March 18, 2021

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Pokemon TCG: Single & Rapid Strike Cards

18 March 2021

The Top Deck Academy: Exploring Battle Styles in Pokemon TCG Introduction The Pokemon Company International has recently launched the highly anticipated Top Deck Academy for the Pokemon Trading Card Game (TCG). In this article, we will explore the latest episode of Top Deck Academy, focusing on the exciting introduction of the Battle Styles mechanic in the Sword & Shield—Battle Styles expansion. Join us as we uncover the unique gameplay mechanics and strategies offered by Single Strike and Rapid Strike Battle Styles. The Evolution of Pokemon TCG The Pokemon TCG continually evolves, introducing new card types that greatly impact the game. Over the years, we have witnessed the rise of Prism Star cards, Pokemon-GX, and Pokemon VMAX cards, each bringing their own exciting dynamics to battles. With the release of the Sword & Shield—Battle Styles expansion, players can now explore the world of Single Strike and Rapid Strike Battle Styles. These two distinct styles work in harmony to create captivating deck strategies that are both enjoyable and easily comprehensible. Introducing Single Strike and Rapid Strike Battle Styles Single Strike Style Represented by the color red, the Single Strike Style is all about sheer power and strength. Focused on delivering devastating blows, this Battle Style aims to knock out opponents with a single attack. Single Strike cards often enhance damage output and emphasize brute force. Notable Single Strike cards showcased in this episode include Primeape, Houndoom, Spiritomb, and Jynx, each contributing to the overall strategy of a Single Strike deck. Rapid Strike Style Contrasting the Single Strike Style, the Rapid Strike Style, symbolized by the color blue, emphasizes technique and precision rather than raw power. Rapid Strike utilizes meditation and composure to harness its true potential. Cards belonging to the Rapid Strike Battle Style excel in abilities such as switching Pokemon during battles and striking multiple opponents at once. Octillery, a noteworthy example, aids in searching for Rapid Strike cards, such as Pokemon, Trainer, or Energy cards, while Emboar enhances damage dealt by Single Strike Pokemon. The Synergy of Battle Styles While Battle Styles do not introduce any special rules in the Pokemon TCG, mastering their true potential lies in understanding the synergy between cards. Pokemon like Emboar and Octillery exemplify this synergy, with abilities that amplify the strengths of Single Strike and Rapid Strike decks. Emboar’s Fighting Fury Stance Ability boosts damage dealt by Single Strike Pokemon, while Octillery’s Rapid Strike Search Ability enables players to search their deck for a Rapid Strike card, providing crucial versatility in battle. Building a Single Strike Deck Picking Out Pokemon When constructing a deck centered around a specific Pokemon or strategy, careful consideration must be given to the selection of Pokemon. In this episode, Kyle Sucevich showcases a Single Strike deck featuring Primeape as the main attacker. Primeape’s Steamin’ Mad Strike attack deals 50 damage for each Benched Pokemon with damage counters, potentially resulting in a devastating blow. Complementary Pokemon, such as Houndoom and its Single Strike Roar Ability, amplify the power of Primeape’s attacks by retrieving Single Strike Energy cards. Supporting Pokemon like Spiritomb and Jynx further enhance the deck’s overall strategy. Choosing Trainer Cards The Trainer cards play a crucial role in any Pokemon TCG deck. For this Single Strike deck, the inclusion of Item cards that facilitate the search for Pokemon is vital. Level Ball, Quick Ball, and Evolution Incense allow players to efficiently find and prepare their desired Pokemon. Additionally, Battle Style-specific Trainer cards like Tower of Darkness, Urn of Vitality, and Bruno provide invaluable benefits. Tower of Darkness allows players to discard excess Single Strike cards for extra draw power, Urn of Vitality recovers Single Strike Energy cards, and Bruno becomes particularly useful when one’s Pokemon gets Knocked Out. Standard Trainer cards like Professor’s Research, Boss’s Orders, and Marnie also find a place in this deck, enhancing card draw and disruption capabilities. Energy Cards and Conclusion Energy cards are a fundamental component of any deck in the Pokemon TCG. The Single Strike deck benefits from the inclusion of Single Strike Energy, a dual-type Energy card that provides Fighting and Darkness Energy and enhances the attacks of the Pokemon it is attached to. Aurora Energy proves useful when facing Psychic-type Pokemon, while Stone Fighting Energy aids in the deck’s overall resilience. With an optimal balance of Pokemon, Trainer cards, and Energy cards, the Single Strike deck becomes a formidable force in battle. Unleashing the Power of Single Strike Urshifu VMAX The Might of Single Strike Urshifu VMAX In this segment, we explore a deck that revolves around the mighty Single Strike Urshifu VMAX. Boasting an impressive 330 HP, this Pokemon can unleash devastating damage with its G-Max One Blow attack. While requiring four Energy to use, G-Max One Blow bypasses any defensive effects on the opponent’s Active Pokemon, making it a formidable force to be reckoned with. Single Strike Energy supports the damage output of Urshifu VMAX even further, and the inclusion of Houndoom complements the deck’s strategy by swiftly charging up Single Strike Urshifu VMAX. Supporting Pokemon and Trainer Cards To enhance deck consistency, supporting Pokemon like Dedenne-GX and Crobat V, known for their drawing Abilities, can help players quickly find the cards they need. Additionally, including Tyranitar V, another Single Strike Pokemon with a type advantage against Psychic-type Pokemon, further solidifies the deck’s versatility and ability to adapt to different matchups. Trainer cards such as Quick Ball, Evolution Incense, and Switch aid in searching for Pokemon and maneuvering them during battles. Single Strike Scroll of Scorn serves as a valuable Pokemon Tool that grants access to Furious Anger, an affordable follow-up attack that synergizes perfectly with Houndoom’s Single Strike Roar Ability. Wrapping it Up As we conclude our exploration of Battle Styles in the Pokemon TCG, we have covered the fundamentals and discussed strategies for both Single Strike and Rapid Strike decks. Whether you choose to harness the raw power of Single Strike Pokemon like Primeape or the precise techniques of Rapid Strike Pokemon, the Sword &

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LG Put a Microphone in Your Living Room. Its Terms Make You Responsible for Everyone It Hears.

TLDR There is a microphone in the television. According to LG’s own service terms, certain voice-recognition features may capture and analyze the voices of family members, guests, children, and bystanders nearby. LG’s answer to the obvious privacy problem is blunt: obtaining the necessary consent is the owner’s responsibility. The wording reviewed for this article appears in current regional LG service terms. It says customers must notify household members and guests that their voices may be captured and processed in compliance with wiretapping, eavesdropping, and privacy laws. If someone does not consent, LG tells the owner to disable the microphone or voice features. LG then disclaims liability for the owner’s failure to obtain that consent or provide the warning. That is an extraordinary obligation to place on someone who bought a television. LG developed the product. LG included the voice-recognition system. LG operates or enables the AI-based services. But when another person’s voice enters the system, LG’s terms attempt to make the customer responsible for understanding the law and managing everyone else’s consent. LG supplies the listening technology. The owner gets the compliance problem. What LG’s Voice-Recognition Terms Actually Say The most alarming part of LG’s terms is not a vague statement that voice data may be processed. It is the list of people who may be affected. LG says third-party voices and utterances in the vicinity may be recorded and analyzed to provide AI-based services. The examples include: These are not all people who intentionally activated the voice assistant. A guest may not know the television has voice-recognition features. A child may not understand what audio processing means. A contractor, babysitter, cleaner, neighbor, or friend may have no reason to expect that speaking in the room could involve an LG service. LG’s terms then state that it is the user’s “sole responsibility” to obtain all necessary third-party consents and notify household members and guests. The company specifically mentions wiretapping, eavesdropping, and privacy laws. The terms do not give an ordinary customer a realistic system for doing any of this. There is no suggested notice to place on the door. There is no guest-consent screen. There is no household privacy dashboard explaining whose consent is needed in each jurisdiction. LG simply assigns the responsibility to the owner and advises turning off the microphone when someone objects. LG Says It Does Not Record Ambient Conversations It is important not to turn LG’s disturbing legal language into a claim the evidence does not support. LG has said its televisions do not collect, record, or store ambient conversations. The company says voice recognition is optional, user-initiated, and processes voice data only when activated to fulfill a request. It also says customers can use smart TV features without enabling voice recognition. LG’s US support instructions also show that voice recognition can be enabled or adjusted through the television’s AI Service settings. Some models support wake-word and hands-free controls, while available features vary by model and webOS generation. Those facts matter. The terms do not prove that every LG television continuously records every conversation in the room. They do not prove that LG is intentionally violating wiretapping law. They also may not apply identically in every country, since LG publishes different terms and services across regions. But LG’s response does not make the terms harmless. The company’s own agreement still recognizes that third-party voices may be captured during use of voice-recognition features. It still names children, guests, and bystanders. And it still attempts to make the customer responsible for consent, notification, and legal compliance. The concern is narrower than “LG listens to everything.” It is also more defensible: LG created a voice-processing system that may capture people who never bought the television, never opened an LG account, and never accepted LG’s terms. Your Guests Never Agreed to LG’s Terms A customer may click “agree” during television setup. That does not mean everyone entering the customer’s home has also agreed. Consider a normal living room during a football game. Friends are talking over the television. Children are playing nearby. Someone uses a voice command to search for a player or change the volume. Another person’s words are picked up at the same time. Who gave consent? LG’s terms appear to say that answering that question is the owner’s job. The same problem exists in less obvious settings. LG televisions may be found in hotel rooms, rental properties, conference rooms, waiting areas, restaurants, classrooms, offices, and shared homes. The person who agreed to the service terms may not even be present when someone else’s voice is captured. A contract between LG and the device owner cannot automatically create informed consent from every third party near the product. That does not mean voice capture is always illegal. Recording and privacy laws vary by country and state. Some laws focus on whether a person reasonably expected privacy. Others distinguish between recording a conversation and processing a voice command. The details matter. But those details are exactly why LG’s “sole responsibility” language is so unreasonable for an ordinary buyer. The average television owner should not need to research state recording statutes before asking the television to open Netflix. What Does LG Expect Owners to Tell Visitors? Taken literally, LG’s terms create a social ritual that almost no one will follow. A homeowner would need to say something like: Before we watch the game, you should know that this LG television has voice-recognition features. Your voice may be captured and processed when those features are used. Please tell me if you do not consent so I can disable the microphone. That might satisfy the spirit of LG’s warning. It would also be absurd in a normal home. Should parents obtain permission before their children bring friends into the room? Should someone warn a plumber before demonstrating a noise coming from the television? Should a short-term rental owner place an audio-processing disclosure beside the remote? LG’s terms give customers the obligation without giving them a usable process. And when consent is not