Twilight Masquerade, due to release on 24th May, is the latest set from the Scarlet and Violet era, and it offers trainers an opportunity to uncover folktales from the land of Kitakami.
While Kitakami is said to be a land of harmonious life, many of the Pokémon are anything but; new legendary species bring a new competitive aura to the TCG and introduce varied strategies to the fold.
Of course, the poster Pokémon of this release is Ogerpon, which is making its debut and can be encountered in its various terastilized forms. But there is far more to this set than this masked master of mischief.
So, what are the most important cards to chase for competitive TCG play?
Table of Contents
1. Dragapult ex
We begin with the pseudo legendary Pokémon Dragapult ex, threatening to dethrone some of the meta’s top decks due to its incredible potential.
With 320HP, Dragapult ex may end up being tiered alongside popular decks such as Charizard ex; its massive damage output makes the dragon one-to-watch.
Jet Headbutt does 70 damage for one colourless energy – numbers that shouldn’t be baulked at. But more importantly, Phantom Drive, its second attack, does 200 damage and allows you to put six damage counters on your opponent’s benched Pokémon (yes, you read that right) for one psychic energy and one fire energy.
Phantom Drive is so potent an attack, so truly meta defining, that it may be able to gatekeep certain Pokémon from appearing in the post-rotation game. The likes of Comfey, Bidoof and Frigibax are now all in the firing line while on the bench, meaning you can slam your opponent’s active Pokémon and snipe the bench simultaneously. You can also pair this move nicely with the likes of Radiant Alakazam, who can shift those extra damage counters around using its ability Painful Spoons so that you maximise output.
Dragapult ex can also be supplied with the energy acceleration capabilities of its first stage evolution, Drakloak, through its Recon Directive ability. This allows you to look at the top two cards of your deck once per turn and then put one of them into your hand. And by adding the ACE SPEC Neo Upper Energy into the mix, you won’t have to wait around before unleashing the spectre threat Dragapult ex holds.
2. Unfair Stamp (ACE SPEC)
Don’t you know it, ACE SPEC’s are well and truly back, and they are once again one of the defining features of decks. So, if you want to be competitive, Unfair Stamp will be a solid pickup, as it is the unparalleled ACE SPEC from this set.
If you have had one of your Pokémon knocked out during your opponent's last turn, then Unfair Stamp will force each player to shuffle their hand into their deck; you will then draw five cards, while your opponent only draws two.
Similar to the Trainer card Roxanne, Unfair Stamp is the latest in a swathe of releases that allows you to mount comeback attempts in the game. And by combining Unfair Stamp with already-released options such as Boss’s Orders or Eri, you have extremely powerful methods to turn the tide of the match, either landing a knockout on a weak Pokémon or shredding the options in their hand.
No doubt, it has playability throughout the entirety of the match, but if your opponent takes down one of your Pokémon early game, then Unfair Stamp can cripple your opponent’s set up and give you space to build your strategy. And with what’s already out there, Unfair Stamp could hugely complement Charizard ex and Dragapult ex builds.
3. Tatsugiri
The little sushi, Tatsugiri, is one of the pre-release promo cards of the set, and it is ready to serve solid support for some of the TCG’s strongest archetypes.
The 70HP basic Pokémon is extremely conducive to aggressive strategy plays where trainers aim to fish out Supporter cards, such as Iono, and set up their primary attacking threats. Tatsugiri does this through the ability, Attract Customers, which allows you to look at the top six cards of your deck and add any Supporter card you find there to your hand, as long as Tatsugiri is in the active spot.
Tatsugiri is a bit of a throwback to cards we have seen feature in competitive TCG play previously, with a similar build to Jirachi from Team Up and Mysterious Tail Mew from Celebrations. Like its counterparts, Tatsugiri can be a viable component in some of the strongest decks, especially with the advent of many retreat cards, such as Rescue Board.
4. Bloodmoon Ursaluna ex
Bloodmoon Ursaluna ex is undoubtedly one of the standout attackers from this set, with substantial bulk and a powerful move that belies its status as a basic Pokémon.
With 260HP, Bloodmoon Ursaluna ex is primed to tank hits before unleashing 240 damage with its attack, Blood Moon (enough to take down the likes of Roaring Moon ex and Iron Hands ex). This attack is similar to Radiant Charizard’s Combustion Blast, as both leave an incredible mark but prevent the user from attacking the next turn.
This Hisuian bear only gets stronger as the game wears on, just like Radiant Charizard, as its trademark attack costs one less colourless energy for each prize card your opponent has taken, thanks to the ability Veterans’s Technique.
However, because it doesn’t require specific energy typing, there is more opportunity to integrate Ursaluna ex in various deck builds. This means this Bloodmoon Ursaluna ex will have a lasting lunar legacy on the set.
5. Teal Mask Ogerpon ex
Since being introduced to the newest generation, Ogerpon has gained a cult following. And out of all the Ogerpon variants in this set, we can arguably expect the Teal Mask version to see the most play because of its ability to synergise with other established decks, such as Iron Leaves ex or Blissey ex.
There are also builds centred around bringing the mask variations together and using the Item card Orge’s Mask to switch these Pokémon around quickly. This helps you to counter different match-ups with a deck that can pivot to the immediate needs.
Teal Mask Ogerpon ex is also particularly viable because of its ability Teal Dance, which gives this Pokémon the means to accelerate energy and draw cards once per turn.
That's not to say Teal Mask Ogerpon ex isn’t up for the fight; its attack Myriad Leaf Shower is more than capable of scything through the opponent’s field of play, dealing 30 damage plus an additional 30 for each Energy card attached to both active Pokémon. This not only means that it is an early game force, but if left unchecked, it can wreak havoc, accelerating energy to itself and posing an increasing threat. The opponent will want to take it down sharpish.
6. Kieran
As the first Supporter card on this list, Kieran provides a multiple-choice approach to usage: you may either switch your active Pokémon with one of your benched Pokémon, or gain an attack boost for one turn with moves doing an extra 30 damage to your opponent's active ex and V Pokémon.
With the first option, Kieran can give decks the flexibility of an extra switch card, which can be vital for shifting out those more basic Pokémon with useful abilities. It also has huge playability if you run into a dreaded Snorlax stall, getting you out of that pinch.
The second gives you an extra damage boost that can help catch your opponent off guard and knock out potent Pokémon, such as Giratina V Star, Lugia V Star or Charizard ex. And many decks could do with that little helping hand taking these beasts down…
Being able to choose its effect gives you much needed flexibility and can be hugely useful for deck compositions where there is difficulty in picking what you truly need.
7. Legacy Energy (ACE SPEC)
Legacy Energy is the second ACE SPEC on the list; it is hard to ignore, given its usefulness in the current meta.
The most likely beneficiary of this is the Lugia V Star build, which could be thrust back into the upper echelons of the meta, thanks to its effects. Legacy Energy can be used to cover one of any type of Energy card when attached to your Pokémon. Secondary to this, if the Pokémon the card is attached to gets knocked out by an attack, your opponent takes one fewer Prize cards.
This means Legacy Energy is essentially a free Rainbow Energy – an aspect Lugia V Star has been lacking for a while – and gives you leeway with your opponent’s knockouts.
For example, if Legacy Energy is attached to your Lugia V Star, your opponent will only take one Prize card. If it is attached to your Cinccinno, known to be a menace with its Special Roll attack, then your opponent won’t take a Prize card at all. It’s quite the boon.
8. Munkidori
Another card with the mischievous ability to shift damage counters, Munkidori is certainly worth a pick up for those looking to elevate dark-type deck builds.
Its ability, Adrenaline Brain, lets you shift three damage counters from one of your Pokémon to one of your opponents if you have a Dark Energy attached.
Naturally, this makes it a great foil for Roaring Moon ex, which can instantly KO Pokémon with Frenzied Gouging at the expense of 200 in recoil damage. With Munkidori, you can make that move and alleviate some pressure by shifting the damage counters you sustain.
There is also the option of playing Munkidori with the Stadium card Gapejaw Bog, so whenever a Basic Pokémon is played from the hand to the bench, it receives two damage counters. Munkidori is there to shift those counters. This may be a play that gets incorporated into spread decks in the future, with damage counters being racked up across the board.
9. Greninja ex
Greninja ex could prove to be an absolute tera titan of the TCG because of its consistency and ability to utilise newly released Energy cards.
The 310HP fighting frog has two attacks that should give your opponent something to consider. For just one Water Energy, Greninja can hit for 170 with its Ninja Blade attack, which also has the added benefit of allowing you to search your deck for any card and add it to your hand. I’m sure we can agree this is a frightening prospect, and will likely force your opponent into playing Iono.
The second attack, Duplicates Barrage, allows you to do 120 damage to two of your opponent’s Pokémon, drawing comparisons with Rapid Strike Urshifu V Max. While you have to discard two energy cards to be able to use the attack, this wonderful new set offers a workaround, as you can utilise Boomerang Energy cards to essentially prevent the discard. It appears Greninja is equally adept with boomerangs as it is with shurikens.
10. Enhanced Hammer
Finally, last on the list, we have Enhanced Hammer. This is a bit of a throwback, but it is returning to prominence in the standard format.
Enhanced Hammer allows you to discard one Special Energy attached to your opponent’s Pokémon. This is particularly useful with the advent of the aforementioned Boomerang Energy and Legacy Energy, and the prominence of Neo Upper Energy and Mist Energy.
In the current meta, there are few options to combat Special Energy plays – aside from Temple of Sinnoh – so Enhanced Hammer will no doubt have usage. And as you can search for the card with Arven, it will likely become a trusted item for many.
What else is out there?
Twilight Masquerade is a fantastic set to explore because it contains many cards that could potentially see competitive play.
The honourable mentions list should include Wellspring Mask Ogerpon ex, the water variant of Ogerpon. Torrential Pump's attack synergises well with the Lugia V Star archetype, recycling Special Energy and forcing your opponent to play on the defence. Let’s also throw a Trainer card in the mix by mentioning Lucky Helmet, returning as a reprint. If the Pokémon Lucky Helmet is attached to gets damaged by an opponent’s attack then you get to draw two cards – a particularly beneficial boost for many of the game’s bulkier attackers, such as Charizard ex.
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