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Why You Should Attend Pokemon Prerelease Events

May 19, 2026 josechurape 1 Comment

Introduction

Pokemon’s newest set, Chaos Rising, releases this week on May 22. That means we are getting some exciting new cards in the format, but it also means another round of Prereleases. This time I was able to make two, but I wish I could do more. Prerelease events are probably the best way to experience the TCG. If you are a beginner trying to figure your way into the hobby, prerelease events are the best introduction. These events are extremely beginner friendly and the vibe (at least from the ones I went to) are chill. I’ve made friends who asked me to go to locals, and I might just take them up on that. If I can find a cool standard deck to play and get someone to help watch the baby.

The Decks

There are four decks you can pull from pre-release: Delphox, Ampharos, Crobat, and Goodra. I will start by saying that I absolutely hate Goodra, even though the promo is super cute. I hate Goodra so much that I ended up with a playset of the reverse and regular foils. If there is a God, I respect the sense of humor.

Build and Battle Kits

Delphox

Card Type / HP / Stage:Fire / 160 / Stage 2

Card Text:Ability: Flaring Magic Once during your turn, you may discard a Basic Fire Energy card from your hand in order to use this Ability. Draw cards until you have 7 cards in your hand.

Attack 1:[RR] Energized Storm (30x)
This attack does 30 damage for each Energy attached to all Pokémon.

I pulled Dephox for my last deck, and it was so much fun. While it can be a slow start, you can easily fill your board and get that card advantage. In the right circumstances, Delphox can do so much damage. It does rely on their being a lot of energy on the field, so you will need to find a way to accelerate energy and hope that your opponent also uses a lot of energy. Deli bird can help a good amount with this.

Card Type / HP / Stage:Water / 90 / Basic

Attack 1:[C] Pleasing Present
Each player may attach up to 3 Basic Energy cards from their hand to their Pokémon in any way they like. Your opponent does this first.

Attack 2:[CC] Flap (40)

Weakness / Resistance / Retreat Cost:Mx2 / / 1

My Deck

Delphox can one shot most threats, but some of my opponents got really lucky and pulled creatures I could only chip away at. Either way, I was very happy to pull this deck because I love the art. I got to sprinkle in Mega Pyroar and while it only got to go off once, it is a high I will chase forever.

Card Type / HP / Stage:Fire / 340 / Stage 1

Attack 1:[RC] Ferocious Bellow (80)
During your opponent’s next turn, attacks used by the Defending Pokémon do 50 less damage (before applying Weakness and Resistance).

Attack 2:[RRC] Fiery Big Bang (290-)
This attack does 10 less damage for each damage counter on this Pokémon.

Weakness / Resistance / Retreat Cost:Wx2 / / 2

Ampharos

Card Type / HP / Stage:Lightning / 160 / Stage 2

Card Text:Ability: Synchro Pulse If you have the same number of cards in your hand as your opponent, attacks used by this Pokémon do 80 more damage to your opponent’s Active Pokémon (before applying Weakness and Resistance).

Attack 1:[LC] Flashing Bolt (140)
During your next turn, this Pokémon can’t use Flashing Bolt.

Weakness / Resistance / Retreat Cost:Fx2 / / 2

Ampharos was the deck I wanted to pull, not because the card is powerful, but because the art is cool. Both versions (promo and not) are amazing. The two copies of Judge would also be nice since I currently don’t have any. Now I didn’t play anyone with an Ampharos deck even though I saw a few people pull them around me, so I can’t speak too much on this deck. It feels like it wouln’t be consistent enough to do reliable enough damage. It very much feels like the Serperior deck from perfect order, although I was very happy to pull that deck as well. I’ll probably be picking this up as a single for my personal collection.

Crobat

Card Type / HP / Stage:Darkness / 130 / Stage 2

Card Text:Ability: Nighttime Maneuvers Once during your turn, if this Pokémon is in the Active Spot, you may use this Ability. Search your deck for a card. Shuffle your deck, then put that card on top of it.

Attack 1:[D] Poison Sound Wave (80)
Your opponent’s Active Pokémon is now Confused and Poisoned.

Crobat is one my my favorite pokemon and I was a little upset that I didn’t pull this deck or the shiny rare. I did play against a couple decks like this, and lost every time. This is the most consistent deck in the prerelease format. The decks seemed very fun to pilot, but most importantly, poison is OP. I am not sure how relevant Crobat will be in the format being a stage 2, but god I need this card in my collection.

Mega Dragalge

Card Type / HP / Stage:Dragon / 330 / Stage 1

Attack 1:[CC] Corrosive Liquid
Discard all Pokémon Tools and Special Energy from all of your opponent’s Pokémon.

Attack 2:[WD] Pernicious Poison
Your opponent’s Active Pokémon is now Poisoned. During Pokémon Checkup, place 16 damage counters on that Pokémon instead of 1.

Weakness / Resistance / Retreat Cost: / / 2

Shoutout to the guy who got to splash Mega Dragalge ex into his deck. This thing is a beast that strait up wiped everything I tried before I had a change to try anything. 16 damage counters strait up one shots most of the Pokemon in the build and battle decks, and it works so well with Crobat’s ability. My opponent only pulled the regular version, but the Special Illustration should not be slept on:

Goodra

Card Type / HP / Stage:Dragon / 160 / Stage 2

Card Text:Ability: Slimy Sliding When your opponent’s Active Pokémon retreats, your opponent flips a coin. If tails, Energy for its Retreat Cost is not discarded, and they don’t switch Pokémon. The effect of Slimy Sliding doesn’t stack.

Attack 1:[WP] Dragon Pulse (160)
Discard the top card of your deck.

Weakness / Resistance / Retreat Cost: / / 3

The Goodra promo is so cute and it is one of the cards I wanted to pull. I think all the promos this time around are solid, but I was looking forward to pulling the Goodra deck. Playing the deck wasn’t so much fun. I had very bad luck and had a hard time building Goodra. Where other people had cards to help them build their board and disrupt their opponent, I had Emma who literally did nothing. Discarding the top card to use dragon pulse screwed me out of cards I needed more often than not. The ability also never came into play making it possibly the worst deck in the lock (at least Ampharos can potentially do additional damage). While the card does kill a lot of the build and battle decks, I wouldn’t play it again.

My deck

I pulled the Gourgeist ex Ultra Rare and had to slot into my deck. This little pumkin tanked for me, and even took my first win. Unfortunately, I was only able to build it successfully once. It was still enjoyed it better than Goodra and has earned a special place in my personal collection.

Card Type / HP / Stage:Psychic / 270 / Stage 1

Attack 1:[P] Horrifying Rondo (30+)
This attack does 50 more damage for each of your Benched Pokémon that has any damage counters on it.

Attack 2:[PP] Ghostly Touch (140)
Discard a random card from your opponent’s hand.

Weakness / Resistance / Retreat Cost:Dx2 / F-30 / 2

The Set

I am very excited for this set because it has that cool Crobat I will be chasing. You have cards like Special Red Card that will surely become a stable, but the set has some cool cards I want for my collection. I already have a space for all the bulk cards I pulled because I like the art. Sure everyone will be excited for the Mega Greninja, but there are a few I’ll be looking for (in no particular order):

My Prerelease

This time around, I did two prerelease and had a blast at both. I met some cool people, made some new friends, and got to hang out with people who also love Pokemon. It is really cool to have the opportunity to be around people who just want to sit down and play Pokemon. I don’t really get to do this a lot with my family or friends outside of the locals I never have time for, so I really treasure the time I get to spend playing card games with people who also like playing card games.

Midnight Release

I went to the midnight release at the shop I frequent a lot. The shop is full of cool people, and I’ve done locals of other games there. This time, I was able to stay awake long enough to attend and I regret nothing. I made some very good friends and will do my best to go back. The longer I stayed awake, the more delirious I got which meant I eventually forgot how to play my deck. It is probably why I don’t care for Goodra much, but it is something I would do again. If my old age allows it.

My Regular Prerelease

This is my third Prerelease at this shop. I keep going back because of how good each experience has been. I was surprised when I walked in and the workers signed me up before I had a chance to tell them my names. Some of the regulars recognized me and started to spark up a conversation. While this isn’t my main store, I am reconsidering making it mine because of how cool the community is there. I pulled a Watchhog shiny rare, (a moment that was quickly diminished when the girl next to me pulled the Greninja). Later in during the event, someone found a copy on the floor. One of the guys I had been talking to remembered I had one and called out to me to check if it was mine. It wasn’t but they quickly found the proper owner.

Card Type / HP / Stage:Colorless / 100 / Stage 1

Attack 1:[C] Snap Inspection
Flip 3 coins. If any of them are heads, your opponent reveals their hand. For each heads, choose a card you find there and shuffle it into your opponent’s deck.

Attack 2:[C] Low Kick (50)

Weakness / Resistance / Retreat Cost:Fx2 / / 1

This moment stands out to me for two reasons. One, the fact that no one tried to steal something, even if the value isn’t there, is admirable. The kid who lost it was so happy to get his watchhog back and that made me happy. Two: I only spend 15 minutes of time with these people, even less at times and the fact that they not only remembered my name, but cared enough to check to see if I lost my card is enough to make a grown man cry. Maybe I’ve been lucky with the communities I’ve been able to join, but it is something I am happy I am able to do and hope that I can keep doing.

Conclusion

Chaos Rising prelease has been my favorite so far. The set has a few cards I will be chasing, but I am officially comfortable enough to join a community that I am happy to be a part of. If your on the fence or looking for a sign to get into card games, this is your sign. It doesn’t even need to be Pokemon. Pick up your favorite starter deck, head down to locals and someone there will point you in the right direction. Sure there might be the one or two people who will be weird about you joining, but there is someone out there who is excited to not only get you into the hobby, but willing to be your friend. Thank you for reading!

Pokemon TCG

My Experience at the Pokemon Perfect Order Prerelease

March 21, 2026 josechurape 4 Comments

Intro

Pokemon’s newest set, Perfect Order, releases on March 27. That means you are probably not getting any sealed product unless you have bots ready to scoop up that next Walmart drop. I wouldn’t be too worried however because singles are very available. If you aren’t going after the pumped products, you’re doing just fine. This is how I’ve been rebuilding my collection, and regret nothing. Don’t get me wrong, I would love to crack a pack and be able to go into Target to pick up an ETB at MSRP. I also understand, I am not that lucky and wouldn’t pull the cards I need. Instead of ending up with more bulk than I need, I’ll probably keep buying singles. I will however shell out the money to open packs at a prerelease.

What is Prerelease

Prerelease for the uninitiated is an event that occurs up to two weeks before the official launch of a new Pokemon set that isn’t a special set. The event gives players a chance to play with cards from set, open packs, and even buy product early. These events are very beginner friendly and the best way to wet your feet as a new player. The event runs three rounds of best of one matches where players use decks they build from their Build and Battle box. Prizing varies between stores. The one I went to handed out a pack per round, others might support based on wins.

What is a Build & Battle Box?

Build & Battle Boxes include:

1 of 4 Special Stamped Promo
1 of 4 40-card Themed decks from the current set
4 x Booster packs of the current set

For Perfect Order, the decks are Serperior, Barbacle, Tyrantum, and Douablade. Bulbpedia has the set list for those curious. Tyrantum seems to be the most valuable with four copies of Poke Pad, and Serperior seems the least valuable with none. I would argue since you can open Poke Pads from packs, you’ll be okay with whatever you chose. I don’t think Poke Pad will be that scarce as people start to open more product.

Why I do Prerelease

This is my second ever Prerelease event because the first one I went to was a magical experience I wanted again. I play a lot of Pokemon TCG on PTCG live because I don’t have the time to go play in real life. I’ve actually did build a standard deck I have been so excited to play, but my daughter’s gymnastics class is at the same time, and I rather be there for my daughter. Prerelease however happens around my schedule and I will do my best to make time. Some people will do prerelease to buy product early, others for a chance to crack some packs, but I was there because I wanted to play some Pokemon and make some new friends.

Why you should do prerelease

If you haven’t made it out to locals because you are intimidated misguided expectations, don’t be. Sure there will be a few people who will talk down to you (or not at all), but a majority of the people in the community have been incredibly nice and welcoming. Prerelease is a special beast with a more casual vibe that is better suited for beginners. You don’t even need to know how to play (although it is recommended you at least try to pick up the basics).

Depending on the store and community, someone will sit down and help you build your decks, sort your cards, explain the rules, and even teach you how to play. Because this is a more casual event, players are more understanding and will take the time to teach you the game. Sure there might be a few people that take the game too seriously, but most people are there to have fun and play some Pokemon. Prerelease is a great way to learn the game, get some product, and even make some new friends.

My Perfect Order

I went into this event with the intention of coming out with Serperiour because I love grass pokemon and the promo is so pretty. Everyone around me was so quick to give me their condolences when I pulled my pretty green snake, but I was jumping out of my seat with joy. I even got 2 Poke Pads to sweeten the deal.

All of my opponents were amazing. Friendly and patient as I did my best to keep my ADHD in check. I even won a raffle for a prize pack where I pulled a card I needed for the Sharpedo deck I’ll never get to play. Although I only won 1 of my three matches, I have never had more fun losing. To end an already perfect day, I pulled the IR Clafairy I didn’t know I wanted. I definitely used up all my luck for the rest of the year, but I don’t care because the card is so cute!

Conclusion

If you want to get into Pokemon and have a chance to join a prerelease, head to your LGS and do it. It is one of the best things you can do as a new player, even if you’ve never played the game in your life. If you are reading this after the fact, the next one is in May.

Universus

King of Fighters Challenger Deck Review: Casual Insights

March 12, 2026 josechurape 1 Comment

Disclaimer

UVS games sent me the two King of Fighters Challenger Series decks to review for my blog. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I won’t let it sway my opinions. This will be my honest review. I have both team hero and team rival decklists up. I’ll also be using my TCG player affiliate link where possible. Always support your LGS, but it really helps me out if you use it for product your LGS doesn’t carry.

What is Universus TCG?

I’ve written about Universus in a past post where I go into detail about the game and how to play. The short version: Universus is a fighting game turned into TCG. Players will use thier resources to land powerful attacks, block oncoming damage, and use abilities that will turn the tide in seconds. The game users a unique resource system that is more RNG reliant than your typical TCG, and it uses established IPs like those from fighting games, anime, or my favorite of all time, Heroes of Exandria. It is my favorite TCG that no one seems to be playing, for now.

Challenger Series Decks

Universus releases two types of sealed constructed products: challenger and starter decks. Starter decks are striped down versions of the TCG that are meant for people who have never touched a TCG in their life. The game includes some unique art cards, but the decks are pretty much useless except for giving players the most basic understanding of the game. I don’t follow the competitive scene, but have played enough card games to understand that the starter decks (as of writing this) don’t have the cohesion and percentage to give players a full version of the TCG. Starter decks are not bad products, I love my Heroes of Exandria starter decks, but the challenger series decks are a lot more fun.

Challenger series on the other hand, are a bit more complex. They aren’t going to win you many games at locals or worlds for that matter, but they provide a more honest experience. If you are trying to teach someone who has never played a TCG, the starter decks are cool until you outgrow the decks. If you want to try out the game to see if its for you and have the chance of building into something more competative, pick up a challenger deck from your favorite series.

My Perspective

I am coming at this from a casual perspective. I don’t follow the meta and can’t speak on how the King of Fighter decks match up against it. I have cannibalized some of the other decks I’ve received to build some strange decks I have fun with. I like Universus and am sad there isn’t a local scene. That said, I understand why. The game isn’t fun to collect. Universus has some of the most beautiful secret rare and unique art based on your favorite characters from your favorite IP, but the rest of the cards are screen grabs. Some sets are fine and look fine in the binder, but other sets are just not interesting to collect. For customers going into the store and seeing all these fun shinny unique cards, Universus gets overshadowed.

The art shouldn’t be a problem when the gameplay is good. The game has unique mechanics, a cool resource system, and a solid loop. The problem is that if I am not familiar with a particular IP, the common cards aren’t very memorable. This will change when they drop their newly announced Rebel Frontier. The art for the teasers look sick and I can’t wait to see what goes into it! More on Rebel Frontier when the information becomes available.

Review

I have mixed feelings about the King of Fighter challenger decks. On one hand, I appropriate the new mechanics and the ammount of flavor that goes into them. Universus is very good at making uniquely flavored decks. The problem I have with the decks is the art, I am not a fan. They may not be the worst cards I’ve gotten, but they aren’t very impressive. At least they’re fun to play.

The Art

The art for the heros is fine, but when you compare it to the street fighter decks, they are a little underwhelming. At least you get three heroes. The heroes feel fine with a good amount of power, but I am not crazy about the art. Personally, Shun’ei was my favorite not because of power, but because his abilities vibed better with my playstyle. The common cards that aren’t in the anime style are ugly. It’s not as bad as the Tekken Decks, but I wouldn’t go out of my way to collect them. Luckily the mechanics are fun.

Gameplay

I like how the decks change enough of the game to keep it interesting. Now I only play casualy once in a while so it always feels fresh, but there are decks I like more than others. I don’t think I would pick these over the street fighter decks, but I would pick them up in addition. The art doesn’t matter when the game is fun, and the games I played with the King of Figher challenger decks were fun. I don’t know how they hold up to the rest of the meta, but they seemed pretty balanced to us. I play with TCG veterans who only play Universus when I ask them to help me test.

Conclusion

If you like the King of Fighters games, pick up these challenger decks. The decks are fun, and you might appreciate the art more than I did. I never got into King of Fighters and couldn’t form the same connection I had with a series like Heroes of Exandria. I think the decks are fun and will pull keep pulling them out, but I wouldn’t pick these up as a collector. If you want cards that look good with solid mechanics, get the Street Fighter decks.

Universus

King of Fighters Challenger Decks: Team Hero Deck List

February 18, 2026 josechurape Leave a comment

Universus TCG has released its King of Fighter’s Challenger Series Decks on January 30, 2026. There are two challenger decks: Team Hero and Team Rival. Both decks come with 60 cards and a special foil booster pack to bling up your deck. This is the Team Hero Deck list. You can pick up the Team Hero Challenger deck at your LGS, or through TCG Player using my affiliate link.

The List

Champions

Shun’ei Amped-up Illusionist
Meitenkun, Sleeping Prodigy
Benimaru, Shooting Star

Foil Cards

Upward Rai-Kou Ken x 2
Scarlet Phantom x 2
Sen-Siss Hou x 2
Benimaru Collider x 2
Chou Geki Hou x 2
Phantom Singulation x 2

Non-Foil

Team Hero XV x 3
Flying Drill x 3
Ground Hammer x 4
Makura Nage x 3
Gallant Figure x 4
Sleepyhead x 4
Students of Tung-Fu Rue x 3
Substitute Member x 4
Thanks a Million! x 4
Thruster Vision: Back x 4
Thruster Vision: Front x 4
Thruster Vision: Under x 4
Wide Awake x 4

Champion (Visual)

Foil Cards (Visual)

Non-Foil (Visual)

Universus

Guilty Gear Strive Blitz Box Review: A Collector’s Perspective

January 21, 2026 josechurape 2 Comments

Disclaimer

UVS sent me the a Guilty Gear Strive Blitz Box to review for my blog. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I won’t let it sway my opinions. This will be my honest review. 2026 is going to be an exciting year for Universus TCG, so make sure you check out the road map! I am super excited for some Fairy Tail cards. Also check out my reviews for other universus products like Attack on Titan and my favorite set so far, Heroes of Exandria. I’ll also be using my TCG Player affiliate link where possible. It helps me out if you use it before buying anything.

The Set

The Guilty Gear Strive set came out on November 28, so I am a little behind on the draw. Holidays have been a little busy for me. While the new King of Fighers comes out soon, I think it is still worth looking back at a fantastic set. Guilty Gear Strive released with a new type of product, the Blitz Box, which is a 12 pack booster at a much more attainable price point. The game features unique art and foils that you are going to want in your collection, especially if you’re a fan of the fighting game. If you haven’t played Universus, it is a fantastic unique game that I have fun playing everything time I get product. I’ve talk in more detail about the game in other posts, so make sure you check that out.

Character Cards

The Guilty Gear Strive character cards are some of my favorite since I’ve started playing the game. If you are unfamiliar with the game, Universus usually uses screen grabs for most of their artwork except for a handful of alt cards and character cards where the art is unique. I have never played a Guilty Gear game, but I kind of want to now because the characters looks so cool. The character cards are all vibrant, with cool looking characters that are going to be fun to collect. Here are a few of my favorites:

Token cards

Non-alt character cards in this set are tokens. Instead of the normal backs, the backs have a few rule explanations. While it may take away from the TCG aesthetic, it does offer a different back for easy orginization. As a casual player, I appreciate the easy reminder of rules I would otherwise have to look up. It is a handy tool for newer players. While I understand that it stops being useful the more to have, it is handy.

Chrome rares

While some might be upset that their character cards have been made tokens, there are some nice chrome rare versions available for those who want to bling out their deck. I like the more cartoonish, oversaturated look of the art. You know it is going to look fantastic on the table. While I didn’t pull any of the chromes for my collection, I can sit hit and look at them longingly:

Alt cards

The real reason I love this game is how much effort is put into the alt cards. The alt cards in this set are all fantastic. I was lucky enough to pull a few of the alt cards and I am so happy with my pulls. If you are a fan of the series, you are going to want to try to pull some of these cards, at least for your collection. It is very hard to choose just a few cards, so here is as many as I could fit in no particular order:

Review

I am writing this as a collector. I love this game, but I play it very casually. I can’t speak on the power it adds to the game nor how it is shaping the meta. I can say that this has been the most fun set to open (aside from the the Heroes of Exandira). Guilty Gear Strive has the best quality of any set I’ve pulled from, and the best looking art.

Quality

Guilty Gear Strive, at least the box I pulled, has some of the best quality I’ve seen from this game. The foils still curve, but that is an unavoidable truth in the TCG space. Regardless of that fact, none of them had that annoying print line that seems to plague previous sets. Coming from the Riftbound cards I pulled, the quality is night and day. If they can keep this level of quality for future releases, and even spread it to Riftbound, I can see this game surviving at least another year.