By: Brian Hsieh
Twins is a supporter card released in the Heartgold Soulsilver: Triumphant set. With the release of Seeker as well in this set, Triumphant was one of those packs to get when it was released. Still fresh in the TCG format, Twins has become known as a great card in the right situation. Some even go as far as to call it a staple. While it has its obvious advantages of searching for any two cards you want, even if it’s another Twins to run a Twins engine, it must be played when a player is behind on prize cards.
Faster decks tend to ignore Twins while slower set up decks seem to pile them in. Finding it in a Yanmega/Magnezone deck or a Zekrom/Pachirisu/Shaymin deck seems highly unlikely, as those decks attack fast and consistently without the use of the Twins engine. Decks like Lostgar and any deck holding two stage two lines should highly consider a couple Twins to be safe.
Twins can take a losing game and turn it around in the blink of an eye. If you’re waiting on one card to complete your setup and are sending out basics as cannon fodder while you wait for your dream card, Twins adds another way to mill that card out. It works wonders at the start of the game too, if you are first to lose your Pokemon due to a slower setup. A perfect example would be when I was versing someone who decided to knock out my Solosis. Right after that, I drew a Twins and got to work, running a nice Twins engine while getting the cards I needed in order to come back with a nice Gothitelle trainer lock. Finishing it up with a Reuniclus and Zekrom on the bench, my field was set up and free from harm from any of his Pokemon, as he did not run any Psychic Pokemon, Magnezones, or Bad Emboars to knock me out in one hit. Another example would be when I was versing a rogue deck. Both of us had a good enough setup, but we both had Twins. I stalled long enough to actually use mine, as he started on the offensive. I eventually won that matchup with the same lock previously mentioned, as I was able to get the cards I needed to complete the great hand I already had.
Twins can also be a dead draw. When you want to finish the game as fast as you can and you have a comfortable lead, you want to draw the card that seals the deal. Instead, Twins appears. What works wonders can lead to dismay as you are one Energy away from taking the win, while your opponent might use a Twins himself and get the card necessary to have a setup that can dwarf yours at the moment. Just because one has less prize cards, doesn’t mean he has his field completely set up. Twins can also be relied on a bit much. If a player sets his sights on constantly being behind, he could end up losing before he even draws a single Twins. With Supporters like Judge constantly ruining hands, it could also disrupt any Twins engine a player had in mind. It also hurts hard when one player brings in two Supporters to his hand and gets hit with a Judge, causing the search to be in vain.
Twins seems to reward the slower decks, which allows them to stay competitive, while hurting the ones already fast enough to deal with these slower decks. With everything that’s been said, I do see it as a staple in any deck, whether it be just one; for situational purposes or four; for decks in desperate need of searching. The situational aspect is thrown aside as every deck has a chance of falling behind, or else we wouldn’t have a competitive format at all.
Tags: Card Collecting