Okay, here’s my pitch: the Pokémon TCG found its best ever gimmick back in 2005, and it needs to bring it back. Yes, we need to go back to the Holon region and see some new Delta Pokémon, which, if you’re not familiar, are awesome, mysteriously type-shifted ‘mon that haven’t appeared in the card game for 20 years. I still have my Delta Salamence card. It is still cool. We need new Delta Pokémon sets so that you can be cool like me.
Delta Pokémon were ace. You could have a psychic type Omaster, or a lightning type Charmander, and these type changes were reflected in the artwork. You could see your Feraligatr crackling with electric power, or fire type Kingler covered in flames.
And before you say, ‘isn’t this just the same thing as Tera Pokémon?’ I suppose the Pokémon TCG did do a massively inferior version of Delta Species two decades later, but I think this was handled much more poorly. For starters, crystals are a dull and dreary aesthetic, and Pokémon shouldn’t wear giant novelty hats.
But more seriously, Delta Pokémon are actually sort of the opposite of Tera types. In the video games, Tera Pokémon have their weaknesses and resistances swapped to their new types, but unless they have Tera Blast their moves remain the same. Whereas Delta Pokémon keep the weaknesses of their original typings, but have attacks and energy costs that reflect their new types.
The other thing is, the Pokémon TCG messed up the Terastallization concept – for some reason it couldn’t commit to its own gimmick. Only 16 out of 52 Tera Pokémon cards actually do things correctly: they have their types changed and their weaknesses switched, but normal energy costs for their attacks.
The vast majority of Tera Pokémon have normal typing, normal resistances/weaknesses, and just have scrambled up energy requirements, needing a bunch of different energy types. Which really doesn’t communicate what Terastallization is all about. Several Tera cards have nothing unusual going on mechanically at all: all they have is the crystal aesthetic, plus some silly rule about not taking damage on the bench. It was a worse idea that Delta Pokémon already and the developers fluffed it.
Delta Pokémon is also one of the few occasions where the Pokémon TCG has tentatively experimented with making its own lore – something I think it should do way more often. Seriously, what’s cooler, Pokémon types changing due to electromagnetic waves from a research facility or because of their choice of headgear?
It was super cool to see Holon tower in the background of a bunch of cards, plus there’s even some good storytelling through cards. In the first set, EX Delta species, these unique Pokémon are dual-types with the steel type added, because they’ve gained magnetic abilities. Then in later sets, the phenomenon progresses and we get Pokémon with entirely different typing. I just think that’s so neat!
This gimmick was only used for a small run of sets, and I think it’s been long enough that we could absolutely revisit it. Plus, with the advances the Pokémon TCG has made with card treatments and illustration rares, a Delta Species revival could create some really cool cards. You brought back Team Rocket’s Pokémon with Destined Rivals. Now give me Holon!
Join the Wargamer Discord server if you want to tell me that I’m absolutely right. But don’t come and try to teach me about the actual lore around Terastallization, because frankly I don’t want to know.
Source: Wargamer
