The Pokémon Sword & Shield TCG series. The new set will introduce a variety of Hisui Pokémon from Pokémon Legends Arceus into the TCG including the Origin Formes of Dialga & Palkia. However, the most exciting feature of the expansion is the debut of the incredibly powerful Shiny Radiant Pokémon cards.
This isn't the first time the Pokémon TCG has released a mechanic that turned the game on its head. In 2000, the Neo Revelation expansion introduced Shining Pokémon cards and they had an immediate impact on the hobby. Collectors went absolutely crazy for the rare collectibles, and the incredible power of the mechanic made Shining Pokémon cards a must-have in any TCG player's deck. With Astral Radiance's Radiant Pokémon cards also looking to be as equally powerful, the 2022 mechanic could be the biggest shakeup the TCG has had in years.
Although the Sword & Shield Pokémon TCG failed to make substantial waves with its Pokémon V and VMAX cards, the excellent VSTAR mechanic from the Brilliant Stars expansion is a sign that the TCG is moving in an interesting direction. Despite only having released in February, the Arceus VSTAR card has quickly dominated official Pokémon TCG competitive tournaments and is already having a greater impact than previous mechanics. What makes Astral Radiance even more exciting is that some of the Radiant Pokémon cards are actually able to take out VSTARs with a single move due to their powerful stats. And according to PokeBeach, the Pokémon Company has already confirmed more Radiant cards are on the way such as Radiant Hisuian Sneasler and Radiant Gardevoir.
Radiant Pokémon Cards Are Incredibly Powerful
When the Astral Radiance Pokémon TCG expansion launches in May, the set will include Radiant Greninja, Radiant Hawlucha, and Radiant Heatran. Besides all three cards being Shiny, each of the Pokémon cards have ridiculously powerful stats. Heatran for example comes in at a whopping 160 HP and its Raging Bomber attack does 70 damage. Where things get interesting, is that the move can actually be multiplied up to four times based on the number of damage counters on the card. With the right buffs, players can dish out a ridiculous amount of damage.
Radiant Greninja's ability further adds versatility to a Pokémon TCG player's team, by dealing 90 damage to two of an opponent's Pokémon. Radiant cards aren't just about power though, as Radiant Hawlucha's focus leans more towards . The Pokemon card's Big Match ability gives a 30 damage buff to a player's entire team when attacking against an opponent's active VMAX. The unique designs give players a counter to the wildly popular Mew VMAX which has also been a big hit in Pokémon TCG tournaments.
With Pokémon TCG now having two powerful mechanics running side-by-side, the game looks the most exciting it has been in years. As the Sword & Shield era of the Pokémon TCG reaches its final year, it looks like the Pokémon Company is closing things out with a bang. With VSTAR cards already a massive hit with collectors and sweeping the competitive scene, Radiant Pokémon cards and their powerful designs could have the biggest impact yet on the Pokémon TCG meta.
Source: PokeBeach
