Pokemon TCGhas been around since 1996, and ever since then, the franchise’s take on a collectible card game has taken off. There are cards out there worth thousands upon thousands of dollars, making it seem as ifPokemon TCGis somewhat of a buying/holding stocks game.
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Within one ofPokemon TCG’snew expansions released in 2022, there are plenty of different cards for players tofind and collect,and even some new card variations making their way into the card game after being revealed inPokemon Sword & Shield. This new expansion isChilling Reign. There are Rapid Strike and Single-Strike cards, as well as V cards and VMAX cards.
10Heracross
Heracross finally gets somewhat of some love in theChilling Reignexpansion pack. This Pokemon card isn’t too meta-game but is great for Single-Strike decks, as Heracross is a basic Pokemon that doesn’t need to evolve and already has great stats.
This Heracross card has 120 hp, which makes the Pokemon a great beginning/setup card in an early match. Heracross also has two attacks: Horn Attack, which needs 1-energy and does 20 damage, and then Single-Horn Throw, which needs 1 grass-energy and 1-energy. Single-Horn Throw does 40 damage, but the player also flips two coins. If both are heads, the attack does 200 damage!
9Cinderace
Cinderace is arguably the most popular starterPokemon inPokemon Sword & Shield, as it has evidently made its way to being theSword & Shieldmascot Pokemon. The stage-3 Cinderace card inChilling Reignmakes for a great card that focuses on Scorbunny’s evolution line.
Cinderace has 170 hp, and the ability Crisis Power, which states that Cinderace does 30 more damage for each prize card that the opponent has taken. Cinderace’s single attack is Fireball Shot, which needs 1 fire-energy and 1-energy, and does 150 damage. Cinderace can’t attack the next turn after using this move.
8Zebstrika
Zebstrika has been a great additionto the card gameupon expansions afterBlack & White’srelease, and finally gets the buffs it needed in the modernPokemon TCGera. Zebstrika is a stage-2 card with 120 hp. The card is also a Rapid-Strike card. Zebstrika’s first attack, Coordinated Bolt, needs only 1-energy, and does 30 damage, but if a friendly Rapid-Strike Pokemon attacked the last turn, the attack does 90 more damage.
The card’s second attack, Spark Rush, needs 2-energy and 1 electric-energy, and does 90 damage. The player then flips a coin until they get tails, with this attack doing 90 more damage for each time it lands on heads.
7Gardevoir
Gardevoir is the final Pokemon card on this list that doesn’t have a Rule Box, so the player won’t be risking losing more than one prize card to the opponent. Gardevoir is arguably the best stage-3 card inChilling Reign, as it has 140 hp and the ability Shining Arcana.
This ability allows the player to look at the top 2 cards of their deck, put any basic energy there into any of their Pokemon, and then put the other cards in their hand (once per turn). Gardevoir’s Psywave attack needs 3-energy, and does 60 damage plus 30 damage for each psychic-energy on Gardevoir.
6Blissey V
Blissey V is an incredible card that players can obtain inChilling Reign. Blissey V has 250 hp and the ability Natural Cure. This ability allows the card to recover from special conditions when an energy card is attached to it.
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Blissey’s single attack Blissful Blast needs 1-energy, does 10 damage, and then 30 more damage for each energy attached to the card. If the card does damage with the attack, the player can then take up to 3 energy cards from their discard pile and add them to Blissey V. This card is definitely a powerhouse.
5Slowking V
This Galarian SlowkingV card is incredible when it comes to forcing a switch out of the opponent or simply defeating an opponent’s Pokemon in just two turns. Slowking V has 220 hp and is a Single-Strike card. Its first move is Concotion, which costs 1-energy and allows the player to discard a card and then draw 3 cards.
Slowking V’s second move is World of Ruin, which only costs 1 dark-energy and 1-energy, and states that at the end of the opponent’s next turn, the defending Pokemon will be knocked out!
4Slowking VMAX
Just like its pre-evolved form, Slowking VMAX is an amazing force withinPokemon TCG. Slowking VMAX has 320 hp and is also a Single-Strike card. Unlike the two prize cards that an opponent would win from defeating Slowking V, Slowking VMAX’s Rule Box states that the opponent would get 3 prize cards; this makes up for its power.
Slowking VMAX has one move, Max Toxify, and needs 1 dark-energy and 1-energy. This move does 10 damage and poisons the defending Pokemon. Instead of 1 damage-counter for poison, the defending Pokemon takes 12 damage-counters.
3Shadow Rider Calyrex V
The Shadow Rider Calyrex V card represents the legendary Pokemon duo well, as this card has been a staple for championship decks that have devastated opponents. Shadow Rider Calyrex V has 210 hp and two moves. Its first move is Shadow Mist, which costs 1 psychic-energy.
It does 10 damage and states that the opponent can’t play a stadium or special energy card during their next turn. Its second move, Astral Barrage, needs 3-energy and does 50 damage to two enemy benched Pokemon of the player’s choice.
2Ice Rider Calyrex VMAX
The Ice Rider Calyrex VMAX has 320 hp and two moves:
Ride of the High King, which needs 2-energy and does 10 damage plus 30 damage for each enemy benched Pokemon, and then Max Lance, which needs 2 water-energy. Max Lance does 10 damage but states that the player can discard up to 2-energy on its card, and the attack does 120 more damage for each energy that was discarded.
1Sandaconda V
Surprisingly, Sandaconda V is arguably one ofthe best cardsin theChilling Reignexpansion pack, all because of its ability and easy-access move. Sandaconda V has 220 hp and the ability Wall of Sand which states that the card takes 30 less damage from attacks after applying weaknesses and resistances.
Sandaconda has one attack, Land Crush, which needs two fighting-energy and 1-energy and does 140 damage. Land Crush is a great attack since it only needs 3-energy, and doesn’t have any setbacks.
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