly for its exclusion of the complicated Delta Species Pokémon. Its symbol is a stylized forest, a white egg-shaped area with three black acute isosceles triangles to represent the trees. It received the name Legend Maker due to the inclusion of Mew.

Notable Cards

The entire set is built around one card - a Special Energy card introduced in this set, called React Energy. The cards that use this are described below.

Arcanine ex

Arcanine ex can do a whopping 100 damage for 3 Energy - at the cost of discarding either 2 Fire Energy or 1 React Energy. At 130HP, Knocking Out Arcanine ex isn't easy either.

Armaldo ex

Armaldo ex can also do 100 damage for 3 Energy with "Vortex Chop," though for a different requirement: only if the Defending Pokémon (the opponent's main Pokémon) has a Resistance. In addition, its other attack, "Spiral Drain," does damage while healing Armaldo ex at the same time.

Banette ex

Banette ex has two uses: Its Poké-Power, "Shady Move", moves 1 damage counter between any two Pokémon in play - including from the player's Pokémon to his or her opponent's. Its attack becomes more powerful for each Supporter card in the player's discard pile. Since Supporter cards are played nearly every turn, once enough turns has passed by, it can do an incredible amount of damage while transferring its own damage to the opponent's Pokémon.

Cradily

Cradily is one of the few Pokémon in the card game to be able to devolve (evolve in reverse) multiple of the opponent's Pokémon at once with its attack called "Devolution Wave." Because any Evolution cards involved are shuffled back into the deck, the opponent may have a difficult time retrieving them.

Cursed Stone

Cursed Stone is a Stadium card in which any Pokémon with Poké-Powers steadily takes damage. This is a good defensive measure for decks that don't have any Pokémon who have Poké-Powers.

Delcatty

Delcatty has a Poké-Power called "Reactive Shift" that moves around React Energy. Because of the potential of React Energy, Delcatty is a highly sought-after card. This can be used in conjunction with Huntail (see below) to quickly distribute React Energy.

Dunsparce

Dunsparce has two attacks, both needing one 1 Colorless Energy (any color of Energy will work). "Down Draw" draws 2 cards from the bottom of the deck, which is obviously useful. The other, "Tripping Turn," Confuses the Defending Pokémon while switching Dunsparce with another Pokémon (if needed), protecting itself from harm. "Tripping Turn" makes it difficult for the other player to damage Dunsparce while making it easy for Dunsparce's user to Confuse.

Dustox ex

Dustox ex is one of the few Stage 2 Pokémon-ex that can be brought out during the first turn. While it would have trouble attacking so early in the game, it is still a capable Pokémon, completely immune from other Pokémon-ex.

Gengar

Gengar deals damage counters onto the Pokémon that Knocks it Out. While this is useful on its own, requiring the other player to think twice about Knocking Out Gengar, people often attach "Curse Powder" onto Gengar, dopubling its impact if Knocked Out.

Gorebyss

Gorebyss converts all React Energy attached to it to 2 Energy of every color with its Poké-Body "Reactive Booster." Since its attack becomes more powerful for each Water Energy (blue color), it can do 70 damage by the game's second turn, a rapid pace matched only by some Pokémon-ex, though only uinder ideal conditions.

Huntail

Huntail has a Poké-Power, "Reactive Generator," which takes a React Energy from the deck and puts it on Huntail, under the condition that Huntail doesn't already have a React Energy on it. This card can be used in conjunction with Delcatty (see above), which puts the React Energy on another Pokémon, leaving Huntail free to extract another React Energy the next turn.

Magneton

Magneton, if Knocked Out, can redistribute React Energy attached to it to any Pokémon of the player's choice.

Mew ex

Mew ex can use the attacks of any Pokémon in play, provided it meets the Energy requirements for that attack.

Misdreavus

Misdreavus has a Poké-Body "Deep Sleep" that reduces the odds of a Pokémon waking up from Sleep from 50% to 25%. This makes it difficult to attack Misdreavus, since an Asleep Pokémon can't attack (with one exception). However, this is offset by Misdreavus having low health and attack power.

Power Tree

Power Tree lets each player, once per turn, take a discarded Energy card back to that player's hand, provided that player has not disarded any Special Energy card. Because almost all decks contain Special Energy cards, Power Tree can be a one-sided benefit for decks designed with it in mind.

Roselia

Roselia, if it has a React Energy attached to it, will heal any Pokémon with React Energy on it of a small amount of damage (including itself) once between every turn with "Reactive Aroma."

Sealeo

Sealeo has a Poké-Power, "Power Circulation," can take a discarded Energy card and put it back on top of the deck, but it takes damage. This is one of the few Pokémon remaining that can still evolve that has a useful Poké-Power.

Spinda

Spinda requires the opponent to flip a coin and get heads in order to successfully attack it.

Wailord

Wailord becomes more powerful for each Stage 1 Pokémon the player has put into play. However, it has another use: By having a React Energy on it, all Water Pokémon can retreat for free. This is particularly useful for Wailord itself, since it must discard 4 Energy cards to retreat under normal conditions.

Walrein ex

Walrein ex slowly damages all Pokémon that aren't Water-type. It can also cover for its Weakness to Fighting Pokémon with an attack that does more damage if its target is the Fighting-type.

Wobbuffet

Wobbuffet is only an average Basic Pokémon, but if it has evolved from Wynaut, it adds one extra Energy to the opposing Pokémon's Retreat Cost--Energy that must be discarded in order for the Pokémon to retreat. If enough Wobbuffets are in play, the opponent must either leave his or her Pokémon out in the open or discard massive amounts of Energy (provided he or she even has that much Energy ready).

React Energy

File:Legendmaker reactnrg.JPG

React Energy card

A particularly notable card in this set is React Energy. The Pokémon in this set seems to revolve around React Energy, and because of that, there are more uses for React Energy than any other Energy card.

At first glance, React Energy doesn't seem like anything special. The caption is as simple as captions for Energy cards go: It simply states that it provides 1 Colorless Energy. This would make itseem even less useful than a Basic Energy card, since at least those can stand for their types and Colorless. However, this is because React Energy's potential doesn't come from the Energy itself but entirely from the Pokémon that would use it.

There is a large number of Pokémon in EX Legend Maker that become more powerful if they have React Energy attached to them. The effects are described on the Pokémon card, not React Energy. This potentially lets React Energy do anything within the limits of the card game. For example, Aerodactyl takes less damage if it has React Energy attached to it. Its effect is described in Aerodactyl's Poké-Pody, Reactive Shield. In the case of Kecleon, if it has a React Energy attached to it, it becomes Fire, Lightning, Water, Grass, Psychic and Fighting types because of its Reactive Colors Poké-Power. If Armaldo ex has a React Energy attached to it, React Energy does something completely different: It changes Armaldo ex's type from Fighting to Fighting and Grass. React Energy can also augment attacks: Aggron has an attack that reduces in power as it gets damage, but React Energy cancels this effect. Lileep does 20 damage with Tender Tentacles, but React Energy also lets it heal simultaneously.

React Energy's effects can also sometimes be combined with each other. Roselia gives React Energy a steady healing property with Reactive Aroma. Combined with Gorebyss doubling the quantity of React Energy among itself and Huntail with Reactive Booster, this means Huntail can receive three Energy in one turn while constantly healing itself.

However, only the Pokémon from EX Legend Maker have abilities to make React Energy work. No sets that come after this (or EX Delta Species) has even a single Pokémon designed to work with React Energy.

Types of Pokémon in EX Legend Maker

Pokémon-ex

Pokémon-ex are truly powerful cards, which have elevated HP and strength. These cards are very rare; some estimate that there is an average of 1 Pokémon-ex in every 12 booster packs. These cards do have some disadvantages, however: when a Pokémon-ex is knocked out, the opposing player must draw two prize cards instead of 1; and they usually have two weaknesses, and sometimes high retreat cost. There are seven Pokémon-ex in Legend Maker; they are listed in section 4.7.

Pokémon-*

Pokémon-* are even rarer than Pokémon-ex, with a loose estimate of 1 in 36 booster packs (an entire booster box). EX Legend Maker has three Pokémon-*, as do many sets - Regice, Regirock, and Registeel. Pokémon-* are usually as powerful as Pokémon-ex, but these three - Regice in particular - are very weak, unless in the right position of play.

Delta Species Pokémon

Only one Delta Species Pokémon resides in the set: Pikachu, the Metal-type box topper available with booster boxes. It is available because Legend Maker was originally supposed to introduce the Delta Species Pokémon - whereas it did in Japan, in English-language territories it was delayed, causing EX Delta Species to introduce the new species.

Fossil Pokémon

Root Fossil (Lileep), Claw Fossil (Anorith), and Mysterious Fossil (Aerodactyl, Omanyte, Kabuto) return. Mysterious Fossil has been strengthened to 50HP from its original 10HP.

Set Timelines

Japan

In Japan, this was released before Researching Tower of Holon (EX Delta Species), and after GoldenSky and SilverSea (EX Unseen Forces).

North America and other regions

EX Delta Species was released in November 2005, EX Legend Maker in February 2006, and EX Holon Phantoms in May 2006. The reason for this was the translations from Japanese to English - EX Delta Species was translated first, disturbing the series of Delta Species sets (Delta Species, Holon Phantoms, Crystal Guardians, and Furthest Ends).

Tournaments

Worlds 2006

EX Legend Maker will be a legal set in Worlds 2006, which is EX Hidden Legends onwards.

Worlds 2007

EX Legend Maker will be a legal set in Worlds 2007, which is EX Deoxys onwards.

Worlds 2008

As it seems that three sets are knocked out of each Worlds tournament, we can expect Worlds 2008 to be either EX Unseen Forces onwards or EX Delta Species onwards.

Worlds 2009

EX Legend Maker will NOT be a legal set in Worlds 2009, which is expected to be either Holon Phantoms onwards or Crystal Guardians onwards.

Set List

Holographic

1/92 Aerodactyl
2/92 Aggron
3/92 Cradily
4/92 Delcatty
5/92 Gengar
6/92 Golem
7/92 Kabutops
8/92 Lapras
9/92 Machamp
10/92 Mew
11/92 Muk
12/92 Shiftry
13/92 Victreebel
14/92 Wailord

Rare

15/92 Absol
16/92 Girafarig
17/92 Gorebyss
18/92 Huntail
19/92 Lanturn
20/92 Lunatone
21/92 Magmar
22/92 Magneton
23/92 Omastar
24/92 Pinsir
25/92 Solrock
26/92 Spinda
27/92 Torkoal
28/92 Wobbuffet

Uncommon

29/92 Anorith
30/92 Cascoon
31/92 Dunsparce
32/92 Electrode
33/92 Furret
34/92 Graveler
35/92 Haunter
36/92 Kabuto
37/92 Kecleon
38/92 Lairon
39/92 Machoke
40/92 Misdreavus
41/92 Nuzleaf
42/92 Roselia
43/92 Sealeo
44/92 Tangela
45/92 Tentacruel
46/92 Vibrava
47/92 Weepinbell

Common

48/92 Aron
49/92 Bellsprout
50/92 Chinchou
51/92 Clamperl
52/92 Gastly
53/92 Geodude
54/92 Grimer
55/92 Growlithe
56/92 Lileep
57/92 Machop
58/92 Magby
59/92 Magnemite
60/92 Omanyte
61/92 Seedot
62/92 Sentret
63/92 Shuppet
64/92 Skitty
65/92 Spheal
66/92 Tentacool
67/92 Trapinch
68/92 Voltorb
69/92 Wailmer
70/92 Wurmple
71/92 Wynaut

Trainer

72/92 Cursed Stone
73/92 Fieldworker
74/92 Full Flame
75/92 Giant Stump
76/92 Power Tree
77/92 Strange Cave
78/92 Claw Fossil
79/92 Mysterious Fossil
80/92 Root Fossil

Energy

81/92 Rainbow Energy
82/92 React Energy

Pokémon-ex

83/92 Arcanine ex
84/92 Armaldo ex
85/92 Banette ex
86/92 Dustox ex
87/92 Flygon ex
88/92 Mew ex
89/92 Walrein ex

Pokémon-*

90/92 Regice
91/92 Regirock
92/92 Registeel

Box Topper

93/92 Pikachu δ

External Links