Pokémon Pocket: Mega Rising Review - Trainers and Items

Mega Rising is finally here, after a long month without any new cards! And, alongside it, we also got the highly expected new Mega Evolutions!

As this set brought many cards and is the biggest set since the game was released, we'll review it in two different articles. In this one, we'll focus solely on new Trainers and Items.

We'll rate all cards from ★☆☆☆☆ (one star) to ★★★★★ (five stars) like so:

★☆☆☆☆: Bad card that will probably not see any play.

★★☆☆☆: Decent card that should see play in low-tier decks.

★★★☆☆: Good card that should see play in high-tier decks.

★★★★☆: Great card that should see play in several meta decks.

★★★★★: Excellent card that will either define the meta or become a staple.

Prank Spinner is interesting, but its effect is far too random.

It could either win the game for you by itself or do absolutely nothing. As a result, it could be strong at times, but it probably won't impact the game at all most of the time.

It could see some play, but I can't really think of a deck that could spare a slot to use it nowadays.

Hitting Hammer is even more random than Prank Spinner, as well as a lot less consistent.

There is no reason to play this card. Its effect is too weak, conditional, and even if you manage to get heads, forcing your opponent to discard one energy from their active Pokémon isn't that strong.

Flame Patch might be the strongest card in this entire set. It essentially fixes the biggest problem Fire decks face: attaching energies.

This card is an item, and we can use it twice on the same turn, so it could make our setups even more powerful.

Fire archetypes have never seen much play and haven't been too popular. Now, with Flame Patch and Mega Blaziken ex, Fire decks could become one of the best archetypes in the game.

Sitrus Berry could make a huge difference in each match, even more now that a few Pokémon with over 200 HP are seeing play in the meta.

This card should be great on any Mega Pokémon or Pokémon with a lot of HP. The only problem is that Leaf Cape is a lot better in Grass decks, which would love playing Sitrus Berry. So, this card won't see that much play, but you can be sure it will be great in any deck with Mega Gyarados ex or Mega Blaziken ex.

This card will only see play in Metal archetypes, like Melmetal ex.

It should be great in them, but these are not the best archetypes in the game to begin with. As a result, it will probably be quite weak.

It could see play with Snorlax ex too, but this tier-2/tier-3 archetype is also not that great against the rest of the meta.

This card, in theory, is quite strong. However, in practice, you'll prefer equipment cards that are more defensive or that deal damage to your active Pokémon.

Drawing cards is quite strong, but doing it with a card like this, which forces you to meet a condition, doesn't seem very efficient.

By himself, Marlon will enable a rogue archetype that seems quite strong.

Carracosta, which came in this set, has 150 HP. Its attack makes it immune to basic enemy Pokémon, which is quite strong and could destroy many popular strategies.

Marlon heals 70 HP and is currently the best heal in the entire game. You can only heal Carracosta with him, but he is quite worth it.

Unlike Marlon, Hala doesn't seem very promising.

The difference is that the Pokémon Hala supports are not that powerful in comparison to Carracosta. As a result, Hala is a bad card by default.

May is the new Trainer staple, as well as one of the best "fillers", that is, that type of card you put in your deck when you need a single card to complete it.

She will make any stage 2 list or any list that uses many Pokémon (like any Electric archetype) a lot more consistent.

In any case, we will only need one copy of May in our decks.

Just like Hala, Fantina is a Trainer for two specific Pokémon that are weak and together don't form a competitive archetype. As a result, she is quite weak, as essential as she may be to Drifblim and Mismagius.

In theory, this card seems strong. But, in practice, it doesn't really fit the current meta. Most decks play Mars and Red Card because forcing your opponent to keep just a few cards in hand is one of the best strategies in the game.

Copycat will only benefit you if your opponent has many cards in hand, which will rarely happen.

Lisia is the best tutor in the game and will be critical in any deck that plays Pichu, Magby, or Mantyke.

However, she won't be a staple because she will only see play in specific decks that need a setup Pokémon in the active spot early on.

If you read this far, thank you! I hope you had fun and enjoyed reading this article.

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See you next time!