Another big 2-prizer with a detrimental ability is the “Ancient” Great Tusk ex, from Japan’s “Shiny Treasure.” Path can help make that card potentially viable, though I wouldn’t hold my breath. https://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Great_Tusk_(TCG)
Weedle
Same attack as appears on Ditto VMAX!
Weedle
New shiny Entei card was just released in “Shiny Treasure” (Paldean Fates in the West). Very cool!
I know this reply is super late to the party but… this wouldn’t have worked in unlimited. there are way too many decks that are turn 1 win. The first deck that gets to play supporters/attack wins. A lot of these decks would only rely on either a single attachment or energy acceleration, so discarding energies wouldn’t be a problem.
Latios EX ROS from the same set does the same thing with an attack that does 40 damage for one Energy. It was a tech in Giratina EX AOR/Darkrai EX BKP decks for cheesing an early prize card in the Night March matchup.
Anonymous
I was reminiscing on people’s early takes on Gardevoir ex while viewing Tapu Lele CRZ when I wrote this comment.
It’s funny to look back and see what people suggested using in early Gardevoir ex lists to attack with. Wyrdeer V ASR, Galarian Articuno EVS, Mewtwo V-Union, and, later down the line, Houndstone SVI and Drifloon SVI… and to top it off, most of these early lists ran a split of Gardevoir CRE and Gallade ASR. It took months for people recognize that Gardevoir CRE could actually function as the deck’s primary attacker, and while most people picked up on Zacian V CEL’s synergy with this archetype at once, Brainwave took much longer to be recognized than Storm Slash.
It’s fun to see how Gardevoir ex is still evolving, even now. The use of Luxurious Cape PAR over Bravery Charm PAL means that Drifloon SVI and, more relevantly, Scream Tail PAR, can not only hit for more damage, but don’t need the rare Champions Festival to maximize that damage. Speaking of Scream Tail and Bravery Charm, these cards and Counter Catcher are keeping Gardevoir ex a top contender even in a format of paradox Pokémon. Unfortunately, with the rotation of Gardevoir and Fog Crystal CRE (not to mention Level Ball BST and Battle VIP Pass FST coming up), Gardevoir ex may have reached its peak.
Starting in the X & Y Series, if you go first, your Pokémon can’t attack during your first turn; this Deoxys overrides this rule for the Close Encounter attack.
Thanks for pointing this out! Would be great in Metal GLC!
C.Ezra.M
This card had a great combo potential with UNB Molayne, and, in Expanded, can combo just as well with ASR Adaman. Basically, you do the Supporter card’s effect, and you can return the Energy cards you discarded into your hand.
SPIRE_FAN
Killer artwork. This artist has made quite the first impression coming into the game!
Weedle
New Servine card when????
Weedle
New generation = new cape tool card! This one definitely has more drip than “Giant Cape” or “Cape of Toughness”!
Weedle
You can pair this with Galarian Slowking VMAX to make a decently tanky attacker. Slowking’s low attack energy cost means you can even recycle Cheryl throughout the match.
Weedle
Given the popularity of this card and other new tools–the TMs, Energy Capsules, Bravery Charm–I’m surprised more people haven’t been playing “Tool Jammer” in their decks.
Weedle
I love this card… great tech to counter the newfound prevalence of PGO Snorlax
RotomAmiti
In the Black 2 and White 2, Team Plasma is only able to freeze over Opelucid City. However, throughout Plasma Freeze and Plasma Blast, we see several other iconic Unova locations encased in ice. This card gives us a pretty good look at the extent of the destruction in the “TCG canon”, where it looks like most of the eastern and western landmasses are covered, stretching into Nimbasa City. There’s a few inconsistencies still — Driftveil Drawbridge looks totally fine here, whereas it is decidedly not on Sneasel PLF 65 — but that can be explained by the passage of time.
Daniel Fulton
If you use the power with less than 5 cards, you lose when your next turn starts, unless your opponent somehow adds cards to your deck.
Weedle
The effect of “Shadow Stitching” is similar to the Hex Maniac supporter
Crater Doong
Is there a way to see scans before the correction? Are you able to add scans for both versions of a card, like Charizard with the fighting energy symbol, or Evo Electrode and Cyrus Prism before the errata?
sorry the noob question.
“When you play Entei from your hand” means that you can’t use it in the initial preparation right?
You can use the pokemon power only when it’s your turn and you decide to put entei from your hand to your bench. correct?
thank you!
Not saying Aqua Patch is as good as the other two still, but QuagNag is certainly not this card’s only legacy. Alolan Ninetales GX decks, Lapras GX decks, and the occasional rogue decks like Greninja GX, Glaceon GX, and White Kyurem (SUM-LOT) also made good use of Aqua Patch.
Sam
Can you attach to multiple different Pokemon with this ability and abilities like it such as the Cherrim Spring Bloom from Battle Styles?
Earthen Vessel is better because discarding a card thins out the hand/deck (in case you are force to shuffle back your hand) and makes abilities like industrious incisors better by allowing you to draw more.
As it turns out, while it may have debuted in the Japanese expansion Space Juggler, it actually debuted in the West in Lost Origin.
This is the case pretty often. For example, there are still some cards from SV3a (the Raging Surf subset) that didn’t debut in Paradox Rift. Those are Chinchou, Lanturn, Phanpy, Donphan, Gastly, Haunter, Gengar, Scraggy, and Scrafty.
There are also some from the SV4K and SV4M sets (Kodai no Hōkō and Mirai no Issen) that also didn’t debut in Paradox Rift. Those from SV4K are Maractus, Numel, Camerupt, Woobat, Swoobat, Clobbopus, and Grapploct. From SV4M, it’s just Chimecho.
Also better than Letter of Engourgment in most situations
C.Ezra.M
This card is strictly better than both Energy Search and Earthen Vessel. Basically, it searches for 2 Energy cards (more than Energy Search), and has no discard requirement (unlike Earthen Vessel).
I think it can combo even better with PAL Baxcalibur. This is better than SSH Frosmoth because Baxcalibur can attach Energy to your Active Pokémon. The same expansion includes a reprint of Superior Energy Retrieval, which restores 4 Energies into your hand, for the cost of 2 other cards from your hand.
Seriously, though, now that Paradox Pokémon exist, I can’t help but imagine this Pokémon as an ancient Flapple.
I remember one time when I asked my brother why he loves Hisuian Typhlosion. He answered “because it’s Poipole.” I said “Ah, yes, I know you like purple.” He replied, “Mmm hmm… they even named my favorite color after it!”
I own a TEU Skarmory with an idea closer to Hala’s. Like Hala, Skarmory checks if you have used your GX attack, while this Raichu checks if you used your VSTAR Power.
It’s not an exact copy, though. Medicham’s Ability only lowers the attack cost by 3, and Yanmega’s completely ignores the attack cost. This means that if someone uses FST Mawile‘s Chomp Chomp Hold attack, Medicham’s Vigorous Kick attack will cost {C}.
“Slightly bluer than other portrayals” doesn’t constitute being shiny. Artists just naturally vary in how they color things sometimes, especially if they’re trying to communicate the effects of certain lighting.
Besides that, shiny Purrloin has purple eyeshadow, while this is the standard magenta.
You might have better luck finding hypothetical shinies in the Elekid cards :U
(disclaimer: they’re still not shiny either)
Kar
Paldean Fates is gonna have the first ever shiny Raichu card in the tcg
Yup! All Pokémon Star are Basic Pokémon, even if they would normally be Evolution Pokémon. It holds true for the other gimmicks involving Shiny Pokémon, namely Shining Pokémon of the Neo Series and Radiant Pokémon of the Sword & Shield Series.
Prof.Joel
I find this Purrloin card kind of looks like a shiny compared other Purrloin cards.
Most Purrloin has a Purple tone as this card has a more Blue-ish Purple.
In Japanese, the card’s name is “Judge Man” (ジャッジマン), so probably not.
SenatorStonk
This is the fifth judge we’ve received, and also the fifth male judge. I wonder if we’ll ever get a female judge card, since judge is clearly not a specific character
Weedle
This card combos pretty well with Armarouge ex, keeping it at full HP each turn

Weedle
Another big 2-prizer with a detrimental ability is the “Ancient” Great Tusk ex, from Japan’s “Shiny Treasure.” Path can help make that card potentially viable, though I wouldn’t hold my breath. https://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Great_Tusk_(TCG)
Weedle
Same attack as appears on Ditto VMAX!
Weedle
New shiny Entei card was just released in “Shiny Treasure” (Paldean Fates in the West). Very cool!
linkinboss
I know this reply is super late to the party but… this wouldn’t have worked in unlimited. there are way too many decks that are turn 1 win. The first deck that gets to play supporters/attack wins. A lot of these decks would only rely on either a single attachment or energy acceleration, so discarding energies wouldn’t be a problem.
Anonymous
Latios EX ROS from the same set does the same thing with an attack that does 40 damage for one Energy. It was a tech in Giratina EX AOR/Darkrai EX BKP decks for cheesing an early prize card in the Night March matchup.
Anonymous
I was reminiscing on people’s early takes on Gardevoir ex while viewing Tapu Lele CRZ when I wrote this comment.
It’s funny to look back and see what people suggested using in early Gardevoir ex lists to attack with. Wyrdeer V ASR, Galarian Articuno EVS, Mewtwo V-Union, and, later down the line, Houndstone SVI and Drifloon SVI… and to top it off, most of these early lists ran a split of Gardevoir CRE and Gallade ASR. It took months for people recognize that Gardevoir CRE could actually function as the deck’s primary attacker, and while most people picked up on Zacian V CEL’s synergy with this archetype at once, Brainwave took much longer to be recognized than Storm Slash.
It’s fun to see how Gardevoir ex is still evolving, even now. The use of Luxurious Cape PAR over Bravery Charm PAL means that Drifloon SVI and, more relevantly, Scream Tail PAR, can not only hit for more damage, but don’t need the rare Champions Festival to maximize that damage. Speaking of Scream Tail and Bravery Charm, these cards and Counter Catcher are keeping Gardevoir ex a top contender even in a format of paradox Pokémon. Unfortunately, with the rotation of Gardevoir and Fog Crystal CRE (not to mention Level Ball BST and Battle VIP Pass FST coming up), Gardevoir ex may have reached its peak.
(November 29, 2023.)
C.Ezra.M
Update: This error has been corrected, thank you!
Anonymous
Although he DID clarify he wasn’t saying Tapu Lele was the best option necessarily, and was just what his first reaction was.
Anonymous
I remember when people like PTCGRADIO thought this was going to be Gardevoir ex SVI’s primary partner. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=L7UTiCmzhXQ
Times have changed.
(November 29, 2023.)
Alex
What about an “energy” like Holon’s Electrode?
C.Ezra.M
Starting in the X & Y Series, if you go first, your Pokémon can’t attack during your first turn; this Deoxys overrides this rule for the Close Encounter attack.
C.Ezra.M
For some reason, the name here says “Frozen Current”, but on the card, it’s “Frozen Flow”. This is undoubtedly an error.
Sam
Thanks for pointing this out! Would be great in Metal GLC!
C.Ezra.M
This card had a great combo potential with UNB Molayne, and, in Expanded, can combo just as well with ASR Adaman. Basically, you do the Supporter card’s effect, and you can return the Energy cards you discarded into your hand.
SPIRE_FAN
Killer artwork. This artist has made quite the first impression coming into the game!
Weedle
New Servine card when????
Weedle
New generation = new cape tool card! This one definitely has more drip than “Giant Cape” or “Cape of Toughness”!

Weedle
You can pair this with Galarian Slowking VMAX to make a decently tanky attacker. Slowking’s low attack energy cost means you can even recycle Cheryl throughout the match.
Weedle
Given the popularity of this card and other new tools–the TMs, Energy Capsules, Bravery Charm–I’m surprised more people haven’t been playing “Tool Jammer” in their decks.
Weedle
I love this card… great tech to counter the newfound prevalence of PGO Snorlax
RotomAmiti
In the Black 2 and White 2, Team Plasma is only able to freeze over Opelucid City. However, throughout Plasma Freeze and Plasma Blast, we see several other iconic Unova locations encased in ice. This card gives us a pretty good look at the extent of the destruction in the “TCG canon”, where it looks like most of the eastern and western landmasses are covered, stretching into Nimbasa City. There’s a few inconsistencies still — Driftveil Drawbridge looks totally fine here, whereas it is decidedly not on Sneasel PLF 65 — but that can be explained by the passage of time.
Daniel Fulton
If you use the power with less than 5 cards, you lose when your next turn starts, unless your opponent somehow adds cards to your deck.
Weedle
The effect of “Shadow Stitching” is similar to the Hex Maniac supporter
Crater Doong
Is there a way to see scans before the correction? Are you able to add scans for both versions of a card, like Charizard with the fighting energy symbol, or Evo Electrode and Cyrus Prism before the errata?
C.Ezra.M
Yup, you can’t use the Pokémon Power when you put this Pokémon onto your Bench during setup.
Answerer
That is correct
Questioner
sorry the noob question.
“When you play Entei from your hand” means that you can’t use it in the initial preparation right?
You can use the pokemon power only when it’s your turn and you decide to put entei from your hand to your bench. correct?
thank you!
C.Ezra.M
Yes, that is allowed.
Whimsicast
Not saying Aqua Patch is as good as the other two still, but QuagNag is certainly not this card’s only legacy. Alolan Ninetales GX decks, Lapras GX decks, and the occasional rogue decks like Greninja GX, Glaceon GX, and White Kyurem (SUM-LOT) also made good use of Aqua Patch.
Sam
Can you attach to multiple different Pokemon with this ability and abilities like it such as the Cherrim Spring Bloom from Battle Styles?
C.Ezra.M
Yup! Serperior V and Serperior VSTAR were both present in Silver Tempest.
C.Ezra.M
According to Bulbapedia, it’s supposed to say “if there are fewer basic Energy cards than that, choose all of them”.
Sam
A pokemon cant be asleep on the bench so its not that good
Kraz Master
I personally wouldn’t call vessel a worse version of, I see it as an alternative as the discard effect could be helpful in some decks
bakedcheetos
Earthen Vessel is better because discarding a card thins out the hand/deck (in case you are force to shuffle back your hand) and makes abilities like industrious incisors better by allowing you to draw more.
C.Ezra.M
As it turns out, while it may have debuted in the Japanese expansion Space Juggler, it actually debuted in the West in Lost Origin.
This is the case pretty often. For example, there are still some cards from SV3a (the Raging Surf subset) that didn’t debut in Paradox Rift. Those are Chinchou, Lanturn, Phanpy, Donphan, Gastly, Haunter, Gengar, Scraggy, and Scrafty.
There are also some from the SV4K and SV4M sets (Kodai no Hōkō and Mirai no Issen) that also didn’t debut in Paradox Rift. Those from SV4K are Maractus, Numel, Camerupt, Woobat, Swoobat, Clobbopus, and Grapploct. From SV4M, it’s just Chimecho.
Sam
Also better than Letter of Engourgment in most situations
C.Ezra.M
This card is strictly better than both Energy Search and Earthen Vessel. Basically, it searches for 2 Energy cards (more than Energy Search), and has no discard requirement (unlike Earthen Vessel).
C.Ezra.M
I think it can combo even better with PAL Baxcalibur. This is better than SSH Frosmoth because Baxcalibur can attach Energy to your Active Pokémon. The same expansion includes a reprint of Superior Energy Retrieval, which restores 4 Energies into your hand, for the cost of 2 other cards from your hand.
sarti
bought one today
Anonymous
UB Stinger? More like Great Apple.
Seriously, though, now that Paradox Pokémon exist, I can’t help but imagine this Pokémon as an ancient Flapple.
I remember one time when I asked my brother why he loves Hisuian Typhlosion. He answered “because it’s Poipole.” I said “Ah, yes, I know you like purple.” He replied, “Mmm hmm… they even named my favorite color after it!”
Sam
aka almost every shiny ever
Daniel Fulton
What happened with the other?
Skellet Dirge
There was a CoroCoro Ichiban! Hisuian Braviary promo card (318/S-P) that never got released outside of Japan.
Sam
Thanks
C.Ezra.M
It’s not the only example. There’s also CES Palossand-GX, but the last Sandygast at the time was released in BUS.
C.Ezra.M
No, it doesn’t.
Sam
Does this block poison damage as an effect from an attack?
C.Ezra.M
I own a TEU Skarmory with an idea closer to Hala’s. Like Hala, Skarmory checks if you have used your GX attack, while this Raichu checks if you used your VSTAR Power.
Claire
151 Electrode gets a similar move, too
C.Ezra.M
It’s not an exact copy, though. Medicham’s Ability only lowers the attack cost by 3, and Yanmega’s completely ignores the attack cost. This means that if someone uses FST Mawile‘s Chomp Chomp Hold attack, Medicham’s Vigorous Kick attack will cost {C}.
Twylis
“Slightly bluer than other portrayals” doesn’t constitute being shiny. Artists just naturally vary in how they color things sometimes, especially if they’re trying to communicate the effects of certain lighting.
Besides that, shiny Purrloin has purple eyeshadow, while this is the standard magenta.
You might have better luck finding hypothetical shinies in the Elekid cards :U
(disclaimer: they’re still not shiny either)
Kar
Paldean Fates is gonna have the first ever shiny Raichu card in the tcg
Karl
Beefiest Caterpie ever made!!
C.Ezra.M
Yup! All Pokémon Star are Basic Pokémon, even if they would normally be Evolution Pokémon. It holds true for the other gimmicks involving Shiny Pokémon, namely Shining Pokémon of the Neo Series and Radiant Pokémon of the Sword & Shield Series.
Prof.Joel
I find this Purrloin card kind of looks like a shiny compared other Purrloin cards.
Most Purrloin has a Purple tone as this card has a more Blue-ish Purple.
Chuck
Science experiment time
andrew
In Japanese, the card’s name is “Judge Man” (ジャッジマン), so probably not.
SenatorStonk
This is the fifth judge we’ve received, and also the fifth male judge. I wonder if we’ll ever get a female judge card, since judge is clearly not a specific character