Posted in: Card Games, Games, Pokémon TCG, Tabletop | Tagged: cosmic eclipse, pokemon, pokemon cards, Pokemon TCG, VMAX Climax

Character Cards Return To Pokémon TCG With Japan's VMAX Climax

Published Mon, 04 Oct 2021 06:12:11 -0500

by Theo Dwyer

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The Pokémon TCG was hit with some stunning news over the weekend. It appears that the upcoming Japanese high-class set, VMAX Climax, is not what we expected. From early reports, the thought was that this was going to be another set with a Shiny Vault, structured the same as sets like Hidden Fates and Shining Fates. The set it instead appears to be modeled after is something entirely different: Cosmic Eclipse. (Or, since this is the Japanese version we're talking about, Dream League.) The official announcement and card reveal for VMAX Climax has shown nothing to indicate a Shiny Vault, but instead has confirmed the return of Character Cards. Let's get into the details.

VMAX Climax cards. Credit: Pokémon TCG — VMAX Climax cards. Credit: *Pokémon TCG*

Character Cards were a new type of rarity introduced in the Japanese set Dream League, which was adapted into the English-language Sun & Moon – Cosmic Eclipse, which closed out the Sun & Moon era with a bang. Character Cards are non-textured Full Arts that depict the bond between a trainer and their Pokémon. Notably, these could be pulled in the Reverse Holo slot (like BREAKs and Amazing Rares) so packs could include major hits not only in the Rare slot but also the reverse slot.

The first peek at this new Japanese Pokémon TCG set includes glimpses at Character Cards featuring:

Eevee and… honestly, it's slipping my mind who that is.
Zekrom and N
Gardevoir and Doctor
Flaaffy and Elesa

We also know from the announcement that this Pokémon TCG set will:

Include Character Super Rares, which depict a trainer with their Pokémon on a VMAX card. Image below of Red and his Pikachu.
Include a Rayquaza and Duraludon with new artwork.
Primarily function as a reprint set which will probably not be the case for the English-language version, though details on that set have yet to be announced.
Each pack will contain either a Pokémon V, VMAX, V-UNION, or secret rare. There will be 11 cards per pack, which is quite a bit bigger than normal Japanese sets.