Paradox Riftreleases today! It has a lot of cool cards that will not only shift the meta but that you’ll want in your collection. I see a few full art cards I will be chasing, like that sweet Laudred.
If it isn’t obvious, Paradox Rift is also live on PTCGL. Players get access to the Roaring Moon ex and Gholdengo ex decks, which are very solid starts at the moment. I know Roaring Moonhas been taking over the ladder, but at least it’s not Charizard ex. It’s going to be an awkward couple of days as the meta settles, but I am here for it. At least I start grinding the mission pass.
However you enjoy the game, this feels like a very fun set to open. If the drop rates are anything like what I’ve seen on PTCGL, I love it a lot more than 151. Make sure you always support your LGS when buying any Pokemon product, but you can always pick up Paradox Rift, or any of the other sets on TCG Player through my affiliate links.
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Paradox Rifthits the shelves on November 3rd, and PTCGL players get it a day earlier on the 2nd. For collectors, Paradox Rift has some beautiful alt-art cards you are going to want to chase. For those of you who play PTCG Live, it means a new battle pass, two new decks, and a new meta. I know lots of people bag on PTCGL because it still feels like a beta, but I enjoy it because it’s the only way I can afford to play Pokémon. Either way, I am excited!
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Roarding Moon ex Starter Deck
Pokémon: 14 2 Roaring Moon ex PAR 124 2 Alolan Raticate PGO 042 2 Alolan Rattata PGO 041 2 Bibarel BRS 121 2 Bidoof CRZ 111 2 Brute Bonnet PAR 123 1 Radiant Greninja ASR 046 1 Morpeko PAR 121
Trainers: 34 3 Professor Sada’s Vitality PAR 170 2 Boss’s Orders (Ghetsis) PAL 1722 Iono PAL 185 2 Professor’s Research (Professor Sada) SVI 189 3 Path to the Peak CRE 148 1 Collapsed Stadium BRS 137 4 Dark Patch ASR 139 4 Nest Ball SVI 181 4 Ultra Ball SVI 196 3 Earthen Vessel PAR 163 1 Escape Rope BST 125 1 Pal Pad SVI 182 1 Super Rod PAL 188 1 Switch SVI 194 2 Ancient Booster Energy Capsule PAR 159
Energy: 12 10 Basic Darkness Energy SVE 007 2 Reversal Energy PAL 192
Gholdengo ex Starter Deck
Pokémon: 18 2 Gholdengo ex PAR 139 2 Gimmighoul PAR 087 2 Gardevoir CRE 061 1 Gallade ASR 062 1 Gallade CRE 081 3 Kirlia SIT 068 1 Ralts SIT 067 2 Ralts ASR 060 1 Manaphy BRS 041 1 Radiant Greninja ASR 046 1 Mew CEL 011 1 Indeedee SVI 153
Trainers: 31 3 Iono PAL 185 2 Boss’s Orders (Ghetsis) PAL 172 2 Klara CRE 145 2 Professor’s Research (Professor Turo) SVI 190 2 Artazon PAL 171 4 Battle VIP Pass FST 225 4 Level Ball BST 129 4 Energy Retrieval SVI 171 3 Ultra Ball SVI 196 2 Capturing Aroma SIT 153 1 Pal Pad SVI 182 1 Rescue Carrier EVS 154 1 Switch SVI 194
Energy: 11 5 Basic Metal Energy SVE 008 6 Basic Psychic Energy SVE 005
Battle Pass
Make sure you start saving up your crystals for the Premium Battle Pass because this one is going to want to complete this. I think PTCGL has the best battle pass of all card games I’ve tried because it’s easy to buy into, and easy to complete without spending any money.
The Pokémon TCG regionals in Lillie France brought some new faces to the top of the format. It is always cool to see how the meta shifts between each region. Obviously, we see a few familiar contenders, but that’s the nature of the game. I’ll leave affiliate links for those of you who want to buy singles. TCG Player is also a terrific place for sealed products, like the new 151 expansion. If you enjoy these updates, make sure you like, comment, follow, and share this with your friends!
1. Mew Vmax
Mew VMAX was the first deck I ever built, so it will always have a special place in my heart. It is a lot of fun to play, and it’s nice to see it still doing well with all the Charizards out there. Congratulations to Konsta Kallama for taking first place!
Love it or hate it, Lost Box continues to be a strong deck in the meta in its many incarnations. Congratulations to Arthur Trutzschler for taking it to 2nd place!
Last but not least we have LostTina, which always seems to perform consistently in the format. Congratulations to Alberto Conti for making it to the top 5!
While we are still seeing a few familiar faces in the meta, the Sacramento regionals saw a couple of new archetypes shacking up the meta. I’ve collected the top deck list for each archetype. I’ll leave links for those who want to build them. These will be affiliate links, but I’ve been using TCG Player since before I became an affiliate because it is a great place for singles and sealed products. If you enjoy these updates, make sure you like, comment, subscribe, and share this with your friends!
1. Lugia VSTAR
Lugia VSTAR is one of those decks that always gets brought up as a strong contender for competitive play, but that hasn’t seen success until Sacramento. Congratulations to Alexander Flatos for piloting this deck to first place! This is one of those decks I’ve been meaning to try, but haven’t gotten around to.
2nd place went to an interesting Arceus deck with a splash of Gyarados VMAX that I am sure many are going to want to try. Congratulations to Niccolo Abate for piloting this very neat deck and placing 2nd at regionals.
Maraidon continues to perform well in the shifting meta. This is a solid deck for those of you who want to get started. Congratulations to Cory Laffiton on his 11th-place win.
We just got some more spoilers for the upcoming Paradox Rift set, and it is hard not to be excited. Especially when you see the alt art cards. This round of spoilers is full of cards you are going to want in your binder. Hopefully, the pull rates are better than 151. Paradox Rift releases on November 3rd. I’ll leave links below on where you can preorder if your LGS isn’t an option. Please use my affiliate links where possible. If you enjoy these updates, make sure you like, comment, subscribe, and share this with your friends.
Where to Buy
If you’d like to preorder any Paradox Rift product, always check with your LGS, but I’ve collected a few options in case that isn’t an option. Use my TCG Player affiliate links when possible. Everything is in stock as of making this post, but I’ll do my best to keep them updated. And remember, with how much Pokémon overprints, it is never a good idea to pay scalper prices, especially on preorders.
The upcoming Pokémon set, Paradox Rift, is set to release on November 3rd, but it will be live on Pokemon TCG live on the 2nd. The set will include:
13 Pokémon ex and seven Tera Pokémon ex
34 illustration rare Pokémon
15 special illustration rare Pokémon and Supporter cards
28 ultra rare full-art etched Pokémon ex and Supporter cards
7 hyper rare gold etched cards
Paradox Rift will be introducing some new mechanics that are bound to shake up the meta. I know it is a little early to be thinking of the new set, but if you want to get an early jump on Holiday shopping, or just want to open a box on launch day, go put in your pre-order in before it sells out.
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The booster box comes with 36 packs and it is a fantastic product if you love cracking packs.
That’s all that’s out so far, I am sure we’ll get different bundles and starter decks the closer we get to launch. Until then, make sure you grab your copies before the scalpers do. Till next time, thanks!
The Pokémon World Championship has ended, and it was an exciting time in competitive Pokémon. Those fortunate enough to attend the event in Japan got a unique Pokémon experience, and those who got to watch got the excitement of watching pros play the games we love. I mostly watched the TCG coverage, but you can find the complete coverage of important matches of every event on the official Pokémon YouTube channel.
I did not intend to watch as much as I did. I was just going to earn my packs and move on but was quickly sucked in by the fanfare. It made for terrific background noise, and it was cool to see how people played the different decks in the meta. I learned a few tricks that have made me a better player.
Congratulations to this year’s champion, Vance Kelley! As someone who plays a lot of Mew, I was very excited to see the deck perform so well at worlds. I picked up a few new tricks that I am sure will elevate my game, but it was such an exciting match. I recommend you check it out if you have some time.
And the deck that won it all:
Pokemon – 13
4 Mew V FST 113
3 Mew VMAX FST 114
1 Meloetta FST 124
4 Genesect V FST 185
1 Oricorio FST 42
Trainer – 40
1 Judge SVI 176
2 Nest Ball SVI 181
1 Pal Pad SVI 182
4 Ultra Ball SVI 196
2 Boss’s Orders (Ghetsis) PAL 172
2 Choice Belt PAL 176
1 Iono PAL 185
2 Switch Cart ASR 154
1 Box of Disaster LOR 154
2 Lost City LOR 161
2 Lost Vacuum LOR 162
3 Forest Seal Stone SIT 156
1 Escape Rope BST 125
1 Path to the Peak CRE 148
1 Crystal Cave EVS 144
4 Battle VIP Pass FST 225
4 Cram-o-matic FST 229
2 Elesa’s Sparkle FST 233
4 Power Tablet FST 236
Energy – 7
4 Fusion Strike Energy FST 244
3 Double Turbo Energy BRS 151
Worlds 2024
The location for next year’s Worlds was also announced. Next year, the event will be held in beautiful Honolulu, HI.
But as exiting as this news may be, it is such a tragedy what is going on right now with the wild fires. In an efforts to help the families devastated by the fires, The Pokémon Company International has donated $200,000 to the Hawaii Wildfire Relief Fund. If you have the means, please consider making a donation.
New Cards and Mechanics
They also announced that ancient and future Pokémon, and ACE spec cards will be coming to the TCG in the set we are getting in November. We got teased some very cool cards that I are sure to shake up standard.
Pokémon UNITE
It looks like Blaziken, Mimikyu, and Meowscarada are joining the roster in Pokémon
Blaziken is expected to release on September 19th, the rest are yet to be announced.
Path to the Peak
And if you haven’t done so, make sure you watch Pokémon: Path to the Peak. It is a cute miniseries you can watch free on YouTube!
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Pokemon Presents showcase had a few exciting announcements for games, anime, and the upcoming championship in Yokohama this weekend. I’ll go over the highlights I am most excited about in case you missed it, but you should watch the whole thing if you have the time. There were a few announcements for the gotcha games and Pokemon Go that I won’t be going over because I don’t play those.
Pokemon Worlds Championship
The Pokemon Worlds Championship is this weekend, and it marks an exciting week in the world of Pokemon. The tournament will run from August 11-13, so make sure you tune in on Twitch to watch some exciting competition. Check out the official page for the complete schedule.
The week will also be full of cool Pokemon related events around Yokohama that you should definitely check out if you are heading to worlds. Check out the official page for full details, but here’s a map to get you excited:
And if you are going to Worlds, don’t forget to reserve your slot to shop at the Pokemon Center. There will be a lot of cute and exclusive items that are going to go want to get your hands on, like this cute little Pikachu that is only available at worlds.
I’ll probably be watching some of the Pokemon TCG coverage, but I might just watch a little bit of everything. Good luck to the folks competing, and hope everyone going has a blast!
Path To the Peak Premiere
Worlds will also make the premier of a short animated series, Path to the Peak. The first episode will have a special screening at Worlds, but you can watch it on the official Pokemon YouTube channel on August 11.
The series will follow Ava as she rises in the ranks in the world of competitive Pokemon TCG. This is probably the announcement that has me that got me the most excited. I love the animation and art style, and the story seems super cute. I like that this series comes at a time where I am super into Pokemon TCG, but I am probably no where near as good as Ava. Check out the sneak peak below and tune in on Friday!
Pokemon Horizons
We also got to see a sneak peak for the new Pokemon Horizons Series with the new protagonist and I can’t put to words how excited I am. The animation and art style are amazing, and the world is unique and beautiful. I can only hope that this series doesn’t feel as rushed as Ultimate Journeys did. I hadn’t decided on watching it until I saw the preview. I’ve got the time stamp below for your convenience. There is no date revealed yet for the English dub yet, but I am excited either way!
Paldea Winds
We also got the announcement for Paldea Winds, another webseries coming to us on September 6, 2023. You can watch it on the official Pokemon YouTube, so make sure you follow to say up to date. Paldea Winds follows three students, Ohara, Aliquis, and Hohma, on their adventures through Paldea. It looks pretty cool at least from the trailer, I just hope its better they don’t mess it up like the Digimon web novel.
Scarlet and Violet DLC
If you’ve been playing Scarlet and Violet, there were a few announcements you should be aware of. Most importantly, make sure you go claim your Mew using code:
GETY0URMEW
The Get Mew and Mewtwo event is live now until September 18th. Players can add Mew to their team with the special code GETY0URMEW in the mystery gift menu. Players will also be able to challenge Mewtwo in a special Tera Raid Battle event that will run from August 31 – September 17th. Make sure you don’t miss out on these exclusive Pokemon because they look sick!
We also got to see the first part the upcoming DLC, The Teal Mask, coming out on September 13. The area will bring with it a new area with a new school, characters, and Pokemon. There will also be new story where they investigate the mysteries behind an old Kitakami folktale. I have Violet, but never got around to play it. It might be a great time to for my first play through as I get ready for the DLC.
Final thoughts and Misc. Announcents
This was a very exciting showcase. I can’t wait for the anime to drop, and I might come around to play some of the games. Don’t forget that the Obsidian Flames expansion comes out on August 10th. Its release is certainly shaking up the meta, and there are some cards I wouldn’t mind chasing. The new season of ranked starts on Pokemon TCG live, so make sure you finish up your battle pass and make your last minute climb. I just filled up my battle pass yesterday and love the full art cards I was able to pull. If you have a Switch, you will also be able to play Pokemon Stadium 2 and the Pokemon Trading Card Game on the virtual console if you have a subscription. If you’ve been enjoying these updates, don’t forget to do the things!
I’ve seen more of the full art cards for the upcoming Pokemon 151 set, and they are beautiful. It is seriously becoming impossible to fight the urge to buy into this set because it looks so good!
Pokemon 151 has done a terrific job of balancing enough of a nostalgic feel to satisfy long-time fans while establishing itself as a unique and desirable set to draw in new ones. Pokemon 151 releases on September 22nd. I only do Pokemon TCG live at the moment, but those of you who want physical cards can head over to Best Buy or Target to pre-preorder. Check out my previous post where I break down the pre-orders by product.
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