Pokemon TCG has been around for nearly 30 years, and the beloved trading card game just keeps getting love. Pokemon TCG Pocket‘s successful launch is not something that went unnoticed this year, after all. While the card-collecting aspect of the game is its main appeal, nothing quite hits the same as physical cards. The tabletop version of Pokemon TCG keeps getting new expansions, and Game Rant recently opened a few products from Surging Sparks.
Pokemon TCG‘s new set is all about the Terarium from Pokemon Scarlet and Violet‘s Indigo Disk DLC, which this time adds cards for critters that had already been represented in the tabletop game, but depicting scenes of life in the Unova-inspired location. Surging Sparks brings with it new Stellar Tera Pokemon from Gen 9 games as well as new card mechanics, Ace Specs, combos, and more. The expansion gathers cards from the Japanese Super Electric Breaker and Paradise Dragona sets, with the following number of chase cards:
- 8 ACE Spec cards
- 18 Pokemon Ex cards
- 21 full art Pokemon and Trainer cards
- 23 illustration rare Pokemon cards
- 11 special illustration rare Pokemon and Supporter cards
- 6 hyper rare Gold cards
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Every Product Available From Pokemon TCG’s Surging Sparks Expansion Explained
There are a few products to choose from when collecting Pokemon TCG‘s Surging Sparks set:
- Booster packs, each containing 10 Surging Sparks cards
- Booster boxes, each containing 36 booster packs
- Build and Battle sets, each containing 4 Surging Sparks booster packs and a 40-card deck with one of four unique foil promo cards randomly selected between Magneton, Indeedee, Gouging Fire, and Chien-Pao
- The Elite Trainer Box, containing nine Surging Sparks booster packs, 65 card sleeves featuring Stellar Tera Pikachu, 45 Pokemon TCG Energy cards, the player’s guide to the Surging Sparks expansion, 6 damage-counter dice, a coin-flip die, condition markers for Burned and Poisoned, the Surging Sparks collector’s box and four dividers, and finally a foil promo card for Magneton
- Checklane blister packs, each containing a booster pack, a promo card between Pachirisu and Wooper, and a coin-flip die
- 3-booster blister packs, each containing three booster packs and a promo card between Zapdos and Quagsire
- Booster Bundles, each containing six booster packs of Surging Sparks
Pokemon TCG Surging Sparks: The Best Pulls For Competitive Play and Collectors Explained
- Latias Ex: Latias Ex is a great support Pokemon to have in a deck, as its Ability makes Basic mons in play have no retreat cost. On top of that, it has a three-Energy attack called Eon Blade that deals 200 damage, but it makes Latias Ex incapacitated to attack on the next turn. Luckily, this critter can be retreated at no cost thanks to its Skyliner Ability. Latias Ex is available in full art and special illustration rare treatments for extra value, too.
- Koraidon: This new version of Koraidon in Pokemon TCG can wreak havoc when combined with Gen 9’s Ancient Pokemon cards, as it has a two-Energy attack called Unrelenting Onslaught that deals 30 damage plus 150 if an Ancient Pokemon attacked on the user’s last turn. This also proves to be effective when combined with Latias Ex’s Skyliner Ability, as Ancient Pokemon are all Basic, making them able to attack on a turn, then retreat at no cost for Koraidon to sweep on the next.
- Stellar Tera Pikachu Ex: Perhaps one of the best cards from Surging Sparks overall, Pikachu Ex is a great pull for both collectors and competitive players, as it fits seamlessly into the popular Blissey Ex deck that’s winning tournaments in Pokemon TCG. Much like the Stellar Tera Pokemon cards from Stellar Crown, Stellar Tera Pikachu Ex has a three-Energy attack that requires Grass, Electric, and Steel to deal 300 damage at the cost of discarding three energy cards. On top of that, it also has Resolute Heart, making it stay alive at 10 HP if an attack dealing damage would KO it.
- Stellar Tera Alolan Exeggutor Ex: This card is arguably Surging Sparks‘ mascot alongside Pikachu and Latias, and it proves to be equally strong and amazing to pull. With its Swinging Sphene attack, costing 1 Grass, 1 Water, and 1 Fighting Energy, Stellar Tera Alolan Exeggutor Ex is technically guaranteed to KO an opposing Pokemon. Players will need to flip a coin, and if heads, Alolan Exeggutor Ex will KO an active Basic Pokemon, whereas if tails, it will KO a benched Basic mon. With a great number of Pokemon cards being Basic, it’s hard to see this critter miss its heavy strike.
The best pulls outside of competitive include:
- All regular Pokemon Ex cards and Stellar Tera Ex Pokemon cards, of which there are 9 each
- All 8 ACE Spec cards
- All 23 illustration rare cards (featuring Exeggcute, Vivillon, Shiinotic, Castform, Larvesta Ceruledge, Feebas, Spheal, Bruxish, Cetitan, Stunfisk, Latios, Mesprit, Phanpy, Vibrava, Clobbopus, Alolan Dugtrio, Skarmory, Flapple, Appletun, Slakoth, Kecleon, and Braviary)
- All 14 Full Art Pokemon cards (featuring Durant Ex, Scovillain Ex, Milotic Ex, Black Kyurem Ex, Stellar Tera Pikachu Ex, Latias Ex, Stellar Tera Palossand Ex, Stellar Tera Flygon Ex, Stellar Tera Hydreigon Ex, Archaludon Ex, Stellar Tera Alolan Exeggutor Ex, Stellar Tera Tatsugiri Ex, Slaking Ex, and Cyclizar Ex)
- All 7 Full Art Pokemon Trainer cards (featuring Clemont’s Quick Wit, Cyrano, Drasna, Drayton, Jasmine’s Gaze, Lisia’s Appeal, and Surfer)
- All 7 Special Illustration Rare Pokemon cards (Durant Ex, Milotic Ex, Stellar Tera Pikachu Ex, Latias Ex, Stellar Tera Hydreigon Ex, Archaludon Ex, and Stellar Form Alolan Exeggutor Ex)
- All 4 Special Illustration Rare Trainer cards (Clemont’s Quick Wit, Drayton, Jasmine’s Gaze, and Lisia’s Appeal)
- All 6 Gold Cards (Stellar Tera Pikachu Ex, Stellar Tera Alolan Exeggutor Ex, Counter Gain, Gravity Mountain, Night Stretcher, and Jet Energy)
Game Rant was provided a look at Pokemon TCG’s Surging Sparks set.
Pokemon TCG
Pokemon TCG (Trading Card Game) is a collectible and strategy based card game based on Nintendo’s Pokemon franchise. Two players face off against one another, battling one Pokemon at a time and attempting to knock them out to claim one of six prize cards. The cards have also become highly collectible with some in particular selling for thousands of dollars.
- Original Release Date
- October 20, 1996