Posted in: Card Games, Games, Pokémon TCG, Tabletop | Tagged: battle styles, pokemon, pokemon cards, Pokemon TCG, TCG

Preview The Cards Of The New Pokémon TCG "Battle Styles" Expansion

Earlier this week, the Pokémon TCG announced their new expansion debuting in March 2021. Sword & Shield: Battle Styles is the fifth expansion of this current generation, following up the majorly popular Vivid Voltage that is currently selling out from retailers worldwide. Let's take a closer look at some of the cards that the Pokémon TCG have released previews for, including four new Pokémon V cards and two new VMAX.

• Emboar: With the new "Single Strike" mechanic here, this card packs a wallop with its Heat Crash move. On the collector's side of things, the cool blue background that contrasts with the flaming hot energy of Emboar's attack makes me wonder… will this be a regular rare card or a holographic rare? The colors of the backdrop would look terrific with the current liney holographic style used in the Sword & Sheild era of the Pokémon TCG.
• Empoleon V: Potentially the best looking card we've seen previewed in this set so far, this Empoleon V is a beautiful piece of art with its cool blues and purple. I can't wait to pull this.
• Houndoom: Maybe that Empoleon has a run for its money. Though this Houndoom card is just a rare and not a V, something tells me this one is going to be holographic. That blazing flame is begging to shine. It's also great to see Houndoom to continue to get love in the Sword & Shield era, as it recently had a terrific Pokémon V card in the Darkness Ablaze expansion.

• Mienshao & Octillery: Two rares here, and both of these Pokémon got a chance to shine in the trailer that has, unusually, since been removed.
• Tyranitar V: It feels like too long since this Johto king has been given his crown. This card isn't bad at all, but the collector in me certainly wonders what the Full Art version of this will look like. Also, if Tyranitar gets a Secret Rare, that may just end up being the chase card of this set. Charizard has had its time in the sun and, with Vivid Voltage, it became all about Pikachu. Could Tyranitar shine brightest in this battle-themed Pokémon TCG expansion?

The final cards we were able to preview are all Urshifu, which gets two Pokémon V and two Pokémon VMAX cards that showcase its Rapid and Single Strike formes. Urshifu is in many ways the core inspiration behind Battle Styles as a concept and series, so these may become major collector's items.

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