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

The Cards Of Pokémon TCG: Sword & Shield – Fusion Strike Part 30

The Pokémon TCG has outdone itself with its latest release, Sword & Shield – Fusion Strike. Fusion Strike, which was released in November 2021, is the largest expansion that the Pokémon TCG has ever released with a whopping 264 cards before Secret Rares. The set is partly based on the Japanese expansion Fusion Arts but also adapts several key Japanese promo cards as well as cards from sets like Eevee Heroes that were left out of that set's English equivalent, Sword & Shield – Evolving Skies. Sword & Shield – Fusion Strike is notable for its focus on the Mythical Pokémon Mew and Gengar VMAX, as well as its introduction of a new Battle Style to the competitive TCG with Fusion Pokémon now joining Rapid Strike and Single Strike. Now, let's take a journey through the best cards in this staggeringly large set of Pokémon cards.

While I personally don't find the Sword & Shield – Fusion Strike Full Art Trainer Supporter selection to be as impressive as previous sets in this era (with the exception, I must note, of the stylish Elesa's Sparkle and the cute Chili & Cilian & Cress which has a fun "work buddies" vibe), it holds true that the Rainbow Rare style can make or break a Secret Rare. For example, Schoolboy and Schoolgirl are, I think most collectors would say, relatively boring Full Arts. The color palette of Rainbow Rare improves this version of the card just by virtue of being cool and shiny. Elesa's Sparkle remains the best hit here due to the dynamic art, and the Rainbow palette does generally uplift the overall vibe of these cards. As I mentioned in the sections of this series focusing on the Rainbow Rare Pokémon-VMAX, there are rumors that this style of card may be exiting the Pokémon TCG in 2022.

Personally, I think Full Arts for Trainer Supporters are enough considering how many different types of Ultra Rares, Full Arts, and Secret Rares are being added just in the past year: Alt Art Vs, Alt Art VMAXes, V-UNIONs, Character Rares, Character Super Rares, V-STARS, Black & Golds, and so on. Rainbow Rares have been here since the beginning of the Sun & Moon era where they offered Secret Rare versions of Pokémon-GX. Rainbow Rare Trainer Supporters were added to the rotation in Sword & Shield base and appeared in nine sets. That's a long life for any style of card, to be sure. We may be saying goodbye too early as very few cards from Sword & Shield – Brilliant Stars have leaked, but if it truly is the end for Rainbow Rare Trainers in the Pokémon TCG, it's been a good run.

Next time, the spotlight on Pokémon TCG: Sword & Shield – Fusion Strike continues with more cards from the set. You can follow this spotlight series by clicking our Fusion Strike tag.

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