Posted in: Card Games, Games, Pokémon TCG, Tabletop | Tagged: pokemon, pokemon cards, Pokemon TCG, Scarlet & Violet, Terastal

Will Terastal Pokémon Be The Next Pokémon TCG Mechanic?

The Scarlet & Violet era of the Pokémon TCG draws near. We have now seen the reveal of the Terastal Phenomenon, which is this generation's new special power-up that is unlike Mega Evolution, Dynamax, and Gigantamax. Following the reveal of Scarlet & Violet and this new aspect of the franchise, we are expecting to see the very first cards from the upcoming Scarlet & Violet era next week. The Pokémon TCG will reveal these cards at this year's Worlds event, which begins on August 18th. Could we see the Terastal Phenomenon become the focus of the next Ultra Rare mechanic in the Pokémon TCG?

Here is how Pokémon's official Scarlet & Violet website describes the Terastal Phenomenon:

This phenomenon is found only in the Paldea region and makes Pokémon shine and glimmer like gems. When a Pokémon Terastallizes, a Tera Jewel appears above the Pokémon's head like a crown, and the Pokémon's body glistens like a cut gemstone. It's said that the Terastal energy that seeps from the ground of the Paldea region is involved in the phenomenon. Many details remain unclear, but Professor Sada and Professor Turo are researching this mystery. The Tera Jewel and the luster on the Pokémon's body differ depending on the type. All Pokémon in the Paldea region are able to Terastallize. Terastallizing holds the key to victory or defeat in battles in the Paldea region. All Pokémon in Paldea can Terastallize to gain special power. First, each Pokémon has a Tera Type. […] When to activate this special transformation and the combination of Pokémon and Tera Types you choose to use are all up to you.

These bejeweled Pokémon would certainly make interesting cards. Currently, the Pokémon TCG has two levels of standard Ultra Rare mechanics: Pokémon V, which depicts the Pokémon in their standard form, and then VMAX/VSTAR, which are the powered-up and rarer version. Of the VMAX/VSTAR rarity level, VMAX cards represent Galar's Dynamax and Gigantamax mechanic, while VSTARs offer an etched, Ultra Rare power-up without using any in-game transformation. Perhaps we will continue to see an equivalent of Pokémon V in the Pokémon TCG showing the standard species depiction with an etched card showing the powered-up Terastal version of the Pokémon. Get your theories in the comments below, as we are about to find out!

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