Every year, Pokemon Japan releases new starter decks. The new cards are also for a new format which keeps the game fresh and interesting.
The drawback of a rotating format is that most cards become not useable after a year or two. It is also moneymaking when it comes to making new cards. (There are a couple of timeless cards that are usable for gameplay like Ultra Ball, Boss's Orders, Pokegear 3.0, etc.)
Mega Charizard Y ex
Mega Charizard Y ex is the other Mega evolved form of Charizard. In the card game, you evolve Charmeleon to either Mega Charizard X ex or this Y version.
This Y version has 360 HP, 1 retreat cost and one single attack. The Plosion Y attack requires 2 Fire Energy and one Colourless Energy to deal 280 damage to any 1 of your opponent's Pokemon (Active or Benched). The major drawback is discarding 3 Energy from this attacker.
280 damage is not much but it is a lot if you are attacking the Bench. On its own this Mega is not great so it needs other supporting cards. I don't know if this will be good or not.
Pikachu & Raichu
Here are the new versions of Pikachu and Raichu. Both are not great attackers.
I do foresee Mega Raichu X ex and a Mega Raichu Y ex cards in the future. You do need Pikachus for the evolutions.
Urbain
In the Legends: Z-A video game, if you choose a female character then your companion is Urbain.
Urbain is the new generic and bad Supporter that lets you draw 3 cards. Draw 3 card Supporters are generally bad as there are many other supporters that can either search for specific cards you want or can draw more cards than 3.
PokePad
Game changing cards are not necessarily in the Pokemon attackers but they are from certain Trainer cards.
Pokepad is an item search card that can let you search your deck for a Pokemon without a Rule Box, reveal it, and put it into your hand. Then shuffle your deck.
Rule Box Pokemon include Pokemon ex and Mega Pokemon ex. You cannot use Pokepad to search out the Pokemon ex cards.
As Pokepad is a J regulation card, this card looks like a new staple card in every deck. Maybe Nest Ball goes away in the next rotation in early 2026. That leaves us with Buddy Buddy Poffin, Ultra Ball and this new Pokepad for Pokemon search and setup.
More information to come about new cards and a new format.
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Pikachu ex
This Pikachu ex is just a beatstick attacker. No abilities and just 1 attack. Volt Tackle requires 2 Lightning and one Colourless Energy to deal 210 damage plus 30 recoil damage to itself.
The 210 damage amount is nice though as it is a key number against common support Pokemon like Mew ex, Fezandipiti ex and Latias ex.
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