Pokemon TCG's Scarlet And Violet Expansion Revealed: Check Out The New Cards

The Pokemon Trading Card Game will soon include the Paldea region, as the Pokemon Scarlet and Violet expansions will debut March 17 at prerelease events before launching in full on March 31. Pokemon from across Paldea will soon be playable on tabletop, and we have an exclusive sneak preview of what's to come.

We can exclusively reveal new cards from the Pokemon TCG Scarlet and Violet expansion, a group which includes new Pokemon, a new Trainer card, and a few of the set's ultra-powerful Pokemon-ex cards--including one Tera Pokemon ex showcasing a new mechanic.

Gallery

All Tera Pokemon-ex found in Pokemon's Scarlet and Violet expansion have an extra perk: Tera Pokemon-ex cannot be damaged while sitting on the bench, whether the damage is coming from the opponent or the owner of the card.

Below are the descriptions of each card in the reveal, as well as some potential uses for the card in future deck composition. Images of each card can be found in the gallery above.

Arcanine ex (Tera)

• Card Number: 32/198
• Type: Fire
• HP: 280
• Evolves From: Growlithe
• Attack 1: Raging Claws
  • Costs 2 Fire Energy
  • 30 base damage
  • This attack does 10 more damage for each damage counter on this Pokemon.
• Attack 2: Bright Flame
  • Costs 3 Fire Energy
  • 250 base damage
  • Discard two Fire Energy from this Pokemon.

This Terastallized Arcanine is a powerhouse, with plenty of HP to keep it alive and a two-energy attack in Raging Claws that only gets stronger the more damage it takes--up to 300 damage total! Bright Flame is a good nuclear option in a pinch, but that forced discard of two Fire energy means it should only be deployed when a replacement energy card is in your hand.

Oinkologne ex

• Card Number: 158/198
• Type: Normal
• HP: 260
• Evolves From: Lechonk
• Attack 1: Maddening Scent
  • Costs 1 Colorless Energy
  • 10 base damage
  • This attack does 30 more damage for each of your opponent's Benched Pokemon.
• Attack 2: Heavy Stomp
  • Costs 3 Colorless Energy
  • 210 base damage
  • Flip a coin. If tails, during your next turn, this Pokemon can't attack.

Oinkologne-ex has potential as a mid-game heavy-hitting option, as it can use an opponent's full bench against them thanks to Maddening Scent--which will inflict 160 damage at full strength. Heavy Stomp is also a solid option, but the coin flip could negate any Oinkologne-ex attacks in the next turn, which means you'll have to discard two energy to replace it with something on your bench.

Armarouge (Illustration Rare)

• Card Number: 203/198
• Type: Fire
• HP: 130
• Evolves From: Charcadet
• Ability: Fire Off
  • As often as you like during your turn, you may move a Fire Energy from one of your Benched Pokemon to your Active Pokemon.
• Attack: Flame Cannon
  • Costs 2 Fire Energy and 1 Colorless Energy
  • 90 base damage
  • Your opponent's Active Pokemon is now Burned (it takes 20 damage every turn it's Burned until its owner flips a coin that lands on heads).

Go back and look at Arcanine-ex Tera for a second, then scoot back here and read Armarouge's Ability. Abilities, for those that aren't familiar, stay active even when a Pokemon is on the Bench, meaning that if Arcanine should have to discard two Fire energy for having to use Bright Flame, Armarouge can reload the Arcanine's energy immediately. That's one potent ability, and we expect Fire-focused decks will include Armarouge immediately.

Greavard (Illustration Rare)

• Card Number: 214/198
• Type: Psychic
• HP: 70
• Evolves From: N/A (Basic Pokemon)
• Attack: Graveyard Gamboling
  • Costs 1 Psychic Energy
  • This attack does 10 damage for every Psychic-type Pokemon in your discard pile.

On the surface, Greavard doesn't look like it'll amount to much. Considering Pokemon usually reach the discard pile through being knocked out by the opponent, you could find yourself falling behind before this card starts packing a punch. However, any type of deck that relies heavily on discarding cards--either from the top of the deck or from the player's hand--might want to consider the ghostly good boy as an attack option.

Riolu (Illustration Rare)

• Card Number: 215/198
• Type: Fighting
• HP: 70
• Evolves From: N/A (Basic Pokemon)
• Attack: Punch
  • Costs 1 Fighting Energy
  • 10 base damage
• Attack: Reckless Charge
  • Costs 1 Fighting Energy and 1 Colorless Energy
  • 50 base damage
  • This Pokemon also does 20 damage to itself.

Riolu here is best used at the beginning of a match, as the aptly named Punch attack can get things started quickly for a single Fighting Energy. The second attack, Reckless Charge, can only be used three times without knocking out Riolu by itself, so leave that as a last resort--or against a Pokemon weak to Fighting-type attacks, where it will deal 100 damage for only two Energy.

Bombirdier (Illustration Rare)

• Card Number: 219/198
• Type: Darkness
• HP: 110
• Evolves From: N/A (Basic Pokemon)
• Attack: Knickknack Carrying
  • Costs 1 Colorless Energy
  • Search your deck for up to three Pokemon Tool cards, reveal them, and put them into your hand. Then, shuffle your deck.
• Attack: Clutch
  • Costs 1 Dark Energy and 1 Colorless Energy
  • 60 base damage
  • During your opponent's next turn, the Defending Pokemon can't retreat.

Card retrieval is always a powerful tool--pun absolutely intended--so being able to snag three Pokemon Tool cards for a single Energy will easily make Bombirdier one of the strongest starting Pokemon in the set. We haven't seen many of the new Tools yet, but once we do the possibilities will become clear.

Great Tusk ex (Secret Rainbow Alternate)

• Card Number: 230/198
• Type: Fighting
• HP: 250
• Evolves From: N/A (Basic Pokemon)
• Attack: Bedrock Breaker
  • Costs 1 Fighting Energy
  • 40 base damage
  • Discard a Stadium in play.
• Attack: Gigantic Tusks
  • Costs 3 Fighting Energy
  • 250 base damage
  • This Pokemon also does 50 damage to itself.

Great Tusk-ex is shaping up to be a high risk/high reward sort of Pokemon, as that Gigantic Tusks attack will wipe out plenty of Pokemon on its own, but each time it's used the opponent gets one step closer to two more Prize cards. That being said, a 250 HP Pokemon starting the game will give you a good amount of time to set up a strategy.

Iron Treads ex (Secret Rainbow Alternate and Special Illustration Rare)

• Card Number: 233/198 (Rainbow), 248/198 (Special Illustration Rare)
• Type: Steel
• HP: 220
• Evolves From: N/A (Basic Pokemon)
• Attack: Triple Laser
  • Costs 3 Colorless Energy
  • This attack does 30 damage to three of your opponent's Pokemon.
• Attack: Cybernetic Wheels
  • Costs 3 Steel Energy and 1 Colorless Energy
  • 160 base damage
  • Switch this Pokemon with one of your Benched Pokemon.

Here we have two versions of Iron Treads-ex, one in the secret rainbow alternate art and the other from the Trainer Gallery. The attacks and costs are the same for each variant, however, and the ability to attack any three of your opponent's Pokemon with Triple Laser means that heavily damaged Pokemon trying to retreat cannot hide from this guy. If you should suffer a big hit, however, Cybernetic Wheels will let Iron Treads-ex scoot out of harm's way while dealing big damage.

Penny (Special Illustration Rare)

• Card Number: 252/198
• Type: Supporter Trainer
• Ability: Put one of your Basic Pokemon and all attached cards into your hand.

The lone Trainer card in our preview is Penny, the shy student who's more than she seems. Like the trainer herself, the card seems to be simple and straightforward, as it merely snatches a Pokemon from an opponent's clutches. However, the ability to also recoup every card attached to the Pokemon means that Energy resources can be recycled, which opens up new attack opportunities for the rest of your field with a single card.