Crown Zenith: All Products + Card Review

Early 2023, we'll say goodbye to the last Sword/Shield set, this one being a special set as Champion's Path, Shining Fates, Celebrations and Pokémon GO was, its number considered to be Sword/Shield: 12.5. We're talking about Crown Zenith! This article was only possible due to TCGVee, designed for players to buy and sell codes with each other. Right now, there are zero selling fees on site, so TCGVee is perfect for those who collect physical carda and have loads of spare codes!

Being it a “VStar Universe” (ハイクラスパック VSTARユニバース High Class Pack VSTAR Universe) japanese set, it was released in Japan on 12/02/2022, but it will come to us in the west 01/20/2023.

Elite Trainer Box: Lucario - Regular and Pokémon Center Versions

Regular Version

Set around $49,99, this box will include:

- A 7-dice set, one die to do "coin-flips" and six damage-counter dice;

- A 65 Lucario-themed sleeve set to protect your cards;

- Acrylic poison and burn markers, and an Acrylic VStar marker;

- An online Elite Trainer Box code, so you can switch to PTCG Online or Live;

- Twelve Crown Zenith boosters, each containing 11 cards and a code for PTCG Online/Live for the app players.

(Note: so far, they haven't announced a promotional card inside the usual ETB, so I can't say for sure it will indeed come, up to the date of this post, 01/10/2022.)

Pokémon Center Version

The set price is around $64,99 and these items will come:

- A Lucario-VStar promotional card with this "alternative art";

- A 6 damage-counter dice set, in a golden hue;

- A 65 Lucario-themed sleeve set to protect your cards;

- Acrylic poison and burn markers (with a sort of "deluxe" color in black and silver hues), and an Acrylic VStar marker;

- A golden Lucario coin;

- A Sword/Shield: Crown Zenith trainer guide;

- A pack of basic energies;

- An online Elite Trainer box code, so you can migrate to PTCG Online or Live; (Do not switch to Live);

- Twelve Crown Zenith boosters, each containing 11 cards and a code for PTCG Online/Live for the app players.

Details of the Product

Pikachu-VMax Collection

This product is precisely the coming of this once Japan exclusive promotional card, which was distributed by the CoroCoro magazine, both its V and VMax version.

Its price is around $29,99, and it will be released 02/27/2023.

Zacian-V and Zamazenta-V Shiny Boxes

These U.S., United Kingdom and Canada version boxes will be more valuable because besides them having the 11 card boosters, you will get a box pin, a sleeve set and a figure of each legendary dog of your chosen box, for those who are fans of figures (just like me).

Products

The predicted arrival date is 05/05/2023, and costing $59,99, these boxes will have:

- A promotional Shiny Zacian-V or Zamazenta-V card alongside their "oversized" versions;

(It's worth noting that these two are in their Sword/Shield: Base Set versions)

- A Zacian or Zamazenta metalic pin;

- A sleeve set;

- A Zacian or Zamazenta figure;

- An online box code (Zacian or Zamazenta, depending on your choice), so you can migrate to PTCG Online or Live; (Do not switch to Live);

- Eleven Crown Zenith boosters, each containing 11 cards and a code for PTCG Online/Live for the app players.

Morpeko V-Union Playmat Premium Collection Box

It will be released only in the U.S.A., Canada and United Kingdom, with a different art from Morpeko-VUnion, different from the original Japanese art among the V-Union Pokémon.

It will cost around $39,99, will be released 04/14/2023 and will contain:

- 4 etched Morpeko V-UNION promo cards (as any V-Union);

- The "oversized" version of Morpeko-VUnion as a "poster";

- A Marnie Playmat with her Morpeko;

- A Professor Burnet PR-SW SWSH167 card;

- An online box code, so you can migrate to PTCG Online or Live;

- Five Crown Zenith boosters containing each 11 cards and a code for PTCG Online/Live for the app players.

Galar Starters Triple Packs

Rillaboom

Cinderace

Inteleon

It will be sold in the U.S.A., Canada and United Kingdom on 04/14/2023, for $14,99, containing:

- A promo card of the chosen starter;

- A metal pin of the chosen starter;

- An online starter promo card code, so you can migrate to PTCG Online or Live;

- Three Crown Zenith boosters containing each 11 cards and a code for PTCG Online/Live for the app players.

Mini Tins - Galar Characters

These products will be released for $8,99, on 02/17/2023.

Galarian Birds Tins

These products will be released for $24,99, on 03/17/2023.

Regidrago-V and Regieleki-V Boxes

It will cost $19,99, and be released 01/20/2022.

Regidrago-V

Regieleki-V

Products

Even though it contains 4 Crown Zenith boosters, it has differences regarding their Regis products choices.

- If you buy Regieleki-V, you get its promo card, besides the oversized version and the Sword/Shield: Evolving Skies Regidrago EVS 124 baby card.

- If you buy Regidrago-V, you get its promo card, besides the oversized version and the Sword/Shield: Evolving Skies Regieleki EVS 60 baby card.

As the collection is themed around the famed Alternative/Secret arts, Trainer Gallery cards, and more, there are just a few cards that will see play competitively.

I'll highlight the most relevant, so we might have a solid notion of what to expect.

Radiant Pokémon

Radiant Charizard

1) Ability - Excited Heart: this Pokémon's attacks cost one colorless energy less for each Prize card that your opponent has collected.

2) Attack - Combustion Blast (F)(C)(C)(C)(C): deals 250 damage and this same attack can't be used in the following round.

It's basically a reprint of the same Radiant Charizard PGO 11 which showed up in the Pokémon GO set, but this one has artwork made by the wonderful Kouki Saitou (which illustrates cards since the Ruby/Sapphire, Skyridge and Aquapolis times).

Radiant Eternatus

1) Ability - Climax Gate: when you play this Pokémon from your hand to the bench, you can use this ability. You look for two VMax Pokémon from your deck and can place them directly on your bench, afterward shuffling your deck. If you do, your round ends.

2) Attack - Power Beam (F)(D)(C): deals 200 damage.

This card is very aggressive when it comes to summoning/placing/searching (call it what you want) VMax Pokémon in play, without needing their basic forms, which can create extraordinary combos with some Pokémon that will be rotated before April 2023 such as Charizard VMAX DAA 20 and Centiskorch VMAX DAA 34.

But for the Standard format, as an "F" rating, it can still be useful with the "E" and "F" set VMax Pokémon that will remain, being able to set up many possibilities.

Radiant Charjabug

1) Ability - Charja Block: while this Pokémon is in play, every time any player attaches an energy to their V Pokémon, this Pokémon will be hit with 2 damage counters.

2) Attack - Discharge (L): deals 30 damage to one of your opponent's Pokémon (it doesn't apply weakness or resistance to the opponent bench).

This Pokémon certainly will go in spread damage control decks such as Galarian Cursola V CPA 21 and Dracozolt VMAX EVS 59. It will fit this type of strategy, so eventually we might see decks with this damage output.

Trainer

Sky Sealed Stone

It is an Item Tool card that makes it create an ability: during your turn, when you activate this Tool, if your V basic Pokémon Knocks out a VMax or VStar active enemy Pokémon, you get an extra Prize card.

It is an extremely broken card, as against VMax Pokémon it gives you 4 Prize cards at once and against VStar Pokémon it gives you 3 Prize cards (almost throwing it back to the Arceus & Dialga & Palkia-GX CEC 156 GX attack times).

In Standard, we have combos, such as Ludicolo EVS 34, which grants its ability 100 extra damage with basic Pokémon in play, which generally plays alongside Suicune V EVS 31, which in a hypothetical situation, with the 220 total damage that Suicune-V can deal (20 base damage plus 20 for each Pokémon in your and the opponent's bench, up to 100 + 100 = 200), with Ludicolo's ability 100 extra damage, it's dealing 320 damage! And suppose that in this strike we destroy a VMax with around 310 to 320 health, you get four Prize cards in one go!

Digging Duo

It is a Supporter card that makes you flip a coin: if it's heads, you look at the 8 bottom cards in your deck and choose one of those cards to yourself; and if it's tails, you look at the 3 bottom cards in your deck and choose one of those cards to yourself. Shuffle your deck afterward.

It is literally a reverse Misty's Determination BKP 104 version, which in this case, it looks at the top cards in your deck, whereas Digging Duo sees the bottom cards. And this card is Marnie SSH 169's counter.

Collection Pokémon

Zacian-VStar & Zamazenta-VStar

Before speaking about these cards, months ago I wrote a post with theories and Japanese set cards possibilities that could come in eastern sets such as Lost Origin and Silver Tempest, hyperlink.

However, after a long time, these cards are confirmed for the Crown Zenith set, which you can check out below:

Zacian-V & Zamazenta-V

Zacian-V

1) Attack - Break Through (M): deals 40 damage and this attack isn't affected by weakness, resistance and any opponent active Pokémon effects.

2) Attack - Giant Hunter (M)(M)(C): it deals 100 damage plus 160 damage if the defending Pokémon is a VMax Pokémon.

This is also an exclusive card coming from the Lost Abyss - VSTAR Special Set.

Zamazenta-V

This is also an exclusive card coming from the Lost Abyss - VSTAR Special Set, with a different version of its usual art, but it is a reprint of that same card released in Brilliant Stars, Zamazenta V BRS 105.

Rotom-VStar

1) Attack - Scrappy Pulse (L)(L): put any number of Tool cards from your discard pile to the Lost Zone. If you do, the damage will be multiplied 40 times for each card tributed this way.

2) Ability - Star Conversion: discard any number of cards from your hand and afterward draw the same amount of discarded cards (you can't use more than one VStar Power during the whole match - be it an ability or attack).

This is also an exclusive card coming from the Lost Abyss - VSTAR Special Set.

Hatterene-VMax

1) Ability - Witch's Domain: you can move 2 damage counters from your Pokémon to your opponent's Pokémon.

2) Attack - G-Max Smite (P)(C)(C): deals 150 damage and your opponent's Pokémon is confused.

Regigigas-V & Regigigas-VStar

Regigigas-V

1) Attack - Hammer In (C)(C): deals 50 damage.

2) Attack - Angry Blow (C)(C)(C): deals 100 plus 10 damage for each damage counter you have with Regigigas, and this Pokémon is now confused.

Regigigas-VStar

1) Attack - Giga Impact (C)(C)(C): deals 320 damage and this Pokémon can't use this attack next round.

2) VStar Ability (VStar Power) - Star Guardian: you can only use this ability if your opponent is missing exactly one Prize card left to win the game. From that, you choose one Pokémon in the enemy bench and discard it, including the energies attached to it (You can't use more than one VStar Power during the whole match - be it an ability or an attack).

Luxray

1) Ability - Explosive Start: if this Pokémon is in your hand early game before the match has started, you can place it directly as an Active Pokémon.

2) Attack - Seeking Fangs (C): deals 50 damage and looks in your deck for 2 Trainer type cards, reveals them to your opponent and shuffles your hand.

By far, one of the best supports that this final block has ever seen and which will see a lot of play in the future due to being type "F". And for the veterans who were around in X/Y cards, it is practically a Talonflame STS 96.

Most Important Reprinted Cards

Trainers

With the same theme as the artwork in Reset Stamp UNM 206a and Pokémon Communication TEU 152b, there are players who like using them and also collectors who are willing to get these.

They are nothing more, nothing less than Ultra Ball BRS 150, Trekking Shoes ASR 156 and Rescue Carrier EVS 154 "reprints".

Ditto

A Ditto PGO 53 reprint, which was released in Sword/Shield: Pokémon GO.

Showcase of Some of the Set's Cards

Sinnoh Gods: Arceus, Dialga, Palkia and Giratina

Here are the cards in their regular form as they will come in the set (and prepare your wallets because they will easily be Sword/Shield most expensive cards, including when it comes to their Alternative art, and I even risk saying that they might be considered Gold Full Art in a certain way, due to their golden effect).

The images below are respectively the full artwork of these Pokémon and the other is a fanmade collage of cards (when they didn't know yet what would be the official artwork).

Mewtwo-VStar

There was a post here about the Silver Tempest releases last year, alongside the announcement of the second batch of Charizard's UPC (Ultra Premium Collections), in which they would have Charizard VSTAR PR-SW SWSH262's artwork, and I mentioned this Mewtwo-VStar. That's right. It will be present in this collection.

It's worth remembering that it is a "reprint" of Sword/Shield: Pokémon GO's Mewtwo VSTAR PGO 31 version.

(Note: Charizard V PR-SW SWSH260, Charizard VMAX PR-SW SWSH261 and Charizard VSTAR PR-SW SWSH262 cards came to us in the west through the UPC Box, but in Japan, the Charizard V PR-SW SWSH260 and Charizard VSTAR PR-SW SWSH262 cards will come for them in the VSTAR Universe one, so these cards won't come to us in Crown Zenith.

Charizard-VStar

Coming from the japanese product known as SPECIAL DECK SET: RAYQUAZA-VMAX VS CHARIZARD-VSTAR, it was released in Japan 11/04, as a "League Deck" type starred by Rayquaza and Charizard with their own decks and Rayquaza-VMAX and Charizard-VStar promo cards version, costing around US$ 36,91.

Only according to Bulbapedia's list, it is categorized as part of the west set. So, the question remains: will it come to us in this set?

Johto's Beasts: Entei, Raikou and Suicune

These are Alternative/Secret artworks for these: Entei EVS 19, Raikou V BRS 48 and Suicune V EVS 31.

Hisuian Zoroark-VStar

For me, this is one of the most beautiful artworks of these Hisui Pokémon in their secret versions. It is precisely a reference to the Hisuian Zoroark VSTAR LOR 213 card.

Recursive Pokémon: Diancie, Mew & Manaphy

Respectively, these cards are: Diancie ASR 68 from Astral Radiance, Mew CEL 11 from Celebrations and Manaphy BRS 41 from Brilliant Stars.

Trainers Full Art

Cynthia’s Ambition

Friends of Sinnoh

Friends of Hisui

(Research Credit: Bleeding Cool, Bulbapedia, Serebii, Alpha TCG, JustinBasil)

So? What did you think of the news regarding these products and set? Which interest you most and left you anxious to get?

Comment down below in the comment section! See you in the next article.