The Pokémon Sword and Shield series, titled Chilling Reign. This expansion focuses on adding Pokémon into the card game as they appear in the Sword and Shield Crown Tundra DLC. Featuring Legendaries such as Kanto's redesigned bird trio and the newest legendary, Calyrex, available in its Ice Rider and Shadow Rider forms, there are many desirable cards for players and collectors to hunt for. While many expansions in the Pokémon TCG seek to introduce powerful new equalizers into the game's roster, some of the new cards tend to fall a bit short of this goal.
The Chilling Reign expansion includes several types of Pokémon cards. In addition to the basic and common cards to fill out Pokémon decks, Pokémon's Chilling Reign also features VMAX, V, and Secret Rare cards. The most valuable of these cards tend to feature alternate or full art, and are available in foil or holographic form. The value of a card is depicted through rarity, effectiveness in the game, and condition.
While Chilling Reign features particularly valuable and powerful cards, there are a few in the expansion that aren't worth the hassle of hunting down. One of the cards that fell short of expectations was the Liepard V card. As a V form card, when this Pokémon is defeated, the trainer's opponent is able to take a single prize card. As a result, these cards tend to be more powerful and useful than others. However, Liepard falls short of this goal as it is one of the only V form cards that does not also have Rapid Strike or Single Strike. Its attack does not stack in damage like many others in Chilling Reign, nor does it benefit from synergizing with other Pokémon attacks. Its Quick Claw ability does feature some strategic value in removing a Pokémon Tool from a friendly or opposing Pokémon, but this is situationally advantageous at best.
Pokémon TCG's Chilling Reign Has A Few Legendary Disappointments
While Ice Rider Calyrex V is the cover Pokémon for the Chilling Reign trainer packs, in comparison to its direct competitor, Shadow Rider Calyrex V, it is the worse of the pair. None of the Ice Rider Calyrex V cards make the top ten most valuable cards in Chilling Reign, not even with their alternate full art forms. Ice Rider Calyrex V's gameplay mechanics also fall short of its Shadow Rider Competition, as its basic card form deals 200 damage, but is formed to remove additional Energy cards from itself.
Ice Rider Calyrex's VMAX form is also inferior to the Shadow Rider Calyrex VMAX, as shown through their greatly differed value among players and collectors of the Chilling Reign expansion. Ice Rider Calyrex VMAX's market value on TCGPlayer is currently appraised at $11.15, with its Shadow Rider competitor valued at $25.00. While Ice Rider Calyrex V is certainly legendary, and can act in a more effective capacity than the common cards within Chilling Reign, it falls short in comparison to its Shadow Rider equivalent in almost every category.
Pokémon creatures aren't the only types of cards that are featured in the Chilling Reign expansion. There is also an assortment of utility cards that work to equip players with the most effective hands to conquer their opponents. Included in the utility cards of Chilling Reign are three new Trainer cards, one of which is the Unovan Psychic-type Elite Four Member, Caitlin. Compared to Pokémon Trainers like Flannery and Agatha, who work to actively weaken opposing Pokémon, Caitlin's ability merely allows an additional shuffle from a player's hand to the deck. There are Pokémon cards that accomplish the same thing with damage, and other Trainer cards that accomplish a shuffle but still have additional effects.
While Chilling Reign's expansion has a collection of useful, game-changing cards, these are just a few of the cards that aren't worth the hassle. Collectors eager to obtain everything Chilling Reign has to offer will still likely pursue these cards, but it is unlikely they will offer much usefulness in battle. Pokémon cards can be utilized effectively in battle with the proper strategies and decks, but players will have to be particularly dedicated and cunning to prefer some of the cards in Chilling Reign over others.
