Promos: Best and Worst

Ah yes. Promos. Those cards you get at the movies, at league, in Nintendo Power, and in videos. But are they really any good?

The Best:

Movie Promo Mewtwo (#3 and #14)

Received: (#3) At Pokémon: The First Movie (while supplies lasted) (#14) In Pokémon: The First Movie video/DVD

Card Description
HP: 70
Retreat Cost: 2
Type: Psychic
Weakness: Psychic
Resistance: None

Attacks:

Energy Absorption: Choose up to two energy cards from your discard pile and attach them to Mewtwo.
Cost: 1 Psychic

Psyburn: 40 damage
Cost: 2 Psychic, 1 Colorless

Steve's Analysis: Movie Promo Mewtwo is probably one of the best TCG cards, period. It is rarely used, tough, as most people only have one. If Mewtwo is in your initial hand, try to discard 2 energy (or at least one), then absorb so you can use Psyburn on turn two.

Eevee (#11)

Received: At Pokémon Trading Card League

Card Description
HP:30
Retreat Cost: 0
Type: Colorless
Weakness: Fighting
Resistance: Psychic

Attacks:

Pokémon Power: Chain Reaction: This power can only be used be used when a Pokémon evolves. Search your deck for a card that evolves from Eevee and Attach it to Eevee. This counts as evolving Eevee. Shuffle your deck afterward. This power can't be used if Eevee is asleep, confused, or paralyzed.

Bite: 20 damage
Cost: 1 Colorless

Steve's Analysis: The Pokémon power is good, especially if your opponent evolves. Though the HP is low, so is the retreat cost. Think of it as a Rattata that evolves into something decent.

The Worst:

The five promos distributed with this movie are widely recognized as some of the worst. Ancient Mew has only 30 HP, a retreat cost of two, and only one one attack. Also, league rules require you to have card holders with an opaque back.

Then we have the bird promos. These are even worse, with mediocre attacks and high attack costs.

Team Rocket's Meowth

Received: At Pokémon Trading Card League

Card Description
HP: 40
Retreat Cost: 1
Type: Colorless
Weakness: Fighting
Resistance: Psychic

Attack:

Miraculous Comeback: Flip a number of coins equal to the total number of Pokémon in play. This attack does 10 damage times the number of heads. Then, Team Rocket does 10 damage times the number of tails to itself.
Cost: 1 Colorless

Steve's Analysis: Ask someone to name a bad promo card. Chances are good they'll name this one. As you can see, it's probable that Meowth will knock itself out before it does appreciable damage. Also, it can't evolve (due to the lack of a Team Rocket's Persian).

Of course, this is by no means a complete list of promos, but it gives you an idea. If fact, most promos aren't that good, mainly because they are mainly curiosity items rather than serious battle pieces. This stems from their mainly limited quantities.