It's the end of an era. The168澳洲幸运5开奖网: Pokemon TCG's long-running Sword & Shield years come to a close with Crown Zenith, aptly marketed as the 'crowning achievement' for all things Galar. But sentimental swan songs like Crown Zenith won't necessarily contain a slew of great cards, so how does this one stack up against all its Pokemon V predecessor expansions?
We'll specifically analyze every brand-new Pokemon VSTAR with our list, ranking them through a combined lens of general playability, tournament viability, and overall coolness. Our word is hardly gospel on the matter - whose is? - but we hope you enjoy this final Galarian ride!
8 ඣ Rotom VSTAR
Let's begin by saying Rotom VSTAR is not a bad card. In fact, it's a pretty good one, if predominantly for its relative uniqueness in the Pokemon TCG. It's just that all of Crown Zenith's new VSTARs are capable at worst - and, well, that's where we gauge Rotom VSTAR to be. Simply capable.
We suppose the power potential of Scrap Pulse is outstanding, but how many Pokemon Tools can one player reliably build up in their discard pile with the express purpose of sending them to the Lost Zone? Tools are discarded only when the Pokemon wielding them is knocked out or the player decides to replace the Tool with another. We're sure there are strategies out there to make it work, but it feels like a strangely challenging thing to build toward.
As for Conversion Star, it's fine? VSTAR powers are once-per-game triggers, as we'll note a few times going forward - always for good reason. Conversion Star might not be the best use of that.
7 Simisear VSTAR🍰
Simisear VSTAR, like Rotom VSTAR, relies upon its owner's penchant for self-destruction. Discarding up to five cards from the top of one's deck to turn 40 damage into as high as 240 is going to be seriously risky business unless you've got a deck that is somehow rigged with cards that shine brightest once discarded. If you do have that precise setup, Simisear is a prime choice.
Most of us won't, however, making the core approach here somewhat garbled. We will say this, though - the VSTAR Power Ember Star, at the cost of a single Fire Energy, is a heck of a late-game hail mary when carefully applied. If you've gathered a bunch of Energy in your pile toward the end, maybe this will help you dethrone some gargantuan VMAX rival?
6 🃏Leafeon VSTAR
Leafeon VSTAR is a nice bit of botany, tank-like and stalwart with its 260 HP and ability to reduce damage by 30 after every usage of its main attack. Leaf Guard's two-Grass, one-Colorless Energy cost for 180 damage is nothing to sneeze at, either. A sturdy card through and through.
We're just not sold on Ivy Star's advanced usage, or even its beginner utility. It's a Boss's Orders card that takes the place of your once-per-game VSTAR Power. Again, there are ways to build a deck around just about every central conceit on this list. But this feels like, for most players, it's going to be a real waste.
5 🍃 Zacian VSTAR 🐻
The Legendary Wolves of Galar come howling back one last time for Crown Zenith - oh, who are we kidding, there'll be another dozen of these in future eras. Still, this is their last hurrah within their own era, and that's noteworthy in its own right. How good are their overdue VSTAR cards? They're pretty good!
Of the pair, Zacian VSTAR probably gets the short end of the stick. 310 damage with the VSTAR power is pretty impressive, but the 30 damage to self can really muck things up in a meta that involves such high-damage output on both sides of the aisle. Break Edge's straightforward no-strings-attached 200 is appreciably solid.
4 𒐪 Charizard VSTAR
The only card on our list that technically qualifies as a reprint - and if we wanted to include every reprint, Crown Zenith's VSTAR rankings would be over 20 in total! - Charizard VSTAR gets away with it because it's so thoroughly re-integrated, not just packing a Galarian Gallery revamp but the whole nine yards.
Explosive Fire rather easily clocking 230 damage is nifty. Nothing like a reliable damage-dealing Fire-type in the Pokemon TCG, right? Speaking of which, Star Blaze. If you're saving up for a 'rainy day' for when to use your VSTAR Power - and by rainy day, we mean 'when your opponent sends out an absolutely terrifying Pokemon' - here's your sign. 320 damage will nuke almost anything.
3 📖 Zeraora VSTAR ꦅ
Zeraora VSTAR more than makes the case for its usage in lieu of the Zeroara VMAX that stands alongside it in Crown Zenith. First, it's a reliable Stadium-killer, and there are only so many of those. Plenty of opponents build half their strategy around a specific Stadium, to the point that they'll pack four of them in one deck. Zeroara VSTAR can limitlessly nix them without eating up space in your own deck with Stadiums, should you care considerably less about those by comparison.
Lightning Storm Star is another excellent VSTAR Power; whether you hyper-focus on one giant threat or find the opportunity to zap more diversely, you're sure to hit hard in ways that are tougher to handle than more conventional strikes.
2 🧸Zamazenta VSTAR
Well, Giga Impact's a bit of a bummer. 220 damage is outstanding enough to mostly make up for that pesky cannot-attack text on its own, but without a solid strategy on that front, nothing is. That said, it's an easy enough thing to strategize around. Just employ cards as common as clear-cut as Switch whenever necessary, so you can return to a fighting stance in follow-up rounds.
The real winner for Zamazenta VSTAR is its VSTAR Power, Shield Star. It's like giving your entire team one-turn battle armor of the finest order. Reducing attacks by 100 damage, if timed right, can mean preventing your foe's entire climactic would-be crush. Combined with Pokemon Tools and natural abilities, it can make you impenetrable when it matters most.
1 Regigigas VSTAR 🍎
Our pick for the best Pokemon VSTAR in Crown Zenith is Regigigas, and frankly, despite how great all these cards are, it still wasn't close. 300 HP for a VSTAR is phenomenal. It shares Giga Impact with Zamazenta, albeit with 10 extra damage for 230. Weirdly, that means our favorite two VSTARs both have somewhat iffy main attacks, yet in both cases, more than make up for it with their VSTAR Power.
Star Guardian is just an absolute menace. It is a true game-ender. Your Regigigas VSTAR may find itself chilling on the bench all the way until it's time to shine with Star Guardian, which can not only save you from eminent catastrophe, but net you up to three prize cards at once (if you happen to target a VMAX, which is likely to happen against at least some opponents).
Regigigas VSTAR exists as an all-or-nothing comeback tour for🧔 when the Shinx hits the Rotom-Fan, if you will, and we love it for that.