How Gloom's Attack Defines Tempo in Pokémon TCG

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Gloom card artwork from Genetic Apex A1 set

Image courtesy of TCGdex.net

Tempo, Pressure, and Grass Power: Reading Gloom’s First-Strikes in Pokémon TCG

In the Pokémon Trading Card Game, tempo isn’t just about raw damage or splashy combos—it’s about the pace you set from turn to turn. Gloom, a Stage 1 Grass-type from the Genetic Apex set (A1), offers a crisp case study in how a single attack can influence the rhythm of a match. With 80 HP and the single attack Drool, this card embodies a tempo-forward approach: make the opponent respond to your board state while you quietly set up the next phase of your plan. The flavor text about its pungent pistils is a reminder that even a creature with a nose-twitching odor can steer the tempo through careful timing and resource management. ⚡🔥

Card snapshot at a glance

  • Name: Gloom
  • Set: Genetic Apex (A1)
  • Rarity: Two Diamond
  • Stage: Stage 1 (evolves from Oddish)
  • HP: 80
  • Type: Grass
  • Attack: Drool — Cost: Grass, Colorless; Damage: 40
  • Weakness: Fire ×2 (represented as +20 on standard cards in text, here noted as a vulnerability)
  • Retreat: 2
  • Illustrator: Anesaki Dynamic
  • Variants: holo, normal, reverse; wPromo not present

In practical terms, Gloom sits as a turning point card: a turn-2 or turn-3 attacker that demands a deliberate energy commitment while pressuring the opponent’s board state. Its Grass + Colorless cost means you’re incentivized to build a small, steady energy base on Gloom or pivot gracefully into the next evolution—Vileplume for disruption or Bellossom for additional draw and synergy, depending on your deck’s focus. The 80 HP isn’t meant to be a wall, but it’s sturdy enough to hold the line while you sculpt your tempo around subsequent threats. The card’s art, with Anesaki Dynamic’s linework, reinforces the mood of a deck that values methodical pacing over flashy one-turn power plays. 🎴

Drool’s 40 damage on a Stage 1 Grass Pokémon is a design choice that rewards careful energy placement and timing. In tempo terms, it’s a nudge—enough to keep the board honest and force the opponent to react, without tipping the scales into a power spike that ends the game in a single turn.

Tempo mechanics: how Drool nudges the pace

Drool’s energy cost is the most direct lever on tempo. A Grass + Colorless requirement invites you to allocate energy over multiple turns, creating a natural rhythm: attach energy to set up next turns, then deploy Drool to apply steady pressure while you prepare the next stage of your plan. Because the attack does not rely on a high-damage burst, you’re encouraged to think several turns ahead—planning not just for the 40 on this card, but for how Gloom positions you for later turns when your next attacker hits the bench. This is classic tempo shaping: you trade a potential big one-shot for sustained control of the pace. 🔥 The fact that Gloom evolves from Oddish adds a sequencing layer: you can stage a gentle build, evolving on turn 2 or 3, and suddenly you’ve turned a wall-of-utility into a sharper threat. The retreat cost of 2 means you’re weighing mobility as well—perhaps retreating into a different Grass attacker or re-establishing pressure after a key opponent play. The Fire weakness is a reminder that matchups can tilt tempo quickly in the presence of certain archetypes, but a well-timed Gloom can still salvage initiative, especially in formats where Grass types leverage field control and resource preservation. 💎

Artist’s touch and collector appeal

Anesaki Dynamic’s illustration brings a nostalgic yet fresh vibe to Gloom’s Genetically Apex print. The holo yearnings in the set’s variants—normal, reverse, holo—add collectible weight to a card that already feels like a tempo lever in a modern Grass toolkit. The rarity “Two Diamond” signals something that collectors will watch for in both sealed product and singles markets, especially when combined with the holo options that catch the light and the eye on display shelves. For players, the interplay of a modest attack and a mid-tier HP value makes this card a thoughtful choice in deck architecture, not merely a whim of aesthetics. 🎨 While the flavor text and the card’s design are distinct to this print, the core idea remains: tempo-first Pokémon with a clear path to future growth can anchor a deck that thrives on measured, controlled pressure rather than all-in power plays. 💥

Practical ideas for leveraging tempo with Gloom

  • Early pressure sequencing: use turn 2 or 3 to press with Drool while you set up a stronger partner attacker in later turns. The cost structure rewards disciplined energy attachment rather than reckless blasts.
  • Evolution pairing: consider building a small Oddish-to-Gloom engine that leads into a mid-game pivot—either toward Vileplume for disruption or toward Bellossom for extra draw and tempo maintenance. The choice depends on the rest of your Grass toolkit.
  • Opponent response conditioning: Drool’s 40 damage creates a predictable threat that forces defenders to consider retreating or fielding a blocker—shaping opponent play while you advance your own plan.
  • Counterplay awareness: be mindful of Fire-type matchups where the weakness could erase tempo momentum; you’ll want to hedge with additional backup attackers or energy efficiency to stay ahead.
  • Collection synergy: the holo/normal/reverse variants and the Two Diamond rarity make this Gloom an appealing pick for players who value both gameplay utility and display-worthy cards.
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