Hi there. I cover the full release of the Pulsing Aura Pokemon TCG Pocket set.
As there are so many cards in this set, I can't cover it all. Some cards are covered.
Note: This post is long. Read and see what you want.
The Sceptile evolution line is not too bad. The Treecko and Grovyle are somewhat usable as you work up to Sceptile or Mega Sceptile ex.
Budew was covered before in a previous post. It could be good in the early game as you setup at the back. Ability negation can be useful in some cases.
Celebi as an attacker is not great. Time Recall allows evolved Pokemon use attacks from their previous evolutions provided that the attacks have the required Energy. Celebi could be used in decks that have Stage 1 or Stage 2 attackers.
The Camerupt attackers requires a lot of energy for its attack. You could use Flame Patch to accelerate energy but random attacks are generally not great.
Castform Sunny Form has a good attack for 1 Fire Energy. Sunny Scorching does 30 damage plus it Burns the opponent's Active Pokemon if there is a Stadium in play.
Victini as an attacker is not great. The Victory Star ability can be used once during your turn. If you have any Fire Pokemon with coin flip attacks, you may choose to ignore the first coin flip result and flip one more time (and no more after that).
The Emboar evolution line does take time for the setup. Flare Storm requires 3 Fire Energy for 70 base damage. You flip a coin for each Fire Energy attached. For each heads you deal 30 more damage.
Vaporeon ex has been covered before. The Frozen Flow ability can be used once during your turn when Vaporeon ex is in the Active Spot. You can switch out the opponent's Active Pokemon to the Bench (The opponent chooses a new Active Pokemon.).
Castform Rainy Form has a good one Water Energy attack. Rainy Absorbing does 30 damage plus you heal 20 damage from this Pokemon if there is a Stadium in play.
Castform Snowy Form requires more Energy for the attack. You deal 40 damage and if there is a Stadium in play, the opponent's Active Pokemon is Asleep.
Sobble is not an attacker but it is needed for Drizzile and Inteleon.
Drizzile lets you place 20 damage on the opponent's Active Pokemon upon evolution from hand.
Inteleon is similar to Drizzile. You place 30 damage on the opponent's Active Pokemon upon evolution from hand.
We have new versions of Magnemite and Magneton. I think they are not that usable.
Magnezone ex is a beatstick attacker. It looks okay but I think this old Magnezone and the old Magneton is better.
Voltorb has an interest one Energy attack. For one Lightning energy, the Single Shot Blast does 50 damage if you flip Heads.
Electrode, the evolved form of Voltorb, has a one Energy attack also. Electroblast has 20 base damage and you flip 2 coins. For each Heads, this attack does 30 more damage for each Heads.
This Morpeko is a Lightning type. For one Lightning Energy, the Full Belly Bolt has 10 base damage. If this Morpeko has no damage on it, this attack does 30 more damage.
Bonsly is another 30 HP Baby Pokemon in this game. This has a zero retreat cost, zero weakness and a zero Energy attack. Teary attack does 10 damage plus attacks from the Defending Pokemon during your opponent's next turn does 30 less damage.
The Lucario line looks pretty strong. You also have this other Lucario if you want to boost damage for Fighting Pokemon. There are more Fighting support cards (see below) in this set.
I am a big fan of one Energy attacks that do 30 damage or more. Sawk's Brick Break requires one Fighting Energy to deal 30 damage and it ignores effect on the opponent's Active Pokemon. This ignores stuff like Furfrou's minus 20 damage.
A beatstick evolution line.
This Crobat evolution line is interesting. All of the attacks require any Energy. The damage output is not great though.
Seviper is a Basic Dark Pokemon with a one retreat cost and a one Dark Energy attack. Poison Jab does 20 damage plus it makes the opponent's Active Pokemon Poisoned.
Deal more Poison damage with Nihilego.
Zorua's Ascension attack is a non damaging attack. You evolve Zorua into a random Zoroark card from your deck.
Zoroark ex is a Stage 1 Dark beatstick attacker. For one Dark Energy, the Brutal Bash attack deals 30 damage for each of your Benched Dark Pokemon.
Zarude is one of those revenge style attackers. If any of your Dark Pokemon were Knocked Out by damage from an attack during your opponent's last turn, then the Dark Vengeance attack goes from 40 to 120 damage. This is a strong attack for 2 Dark Energy.
Bombirdier as an early game attacker is good. One Dark Energy for 30 damage from its Dark Cutter attack.
The Villainous Delivery ability can be used if this is on the Bench. Your Active Dark Pokemon has a retreat cost of 1 less.
These two Urshifu cards were covered before. The Dual Typing abilities make them pretty unique.
Here is the Flygon evolution line. I don't like this Flygon ex. The attack cost is high and you discard one card from your own deck for the attack.
Regigigas and friends are not usable in this mobile card game. It does not look easy to get all of them in play and the attack costs are too high.
Mega Audino ex is a Basic Mega Pokemon of the Colourless type. This has a two retreat cost and Fighting weakness.
The Heartfelt Shine requires 3 of any Energy to deal 90 damage. You also heal 30 damage from each of your Pokemon.
Field Blower was covered before. It is a good removal card that discards a Pokemon Tool card from a Pokemon in play or you discard a Stadium in play.
Lucky Egg is a conditional effect Tool card. If the Pokemon with this Lucky Egg is Knocked Out by damage from an attack from the opponent's Pokemon, you draw cards until you have 5 cards in hand.
Korrina is a niche Supporter that gives Fighting Pokemon a damage boost against Pokemon ex for one turn.
Cabbie lets you find a random Stadium card from your deck and puts it into your hand.
Cheren is a niche Supporter card that lets your Watchog and Stoutland take 100 less damage from the opponent's Pokemon ex during your opponent's next turn.
I don't think this Supporter is very good as both Watchog and Stoutland are not great attackers.
Parasol Lady is a useful Supporter card that helps out Water Pokemon. You put 1 of your Pokemon in play except any Pokemon ex into your hand.
Fragrant Forest is a Stadium card that benefits Grass decks. Once during each player's turn, the player may put a random Basic Grass Pokemon from their deck into their hand.
Arena of Antiquity boosts Fighting Pokemon's damage by 20 damage against the opponent's Active Pokemon ex.
Bounded Field is a very interesting Stadium card. Pokemon attackers that are not Mega Evolution Pokemon ex can deal weakness damage as double damage (instead of +20 damage). If you get lucky you can have a favourable matchup where you can hit for double weakness damage.
Like with every new set, there are art cards. Here are some cool art cards.
Trainer Cards & Special Illustration Rares
The Shiny cards here are either from this set or from previous sets.
I did not include Psychic Pokemon from this set. They don't look great.
Fighting Pokemon get a lot of support from this set. There are a lot of Fighting themed decks that can be built with these new cards along with some older cards.
Grass Pokemon get a slight boost with the Fragrant Forest stadium card.
Zoroark ex looks good along with Ascension Zorua.
Urshifu decks could be worth trying out.
Thank you for reading.
