The first cards from the much-anticipated Japanese Pokémon TCG set The Glory of Team Rocket have been revealed. We’ve been shown the expansion’s big ticket card, Team Rocket’s Mewtwo, and oh so much more, from new trainer cards, to a range of other Pokémon in the thrall of the evil organization.
These cards will, of course, make their way to English audiences in the May 30 Pokémon TCG set Destined Rivals, which also bundles in the cards from Heat Wave Arena. But it’s Rocket Pokémon that has everyone excited, and which may make this one of the fastest selling sets of the year – Rocket Pokémon like…
Team Rocket’s Mewtwo Ex!
Ability: Power Saver – This Pokémon can’t attack unless you have 4 or more Team Rocket’s Pokémon in play.
Attack: Deletion Sphere: 160+ damage – You may discard up to 2 Energy from your Benched Pokémon. This attack does 60 more damage for each card discarded this way.
(Translations from Twitter user Toine Lay)
So on the face of it, while this is a really high HP Pokémon card for a basic, there’s obviously a huge drawback in that ability. Team Rocket’s Mewtwo is going to need a lot of setup and support to come good.
Luckily, the set gives the Legendary Pokémon plenty of backup. The best example is Team Rocket’s Spidops.
Ability: Charge Up – Once during your turn, you may attach 1 Basic Energy from your discard pile to this Pokémon.
Attack: Rocket Rush: 30x damage – This attack does 30 damage for each of your Team Rocket’s Pokémon in play.
Using Spidops, you can quickly grab basic energy to power up Mewtwo’s attack, and keep recycling it from the discard pile to use it’s power again and again.
It seems like Team Rocket decks will be very all-or-nothing, since you need three Rocket’s Pokémon on the bench to even use Mewtwo. The set’s Supporter cards also encourage you to play a Team Rocket only deck.
Team Rocket’s Ariana for instance draws you up to five cards in hand normally, but if you only have Rocket’s Pokémon in play, you get to draw until you have eight cards in your hand.
Team Rocket’s Persian Ex is also a really cool card, with a unique effect. It can clone any other attack from the top 10 cards in your opponents’ deck.
Attack: Haughty Orders: Your opponent reveals the top 10 cards of their deck. You may choose an attack from a Pokémon you find there and use it as this attack. Your opponent shuffles the revealed cards back into their deck.
Attack: 140 damage: Your opponent’s active Pokémon is Confused
The last big thing worth showing off is a new double energy card. Team Rocket Energy can only be attached to Rocket’s Pokémon, and provides two darkness or psychic energy, or one of each.
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Source: Wargamer
