The Pokémon franchise has grown and evolved over the years, encompassing a number of different ventures including an anime series, popular games, a manga series, a line of movies, brilliant toys , and outstanding gifts that are perfect for the loving fan . However, the franchise that had its inception in 1995 has also created an immersive trading card game, known as PTCG or Pokemon Trading Card Game, which has taken the world by storm with even official tournaments being held on the s

Each type in the Pokemon TCG represents one or more types from the video game franchise. Water in the card game comprises all pure Water-types, many dual-types, as well as the same for Ice-types. This gives the whole group a variety of strategies to draw from that can be mixed due to elemental synergy. Needing the same type of energy card for two or three different tactics can really overload one's opponent and leave them stretched for resources as well as keep them on the defens

While there are Trainer Cards in PTCG which are used by themselves, there are some that work best when used in combination, and one such deadly combination is that of Virbank City Gym and Hypnotoxic Laser. While Trainer Cards cannot deal damage in the trading card game, these two cards allow players to device new styles of gameplay, whereby pokémon with low damage potential can also land massive blows and help the player win ga

Belonging to the XY-Fates Collide expansion, Mandibuzz is a stage one pokémon with 110 HP that comes as hugely handy when dealing with particular situations. This dark pokemon is especially useful because of its ability Bone Drop, which is able to deal a damage of 60 to any one of the opponent’s pokémon if it has an Abil

One such card belonging to the dark archetype is Mandibuzz BREAK, belonging to the BREAK-Evolution expansion. Having an HP of 140, this stage two pokemon is a master disrupter owing to its ability Wings of Disaster. This attack not only deals 20 damage to each of the opponent’s pokémon, but it also removes any tool cards that might be attached to them, thereby disrupting effective setups that the opponent might have m

Those familiar with the Pokemon TCG may also be reading through with some déjà vu. That's simply because Shining Fates was actually directly inspired by the previous (incredibly popular) special expansions dubbed "Hidden Fates" and "Shining Legends." Each of these expansions were known for featuring Shiny Pokemon in special holographic-alternative cards. That is, the sets have a special "Shiny Vault" of cards that can be found as a Shiny Pokemon variant . Rather than featuring significantly different artwork though, these cards are treated as a form of "holo," and instead simply bear a unique backdrop and the Pokemon's Shiny vari

It is a normal attack as well, so, unlike Pokemon GX attacks, it can be used repeatedly. This kind of move, usually called "Hydro Pump", has been seen on water type pokemon cards since some of the earliest sets featuring the very first water starter line . Blastoise was the original user of this watery weapon, though variants have flourished since its incept

While players can normally purchase Pokemon cards in various forms of bundles, the basic breakdown is as follows: booster packs, starter/theme decks, and collector's sets. Generally speaking, each "expansion" of the Pokemon TCG will offer a new set of cards to collect, which can be obtained through some combination of the aforementioned means. "Shining Fates" will be The Best Card next expansion to arrive to the English-speaking Pokemon TCG world, releasing on February 19th, 2

Volkner’s Philosophy is a Trainer Card that works in a similar manner as the Birch and Bianca Trainer Cards but differs in the sense that it also allows the player to discard a card from his/her hand. It is the perfect card to play after the player has finished a big turn and needs to draw useful cards to setup upcoming pl

Either way, this locks the adversary's Active Pokemon down for at least one turn, if not longer. With this opening, Light Dewgong is free to frigidly landscape as it pleases with many Ice Pillar atta

Umbreon GX belonging to the Sun and Moon expansion is a hugely versatile card with 200 HP, which can play with any deck and is capable of dealing considerable damage along with dire effects for the opponent. Its secondary attack, Shadow Bullet, deals as much as 90 damage along with an additional 30 damage to one of the benched pokémon of the opponent, making it a powerful card to enact bench sniping, all for the meager cost of 1DE and 1

Its other attack, Mind Shock, lets this powerful Psychic-type hit a foe for a guaranteed 40 damage that does not get affected by Weakness and Resistance. This Pokemon is a great addition to any Psychic decks revolving around high field cont

In a game where discarding increases the probability of getting the card that a player really needs to up the ante, and where drawing increases the chances of achieving that, Professor Juniper and Sycamore are nothing short of angels. However, players should also remember to attach energy and bench their pokémon before using these Trainers, lest they wish to utilize freshly drawn cards right a