Hi there. The latest Pokemon TCG Pocket set is out. It is called Triumphant Light featuing Arceus ex.
Note that this is a long post. Read what you want from here.
Topics
- New Set Released on February 28, 2025
- Cards Overview [Long]
- Trainer Cards
- Colourful Art Cards
- Closing Notes
New Set Released on February 28, 2025
The Triumphant Light set was officially announced on Pokemon Day on February 27, 2025. There were leaks and rumours about it before the Thursday. Here is the trailer below.
I do have screenshots from the mobile game of the latest set and some new cards. Plus I show my Arceus ex pull. I got super lucky in my first pack pull.
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Cards Overview
I don't want to cover every single card in the set. The cards featured here are cards that are good or I find interesting. Pokebeach has all 96 cards in the reveal. You can go there or a different site for all 96 cards.
Carnivine
Carnivine is a 80 HP Basic Grass Pokemon with one retreat cost. It has synergy with Arceus or Arceus ex. If you have any Arceus or Arceus ex in play then Carnivine can deal 30 more damage to the opponent's Active Pokemon. For one grass Energy Vine Whip does 20 damage or 50 damage if you have an Arceus in play.
One energy for 50 damage from a Basic Pokemon is more dangerous than Farfetch'd in the early game.
Leafeon ex
Leafeon ex provides good Grass Energy acceleration to Grass Pokemon with is Forest Breath ability. As an attacker Leafeon ex is kind of meh. One grass and two Colourless energy for 70 damage is not bad but it is not great. One obvious combo is Leafeon ex with Celebi ex.
Heatran
Heatran is another attacker compatible with Arceus or Arceus ex. If you have either Arceus in play then Heatran's retreat cost goes from 3 to zero. A zero retreat cost Heatran is quite powerful. Heatran can be used as a bulky wall or attacker then you can retreat to safety.
The Ragin' Mad Strike attack requires 2 Fire Energy for 40 base damage. If this Heatran has damage on it then the attack does 80 damage instead. A Basic Pokemon that can do 80 damage for 2 Energy is pretty good. Fire decks get a bit of boost with Heatran.
Abomasnow
Abomasnow is a Stage 1 Water Pokemon with 120 HP and 3 retreat cost. The Vigor Link ability activates if Arceus or Arceus ex is in play. Attacks used by Abomasnow would cost 1 less colourless Energy. This would make Mega Punch cost just 2 Water Energy to do 80 damage instead of 2 Water and 1 Colourless Energy for 80 damage.
As Abomasnow is a Water type it goes well with Misty.
Glaceon ex
Glaceon ex is another Eeveelution in the game. This one seems a bit underwhelming. The Freezing Wind attack costs a bit of Energy for 90 damage. The Snowy Terrain ability is like a hail ability where you deal 10 damage to the opponent's Active Pokemon in between turns during Pokemon Checkup.
Raichu
Here is another version of Raichu. This one synergizes with Arceus or Arceus ex. The Resilience Link ability allows this Raichu take 30 less damage from attacks.
The Spark attack is a damage spread attack for 2 Lightning Energy. It does 40 damage to the opponent's Active Pokemon plus 20 damage to 1 of your opponent's Benched Pokemon. In theory you can get mulitple knockouts but it does not seem that likely in practice.
One possible combo is any damaged Pokemon on the opponent's Bench is a target for Cyrus during your next turn.
Sudowoodo
Sudowoodo is interesting. It is one of those anti Pokemon ex attackers. For one Fighting Energy the Fighting Headbutt attack does 20 base damage. If the opponent's Active Pokemon is a Pokemon ex then Fighting Headbutt does 30 more damage bringing it to 50 damage.
One obvious and powerful combo is using this Sudowoodo with Lucario. Deal 70 damage to a Pokemon ex with 1 Lucario in play. Sudowoodo is also good for the Fighting type advantage against Arceus ex or other Fighting weak Pokemon.
Tyranitar
Tyranitar does not seem good to me. It takes long to get a Stage 2 Pokemon in play and its attack is very costly. The ability may increase damage but getting this in play and meeting Energy requirements is difficult. Maybe use this with a Druddigon wall or something?
Gible and Gabite
Here are new versions of Gible and Gabite. They are both Fighting types instead of Dragon types. Both are Grass weak so watch out for Celebi ex and Carnivines. As both are Fighting types they are compatible with Lucario.
Garchomp ex
Here is Garchomp ex. It has a lot of HP at 170 HP, Grass weakness and one retreat cost.
The first attack of Linear attack for one Fighting Energy you deal 50 damage to any 1 of your opponent's Pokemon (Active or Benched).
Dragon Claw as the second attack requires 2 Fighting Energy and one Colourless Energy. It is somewhat costly in terms of Energy cost to do 100 damage.
Garchomp ex will see play. It is a tanky attacker but I am not sure if it is the best. It is good but does not seem broken.
Crobat
I think this Crobat is interesting and dangerous. It has zero retreat cost and a cheap dangerous attack that deals 50 damage for one Dark Energy. The ability activates if there is Arceus or Arceus ex in play. You deal 30 damage to your opponent's Active Pokemon from the ability. It is similar to Darkrai ex.
A deck with Arceus, the Crobat evolution line and maybe Darkrai ex sounds terrifying to me. Some testing would be needed.
Probopass ex
Before this set some people were trying Dialga ex with Lickilicky ex. I think Lickilicky ex will be replaced by Probopass ex. This Probopass ex is a tanky Stage 1 Pokemon ex attacker. The Defensive Unit attack does 90 damage for two Metal Energy and one Colourless Energy. The added effect is that Probopass ex takes 20 less damage from attacks.
Shaymin with Sky Support
The previous version of Shaymin was a Grass type with a healing ability. This one is of the Colourless type. If this Shaymin is on the Bench then your Active Basic Pokemon's Retreat cost 1 less.
I think you can use 2 of this Shaymin on the Bench to get 2 less retreat cost for Basic Pokemon. For decks with Basic Pokemon attackers would consider using Shaymin for lower retreat costs to switch attackers.
Arceus ex
Here is the featured card in the set, Arceus ex. (I don't show the regular Arceus as the attack cost is too high.)
The Fabled Luster ability allows Arceus ex to be not affected by Special Conditions. No Sleep, Poison, Paralysis, Burn or Confusion for Arceus ex.
Ultimate Force costs 3 Colourless Energy to do 70 base damage. This attack does 20 more damage for each of your Benched Pokemon. If you have 1 Benched Pokemon this attack does 90 damage. The maximum damage this Ultimate Force attack does is 130 (70 + 20 x 3 = 70 + 60 = 130).
In terms of attributes and stats. Arceus ex is kind of tanky at 140 HP. The drawbacks on it is the two retreat cost, Fighting weakness and a somewhat costly attack. Arceus ex does enable a select handful of Pokemon to have their abilities. (Some mentioned above.)
Trainer Cards
There are only four new Trainer cards in this mini set. All four are Supporter cards. No new items or tool cards are in this set.
Irida
I am not the only one with this opinion. Water Pokemon get too much support it seems.
Irida allows you to heal 40 damage from each of your Pokemon with Water Energy attached. The Pokemon don't have to be of the Water type. Stuff like Dragonite with Water Energy can be healed by Irida.
Irida's healing effect is more powerful than Erika as multiple Pokemon can be healed (in theory).
Adaman
There were complaints from some on why Metal types are so bad in the Genetic Apex era (before Celebi ex). Metal types have gained a lot of support as of late and Adaman further helps Metal type Pokemon.
Adaman allows your Metal Pokemon take 20 less damage from attacks during your opponent's next turn.
Celestic Town Elder
Celestic Town Elder may be the first recovery type card in the mobile game. Put 1 random Basic Pokemon from the discard pile into your hand.
If you have just 1 Basic Pokemon in the discard pile then I would think this Elder card puts it from discard to your hand. If you have multiple Basic Pokemon in the discard then picking a random Basic Pokemon is risky. What if you pickup a non wanted Basic Pokemon then that is bad luck.
Barry
Barry is a Supporter card that reduces Energy costs for the attacks of Snorlax, Heracross and Staraptor. The energy costs go down by 2 Colourless Energy for those Pokemon. Here are the cards for Snorlax, Heracross and Staraptor.
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There is this other Snorlax too.
Barry seems okay with Heracross. One Grass for 50 base damage with a 25% chance of 70 more damage is okay.
Reducing Snorlax's attack cost from 4 to 2 Colourless Energy is okay.
The Staraptor one is too niche for me. Getting a Stage 2 Pokemon in play is difficult. Then using Barry? I don't know. It seems very unlikely.
Colourful Art Cards
Like with all modern sets in the physical Pokemon TCG and Pocket, there are colourful art cards. Here they are.
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The special illustration rares of Leafeon ex, Glaceon ex are very nice. Marill is quite colorful too.
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Arceus ex Art Cards
For this set there are four versions of Arceus ex. The first is the normal Pokemon ex rarity one. Then you have the full art version, the gold version and the immersive special illustration rare.
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Closing Notes
The Pokemon TCG Pocket game is getting more complex now. As there are more cards available there are more strategies, combinations and deck options out there. Over the next few weeks people will try out the new cards, new decks and/or build upon existing decks.
The Arceus ex with select Pokemon feature is interesting. You will see many different Arceus engine decks with different energy types.
The art cards in this set are very good as usual. If the Pokemon Company chose to print some of these coloruful art cards in physical form they are almost surely to generate massive revenues. You can argue that some of the art cards here are better than the physical illustration art cards. For me I think the Glaceon ex special illustration rare is the best, then Leafeon ex and then maybe Marill or Unown art as third.
What do you think of this set? Too many cards out? Do you like the art cards?