Hi there. In this Pokemon TCG Post I cover the cards revealed at the Pokemon World Championships 2024.
Topics
- Rufflet & Braviary
- Gimmighoul & Gholdengo
- Smoochum
- Surfer Supporter
- Counter Gain
- Helper Bell
- Megaton Blower ACE SPEC
- Trapinch, Vibrava & Flygon ex
- Duraludon, Archaludon ex
Rufflet & Braviary
Rufflet is a 70HP Colourless Bird Pokemon with a not so good attack given its Energy cost.
Braviary is a 130 HP Stage 1 Colourless Pokemon with one retreat cost. The second attack is generic as it does 120 damage for 3 colourless Energy. Its first attack of Drag Out costs two Colourless Energy. Drag Out switches 1 of your opponent's Benched Pokemon with their Active Pokemon and does 40 damage to their Active Pokemon.
Gimmighoul & Gholdengo
Here is another version of Gimmighoul. This one has 70 HP, has two retreat cost and is of the Psychic type. The second attack costs too much at three colourless Energy to do 50 damage. The first attack is kind of useful. For one colourless Energy you do no damage but can search for 2 Basic Energy from deck and put them into your hand. As long as the opponent does not disrupt your hand you can setup nicely for a Gholdengo attack the next turn assuming Evolution and enough cards in hand.
This Gholdengo is a Stage 1 Metal Pokemon with 130 HP. The second attack of Surf Return is not that good as it costs 3 Colourless Energy. It does 100 damage with the option of shuffling this Gholdengo and all attached cards to your deck. It is a hit and run style attack. Gholdengo's first attack of Rich Strike costs one Metal Energy to do a base damage of 30. If this Gholdengo evolved from Gimmighoul this turn then the Rich Strike attack does 90 more damage. This would be 30 plus 90 equal to 120 damage. This card is okay but it is likely not good enough to replace Gholdengo ex.
Smoochum
Smoochum is another baby Pokemon with 30 HP and a zero retreat cost. For zero energy you can use the Happy Kiss attack. This attack allows you to search you deck for 2 Basic Psychic Energy cards and attach them to your Benched Pokemon in any way you like. It is good energy acceleration but is it worth giving a single prize to your opponent. 30 HP is low and vulnerable.
Surfer Supporter
The Surfer Supporter card has a Switch effect. If you choose to switch your Active Pokemon with one of your Benched Pokemon then you can draw cards until 5 cards in hand.
This card comes in handy if you need a Switch card and if you are low in hand size count. Surfer could be okay as 1 copy in some decks. If this allowed until 7 cards in hand then this would see a lot more play in my opinion.
Counter Gain
Counter Gain is a Tool card that is a part of those comeback mechanic cards. If you have more Prize cards than your opponent then the attacks of the Pokemon this Counter Gain card is attached to costs one Colourless less.
This card is good in decks that have Colourless energy in their attacks as well as the decks are slower (less aggressive). Counter Gain will see play in some decks.
Helper Bell
Helper Bell is one of those cards that can only be used on the first turn. This one can only be used if you go second and it is your first turn. This condition is quite restrictive.
This item card helps you search for a Supporter card from the deck and put it into your hand. Then the deck is shuffled.
Helper Bell is good for decks that want to go second on the first turn. Outside of the first turn going second, this card is a dead card. Some decks would run one or two copies of this. Maybe more but I am not sure.
Megaton Blower ACE SPEC
Megaton Blower is an Item ACE SPEC card that discards all Pokemon Tool cards and Special Energy cards from each of your opponent's Pokemon and removes any Stadium card in play. This effect is quite powerful as you can remove more than 1 Tool/Special Energy/Stadium card from the opponent's Pokemon.
I am not sure if this card is good enough. Megatown Blower has to compete against Prime Catcher, Hero's Cape, Neo Upper Energy, Unfair Stamp, Legacy Energy, Secret Box for the one ACE SPEC spot.
Trapinch, Vibrava & Flygon ex
Trapinch & Vibrava
Trapinch is a 60 HP Fighting type Pokemon with one retreat cost. The second attack of Bite is not good but its first attack of Call For Family allows you to search for 2 Basic Pokemon and put them onto your Bench.
Vibrava is a 90 HP Stage 1 Fighting Pokemon with one retreat cost and Grass weakness. The second attack of Cutter Wind is okay for 50 damage at the cost of one Fighting Energy and one Colourless Energy. Its first attack of Screech makes Vibrava do 50 more damage in the next turn. Not a great card.
Stellar Tera Flygon ex
Flygon ex is a Stellar Stage 2 Tera Pokemon with 310 HP and no ability. (Stellar Terra Pokemon have no abilities and just two attacks.) The first attack of Storm Bug costs one Fighting Energy to do 130 damage with the option of Switching the Active Flygon ex to the Bench.
Peridot Sonic is Flygon ex's second attack. For the cost of one Water Energy, one Fighting Energy and one Metal Energy you do 100 damage to each of your opponent's Pokemon ex and Pokemon V. The advanatage of this attack is that you can hit multiple Pokemon ex and Pokemon Vs. Disadvantages of this attack include Manaphy, low damage amount and the opponent may not play any or not many Pokemon ex and Pokemon Vs.
For a Stage 2 Pokemon I think Flygon ex is not very good.
Duraludon, Archaludon ex
Duraludon From Paradise Dragona
This Duraludon is a Basic 130 HP Metal Pokemon with two retreat cost, Fire weakness and two attacks. The first attack of Confront does 50 damage for 2 Metal Energy. Durant Beam is the second attack. It costs 3 Metal Energy to do 130 damage with the drawback of discarding 2 Energy from the Duralduon. Don't use this Duraludon. Use this other one from Stellar Crown shown below.
Archaludon ex
Archaludon ex is a bulky Stage 1 Metal Pokemon ex card. A Stage 1 Pokemon with 270 HP or more is pretty high. This one has 300 HP which is a lot for a Stage 1 Pokemon ex. Pokemon VSTARs tend to have 280 HP with some at 300HP and most Stage 2 Pokemon ex have 310HP, 320HP or 330HP. Archaludon ex with 300HP is not easy to knockout unless you attack it for Fire weakness.
The Metal Defender attack costs 3 Metal Energy to do 220 damage. There is an added effect where Archaludon ex has no Weakness in the opponent's next turn. The 220 damage amount one hit knockouts a good handful of Basic Pokemon ex except for the ones with 230 HP or more. The no weakness effect next turn is very good as Fire Pokemon cannot take advantage of weakness (unless they use Boss's Orders).
The ability is quite powerful because of its Metal energy acceleration. Its ability activates when Archaludon ex is evolved from hand to evolve one of your Duraludon. Once during your turn you may attach 2 Metal Energy from your discard pile to your Metal Pokemon in any way you like. In theory and in practice you can evolve into Archaludon ex from Duraludon from hand, accelerate two Energy, attach one Metal Energy from hand for the turn and then attack.
As an attacker Archaludon ex is a good beatstick type of an attacker. What makes this good is the ability. Combine this with Duraludon from Stellar Crown shown above, Professor's Research and Relicanth (shown below) for more synergy and more attacking options.
