With 12 sterling sets filled with smart strategies for powerhouse Pokemon, it's little surprise that we've seen a marked resurgence in 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Pokemon TCG popularity throughout the Sword & Shield era. From eager tournament-bound streamers to the most casual players, ꦍthe game has been enjoyed by plenty of people these past few years.
Whether you're reading our rankings at the time of writing — with the era's final expansion, Silver Tempest, en route to give Sword & Shield an epic sendoff — or you've stumbled upon this article from the future, when the Pokemon TCG's Scarlet & Violet era is in full splendor, we're sure you'll find some fantastic cards here.
7 Roxanne (Astral Radiance) ꧑
Most of the best cards in the Pokemon Trading Card Game are what we like to call situational. Their power may be apparent, but it'll only work out well for you if you've set things in motion just so. That's why the best decks are often the most bewildering ones for beginner-level players.
Roxanne is more of an all-purpose gal. She's there for you if things are looking grim. In the modern age of fast-paced matches stuffed with Pokemon V and VSTAR, which are worth two prize cards when knocked out, and Pokemon VMAX, which are worth three, it's easy to imagine all the ways you might get into some trouble and find your opponent has three or fewer prize cards remaining. Forcing them to wreck what might be a winning hand, replacing it with a mere two cards whilst you get six instead, can turn the tables in your favor.
Better yet, you don't need to be down in the dumps for Roxanne to be strategically savvy; you can still play this Supporter card even when you only have a single prize card to draw before victory, just so long as your opponent's at no more than three.
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Rapid Strike Urshifu VMAX (Battle Styles)psd.jpg)
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Rapid Strike Urshifu more than earns its moniker. This Pokemon is all about the quick hits. Gale Thrust's chance to turn 30 damage into 150 is likelier than it looks on paper; Rapid Strike Urshifu V, its evolutionary predecessor, has a move called Strafe that hits for 30 damage and simultaneously sends it to the bench. Bring it back out upon evolution for a guaranteed 150.
The real hero, however, is G-Max Rapid Flow. Two Fighting Energy and one of any kind is fairly cheap, though needing to discard them is admittedly less so; maintaining good Energy flow through discard pickups and such will be necessary. But getting to hit two Pokemon of your own choosing for 120 damage apiece can be a game-changer if you've wounded but not quite beaten their heavy hitters. All that and 330 HP to withstand almost anything non-Psychic? Nice.
5 🤪 Path to 🍨the Peak (Chilling Reign)
The best Stadium cards are the ones that cripple your opponent's strategy right out the gate. Of course, it's seldom so simple. Odds are, you're not going to know what your opponent has up their sleeve. But if there's one thing the Sword & Shield TCG era has proven, it's the meta-shaking strength of Pokemon V (and especially VMAX and VSTAR).
Path to the Peak is one of the most adaptable Stadium cards around, because if you're going up against anyone with Rule Boxes to rely upon, you've shut them down entirely for however long you manage to keep this card active. Which, if they don't have Stadiums in their own deck, could well be the entire match. The effect works both ways, granted, but that just means you'll build your deck around some other principle. Four times out of five, at least in 2022 and likely well into 2023, preventing your rivals from tapping into their Pokemon's Rule Boxes will shut down at least some of their build concept.
4 Origin Forme♌ Palkia VSTAR (Astral💛 Radiance)
Cost-effectiveness, thy name is Origin Forme Palkia VSTAR. Palkia VSTAR's attack, Subspace Swell, is outstanding. Imagine needing a mere two Water Energy to power something that can hit for up to 260 damage without any modifiers. Pile on the toppings, so to speak, with a Choice Belt adding 30 more damage against V-branded Pokemon of every variety. Toss in Rapid Strike Inteleon's Quick Shooting ability for another 20. Heck, maybe you have the Leon Trainer Card, which essentially doubles your Choice Belt's prowess for one turn (and works against non-V Pokemon to boot).
As of this writing, that knocks out any otherwise-unprotected Pokemon in the game. Even Snorlax VMAX, Copperajah VMAX, and Eternatus VMAX, that dastardly trio of titans with 340 HP, which just so happens to be precisely the maximum we've cited above. Consider Star Portal, as well. That's Origin Forme Palkia VSTAR's once-per-game VSTAR Power. The chance to yank three discarded Water Energy, and apply them to excellent picks like Radiant Greninja.only furthers Water's awe-inspiring power in the Sword & Shield meta.
3 🌱 Inteleon (Sword & Shield) ♈
There's something about Inteleon, isn't there? We just mentioned Quick Shooting Inteleon. Shady Dealings Inteleon from the original Sword & Shield set is all the more popular. The star player of the player-labeled Inteleon Engine is designed to do one thing exceedingly well — fill you up with every Trainer card you'll ever need so that you can power up your heavy hitters and walk away a winner.
For the uninitiated, here's Shady Dealings in action. Rapid Strike Sobble kicks things off with Keep Calling for one Energy, letting you search your deck for up to three other basic Pokemon. Stack your deck with four of these little tearjerkers and summon the other three. Place them on your bench, do what's needed to get them to swiftly evolve into Drizziles, and that'll trigger Drizzile's Shady Dealings ability. You'll search for a Trainer card and add it to your hand. Then, Inteleon's even better Shady Dealings ability will trigger upon evolution, and you'll get to find another two Trainer cards. Very quickly, you have the whole world in your hands, and you're ready to move in for the win.
2 Ar🍷ceus VSTAR (Brilliant Stars)
It's almost tough to imagine we're ranking a Sword & Shield era TCG card above Arceus VSTAR. You know you've got something game-shaking when even the most prominent strategy sites, like Channel Fireball, call it 'broken'. For three Colorless Energy, Trinity Nova doesn't just dish 200 damage. The chance to snag three Energy cards from your deck simultaneously pushes things well over the top.
You're not just striking with reliably high damage for a low cost. You're doing so whilst building up your even stronger attackers. Do they need extra Energy to do greater amounts of damage? No sweat. Is it mandatory for them to discard some of their Energy when attacking? Easy-peasy. And whomever they may be, you'll have them immediately, thanks to Arceus' Starbirth VSTAR power.
1 Mew VMA🍒X (Fusion Strike)
If there is a god in the Pokemon TCG, it isn't Arceus.Say hello to Mew VMAX, whose arrival heralded what felt like a brand-new age. Cross Fusion Strike grants access to a veritable smorgasbord's worth of potentially devastating attacks for an Energy cost that is, as they say, peanuts. Paired with classic partners, like Genesect V, players can reliably𓄧 stack༒ their hand quickly enough to make even beloved Inteleon blush.
But to really drive home Mew VMAX's prowess, you'll want to pair Cross Fusion Strike with that aforementioned Genesect V, tapping into its 210-damage Techno Blast for what will only amount to two Colorless Energy. Mew VMAX's lack of a retreat cost bypasses Techno Blast's nasty side effect (prohibiting you from attacking next turn). Swap in a fresh Mew VMAX. Swap in. Swap out. Back and forth you'll go, and with items like Power Tablet and Choice Band at your disposal, there's not much most decks can presently do about this song-and-dance.