Pokémon TCG Pocket: Space-Time Smackdown Top Cards

The latest Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket expansion, Space-Time Smackdown, has arrived, and it includes all sorts of fantastic new cards that players are bound to bring into battle, whether they’re fashioning powerful new decks or working them in to their existing ones. Let’s take a look at five new cards that could prove useful in battle: Dialga ex, Palkia ex, Lucario, Mars, and Pokémon Communication.

Supplying a Pokémon with a high Energy demand before your opponent can do anything about it can cement victory, and cards that offer Energy acceleration are a fantastic means to make it happen. If you’re running a deck, Dialga ex’s Metallic Turbo attack can get your team battle ready in no time. The attack may do paltry damage, but its added effect of letting you place two Energy onto one of your Benched Pokémon will have your team ready to go before your opponent knows what’s happening.

For those looking for a powerhouse Pokémon that packs a punch, Palkia ex thunders into action with its Dimensional Storm attack. With an Energy requirement of and one , it’s an expensive attack, but it deals 150 damage to your opponent’s Active Pokémon and 20 damage to their Benched Pokémon, so it’s well worth the set up.

Dimensional Storm’s downside is that it requires discarding three Energy from Palkia ex when you use the attack. With Misty in your deck, you can get the attack charged up for another go (so long as luck is on your side with the coin flips), and the new Manaphy card included in Space-Time Smackdown has Energy acceleration that can also help prepare the Spatial Pokémon to attack.

Sometimes a deck just needs a little boost to take it to the next level. If you have a solid deck, Lucario can make it even more effective. The Aura Pokémon’s Fighting Coach Ability adds 20 damage to any attacks used by your Pokémon against your opponent’s Active Pokémon, making it a perfect Bench ally. That extra damage can make all the difference when it comes to landing a Knock Out hit or not.

Disrupting your opponent’s strategy is a great way to turn the tide of battle in your favor. Mars, a new Supporter, can sow chaos by forcing your opponent to shuffle their hand into their deck and draw cards equal to the number of points they need to win the match. The ideal time to send in Mars is when your opponent needs only one more point to win, which will reduce their hand to a single card.

Do you have a particular Pokémon card hidden somewhere in your deck? The Pokémon Communication Item card provides the chance to bring that perfect Pokémon into battle. This Item card lets you switch any Pokémon in your hand with a random Pokémon from your deck. You’re not guaranteed to get the Pokémon you want, but a strategically timed (or lucky!) pull can get your team into better shape.

These are just a few of the cards from Space-Time Smackdown that you’re likely to face in battle. Be on the lookout for other useful cards to help build a deck that will have your opponent trembling in fear as you explore this latest expansion.