Hi there. I will be covering the full cards reveal of the Mega Brave and Mega Symphonia sets from Japan. The Japanese sets release on August 1 while the international Mega Evolutions set releases in September 2025.
As there is so much to cover, I cover the cards I find interesting plus the playable cards. Cards not covered here are either not great or were covered before in a previous post.
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JustinBasil passed away recently late July 2025. He provided a lot to the Pokemon TCG community with his translations and pre-release guides. He will be missed.
Trainer Cards
I am starting with the trainer cards first instead of the Pokemon.
Premium Power Pro
This card has been covered before. It is worth showing again. Fighting types get an attack boost with this powerful Item card.
Iron Defender
As Fighting types focus on offense, the Iron Defender card focuses on more Defense for Metal Pokemon. This Item card applies the 30 damage reduction during the opponent's next turn. The opponent could bypass this effect by targeting non-Metal Pokemon.
Iron Defender goes well with Metal Pokemon decks such as Archaludon ex and Gholdengo ex.
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Fighting Gong
Fighting Gong is a very good item card for Fighting decks. Search your deck for a Basic Fighting Pokemon or a Basic Fighting Energy card, reveal it and put it into your hand. (Then shuffle your deck.)
Repel
Repel is a simple item card. Switch out the opponent's Active Pokemon to the Bench. The opponent chooses the new Active Pokemon. This is different that the Pokemon Pocket version of Repel where it requires the target to be a Basic Pokemon. With this Repel, the opponent's Active Pokemon can be a Basic Pokemon or an evolved one.
Lt. Surge's Dealings or Bargain
Lt. Surge Dealings is an interesting Supporter card as there is opponent interaction. Ask you opponent if both players may draw a Prize Card. If yes then both players draw 1 Prize card out of 6. If the answer is no, then the user who played this card draws 4 cards.
Draw 4 cards are not very common. When they exist, they usually come with a condition. This card seems okay. You could put pressure on your opponent with a decision. A yes answer helps you get closer to winning the game or actually winning. A no answer lets you draw more cards.
Will this card be good? I don't know.
Lillie's Determination
Lillie's Determination was covered in a previous post. This is a better version of Youngster with more draw power if you have not taken a Prize card. There are cases where resetting your hand is better than drawing more cards.
Dangerous Ruins
Here is the Dangerous Ruins stadium card. Whenever any player puts a non Dark Basic Pokemon onto their Bench, put 2 damage counters (20 damage) on that Pokemon. The Basic Pokemon put into play does not have to be from hand. Nest Ball for a non Darkness Basic Pokemon would trigger the stadium effect.
In my opinion, I think this Stadium card is kind of scary. I foresee further Munkidori abuse with this stadium. Put Munkidori into play, attach Dark Energy and transfer away 20 damage to 1 of the opponent's Pokemon. Munkidori + Froslass + Marnie's Grimmsnarl ex gets a boost from this stadium card.
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Suspicious Clock
Suspicious Clock may seem weird with its effect but there are good use cases. This Item card lets you Devolve 1 of your evolved Psychic Pokemon by returning any number of Evolution cards on it into your hand.
There are a few cases where you want to remove the evolved Psychic Pokemon ex (i.e. Gardevoir ex) and have it as a single prize Pokemon. One unusual and crazy use case is to devolve your own Psychic Pokemon to suicide it to bring out a different attacker for the Knockout win against an opponent's Pokemon.
Mega Signal
Mega Signal is a simple but powerful Pokemon search card. Search your deck for a Mega Evolution Pokemon ex, reveal it and put it into your hand. (Then shuffle deck.)
Note that the target has to a evolution Mega Pokemon ex. Not a Basic Mega.
Acerola's Mischief
Acerola's Mischief was covered in a previous post. In the late game, this card provides a good defensive effect from all damage and attack effects done to your chosen Pokemon from your opponent's Pokemon ex.
Wally's Compassion
Wally's Compassion is a powerful healing Supporter card that is for Mega Evolution Pokemon ex. You do have to put Energy cards attached to the Healed Pokemon into your hand.
Lush Forest
Lush Forest provides a big boost to Grass decks. Each player's Grass Pokemon can evolve into another Grass Pokemon during the turn that those Grass Pokemon are put into play. Note that you cannot evolve on the first turn of the game.
The normal evolution cycle is turn 1 for putting the Basic Pokemon in play, turn 2 evolve Basic Pokemon into Stage 1 or Stage 2 with Rare Candy. With Lush Forest, you do not have wait turns for evolving Pokemon. If you have the evolution Pokemon cards in hand, you can evolve the Grass Pokemon to the corresponding Grass Pokemon on the same turn. Example below.
Surfing Beach
Water Pokemon were very good a year ago with Irida. They have been not so good in 2025 so far. Surfing Beach provides good support for Water Pokemon. Once during each player's turn, the player can choose to switch their Active Water Pokemon with 1 of their Benched Water Pokemon.
Being able to Switch Pokemon is pretty good. There are a fair bit of retreat lock type of attackers like Maractus, Nacli and Wellspring Mask Ogerpon ex.
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There is a chance that this Stadium may help Palafin decks be competitive. Switching attackers makes it hard for the opponent to Knockout Pokemon. You can also switch Pokemon so you can attack again.
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Mysterious Garden
This Stadium card was covered before. Psychic Gardevoir ex decks get more support. Discard 1 Energy card from the hand to draw cards equal to the amount of Psychic Pokemon in play. Gardevoir ex decks get a draw engine option.
Mega Brave Pokemon Cards
Solrock & Lunatone
Solrock and Lunatone cannot really function fully without each other. Lunatone's draw ability works when Solrock is in play. Solrock cannot attack unless Lunaton is on your Bench.
Solrock's attack is pretty good. One Fighting Energy for 70 damage that is not affected by Weakness or Resistance is pretty powerful (and rare) for a Basic Pokemon. You do need Lunatone in play though.
Spiritomb
Spiritomb is a Basic Dark Pokemon with 80 HP, one retreat cost and Grass weakness.
The Mountain Breaker attack does not deal damage but it discards the top card of the opponent's deck. An annoying attack as you can discard a non-recoverable card.
Spiritomb's ability is activated whenever your active Dark Pokemon is damaged by an attack from your opponent's Pokemon. Put 1 damage counter on the Attacking Pokemon.
Mega Symphonia Pokemon Cards
Chikorita & Bayleef
Chikorita and Bayleef are needed for Meganium. The attacks on these two are kind of good. Chikorita's attack for 20 damage from 1 Energy is not bad in the early game. Bayleef's Push Down attack for 50 damage plus switch out the opponent's Active Pokemon is good too.
Meganium
Meganium is an interesting card because of its effect. The Solar Beam attack is kind of meh. The Wild Growth ability is very good. One Grass Energy turns into 2 Grass Energy attached to your Pokemon. This Wild Growth ability does not stack. More than 1 Meganium would not result in more than 2 Grass Energy from 1 Grass Energy card.
Shuckle
Shuckle could be a counter against Froslass + Munkidori combos in Marnie's Grimmsnarl ex decks.
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Once during your turn, if this Shuckle has any Grass Energy attached, you may heal 30 damage from 1 of your Pokemon.
Mantine
Mantine is a beefy Basic Water Pokemon with 110HP, one retreat cost and Lightning weakness.
The Waterfall attack is not great but the Call for Family attack is good for the early game. Search your deck for up to 2 Basic Pokemon and put them onto your Bench. Then, shuffle your deck.
I can see Mantine being good if Water Pokemon get good support.
Snover
Snover as an attacker is not great but you need this for Mega Abomasnow ex.
Mega Abomasnow ex
Here is Mega Abomasnow ex. This is a beefy Stage 1 Mega Pokemon ex with 350HP, 4 retreat cost and Metal weakness. Stage 1 Pokemon ex usually have HP from 260 to 280HP and Stage 2 Pokemon ex usually have HPs from 300 to 340 HP. Mega Abomasnow ex having 350 HP is pretty crazy but you do give up 3 Prize cards if it is Knocked out.
Avalanche Hammer is the first attack. Discard the top 6 cards of your deck. This attack does 100 damage for each Basic Water Energy card discarded in this way. I am not a fan of attacks that discards cards from your deck. To much randomness from my liking. Yeah, you can hit 400, 500 or 600 damage from this attack but the likelihood is not high.
Academy at Night Stadium card helps as you can move a Water Energy card from hand to the top of your deck. Energy Recycler, Pal Pad and Super Rod helps with Recovery if you miss Water Energy.
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Frost Barrier for 3 Water Energy does 200 damage with a damage reduction effect during the opponent's next turn. This Pokemon takes 30 less damage from attack after applying Weakness & Resistance.
Clauncher & Clawitzer
Clauncher as an attacker is not too great. Clawitzer is kind of interesting. Aqua Launcher for 3 Water Energy does 210 damage with the drawback of discarding all Energy form this Pokemon. The 210 damage amount is one hit Knockout power on popular support Pokemon ex like Mew ex, Fezandipiti ex, Latias ex, Squawkabilly ex.
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The Reverse and Reload ability activates when Clawitzer moves from the Active Spot to the Bench. Attach up to 2 Basic Water Energy from your hand to this Clawitzer.
Clawitzer is a dangerous single prize attacker. I am not sure if a deck with this is consistent and dangerous enough to be competitive.
Raikou
Raikou is a Basic Lightning Pokemon with 120 HP, 1 retreat cost and Fighting weakness.
The Electric Fall attack requires 2 Lightning Energy for 30 base damage. If you have at least 4 Lightning Energy in play then this attack does 90 more damage for a total of 120 damage.
Getting 4 Lightning Energy in play is possible in Miraidon ex decks with Magneton and Eelektrik available in the format. It is an okay single prize attacker that may some play in Miraidon ex decks.
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Electrike
Electrike is needed for Mega Manectric ex. One Lightning Energy for 30 damage is good for a Basic Pokemon. You do deal 10 damage to itself in recoil damage but it is not a big deal as many popular Pokemon can easily one hit this.
Mega Manectric ex
Mega Manectric ex is the Stage 1 evolution of Electrike. This has a whopping 330 HP, zero retreat cost and Fighting weakness.
The Flash Ray attack for 2 Lightning Energy does 120 damage and prevents all damage done to this Pokemon by attacks from Basic Pokemon. This effect is good against certain decks that heavily reliant on Basic Pokemon.
Riot Blaster requires 3 Lightning Energy for 200 base damage. If you choose to discard all Energy attached to Mega Manectric ex, then this attack does 330 damage. A 330 damage amount is one hit knockout power on many things except for larger HP Mega Pokemon and certain Pokemon ex with a Hero's Cape.
Xerneas
Xerneas is worth highlighting here. The Bright Horns attack is not great but the Geogate attack has a powerful Pokemon search effect. Geogate allows you to search your deck for up to 3 Psychic Basic Pokemon and put them onto your Bench. (Then shuffle deck afterwards)
There are support Pokemon with Call For Family attacks (or something similar) where you can search your deck for 1 or up to 2 Basic Pokemon and put them onto your Bench. Geogate is limited to Psychic Basic Pokemon and lets you search up to 3 of them from your deck. This provides very good setup in the early game.
Delibird
Attacking is not allowed when you go first on your first turn. This Delibird is one of those few Pokemon where you can use an attack going first on turn 1.
Search for a card from your deck and put it into your hand. Then shuffle your deck. Note that you don't have to reveal the searched card. If you get lucky, pull this attack off on turn 1 and not get your hand disrupted the next turn then this Delibird provides good value.
Some Illustration Rare Cards
There are a lot of illustration rare cards from this set. I feature some here as there is too much out in this set. For more cards go here.
A lot of these cards are colourful and beautiful.
Vulpix, Marshadow, Spiritomb
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Spearow, Gumshoos, Mega Venusaur ex
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Lt Surge's Dealings Full Art, Lillie's Determination Full Art, Mega Absol ex
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Special Illustration Rare of Lt Surge's Dealings & Lillie's Determination
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In 2023 and 2024, the card designers have been pushing hard with Iono. I guess they are favouring Lillie now. There will be hardcore fans of these Lillie cards.
Alakazam, Delibird, Helioptile
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Mega Manectric ex, Mega Gardevoir ex, Mega Kangaskhan ex Full Arts
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Special Illustration Rares Of Mega Gardevoir ex, Mega Kangaskhan ex, Wally's Determination
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Gold Mega Ultra Rare Cards
With the Mega Evolution set, they will have a new rarity. This new rarity is Mega Ultra Rare. These are gold cards with new illustrations. The first two are Mega Lucario ex and Mega Gardevoir ex.
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