Battle Styles is out today! And that means new cards for us to play in the game with. And in this new set, we've got a brand new mechanic called Rapid Strike and Single Strike, which are in a similar vein of the old Team Plasma cards. And since I'm not 30 anymore, no need to continue with the Top 30 gimmick so I'm going back to the 15 I used to do for a bit.
Just wanted to share my initial impressions and ideas of the 15 best cards I could find from the set and cutting to 15 was a bit tricky as I had 23 on my initial list and wanted to get in many more stuff. Honorable mentions to these cards:
- Billowing Fan (Similar to Enhanced Hammer but goes to the bottom of opponent's deck)
- Korrina's Motivation (New draw supporter!)
- Tower of Waters (Free retreat for some big attackers)
- Empoleon V (This will be incredibly irrritating to deal with)
- Cherrim (Energy accelerating to smaller Grass attackers)
- Kingdra (I like this card but sadly I do like Stage 2 attackers too so you know)
- Primeape (Could do ridiculous amounts of damage for not much)
- Energy Recycler (It's back! The dream of Charizard TEU could still be alive?)
Prices taken from Troll and Toad on release day (Mar 19th 2021).
#15 - Single Strike Scroll of Scorn - 133/163 - UC - $0.35
Similiar to: Any Outrage Attacker
It's Outrage but in the form of a Tool so that's good for any Single Strike attacker. The better part? It costs only one Fighting Energy to do possibly a lot of damage. Who doesn't like a second or even a third attack in some cases? More options is always a good thing.
It works well for things like the new Single Strike Urshifu VMAX as it'll have 330 HP, and with SS Energy and Houndoom doing 20 to yourself for attaching energy, you could be doing a lot more damage than what your opponent is expecting.
#14 - Bronzong - 102/163 - RH - $3.99
Similiar to: Klingklang BLW
Metal Transfer is back and with Metal typing still being possibly one of the best typing going in the game at the moment, now they've got another tool to play around with. There's plenty of different ways to make full use of Bronzong, offensively and defensively as well.
It could help speed up attacks after using Metal Saucer or other ways to get energy onto the board and move them all to your attacker. Or it could be paired with things like Cheryl to heal your evolved attacker and start swining again. This will see play and not just in Metal decks too since it doesn't specify just basic Metal energy.
#13 - Corviknight VMAX - 110/163 - UR - $16.99
Similiar to: Zeraora-GX
One deck that will definitely make full use of the aforementioned Bronzong is Corviknight VMAX. It's not the first Hyper Beam style attacker in this format but it does have free retreat, in a similar vein of how Zeraora-GX used to work.
And it's ability prevents stuff like Phione gusting you, Zigzagoon/Obstagoon pinging you for a few damage counters or better yet, Giratina to take out your Metal Coating Energy, giving Fire decks a much harder time. And if that's not enough, the combination of this with Brozong and Cheryl is sure to cause any deck a lot of headaches.
#12 - Tower of Darkness - 137/163 - UC - $0.35
Similiar to: Scorched Earth
Good ol' Scorched Earth is back in the form of Tower of Darkness which is only going to help Single Strike decks. These decks will be filled with Single Strike cards so it won't be an issue for you to keep drawing cards.
But be mindful, it could also help the opponent if they have some as well. This card will get much better once Chaotic Swell is rotated.
#11 - Cheryl - 159/163 - UC - $0.49
Similiar to: Pokemon Center (Base Set)/Max Potion
Max Potion hasn't been in standard for some time but Cheryl is the closest like for like replacement we have for it, but it only works on Evolved Pokemon.
There is the downside of having to discard all the Energy from them but it's easily worked around. Decks with Bronzong won't mind it as they can move their energy around, have just a single energy attack such as Rapid Strike Urshifu VMAX or as a defensive move to stop an opponent from winning late on.
#10 - Octillery - 037/163 - RH - $3.99
Similiar to: Persian-GX?
It's been a while since we've seen an Octillery card that helps to boost the consistency of a deck and this one is especially helpful for Rapid Strike decks.
Searching for any Rapid Strike card is just too good to ignore. Need an attacker? Octillery has your back. Need the Fan to send your opponent's energy into the deck? Octillery will get you there. Need to find a Supporter urgently? You know who to call. Octillery will only get better as more Rapid Strike cards gets released.
#9 - Houndoom - 096/163 - RH - $1.79
Similiar to: Rillaboom SUM?
Houndoom is an energy accelerator from the deck in a similar vein to Rillaboom, Charizard or Vikavolt but this one helps to attach the Single Strike Energy, giving you 20 more damage, but at the cost of 2 damage counter to the person receiving said energy.
Most of the time, you're not bothered by placing damage counters to yourself. In fact, it helps to speed up damage from Scroll of Scorn. And unlike Octillery, this ability can be used more than once so a hound of Houndoom (no pun intended) will speed the game up for you in no time.
#8 - Kricketune V - 006/163 - UR - $4.49
Similiar to: Oranguru SUM
Instruct is back. The downside is that Kricketune V is a two prize pokemon so that makes things easier for your opponent to snipe and take prizes off.
The upside is the additional effect of having Kricketune V as your active. There will be many times where you are Marnied or Stamped down to 1 or 2 cards and with Kricketune in the active spot, it can just get you out of those trick situations. Instruct saw loads of play so surely Exciting Stage will see similar amounts of play.
#7 - Victini VMAX - 022/163 - UR - $15.99
Similiar to: Garchomp BKP
Of course I have to represent my Fire gang! Victini VMAX may not be the best fire attacker at the moment but once rotation hits, it will be. And the plus side? It's one Fire deck that isn't heavily reliant on Welder for once due to only needing two energies to attack!
Having Spreading Flames it super helpful but Max Victory is an attack many decks might fear. Hitting 220 for just two energies can be quite painful for many decks to deal with, especially those needing to evolve their attackers. Don't be surprised to see many Boss plays from Victini VMAX to pick off any Vs in sight.
#6 - Single Strike Urshifu VMAX - 086/163 - UR - $34.99
Similiar to: Reshiram & Charizard-GX
Single Strike Urshifu reminds me somewhat of ReshiZard in that it can hit hard very quickly and like the GX, it can get past anything. That's the plus side of G-Max One Blow since it's not a GX so you can keep hitting it, that is if you can find some way to quickly recharge all your energies right back.
270 damage is not joke as it takes out most Tag Teams. But do remember that it is a Single Strike Pokemon. The SS Energy gives you 20 more damage so you can easily reach up to 350 damage! And you still have things like Vitality Band and Fighting Dojo to increase those numbers even further.
#5 - Escape Rope - 110/163 - UR - $0.49
Similiar to: It's a reprint!
Escape Rope is back! This has seen play everytime it was in Standard format and is a staple for many decks in Expanded as well. An item card that gives you the option to not only gust around your opponent but also lets you switch your Pokemon? Rope will be played for many different reasons, offensively and defensively.
Add to the fact that the meta currently has many Hyper Beam style attacker (Reshiram & Charizard-GX, Zacian V, Corviknight VMAX) and attackers that need to move into the active like Rapid Strike Urshifu VMAX, it just shows how helpful Rope will be in many different decks.
#4 - Single Strike Energy - 141/163 - UC - $0.75
Similiar to: Strong Energy
We all remember how good Strong Energy was back in the day. 20 additional damage for your fighting attackers made them kings of said format. Now add Darkness to those typing and SS Energy might just be even better.
Still not convinced? Houndoom accelerates them from the deck and can be used more than once. And there's also Vitality Jar that recovers these energies back into the deck. Single Strike will be hard to deal with, especially with how easy it is to get these energies up and running into your attackers.
#3 - Rapid Strike Energy - 140/163 - UC - $0.75
Similiar to: Double Dragon Energy
It's not quite Double Dragon Energy but Rapid Strike does offer two different energy typing at the cost of two energies as well for the price of one!
Any ways to attach additional energy has always been good. Double Colourless Energy, DDE, Triple Accleration Energy have all seen play in the past. So expect this to see play as well. And it's easily searchable if you need it through Octillery's ability.
#2 - Level Ball - 129/163 - UC - $0.49
Similiar to: It's a reprint!
Level Ball is back. Smaller basics now have an additional ball search to use and we have seen Level Ball used in the past to much success and it should still do that even in the era of the Three Prizers.
Decks like Mad Party, Stage 2s, Control or those needing to set up evolution techs will be more than happy to make full use of Level Ball.
#1 - Rapid Strike Urshifu VMAX - 088/163 - UR - $49.99
Similiar to: Golisopod-GX
Me personally, I prefer Rapid Strike Urshifu over Single Strike Urshifu and it's not just because I picked that in my video game too. Hitting for insane amount of numbers is nice but the ability to plan around specific situations just appeals to me more of these two.
Gale Thrust is an attack we've seen in the past in Golisopod-GX and that saw a lot of success so expect RS Urshifu to make full use of it as well, especially with Bird Keeper, Escape Rope, Switch and even free retreat of the Tower of Waters will help you get continous Gale Thrust in. If the 150 for one energy attachment is already not appealing enough, 120 to two Pokemon with G-Max Rapid Flow is the icing on the cake, especially if you're up against a Tag Team Pokemon, since the numbers are just perfect (150+120).
Not my longest list but I will admit I did forget this until a few days ago so it might look a bit rushed but I just wanted to share the info on release day. Thanks for reading and enjoy the new cards in Battle Styles!
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