Hi there. This is a short Pokemon TCG post. I cover the Hydrapple evolution line and a new Special Illustraton Rare card of Cynthia's Garchomp ex.
Applin
Applin is a 40HP Basic Grass Pokemon with one retreat cost and Fire weakness. The Mini Drain attack requires one Grass Energy to do 10 damage and heal 10 damage. It is not very powerful but Applin is needed to evolve into Dipplin and then to Hydrapple.
Dipplin
Here is another version of Dipplin. This one has 90 HP with 3 retreat cost and Fire weakness.
The Energy Loop attack requires one Grass Energy to do 50 damage. This attack's drawback is that you put 1 Energy attached to this Dipplin back to your hand (after this attack).
For now this Dipplin is not that good. It would be preferred to use the Festival Lead Dipplin as it is a better attacker.
The new Dipplin could be used as an alternate attacker if you are going against Cornerstone Ogerpon ex. This new Dipplin has no abilities compared to the Festival Lead Dipplin.
Hydrapple
Hydrapple is the final Stage 2 evolution of Applin. It has 170 HP, 3 retreat cost and Fire weakness. The Whip Smash attack costs too much at one Grass Energy and two Colourless Energy to do 140 damage.
What makes Hydrapple interesting is the first attack of Hydra Breath. In order to use to Hydra Breath attack you need 6 Basic Grass Energy in your hand to discard. Once this 6 Grass Energy in hand requirement is met then Hydrapple can one hit Knockout the opponent's Active Pokemon.
A one hit knockout attack is nice and all but there are issues with this Hydrapple. Getting a Stage 2 Evolution Pokemon in play is not easy in the game and it takes up a bit of deck space. Meeting the 6 Grass Energy in hand requirement for the Hydra Breath attack is not easy. Even if you use item cards like Earthen Vessel and the ACE SPEC card Max Rod to pick up from discard pile it is still a lot of cards to use.
I want to like Hydrapple but I think it is hard to use. Maybe one copy of it in a Festival Lead deck with Dipplin and Thwackey can be okay.
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Here is the illustration rare of Hydrapple. It looks similar to Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon from Yugioh. Hydrapple has 5 heads.
Cynthia's Garchomp ex Special Illustration Rare
There is a new news about the existence of a Special Illustration rare version of Cynthia's Garchomp ex.
I think this art looks really cool. It shows Cynthia and her Garchomp in a stadium battle. You also see Cynthia on the jumbo screen on the top left of the card. This illustration card is very well done. I would not be surprised if this goes for at least 100 CAD in market value when it releases in English as part of the Destined Rivals set in May 2025.