Pokémon: Trading Card Game evolves V cards with Sword & Shield - Brilliant Stars

Evolve already powerful Pokémon V into even stronger versions of themselves with the newest expansion for the Pokémon: Trading Card Game - Sword & Shield - Brilliant Stars.

The latest release for the trading card game, Sword & Shield - Brilliant Stars introduces a new mechanic with Pokémon VStar cards. These new Pokémon cards are an upgrade to the existing Pokémon V cards, which provide more powerful versions of standard - fully evolved - Pokémon. The Pokémon V cards, such as the Charizard or Pikachu V cards, have abilities and attacks that are stronger than the Pokémon’s original versions, but they grant opponents more prize cards if they are defeated.

Vstar Pokémon are evolved from Pokémon V cards and each feature an exclusive Vstar ability or attack, some of which can change the outcome of a game of Pokémon: TCG if they’re successfully executed. However, players can only use a Vstar ability or attack once per game, with players using a Vstar marker to denote whether they have used their Vstar Pokémon’s ability yet.

On top of the Vstar power, Vstar Pokémon cards also contain higher health point values and feature attacks that give out much more damage. Should an opponent manage to knock out a Vstar Pokémon card, then they will be able to take up to two prize cards rather than the standard one. The Pokémon cards in the upcoming Sword & Shield - Brilliant Stars expansion include Arceus Vstar - the god Pokémon - Charizard Vstar, Shaymin Vstar and Whimsicott Vstar.

Also featured in the Brilliant Stars expansion are three new Vmax Pokémon cards and 20 Pokémon V and 15 full-art Pokémon V cards, alongside 22 Trainer cards and six full-art Support cards, plus a new Special Energy card.

Released as part of the Brilliant Stars will be a Pokémon TCG: Leafeon Vstar Special Collection and a Pokémon TCG: Glaceon Vstar Collection, which will each include a promo card of Leafeon V or Glaceon V as well as etched regular-sized and oversized promo cards for Leafeon Vstar or Glaceon Vstar - in their respective collections - with an acrylic Vstar marker and five additional Pokémon TCG booster packs.

The Pokémon: Trading Card Game - which is based on the original Pokémon video game series - sees two players competing against each other’s teams of Pokémon. Players take turns to play Pokémon cards onto their bench and into their active slot, as well as play trainer, supporter and item cards. If the Pokémon in a player’s active slot has enough energy then they can perform an attack or ability against the opponent’s active Pokémon. Players are able to pick up a prize card whenever they successfully knock out an opponent’s Pokémon, with the goal being to either knock out six Pokémon or leave an opponent with no active Pokémon or Pokémon cards left on their bench.

Players can get the Pokémon: TCG - Sword & Shield - Brilliant Stars expansion in Q1 2022, including the Leafeon Vstar Special Collection and the Glaceon Vstar Collection.