The trailer is out for the next Pokémon Pocket set, which features Pokémon from Sun & Moon. But along with the Alolan forms and new ex cards, Celestial Guardians features an unassuming item that is about to reshape the mobile game’s meta forever.
Fans of the main Pokémon TCG will be familiar with Rare Candy. This item card allows you to evolve a Basic Pokémon into a Stage 2, skipping the evolution in the middle. And in the existing trading card game, it’s a fundamental piece of any deck that runs Stage 2 Pokémon – although Budew is now around as a valuable counter.
While previous Pokémon Pocket sets have deliberately nerfed some of the best cards in the game (like Professor Oak) for balance reasons, Rare Candy is coming over unchanged. Which means it’s going to have a huge impact on deckbuilding.
Crucially, this trainer Pokémon card will make any deck with three-stage evolution lines significantly more viable. They’ll be both faster, with fewer turns wasted evolving your Pokémon, and more consistent, with fewer ruined games where you’re unable to find your Stage 1s.
It’s hard to count the number of Pokémon Pocket decks that will be improved by Rare Candy. Celebi decks can now have Serperior out way earlier, while Mewtwo decks can more consistently land Gardevoir. It’ll be much easier to get Greninja up and running, and Charizard ex will be more powerful than ever.
Beedrill/Meowscarada decks will be particularly empowered, since this strategy relies on two Stage 2s.
One Stage 2 that won’t be strengthened by Rare Candy, however, is Magnezone. This Pokémon has seen an uptick in play in the last fortnight, but since it needs its Stage 1 to pile on energy, there’s not much benefit in skipping past it.
What’s even more exciting than the existing decks that will be strengthened by Rare Candy are the Stage 2 Pokémon that never got a chance to shine, but may be viable once this trainer card is in the game. I’m thinking of Pokémon like Gengar ex or Pidgeot ex, Infernape ex or Victrabeel.
Personally, I’m keen to try it out with Alakazam – perhaps dust off the Alakazam/Weezing deck I built back when Celebi looked like the scariest new Pokémon on the block.
Rare Candy isn’t the only exciting card teased in the trailer for the upcoming Pocket set, which is launching on April 30. We’re also getting ex versions of Sun & Moon’s Legendary Pokémon: Solgaleo and Lunala. Both have extremely impactful abilities: Solgaleo can switch in with any Pokémon from the bench, while Lunala lets you move all Psychic energy from a benched Pokémon to the one in the Active spot.
For more Pokémon reads, check out our extensive guide to the most expensive rare Pokémon cards. Or share your decklists and brag about your climb up the ranks in our Discord.
Source: Wargamer
