Posted in: Card Games, Games, Pokémon TCG, Tabletop | Tagged: Arceus, Charizard, pokemon, pokemon cards, Pokemon TCG

The Cards Of Pokémon TCG: Brilliant Stars: Top 5 Main Set Cards

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 count down my personal picks for the Top Five cards of the main set. I'd love to see you leave your own picks in the comments.

• #5… PIPLUP: Some may be aghast that I'd pick a common card for the top five over, say, any VSTAR in the set. This was a hard choice, because I do like VSTARs and found all four of them to be fun and beautiful. Arceus VSTAR, especially the Gold version, damn near made the cut. However, there's something so simple and beautiful about this Piplup as it builds a snowman, staring in awe at the falling flakes. Truly a stunning card.
• #4… MARNIE'S PRIDE FULL ART TRAINER SUPPORTER: I'm just happy to get a Marie that never threatened to be a $100 chase card. Marnie is the most popular Trainer of the Sword & Shield era by far, and the last two times she was featured on a Full Art, she made the Marnie Premium Tournament Collecton box hard to find after becoming the ultimate chase card of Sword & Shield base. Brilliant Stars delivers a Marnie card that is as cool as the others without setting the market on fire. As a completionist collector, I have to love that.
• #3… LUMINEON V ALTERNATE ART: Honestly, the next three were hard to place because I see them all as equal in beauty. The Lumineon Alt Art takes third place for being the most beautiful scene an Alt Art has painted so far. It's truly an aquarium trapped in textured foil.

• #2… ARCEUS V ALTERNATE ART: The set mascot Arceus looms like a true deity over the world here on one of the most unique Pokémon cards ever released. From the Biblical vibe of the setting to the way the rays of light catch in the foil, this is an all-timer.
• #1… CHARIZARD V ALTERNATE ART: Groan if you want, but collectors love Charizard for a reason. This card captures the classic Kanto vibe by pitting Charizard against Venusaur, delivering the most action-packed Alt Art we've ever seen. This card is so sick that the first time I saw it leak on social media, my immediate thought was, "Nah, can't be real. Too good to be true." But it is, and it is the ultimate chase card of Sword & Shield – Brilliant Stars.

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 as we count down the top five cards of the Trainer Gallery subset.

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