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 46: Other 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 continue with the Full Art Trainer section of the set's Trainer Gallery subset.

So we have two more Mustard Full Arts which, after Sword & Shield – Battle Styles, I don't think anyone asked for. These are adapted from Japan's VMAX Climax along with the rest of the Trainer Gallery and that sheds some light on why we have these at all. VMAX Climax was a reprint set celebrating the Sword & Shield era as the TCG planned to take on Hisui for the last leg of this extended block. So we not only got reprints in that set, we got new Full Arts for major SWSH characters. Mustard did play a major role in the DLC but I don't think anyone is clamoring for these Trainers. Every set has filler cards, though, so no faulting Brilliant Stars here. I do love the other card pictured above, Café Master, which ties into the set in multiple ways. Café Master appears on Alcremie's standard card and his own standard Trainer in the numbered set, and then both this Full Art and a Character Rare with Alcremie appear in the Trainer Gallery. They have a super cute bond and the only thing they're really missing to compete with Acerola and Mimikyu as most feature pair is a Character Super Rare.

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 Trainer Gallery subset section of the set.

Enjoyed this? Please share on social media!

Stay up-to-date and support the site by following Bleeding Cool on Google News today!