Hello everyone! The new expansion from Pokémon TCG has dropped this week and we can officially get our hands on these amazing cards. Now, Crown Zenith is a very special set for a number of reasons so in this article we are going to cover all of them. Let’s get started!

Why is Crown Zenith not a normal expansion?

The first thing you need to understand about Crown Zenith is that it is not part of the regular release cycle. If you’ve played Pokémon -or any other TCGs, in general- you are very familiar with the fact that each 3 months or so a new expansion drops, bringing new cards to the competitive scene and introducing new archetypes. But from time to time, the franchise decides to release a very special set with more like a “collector approach", giving the players the possibility to get alternative artworks of popular cards or even reprinting some of the most hard-to-get cards from the past few months. As such, these types of sets are very attractive both for collectors and for competitive players.

Crown Zenith has been designed with this idea in mind. It comes with a ton of reprints, alternative art cards and even some new additions that could have an immediate impact in the standard format. Collectors, as you can imagine, are opening this set like crazy and if you keep reading and check some of the images below you will understand why.

And the last important note about Crown Zenith is that it marks the end of the Pokémon Sword and Shield Eran. In a few months, we will officially enter in the Scarlet and Violet one with the base set hitting the shelves so, in a way, Crown Zenith is like the last goodbye from this generation. Whether this generation will be remembered as a good or a bad moment in the Pokémon TCG history, I will leave it to each of you.

What are the most competitive cards from the set?

While I certainly enjoy pulling shiny cards, I don’t consider myself a collector. That’s why I am going to start analyzing about some interesting additions to our current format.

As far as Pokémon cards go, there are definitely some new ones that can (and I am sure that will) see play. Perhaps the best one is Zamazenta. At first sight it might not look like a very scary attacker but is the most powerful “revenge killer” now and I have no doubts that it will be played in Lost Box decks that can afford to run metal energies. Another very good Pokémon and perhaps the most versatile one is Radiant Eternatus, which lets you “cheat” the board state and directly play VMAX Pokémon into the field without needing to evolve them. I have some doubts about its viability but who doesn’t want to play a Duraludon VMAX for free? Lastly, another card that could certainly be interesting is Zacian VSTAR since it has the power to get rid of basically anything on the field with its attack. The only problem with Zacian is that it has arrived very late, once the Sword and Shield base set Zacian V is about to rotate (*sobs*). 

In the chapter of Trainer cards, I think there is just one that is worth talking about: Sky Seal Stone. This tool card needs to be attached to a V Pokémon but has the potential to turn the table upside down as it will give you one extra prize when you KO an opposing Pokémon. Players need to be more careful now and play around this item card or they could potentially lose a game that they thought was in their hands!

What are the cards I should buy as a collector?

All of them, of course! (that is what every collector does, right?). Jokes aside, when I said that this set comes with some amazing cards, I was being honest. Even I am actually considering collecting some of them.

Where should I start? Ok, so the first important thing is that Crown Zenith is filled with alternative art cards, each with their own unique style.

 Some of them even tell a story. There is a subset of 9 Pokémon that, when combined, reveal an image. And without any doubt, I think the most important highlight here are the alternative gold versions of the 4 Legendary Pokémon from Sinnoh: Arceus, Palkia, Dialga and Giratina. This is something that I absolutely love because their design is truly going away from the “cuteness” that has always been prominent in the Pokémon game and features these legends with a more realistic and even scarier vibe. Oh and by the way, if you are wondering, these can also be put together to reveal an illustration. I am planning to get the 4 of them and store them safely in my Magnetic Card Case as soon as they arrive!

 So, all in all, it does not matter if you are a collector or a competitive player, Crown Zenith is definitely a great expansion. It provides us with the right opportunity to bling our decks with maximum rarity cards, build new strategies and collect some of the most amazing artworks we’ve seen in the Pokémon TCG in a while. Thanks for reading!