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We know about roughly the first 50 cards of Genetic Apex, the first set of Pokémon TCG Pocket. Using this information, we'll attempt to understand the design philosophy of TCG Pocket, gauge the power level at the release of the game and see what the early competitive field could look like.
The 2-Line Privilege
Something strikes when we look at the up-to-date card list for Genetic Apex: only Pokemon ex and Stage 2 Pokémon have the privilege of more than one line of text, whether it be an ability or an attack. All other Pokemon have only a single attack, even when the original cards they were inspired by had multiple attacks or an additional ability. This makes the game heavily reliant on non-Basic and Pokémon ex to do more than just attack for a measly damage
It's still too early to tell but it might polarize the format around stronger cards which are, in all likeliness, harder to get or more expensive, to the detriment of more "budget" strategies.
Introducing Pokémon ex
Pokémon ex are exclusive to the Pokemon TCG. These are enhanced versions of regular Pokemon, both Basic and evolved: they have more HP and stronger attacks and abilities compared to non-ex Pokémon of the same stage.
However, this power comes with a trade-off due to the EX rule noted at the bottom right of the card: when a Pokémon ex is knocked out, the opponent takes 2 Prize cards instead of one. In Pokemon TCG Pocket, this rule has been slightly modified: the opponent gets 2 Points.
Charizard ex is one of the first unveiled ex and so far the only stage 2 ex Pokemon revealed
Pokémon ex are easily recognized by the ex symbol after their name and a special type of artwork where the Pokemon breaks through the boundaries of the illustration frame. They were first introduced in the EX Ruby & Sapphire set and have recently made a comeback in the Scarlet & Violet sets, although the concept has evolved under different names (e.g., Lvl. X, GX…).
The initial design for Pokémon ex was intended to raise the power level in games, likely with the underlying motivation of speeding up gameplay and adding a strategic layer to the TCG; should you play stronger Pokémon at the risk of falling behind if they get knocked out early?
It took the TCG 7 years, from Base set to the EX Ruby Sapphire set, to introduce Pokemon ex. TCG Pocket will have them right away, four have been revealed so far: Pikachu ex, Charizard ex, Mewtwo ex, and Moltres ex.
- Pikachu ex has 120 HP and can deal up to 90 damage with an attack that costs 2 {{energy|lightning}} energies.
- Charizard ex has 180 HP and can deal 60 damage with an attack costing 3 Energies, and 200 damage with Crimson Storm (4 energies, requiring the discard of 2 {{energy|fire}} energies).
- Mewtwo ex has 150 HP and can deal 50 damage with an attack costing 2 Energies and 150 with Psydrive, which functions similarly to Crimson Storm as it requires to discard 2 {{energy|psychic}} energies.
- Moltres ex has 150 HP, with one attack that costs 1 {{energy|fire}} energy and can attach as many {{energy|fire}} energies to Benched {{energy|fire}} Pokémon as the number of heads in 3 coin flips. Its second attack does 70 damage for 3 energies.
Notably, there is a strong emphasis on energies and types: each Pokémon ex either promotes or requires a certain type to maximize its effectiveness.
Power Level of Pokémon ex in TCG Pocket
Mewtwo ex was incidentally one of the first Pokémon ex ever introduced in the TCG as well. Let’s compare Genetic Apex's Mewtwo ex to this one and the second Mewtwo ex printed in the TCG
Mewtwo ex from EX Ruby Sapphire (2003) ; Mewtwo EX from Next Destinies (2011) ; Mewtwo EX from TCG Pocket
It's clear that the TCG Pocket version is stronger than the first iteration of Mewtwo ex, but slightly less powerful than the Mewtwo EX from the Next Destinies set in the Black & White expansion (note the similar naming of the second attack in Pocket). This suggests that the power level in TCG Pocket is aligned more with what it was in the TCG around 2010 rather than at the beginning of the game in 1996 or even when Pokémon ex were released.
Within Pokémon ex in TCG Pocket, Pikachu ex stands out among the four. While its HP is lower, it can deal 90 damage starting from turn 2 without needing to evolve, unlike Charizard ex. This amount of damage can knock out almost any revealed Basic Pokémon so far, making Pikachu ex a significant threat if not dealt with quickly. Even when compared to other Pokémon ex, Pikachu ex is superior:
- it can KO Charizard ex in two hits. Charizard ex can do the same but requires 3 energies to do so and 4 for its one-hit KO attack.
- Mewtwo ex, another Basic Pokémon ex like Pikachu, deals only 50 damage with 2 energies, losing the race against Pikachu ex.
- Moltres ex’s weakness to Lightning further diminishes its effectiveness against Pikachu ex.
Provided you can bench {{energy|lightning}} Pokémon quickly, Pikachu ex may become the main threat in the early days of the game.
Stage 2 Pokémon: The Rare Candy Question
In the TCG, Rare Candy promotes stage 2 Pokemon by making it possible to evolve a Basic Pokemon into their final evolution by playing this item, without resorting to the Stage 1 Pokemon inbetween.
So far, we know of two non-ex Stage 2 Pokémon: Gardevoir and Greninja. Both are extremely similar to their previous TCG prints. Gardevoir has an ability with the same name and a close HP count. It might be a key component of any {{energy|psychic}} themed deck thanks to the boost in power Psy Shadow provides to the Active Pokémon. Greninja is also powerful though more in the brute force department: thanks to its Water Shuriken ability, it can deal 80 damage to a single Pokémon with just 2 energies in one turn—close to what Pikachu ex can do under specific conditions. It can even split the damage, dealing 60 to the Active Pokémon and 20 to a Benched Pokémon.
The possible inclusion of Rare Candy in the first set of TCG Pocket is a critical issue, as it would allow for the quick promotion of powerful Pokémon like Charizard ex and Greninja early in the game, dictating the tone for a fast-paced, high-power environment. Against all odds, it seems very likely:
- Charizard ex, the only Stage 2 ex revealed so far, has a relatively low power level for an evolved ex Pokémon: it cannot attack until it has 3 energies attached, and its most powerful attack requires significant resource consumption.
- Rare Candy was playable when Gardevoir and Greninja were part of the TCG, indicating that the game’s design technically supports it.
Adding Rare Candy in the very first set would certainly fulfill the promise of quick battles. It doesn’t automatically make Stage 1 Pokémon obsolete; some may even be central to a deck, as Kirlia is for the Gardevoir ex archetype in the TCG.
Evaluating the Power Level
Based on what we know, the game could indeed start with a high power level. Let's see possible scenario in a game:
- A turn 1 Slowpoke in the Active spot, backed by a Benched Ralts, could evolve into a Slowbro on the next turn and deal 80 damage thanks to the newly evolved Gardevoir’s ability, all while only trading for a single Point.
- Charizard ex strategies could be quickly fueled by a turn 1 Moltres ex and lucky coin flips to make Charizard ex able to use Crimson Storm as soon as turn 2 thanks to Rare Candy.
- Strong Basic Pokémon like Kangaskhan, Electabuzz, and Pincurchin can hold their own and even deal respectable damage, especially when exploiting type weaknesses, while you pump the bench.
At this stage, attacks and effects might not be set in stone : the case of Greninja is the most emblematic, as such an ability usually requires to discard an Energy card as seen recently in Meowscarada ex. Much speculation also hinges on whether Rare Candy will be available, as it enables powerful plays starting from turn 2. But then if it isn’t available, cards like Pikachu ex might become too overwhelming. Whatever the case, hopes for a slower format at the beginning of the game, similar to Duel Links, seem dim: Pokemon TCG Pocket is shaping up to be fast-paced from the get-go.