Hi everyone. A new Pokemon TCG Pocket set has been announced and revealed.
This new set is called Paradox Drive. Ancient and Future cards make its way into the Pocket game. The release date is on May 28, 2026.
There is a trailer.
Note that the Pocket cards have the same artwork as some of the cards in the physical TCG.
Koraidon ex is a Basic Ancient Fighting Pokemon from this new set. This has 150 HP, a two retreat cost and Psychic weakness.
The Legendary Drive ability can be used once during your turn and when you put this Pokemon from hand to your Bench. Then you have the option to switch this Koraidon ex from the Bench with your Active Pokemon and move all Energy in play to this Koraidon ex.
World Wrecker requires 3 Fighting Energy to deal 110 damage. The drawback is discarding the top card of your deck.
Add Lucario and this Stadium card for a Fighting damage boost.
Miraidon ex is the main Basic Future Pokemon in this set. This Lightning Pokemon has 140 HP, a two retreat cost and Fighting weakness.
The also has the Legendary Drive ability where you may switch this into the Active from benching from hand. Then you also move all Energy in play to this Miraidon ex.
Hadron Ray requires 3 of any Energy for the attack. It deals 20 base damage plus 20 more damage for Lightning Energy attached to this Miraidon ex.
What helps Miraidon ex is this Magneton and early game Zeraora.
Iron Bundle ex is a Future Water Basic Pokemon. It is not a strong attacker but the Cold Start attack is kind of interesting.
For 2 Water Energy and 1 Colourless Energy, the Cold Start attack deals 60 base damage. If this is the first time Iron Bundle ex has used an attack after coming in play, this attack does 20 more damage. In addition, the opponent's Active Pokemon is now Paralyzed. Paralysis stuns the opponent's Pokemon where it cannot retreat or attack for one turn.
Dudunsparce's attack is kind of interesting. Sudden Drilling for any 2 Energy deals 60 damage. There is an added effect is this Dudunsparce evolved from Dunsparce during this turn. You discard 2 random Energy from the opponent's Active Pokemon. The energy discard effect of this card is pretty powerful.
Farigiraf is the evolved form of Girafarig (both are palindromes). Double Hit for any 2 Energy deals 60 damage for each Heads flipped after 2 coin flips.
Professor Sada is a powerful Supporter card for Ancient Pokemon. You attach 3 different types of Energy from your discard pile to your Ancient Pokemon in any way you like.
The one issue with this card is getting Energy in your discard pile. Also you need to run 3 different Energy types.
Professor Turo is a retrieval defensive card. You shuffle 1 of your Future Pokemon in play into your deck. One use case would be to put a damaged Future Pokemon into your deck.
This Raging Bolt might be the game's first auto Knock Out attacker and also the first attacker that requires Five Energy for the attack.
Baneful Boom requires 2 Water Energy, 2 Lightning Energy and 1 of any Energy for the attack. You discard all Energy from this Raging Bolt in order to Knock Out your opponent's Active Pokemon.
You would not want to knockout a weak Pokemon with this Raging Bolt. If you a Knock Out a Mega Pokemon with this attack then you win. (Mega Pokemon ex knockout is 3 Points for the win.)
The hard part is getting the energy onto this Raging Bolt. You have Pichu and Mantyke for energy acceleration. Ho-Oh ex is another option too.
Scream Tail's art is the same as the one as the physical card. The attack is different though.
Shooing Shout require 2 Psychic Energy for the cost. You flip 2 coins. If both are heads then you discard your opponent's Active Pokemon. If you get lucky, you can discard an opponent's powerful Pokemon ex or Mega Pokemon ex in the Active Spot. It is not a Knockout but you remove the attacker.
Flutter Mane ex is an Ancient Basic Pokemon ex. It has Psychic typing with a one retreat cost and an unknown Weakness (probably Dark).
Spellbinding Start requires 2 Psychic Energy to deal 70 damage. If this is the first time this Pokemon has used an attack after coming into play, then the opponent cannot play any Trainer cards from their hand during the opponent's next turn. This stun effect is pretty powerful even though it can be used once per Flutter Mane ex and for one turn. No playing of Stadiums, Item cards, Supporter cards or Tool cards is pretty powerful.
These two tool cards are very similar to the physical game.
Ancient Booster Energy Capsule gives an Ancient Pokemon a 40 HP boost.
Future Booster Energy Capsule gives a Future Pokemon a 20 damage attack boost to the opponent's Active Pokemon.
Iron Boulder does have a high energy requirement for its attack. Modular Axe hits for 80 base damage plus 40 more damage if it has a Tool attached to it.
Iron Hands has a high attack cost for a coin flip attack. You deal 70 damage for each Heads from 2 coin flips.
Both of these two don't seem very good.
I am a little surprise they released the Paradox Pokemon at this time instead of earlier. Maybe the card designers wanted to take the time to get the balance right with Ancient and Future cards.
There are some interesting attackers in this set like Flutter Mane ex and Miraidon ex. Maybe there are more cool cards when the full set is revealed.
Thank you for reading.
