Silver Tempest: Top 12 Best Cards + Full Card List

Hello everybody. I'm Rodrigo, bringing information about the Pokémon TCG, from curiosities, tips, deck formats and others. And towards the hype of the release of the last main expansion of the Sword/Shield block, I will talk about Silver Tempest.

We have already discussed here in other previous articles that the expansion would bring the Japanese Incandescent Arcana and Paradigm Trigger sets as its main base, and you can check more details in this article.

Unfortunately, I believed that some Dark Phantasma promo cards would actually appear in this set to make up for their absence in Lost Origin, for Rotom VStar, Zacian VStar and Zamazenta VStar, but they are not listed in this set (although there is hope that they will come with the new block closing special expansion for late 2022 and early 2023). But still, we hit 80% of what could appear as card possibilities.

We already have spoilers from the leak of all cards list (including the Trainer Gallery), which you can check at this link, on PokéBeach.

Regidrago VStar

With this dragon, we already discussed an analysis and decklist in this article.

Regidrago VStar can copy the attacks of your Dragon-type Pokémon in the discard pile with its main attack.

There are many Pokémon of this type that are very useful for it to copy attacks, such as Garchomp V ASR 117, Flygon V BRS 106, Duraludon VMAX EVS 123. In this expansion, we also have an excellent Dragonite that works as an energizer, being very interesting and possible to enter the deck.

For me, it is one of the best decks of the season, and it clashes with another competitor that has gained a lot of prominence in this expansion: Lugia VStar.

Lugia VStar + Archeops

We will emphasize more in the part of the VStar card because Lugia V itself is a very heavy Pokémon to attack with 5 energies, and still with mediocre 130 damage and discards a stadium in play.

But the pieces change when Lugia VStar comes in, which with his VStar ability, he can take two colorless-type Pokémon that don't have a Rule Box from the discard pile and bench them directly. And then there's another card that is intertwined with the fast power up mechanic, the Archeops, which with its ability, can attach two special energies from your hand to one of your Pokémon.

And with that, to boost Lugia VStar in his four colorless energy attack for 220 damage (still low for the current format), the use of Powerful Colorless Energy DAA 176 that increases the damage by 20 points for each energy attached to a colorless-type Pokémon (a card that was already common in Blissey V decks).

Regieleki VMax

Regieleki is on this list for the ability to let your basic Electric-type Pokémon deal 30 extra damage.

This means the possible return of forgotten control decks from the Darkness Ablaze era with Vikavolt V DAA 60.

Taking the famous Pikachu & Zekrom-GX TEU 33 as one of the energizers/attacker, in addition to Boltund V RCL 67 in Rebel Clash, Vikavolt played the role of locking the opponent's hand to not and finishing the game with aggressive damage.

Today, with this upgrade in electric Pokémon, Regieleki has given gas and meaning to this Pokémon, revitalizing its options.

Alolan Vulpix VStar

It makes the list only for the description of its main attack: "It deals 160 damage, and this attack is unaffected by the effects of the opponent's Active Pokémon. During your opponent's next turn, prevent your Alolan Vulpix from damage done to this Pokémon by any Pokémon that have Abilities."

That's pretty strong. It's basically a Duraludon VMAX EVS 123 for the water type, but better, as it bypasses the opponent's attack effects and still prevents damage from Pokémon that have abilities, which is fantastic.

This card will definitely fit into some archetype involving Origin Forme Palkia VStar, Kyurem VMAX or even with the fusion of the two to somehow have its space.

Mawile VStar

Mawile enters this list for its VStar ability, where it forces both players to switch their active Pokémon to one on the bench. Basically, it's recycling the effect of Guzma BUS 115 back in the Sun/Moon: Burning Shadows era.

Unown V and Unown VStar

These cards can perhaps maximize the psychic archetype, considering the Unown VStar. But before we talk about its "evolution", let's talk about the second attack of its basic version:

Victory Symbol: (for three colorless energies) if you have a prize card remaining using this attack, you have won the game.

It's possible to make a Rogue Deck with “Buy Prize” just like we had Slowbro PGO 20 on Pokémon GO. This may be useful in a specific situation, but not a general rule for being a "Staple" card.

But of course, just testing and seeing how this card will behave in the current scenario towards the International, since anything is possible.

And now we'll talk about what matters, which is Unown-VStar. His VStar attack is great for the archetype:

Star Cypher: (for three colorless energies) as long as this Pokémon is in play, all opponent's Pokémon will have weakness to Psychic-type.

Probably many decks will be able to use a 2-2 line of it in any deck that uses the psychic typee, both for the Standard format with decks of Dragapult VMax, Mewtwo VUnion as quick examples of good Pokémon from this block that Unown can support, as well as for the Expanded format, which can easily enter a Mewtwo/Mew Tag Team GX deck, for example.

Rapidash

Rapidash comes in as a breather for Fire Pokémon, with the ability to grant all your Fire Pokémon 30 more damage if you discard a Fire Energy from your hand.

In addition to Magma Basin BRS 144 as an energizer for this archetype, released in Brilliant Stars, Rapidash brings a certain consistency to close damage to these Pokémon, although it is clear that in the Sword/Shield block, the Pokémon Company didn't want to invest in this type and since the water type gained a lot more resources and predominance, but it's worth a mention.

Litten, Torracat and Incineroar

This evolutionary line is strong precisely because of what Incineroar is capable of doing with its first attack: it can copy the attacks of its previous evolutions and can use them.

Then we have Litten's second attack:

- Reprisal: (For two fire energies) this attack does 20 damage for each damage counter on that Pokémon.

If you consider that Incineroar has 170 HP, just do the math with 10 HP left, with 160 x 2 = 320 damage for just two energies, which is brutal and efficient.

We also have Torracat with its ability:

- Gritty Claws: (for two fire energies) during the opponent's next turn, if this Pokémon is at full HP and is Knocked Out by an opponent's attack, it is not Knocked Out, and its life is at 10 HP remaining.

Assuming a scenario that is knocked out with one hit, already applying the effect of this attack before, you come back with 10 HP and still create your combo to attack for 320 damage.

Fennekin, Braixen and Delphox

Here, every evolutionary line works with Serena, which is the main synergy between this cadence. For that, let's understand Serena first:

Choose only one of the two options:

- Discard up to 3 cards from your hand (at least one discard must be done). Then draw until you have 5 cards in your hand.

- Switch a Pokémon V from your opponent's Bench to Active Position.

It's a mighty card and unfortunately, it's only going to last for a bit over two months, until the 2023 rotation, and I'm sure it'll make its way into many decks.

So, we arrive with the full evolutionary line that we can mainly see with Braixen and Delphox: Braixen's second attack, for two colorless energies, does 60 damage per amount of Serena cards in the discard pile, easily reaching 240 damage; and for Delphox's first attack, for a colorless energy, does the same.

They also have a certain appreciation for paying attention to Single Prize cards, which are worth the investment.

Radiant Jirachi

Jirachi enters the list because of its ability: if it gets knocked out, you search your deck for 3 cards you want and put them in your hand.

Its attack needs luck to hit the coin: Stellar Doom, which for two colorless energies, throws two coins and if both come up heads, the opponent's active Pokémon is knocked out. But that's it: you need to hit the coins, and if you don't have a guarantee that you can hit them all, it's not worth it.

Even if there is stadium Glimwood Tangle DAA 162, there can be chances of getting the wrong flip.

Trainers

It is lawful to purchase all trainers and four copies to guarantee the stock and avoid suffering with sudden price increases they might have, as was the case with Battle VIP Pass FST 225, Scoop Up Net RCL 165 and Training Court RCL 169.

Probably, of all the Trainers cards, the one that will be coveted will be the Forest Seal Stone: it has linked to it, as a Tool card, a VStar ability to search for any card in the deck (practically a low-power Arceus's VStar), and that will help with some decks.

There are debates that he might override Path to the Peak CRE 148 because the stadium says it inhibits abilities from Pokémon that have a Rule Box, and the Forest Seal Stone is a tool card, not necessarily an ability, and the stadium doesn't lock it since it's a tool.

It has yet to be confirmed by Western sources and by judges from Latin America, the US, the UK and around the globe (to the date of this article's release) on a final explanation on how it might work.

But I believe that the card is not blocked by the stadium's effect and is a way to circumvent it, which for me at least is clear, but if there is confirmation, I will edit the errata about it.

Special Energies

It's the same warning I gave about Trainers: purchase four copies of each.

In short, we have two special energies in this new set: Regenerativy Energy and V Guard Energy.

Regenerativy Energy has the effect that if you put it as energy for the turn together to evolve a Pokémon V that round, it heals 100 damage.

V Guard Energy makes the Pokémon take 30 less damage from Pokémon V (but the effect doesn't stack).

These are my perceptions of what is worth investing in this expansion, and of course, it is unanimous that Lugia VStar and Regidrago VStar will be new staples.

The other cards like the evolutionary line of Litten and Fennekin are my individual thoughts, as they are Single Prize, and are generally ignored, as the vast majority goes after the ultra-rare cards, but the Single Prize cards are just as good.

So, that's all for now. Would you consider any more cards in your personal investment to buy? What other Single Prize cards do you also think are worth it? Comment your opinion below.