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Are you a Pokémon TCG collector or player looking to expand your collection with some of the most captivating cards out there? Astral Radiance, a Pokémon TCG set released in May 2022, might just have what you're searching for.
Today, we’re taking a small trip down memory lane to the set that introduced us to the Hisui region. From beautiful artwork to strategic innovation in the competitive scene, let’s take a look at Astral Radiance!
Astral Radiance's Competitive Game-Changers
Astral Radiance isn't just a treasure trove for collectors; it's a goldmine for competitive players seeking to enhance their decks with strategic powerhouses. Let's dive into five standout cards that have reshaped gameplay:
Radiant Greninja: This card is far and away the best from Astral Radiance, and many top players (myself included) would say that it’s one of the best in the entire game! Concealed Cards is one of the most powerful and versatile support abilities, and provides very consistent access to card draw in combination with cards like Earthen Vessel. What really pushes this card over the edge is the strength of its attack, Moonlight Shuriken. Cards like Baxcalibur and Mirage Gate can power up Radiant Greninja easily, allowing it to take two prizes at once on low-HP Pokémon and cripple your opponent’s setup. Very rarely are supportive Pokémon this offensively capable, and it’s what makes Radiant Greninja this set’s top competitive card.
Origin Forme Palkia VSTAR: Palkia VSTAR may not currently feature in a top Standard deck, but it has been a mainstay since its release. Subspace Swell is a cheap attack capable of doing up to 260 damage with minimal effort, and its Star Portal VSTAR power lets it easily power up good Water-type attackers (like the aforementioned Radiant Greninja)! Palkia VSTAR’s efficiency has let it play a vital role in many different decks throughout the years it has been legal, and earns it the #2 spot on this list.
Origin Forme Dialga VSTAR: Palkia’s legendary counterpart may not have seen as rapid success, but it currently is one of the best decks in Standard thanks to Metang from Temporal Forces. Metang powers up Dialga’s powerful attacks staggeringly quickly, letting it overrun other decks with the extra turn it gets from Star Chronos.
Irida: Irida is a Supporter that has greatly boosted the consistency of Water-type decks since its release. Besides obvious synergy with cards like Chien-pao ex and Baxcalibur PAL, Irida has the potential to be a viable option in any deck that plays Radiant Greninja, Manaphy, or other Water tech options. Three of the cards in this list have worked together to create one of the strongest decks in recent history, Palkia VSTAR/Inteleon SWSH. Irida and Greninja served as the backbone of the deck, letting you chain multiple Shady Dealings together to grab any Trainer cards you might need.
Roxanne: Rounding out our list, we have another Supporter. For a long time, Roxanne was the most powerful hand disruption effect in the game. Reducing your opponent’s hand to two cards is absolutely devastating, and the presence of Pokémon VMAX (which are worth three prize cards when knocked out) made fulfilling its condition a breeze. Even now that Iono is around, Roxanne is still widely used–proving its worth even in an evolving metagame.
5 Must-Have Collectible Cards from Astral Radiance
Astral Radiance not only shakes up the competitive scene but also introduces some gems for collectors. Here are five cards from Astral Radiance to keep your eye on:
Machamp V Alt Art: While Machamp might not be the most flashy or iconic Pokémon on this list and has no competitive viability, its undeniably fantastic art makes it Astral Radiance’s most valuable card. Sometimes the pure aesthetic of a card is enough to cement its worth to collectors, and this card showing a busy Machamp V with all of his hands full is a perfect example of this.
Origin Forme Dialga V Alt Art: This card’s intricate artwork is sure to catch anyone’s eye. Additionally, Dialga’s status as a top tier competitive card has caused a recent increase in its demand among players.
Origin Forme Palkia V Alt Art: Mirroring the allure of its temporal counterpart, the Origin Forme Palkia V Alternate Art showcases Palkia amidst a backdrop that blurs the lines between reality and the abstract, warping the fabric of space itself.
Irida Full Art: Full Art Supporter cards are renowned for their detailed and vibrant designs that bring Pokémon’s characters to life. Irida’s artwork from Astral Radiance captures her role as leader of the Pearl Clan in Pokémon Legends: Arceus and deep connection to water Pokémon.
Golden Trekking Shoes: Many competitive TCG players like to play maximum rarity decks. Trekking shoes is a card that some top decks play up to four copies of, making this card a useful find!
In the two years the set has been released, Astral Radiance has managed to leave a mark on the competition scene and collecting world alike. It serves as a testament to the Pokémon TCG’s ability to weave good strategic design with the richness of the franchise’s lore, truly leaving something for everyone to enjoy.
