Top 10 Pokémon Cards form Chaos Rising

Chaos Rising, the new Pokémon TCG expansion, is just about the corner and everyone is starting to imagine what the new metagame is going to look like with the new additions like Mega Greninja, Mega Floette and Mega Dragalge ex. Will these new contenders make a huge impact or will the current top tier decks (Dragapult, I am looking at you!) remain unbothered by them?

This collection continues giving us powerful Mega Evolution Pokémon that were first released in the Pokémon Legends AZ videogame, which special focus on metal-type cards and strategies that favor special conditions like poison.

Personally speaking, I am really excited about this set and  want to share with you my own personal top 10 cards from Chaos Rising so let’s dig into it!
 

10. Cobalion ex

Ability: Metal Road
Once during your turn, when this Pokémon moves from your Bench to the Active Spot, you may move any amount of [M] Energy from your Pokémon in play to this Pokemon.
[M][M][C] Power Tackle: 200 damage. During your next turn, this Pokemon can’t attack.

I am a bit biased here because Cobalion is one of my favorite Pokémon and I simply could not not include it on the list. But to be fair, the card is actually pretty good. When you play Cobalion from your hand to the bench, it will automatically move to the active position and attach metal energies to itself. It is actually the very same effect that Iron Leaf ex, which was released a couple of sets ago, had. This ability is normally really powerful because it allows you to have a free switch and pull out a surprise attack.

It is true that the effectiveness of Cobalion can somehow be a bit limited by how relevant the metal type is in this metagame but honestly, if we consider that Iron Leaves was a very important addition in most decks that could afford to run grass-type energies, I expect exactly the same for Cobalion ex.

9. Magnet Energy

As long as this card is attached to a Pokemon, it provides 1 [M] Energy.

Traditionally, cards that reduced the retreat cost are incredible. We’ve seen some generic options being played in most of the decks and a card that literally allows any card to retreat for free is simply amazing. It is important to consider that Magnet Energy, as you can expect, does only work when attached to a metal-type pokémon but if there is a type that is normally known for having 3-4 retreat costs printed in their bottom corners, that is precisely metal. I am sure Metagross or Archaludon decks will very happily welcome this card with open arms.

8.  AZ’s Tranquility

Switch your Active Pokemon with 1 of your Benched Pokemon. If you moved a Pokemon ex to your Bench in this way, heal 80 damage from that Pokemon.

I honestly like this card much more than I probably should but I honestly think it is more powerful than people are giving it credit for. Having a way of switching Pokémon is always nice and the health boost is also quite nice so I imagine that certain decks (specially those that don’t want to risk having something stuck in the active position) might actually decide to run this supporter.

7. Book of Transformation

You must play 2 Book of Transformation cards at once. (This effect works one time for 2 cards.)
Choose a Basic Pokemon in your discard pile and switch it with 1 of your Basic Pokemon in play. Any attached cards, damage counters, Special Conditions, turns in play, and any other effects remain on the new Pokemon.

I have to be very honest. I don’t really know if this card is bad, decent or broken because it is so, so unique that it can go either way. Cards that require you to play two at the same time are somehow clunky but if the effect is powerful (like Puzzle of Time was back then) then everyone plays them.

Book of transformation allow, literally, to transform a Pokémon into another. The only card that comes to mind that had a similar effect was a supporter, Thorton, and it played a strong role in certain decks. So, as you can imagine, I am not doubting that the effect of this item in particular is good but the fact that we are required to play two at a time makes me wonder if many top decks will have space to even run it. So just in case, I am including this on my list!

6. Philippe

Attach up to 2 Basic [M] Energy from your discard pile to 1 of your [M] Pokemon.

Accelerating one energy is good. Accelerating two energies is great. Philippe allows you to pick one metal Pokémon in your field and immediately attach two metal energy cards from your discard pile. This is indeed a very powerful effect that can help powering out an attacker without your opponent’s being prepared for it. However, as I always say, a card is only as good as the format and the other cards allow them to be. Objectively speaking, getting +2 energy cards on the field is amazing but if there are not enough strong metal Pokémon attackers, Philippe might not see the play at least I am expecting.

5.Prism Tower

Once during each player’s turn, they may discard 2 cards from their hand in order to draw a card.

I was debating a lot about where to place this card and even if it was good enough to be part of the list. Prism tower allows you to discard two cards from your hand and draw one.  Right now, the issue is that we have really good stadium cards so you are most likely going to either run one that helps you execute your strategy (Forest of vitality for Plants) or run a card that counters certain decks (Battle Cage and Dragapult).

But even with this in mind, I do really think that discarding cards is good and drawing cards is even better so I really think the card has potential: it just needs the right deck to exploit it.

4. Big Catch Net

Shuffle up to 3 [W] Pokemon and up to 3 Basic [W] Energy cards from your discard pile into your deck.

I am one of these old school people that think that Super Rod is the best recovery card ever made (which I know it is not true but whatever) so when I saw that they were printing a Super Rod for water types my day got immediately better.

In all honesty, Big Catch Net is very powerful and will provide a very much needed recovery option to water decks. The only reason why a water type deck won’t choose to play this card in 1 or 2 copies will be, to put it simply, because Super Rod is reprinted.

3. Patrat

Ability: Watchful Eyes
If this Pokemon is in play, you and your opponent can't move damage counters to another Pokemon.

Finally, Munkidori’s counter is here! Well… kind of. People were really freaking out when Parat’s translation was first revealed because they thought it was really going to prevent Munkidori from being played and if you want my honest opinion, it slows it down but it does not kill the card by any means. Patrat prevents counters from being moved, which is exactly what makes Munkidori (and other cards like Froslass) extremely powerful.

I expect Munkidori to be one of these cards that makes your matchup slightly more favorable and helps you have more chances but bear in mind that you might still lose against Munkidori and its friends.

2.Mega Greninja ex

Ability: Mortal Shuriken
Once during your turn, if this Pokemon is in the Active Spot, you may discard a Basic [W] Energy card from your hand in order to use this Ability. Place 6 damage counters on 1 of your opponent's Pokemon.
[W][W] Ninja Spinner: 120+ damage. You may put a [W] Energy attached to this Pokemon into your hand and have this attack do 80 more damage.

Almost a decade ago, Greninja Break made a splash in the format and created one of the most iconic strategies of the entire game. Now, a card that is heavily inspired in the past comes back… to dominate again?

The truth is that I don’t know if Mega Greninja ex is powerful enough as to compete against Dragapult, the tier S deck of the format, but it certainly has a lot of strong traits. It can discard energies in order to place damage counters and then deal a very decent amount of damage that can go between 120 and 200. If there is something we’ve learnt about Dragapult is that putting damage counters is just broken but the question that I have is whether Greninja will have enough consistency to maintain the prize trade against some of the other powerful ex cards we have in Standard.

Having said all this, I think Greninja has the potential to establish pretty strong boards and wipe the opponent’s field before they even set up so that is why I am giving it the silver medal (also, its secret rare version is stunning, just saying).

1. Special Red Card 

You can only play this card if your opponent has 3 or less Prize cards remaining.
Your opponent shuffles their hand and puts it to the bottom of their deck. Then, your opponent draws 3 cards.

You have to be a very special card to be on the pole position of this list right? (see what I did here? I made another pun related to the card name! haha, Elena, you are so funny) And this is precisely what Special Red Card is.

Now, even if the card is extremely powerful I don’t think it is the bringer of doom some people are making it sound. Special Red Card, basically, allows players to disrupt their opponents hand where they are behind in prizes. This is not the first time we’ve seen this effect in the Pokémon Trading Card Game; in fact, Roxanne did exactly the same but it was a supporter. And considering that Roxanne was a must-have inclusion in most of the decks, I can guarantee you that the Special Red Card, being an item, is going to become an instant staple.

The implications, from my point of view, are very clear. Players will now need to be much more careful with their plays because getting ahead of the game has a strong punishment. Also, having more disruption options  means that decks will now consider swapping their Unfair Stamp for another Ace Spec. I wouldn’t be surprised if cards like Precious Trolley or Neo Upper Energy (in Dragapult builds) make a comeback.

There is just one small thing I want to point out: Right now, there is no consistent way of searching for this piece in your deck unless you run a very concrete engine like Noctowl so even if you run one or two copies, accessing it when you really need  it might still be tricky.

Conclusion

So… what do you think? Did I cover all your favorites or do you think I missed some of them? Yes, I know, poor Mega Floette, it is on the cover of every booster pack and it didn’t make it into the list. In my defense, I think the card is decent but the format won’t allow it to shine.

In any case, just a few more weeks to know how wrong right I was with this list! Thanks for reading