Pokemon TCG Pocket’s latest event pits players against Venusaur, but it’s another Gen 1 ‘Mon that’s giving players trouble, especially considering the game’s coin-flip system.
A lot has been said about how Pokemon Pocket (and by extension, the Trading Card Game itself) is dominated by random chance. Many attacks and special effects are based on coin flips, and if they aren’t in your favor, it can feel like the game is cheating or the RNG is broken.
A post on the PTCGP Reddit is naming a Basic Kangaskhan as the true threat of the Venusaur event, as it is decimating players with its coin-based Dizzy Punch attack. Other players shared their horror stories of facing the mighty Normal-type ‘Mon.
“She flipped heads twice and knocked out my Charmander, while having no benched Pokemon. I lose instantly lol,” one user wrote, while another said, “I got absolutely bodied by one rolling double heads three times in a row. I quit the app for a bit after that.”
This Pokemon is feared because it’s a Basic that can be put into battle immediately if drawn in the opening hand. Then, for one Energy, it can potentially do thirty points of damage per head on two flips of a coin.
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This damage potential allows Kangaskhan to destroy opposing Basic Pokemon, while its beefy HP lets it survive hits. If the player didn’t draw their own powerful Basic from their deck, then they’d need to build something up on the Bench to prepare for the Kangaskhan, while losing Pokemon of their own.
This isn’t the first time that Kangaskhan has received a surprise buff, as its Mega Evolution in the Gen 6 was widely considered to be one of the best in the game. Maybe there’s a secret kangaroo fan in The Pokemon Company that insists on bringing this Gen 1 mother up to spec every so often?
As is the case with all battles in Pokemon Pocket, the player’s victory depends on RNG. This means there’s no guarantee that the AI will draw a Kangaskhan or that it will get multiple head flips. Patience is the key, assuming you don’t throw your phone out of the window every time another Kangaskhan lumbers to the field.