Posted in: Card Games, Games, Pokémon TCG, Tabletop | Tagged: Brilliant Stars, pokemon, pokemon cards, Pokemon TCG, Sword & Shield

The Cards Of Pokémon TCG: Brilliant Stars Part 34: Gold Trainers

Pokémon TCG has released the first set of 2022. The expansion, Sword & Shield – Brilliant Stars, came out on February 25th, 2022. It is the ninth set under the Sword & Shield banner and is the first to include the Pokémon-VSTAR mechanic. VSTARs are a replacement for the VMAX mechanic, which is being phased out of the main portion of the set after this release. Sword & Shield – Brilliant Stars also debuts the Trainer Gallery, a special subset of Character Rares, Character Super Rares, Full Art Trainers, and Black & Gold VMAXes that can be pulled in the reverse holo slot. Follow me through a journey through this latest set as we appreciate the artwork, discuss the card's place in the set, and discuss what certain elements of the expansion may imply for the future of the Pokémon TCG. Today, we'll take a look at two of the set's Gold Cards.

Man… if all Pokémon TCG sets could just have two Gold Secret Rare Trainers, I'd be beyond thrilled. While I don't personally hate these cards, I know I speak for many collectors when I say that it's a lot less exciting to pull an incredibly rare volcano than it is to pull an incredibly rare Pokémon.

One thing to note, though, is that Ultra Ball Secret Rares are very sought-after due to the high playability of this card in Pokémon TCG competition. If you look back to previous sets, Secret Rare Ultra Balls tend to age well and stay high in value. Hell, I'm trying to complete the Plasma sets at the end of the Black & White era and one of the cards holding me off is an Ultra Ball worth over $200. This kind of card lets players flex while using a useful card, so it is essentially a must-have for many competitive players.

Stay tuned for the continuing journey through Pokémon TCG: Sword & Shield – Brilliant Stars. To look back on this series, click the Brilliant Stars tag below. Next time, this journey continues with the Secret Rare section of the set.

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