Analyzing Buizel's Win Rate in Top Tournament Decks

Buizel DP4-61 card art from Great Encounters

Image courtesy of TCGdex.net

Buizel's Role in Competitive Water Decks: Win-Rate Insights from Top Tournaments

In the ever-shifting world of the Pokémon TCG, even a small Basic Water Pokémon like Buizel can punch above its weight in the right deck. When we analyze win rates across top tournament decks, Buizel’s presence tends to hinge on tempo, energy efficiency, and the willingness of a deck to leverage quick early damage before more fearsome threats take the stage. This little diver in the water pool offers a window into how older, lower-HP staples can influence modern meta decisions when paired with the right support. ⚡🎴

Card snapshot: Buizel from Great Encounters (dp4)

Card name: Buizel
Set: Great Encounters (dp4)
Rarity: Common
HP: 60
Type: Water
Stage: Basic
Attacks: Headbutt (10); Surf (costs Water, Water) for 30
Weakness: Lightning (+10)
Retreat cost: 1
Illustrator: Masakazu Fukuda
Variants: normal, reverse, holo

Buizel’s design is a snapshot of an era where fast, low-HP attackers could pressure an opponent into suboptimal plays. Its Surf attack, which requires two Water energies, stands out as a reliable mid-game finisher when the field is cleared of bigger threats. In the top decks of its day, Buizel often found its niche as a tempo piece—capable of adding early damage while you set up your bigger water-engine engine. The art by Masakazu Fukuda invites nostalgia, reminding players of the tactile thrill of early 2000s TCG art. 🎨

Why Buizel can contribute to top-tier builds

Two core truths shape Buizel’s value in competitive lists:

Tempo and reach in a single turn: Headbutt’s low cost makes Buizel an easy first-play attacker, helping you apply early pressure even before your main draw engine kicks in. When your opponent is forced to respond to a 10-damage push, Buizel creates a lane for your bigger water threats to capitalize on later turns. 🔥
Surf as a reliable second-phase threat: Surf’s 30 damage with a two-Water-energy cost becomes credible as your setup accelerates. In decks that lean on Water energies and splash in convenient search or draw support, Buizel can transition from an early damage dealer to a meaningful mid-game finisher, steering matchups toward favorable exchanges.

Of course, Buizel isn’t invincible. Its 60 HP leaves it vulnerable to faster, higher-damage attackers, and its Water-typing makes it susceptible to Lightning threats. In top decks, this translates to careful matchup planning: you’ll want to cushion Buizel with resilience tools, trainers that stall or filter resources, and a clean path to your heavier Water attackers. When these pieces align, Buizel helps tilt the win rate in your favor by applying consistent pressure while you assemble your core game plan. ⚡💎

Deck-building takeaways for Buizel-focused strategies

If you’re considering Buizel in a modern take on classic Water archetypes, keep these practical ideas in mind:

Energy density matters: Buizel’s Surf requires two Water energies. Pair it with energy acceleration or search tools that keep your tempo intact, so you can deploy Surf without sacrificing your board presence.
Protect the fragile, attack with precision: Buizel’s light frame makes it an easy target in the mid-game. Build around reliable draw and disruption to prevent your opponent from raking past your Buizel unscathed.
Weakness-aware matchups: The Lightning weakness means you’ll want to anticipate Electric-heavy lineups and hedge with resistors, Energy Switches, or other strategic plays that reduce exposure to quick, high-damage Electric attackers.
Line continuity: While Buizel shines as a tempo piece, its value rises when supported by a consistent Water engine. A well-tuned balance of draw, search, and healing keeps Buizel in play longer and raises the overall win-rate ceiling of the deck.

In historical tournament samples, players who balanced Buizel’s presence with a robust energy base and a set of reliable aquatic finishers tended to see better stability in their win rates. The key is not forcing Buizel into every matchup, but weaving it into a broader strategy that thrives on quick starts and controlled mid-game exchanges. 🎴

Market signals and collecting Buizel dp4-61

For collectors, Buizel dp4-61 sits in a space that rewards condition and variant choice. CardMarket data (EUR) shows an average around 0.25 EUR with wide variance, and a low price dipping into the hundreds of a euro in the most frugal listings. The holo and reverse-holo variants typically fetch a premium, reflecting nostalgia and display appeal. In USD terms, TCGPlayer places the normal (non-holo) variant near 0.27 USD mid-price, while reverse-holofoil listings command a higher range, often surpassing the 3–6 USD mark depending on condition and market flux. These numbers offer a meaningful guide for buyers and sellers who want to time purchases around market waves. 💎

The card’s rarity—Common—means buoyant availability in the wild, which keeps prices accessible for new collectors while still offering a collectible niche for those who chase holo finishes and pristine art. For a set with a 60 HP water attacker, Buizel remains a charming centerpiece for nostalgia-driven displays or budget-friendly tournament-ready collections. Its value, both as a playpiece and a keepsake, persists as long as Great Encounters remains a fond memory for the community. 🎨

Art, lore, and the enduring appeal

Masakazu Fukuda’s artwork brings Buizel to life with a playful, aquatic energy that resonates with fans who grew up alongside the Great Encounters era. The card’s art captures a moment of splashy movement—an instant reminder of sunny playrooms, paper sleeves, and the thrill of discovering a new water-type strategy. This emotional resonance matters in the market, where collectors chase not only play value but the stories and aesthetics that make a card worth more than its numbers. Whether you’re a nostalgic player or a dedicated price tracker, Buizel dp4-61 offers a compact, well-rounded package that celebrates the charm of early 2000s Pokemon design. 🎴🔥

As you explore Buizel and its role in top-tier decks, you’ll also notice how a single card can anchor a broader narrative: the balance between speed, safety, and splashy finishers that define a competitive Water build. The story of Buizel is not just about damage numbers; it’s about the tempo you set, the matchups you survive, and the memories you carry from decades of TCG passion.

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Beyond the battle, the ecosystem of sources and perspectives enriches how we understand win rates and deck viability. To keep the discussion vibrant, here are five readings from our network that complement this Buizel-focused analysis: