Shining Revelry, the next mini-set for Pokémon TCG Pocket, releases tomorrow, March 27th. This set is filled with various strong Pokémon cards. It even has Shiny variants for each Pokémon in the set! As such, we have an exciting Top 5 list for you.
And what’s more, this list will feature no Pokémon ex! With that in mind, let’s dig in.
Honorable Mention: Poké Ball
We tend to base our rankings on mechanical gameplay with an emphasis on new cards over reprints. However, this new Crown Rare variant for the iconic (and ubiquitous) Poké Ball is too good of a card to pass on discussing. Technically, this is the first time Pokémon TCG Pocket has printed Poké Ball in a non-promotional capacity, so we deem that fair game.
We’ve waxed poetic over the past few months of Pokémon TCG Pocket coverage about how important Poké Ball is to the current PTCGP ecosystem. Everyone and their mothers plays the card alongside Professor’s Research, and that’s with nearly no exception. And for good reason, too; the cards are universally powerful. And now, you too can have a blinged-out set of these Item cards!
#5. Iono
In games like Magic: The Gathering, at the very start of the game, if you don’t like your opening hand, you’re allowed to take what’s known as a “mulligan.” This allows you to shuffle your hand into your deck and draw a new opener. This luxury is afforded to many other card games, but not to Pokémon TCG Pocket.
However, the days of fretting about not having good openers are long gone.
Enter Iono, a new Supporter card in Shining Revelry. This card not only affords you a new hand but forces your opponent to take one as well. This level of disruption is amazing, especially if you can tell your opponent is setting up for an explosive next turn.
However, as good as Iono is, it can backfire if your opponent benefits from it as well. Never a great look, of course, and that’s why Iono is only in fifth place on our list.
#4. Gholdengo
Gholdengo is a flashy new card from Shining Revelry. As a Stage 1 Pokémon, it can be disrupted in many ways. However, with setup (say, by way of Dialga ex), it can be stronger than Celebi ex!
In a purely Metal-type deck, Gholdengo can utilize its Scintillating Surfing attack for three or more Metal Energy, flipping a coin for each one. Then, for each flip of heads, it’ll deal 50 damage. This is the same base rate as Celebi ex, and costs a bit more initially to use. However, in a deck that powers out Metal Energy, this card is going to be beastly.
The important thing to initially consider is that Dialga ex gives two Metal Energy at a time with its Metallic Turbo attack, which means that within two turns’ time, Gholdengo will not only be energized enough to follow through, but also be capable of a potential 200 damage with enough luck!
Granted, Celebi ex decks already do something similar with their Grass Energy shenanigans, but Serperior is currently out of vogue. Perhaps this will lead to an arms race between Grass-type and Metal-type decks. Who knows?
#3. Meowscarada
Speaking of Grass-type decks, the third place card on our list is Meowscarada, the Grass-type starter from Paldea. We talked a very big game for Sudowoodo when Triumphant Light came out, and we were pretty accurate in that Sudowoodo is a big part of the metagame right now. Meowscarada does very similar things to Sudowoodo.
So, if that’s true, why is Meowscarade in third place?
The main issue with Meowscarada is that, unlike Sudowoodo, the new card is a Stage 2 Pokémon as opposed to a Basic one. This makes a big difference both in gameplay and in deckbuilding. You need to devote at least three slots in your deck to a full line for a Stage 2 Pokémon – six if you want full consistency. For a Basic Pokémon, you only need to devote two card slots. That’s a big discrepancy that might mean Meowscarada will see less play, especially given the glut of better Grass-types in the game right now.
However, its effect that can offer 130 base damage to an opposing Pokémon ex is nothing to sniff at. That attack alone is enough to put Meowscarada on our list, and not even at the bottom of it!
#2. Grafaiai
It’s here, folks! This is the poison-granting Hypno variant we’ve been dreaming of. Grafaiai will be paired in so many poison-centric Darkness-type decks that it isn’t even funny. With the existence of cards with the Venoshock attack (including Paldean Clodsire ex, another new card from Shining Revelry), Grafaiai is a fantastic support piece.
Why is this card so powerful as support, and why am I bringing up Hypno in this discussion? Many of us have always wanted a Pokémon with a poison-granting Ability in the game. The existence of Genetic Apex‘s Hypno gave us that desire from the start. And now, with Grafaiai, we finally have the potential that many Pokémon with Venoshock seriously lacked prior.
And now, it’s time to reveal our #1 choice for this list. Are you prepared?
Our #1 Pokémon TCG Pocket Card For Shining Revelry Is…
Simply put, Team Rocket Grunt is the inverse of Misty from Genetic Apex. Many regard Misty as an extremely powerful card; some even call it fundamentally broken. So, if for no other reason, The Pokémon Company and DeNA designed Team Rocket Grunt to counter Misty and other Energy-hungry cards.
Now, your Celebi ex, Gyarados ex, and even your new Gholdengo will have to fret over whether they can muster the Energy to finish off your opponent’s next Pokémon. This card will no doubt frustrate many players in the coming weeks. However, it will also save many players in nearly equal measure!
Shine On, You Crazy Diamond
And now, let’s open the floor to you, dear readers. Are you excited for this next Pokémon TCG Pocket set? Will you be opening a lot of Shining Revelry in the near future? Sound off below!
And, while the new set is just a few hours away at the time this article comes out, why not check out some of our other articles on PTCGP? We have a mountain of deck techs, including one on Dialga ex and Arceus ex! That deck is due to get some good upgrades in Shining Revelry, so it could be worth a look!
