I’m back with the continuation of my analysis of the Darkness Ablaze and with some early pre-release kits being opened we now know the rest of the V’s we are getting in the set. We will also be looking at some key non-V Pokemon in this new set.

Houndoom V

[R] Searing Flame: 20 damage. Your opponent’s Active Pokemon is now Burned.

[R][R][C] Vengeful Flame: 100+ damage. If your Benched [R] Pokemon have any damage counters on them, this attack does 100 more damage.

Though 200 damage for 3 fire energy sounds great for a basic 2 prize Pokemon however the longer you look at it the logistics of getting a damage counter on your benched fire Pokemon, shows that the consistency of getting a turn 2 200 damage attack is low. We currently have 2 ways of doing this one is using Spiritomb and Jynx to move a generated damage counter from Spiritomb to a benched fire Pokemon. The other way is using a switching card and the new stadium Spikemuth which puts 2 damage counters on the Pokemon switched to the bench. Neither of these ways are easy and require multiple card combos to pull of at the start of the game which is unlikely.

Vikavolt V

[L][C] Paralyzing Bolt: 50 damage. During your opponent’s next turn, your opponent can’t play any Item cards from their hand.

[L][L][C] Super Zap Cannon: 190 damage. Discard 2 Energy from this Pokemon.

This card is currently seeing a lot of play in Japan at the moment and with cards like Electropower and Thunder Mountain (Prism Star) to power up the first attack and achieve it more consistently on the 2^nd turn, however we won’t have these cards in standard for much longer as they will rotate out this rotation. The first attack is the main selling point of the card and by locking your opponent out of item cards you can slow your opponent down and strand Pokemon in the opponents active with help from the stadium Galar Mine. The 2^nd attack isn’t something to sleep on either it can be useful in closing out games by getting the final prizes of a game or KO Pokemon which are powered up. Overall, I believe this card will see play though by losing some electric support it may not be a top tier deck.

Rhyperior V

[F][C][C] Drill Run: 80 damage. Discard an Energy from your opponent’s Active Pokemon.

[F][C][C][C] Heavy Rock Artillery: 210 damage. During your next turn, this Pokemon can’t use Heavy Rock Artillery.

Rhyperior V is a costly Pokemon with Drill Run being a good attack if it wasn’t such an expensive cost if used it will probably be too late and after the opponent has mostly set up. The second attack seems pointless with another fighting V card, Sandaconda V, doing 220 for 3 energy almost every turn with the Coalossal combo. My belief is that you won’t play Rhyperior V when Sandaconda V is a better version of it and that doesn’t currently see much play though that may change in the future.

Galarian Stunfisk V

Ability: Metal Skin
This Pokemon gets +20 HP for each [M] Energy attached to it.

[C][C] Trapping Bite: 60 damage. During your opponent’s next turn, if this Pokemon is damaged by an attack (even if it is Knocked Out), put 12 damage counters on the Attacking Pokemon.

The ability on Galarian Stunfisk V is very cool and with metal having decent energy acceleration in the form of Metal Saucer and it will also be able to use the new Turbo Patch, you can utilise the ability very easily. The attack is paired well with ability as the more energy attached the more time the opponent must attack the Stunfisk V to knock it out dealing even more damage to itself. The one downside to the attack is it can be got around by switching the active Pokemon this may be done with Boss’s Orders or the Phione from Cosmic Eclipse, which may see more play if this deck gets popular.

Decidueye

Ability: Forest Camouflage
Prevent all damage done to this Pokemon by the attacks of your opponent’s Pokemon V and Pokemon-GX.

[G][C] Split Arrow: 90 damage. This attack does 20 damage to 2 of your opponent’s Benched Pokemon. (Don’t apply Weakness and Resistance.)

In a format where GX’s and V’s are the only attacking cards in the majority of decks, which this card is entering, this is a card which will set up and then have won the game. Even if an opponent’s deck contains one or two single prize attackers Decidueye can attack and knock them out resulting in your opponent losing any way to fight back against your deck.

Arctozolt

Ability: Numbing Vortex
Whenever your opponent attaches an Energy from their hand to 1 of their Pokemon, put 2 damage counters on that Pokemon.

[L][C] Electro Ball: 70 damage.

Arctozolt may be hard to get out considering it evolves from the new Rare Fossil, which is hard to find and get multiple out. The reason I am mentioning it is after we get cards like Cursola V and Togekiss VMAX this allows for early damage counter placements and Togekiss VMAX can aid in getting the Rare Fossils and Arctozolt out while also doing damage. This is a card I am very excited to test with and with it being a Pre-release promo I’m hoping to get one.

Ariados

Ability: Spider Net
When you play this card from your hand to evolve 1 of your Pokemon, you may switch 1 of your opponent’s Evolution Pokemon with their Active Pokemon.

[D][C] Poison Sting: 30 damage. Your opponent’s Active Pokemon is now Poisoned.

If it wasn’t for Eternatus VMAX I wouldn’t be discussing this card’s ability, but this will be useful to finish off already damaged VMAX’s. This card is reminding me of the Lycanroc GX from Guardians Rising, slightly less flexible but with the extra bench space Eternatus give can this card a home and can be used to help secure prize cards. If VMAX decks become the main type of deck, then this may also be popular in the future to get 3 prize cards of the bench.

Hoopa

[D] Assault Gate: 90 damage. If this Pokemon wasn’t moved from your Bench to the Active Spot during your turn, this attack does nothing. This attack isn’t affected by Weakness.

Another card for the Eternatus VMAX deck, this one can be used as a counter to the previously mentioned Decidueye card and can also be used to aid against other 1 prize Pokemon decks. Though 90 damage doesn’t seem a lot it is for a single energy and can be used to deal with Jirachi, Spiritomb, Rowlet and Dartrix. With the special Hiding Dark Energy which provides free retreat to the attached Pokemon this attack can be used often and thus I will be surprised it not being used in future decks.