For some, they might be picking the Pokemon they like the most
As such, heavy Basic Pokmon decks will either run a supporter like Brock, while evolution decks should have more consistency thanks to Buddy Buddy Poffin and Pok Pad
I had similar mana and attacker hopes with Servant of the Conduit, but that failed because 2/2 just isnt enough, where Channeler Initiate becoming a 2/3 or 3/4 really changes the math
Vanquisher's Banner is both an anthem and a potential source of card draw
Reckless Handing Reckless Handling mimics Gamble, but for a more narrow subset of cards
While the green one is far and away the most versatile and easy to find a use for, none of them are unplayable, and all can slot into your mana bases without much trouble, especially given they enter untapped