Ever since it was released it has been used mainly to grind electric into the ground; although it does have other uses. Its a simple card to use but it still packs a punch.
Lets get strait onto the review!
Earthquake needs only one Fighting energy to do a huge 60 damage, however this is at the cost of damaging your own bench. This is arguably one of the best attacks on a stage 1 in the current format, with the ability to one shot one of the most played cards in the format (with the help of plus power!), Magnezone Prime, it is not surprising that most decks have had to tech against this, with one of the best examples being Tornadus, who has a fighting resistance, in Zekrom. However, if you are the player using Donphan, one of the solutions to that damage to your bench is by either removing it (as shown in 'The Truth') or by using this to its full advantage to increase damage done when a benched dragon become active to use outrage. The later example is a strategy used in a deck called 'Donphan and Dragons', a deck that uses Earthquake's bench damage to its full advantage. Speaking of decks that Donphan is used in, one is the use of numerous stage 1's that have cheep attacks to deal high damage.
Donphan's second attack, named 'Heavy Impact', certainly does a good amount of damage but with an energy cost at a solid 3 fighting energies you might want to think before you use it. 90 damage is a good amount but its only 30 more then its 1 energy attack. If we break it down, is Heavy Impact really worth using? Earthquake does 60 damage for 1 fighting energy, while Heavy Impact will only do a measly 30 more damage for an extra 2 fighting energy; this second attack might actually be considered usably if it wasn't for the specific energy cost, therefore, if the attack cost was fighting and two colorless energy this might have been usable as a turn two 90 damage is nothing to laugh at. So certainly its best attack (and by far the most used one) is Earthquake.
The Poke-Body is next. Exoskeleton will reduce the amount Donphan takes by 20 after applying weakness and resistance, this is what makes this card playable! With the chance to take little to no damage from an attack dealing 60 or less. this makes it very useful; plus its a stage 1! Which means you can have it up and running on your second turn meaning that you will only be taking 80 damage from a fully powered Zekrom (including resistance) and Magnezone will need to discard a woping 4 energy just OHKO (without the use of a plus power on magnezone's part). This will make any of your opponent's weaker attacks pretty useless and even the more powerful on the verge to useless.
Next I'll move onto stats.
With 120Hp it certain isn't a push over. Along with its Poke-Body it is a tough card to knock out, and with a single energy attack cards like max potion and Blissey prime able to fully heal you, it would be an uphill battle for most decks that can't deal 140 damage in one turn. Being a ground type Pokemon it naturally has weakness to water type, not so good with Kingdra Prime and Lanturn Prime around. But this also gives Donphan an edge over popular cards like Magnezone, Zekrom thanks to its typing it has a great resistance to lightening making electric, normal and dark types an easy OHKO thanks to their weakess. Now to one of this cards negatives: the retreat cost. A mammoth 4 energy has to payed in order to get him out of the firing line; He definitely isn't the athletic type. This can be overcome easily with Switch.
In conclusion, Donphan Prime is a great card that is both strong and yet simple. It looks cool too.
It gets 7.5/10.
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