5 best Sword and Shield era cards released in Pokemon TCG

Pokemon TCG is no stranger to releasing cards of incredible value or power. From the base Sword and Shield set, all the way to Crown Zenith, there have been some remarkable offerings that are must-use for a variety of decks. However, not all the most powerful cards in the game have any real monetary value.

What matters is the overall use of a card in Pokemon TCG, not just the rarity or price point. Quite a few almost made the list, but I wanted to include some non-Pokemon offerings. Umbreon VMAX, for example, lets you swap an opponent’s primary Pokemon with a benched one. This could lead to some devastating moves as your opponent wouldn’t be ready to receive them.

Which Pokemon TCG cards are the absolute best, though? Which ones offer the most in terms of what they bring to your decks?

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What are the best Sword and Shield era Pokemon TCG cards?

5) Quick Ball (Base Set)

Quick Ball in Pokemon TCG (Image via The Pokemon Company)

That’s right, Quick Ball! I could buy a set of Quick Balls with the change sitting on my desk right now, and it would be more than worth the price of admission. This Pokemon TCG card gives you some serious bang for your buck. You can only play it if you discard another card from your hand first, but that’s okay!

In return, you can search your deck for a Basic Pokemon, reveal it, and put it into your hand. It’s useful in an enormous amount of decks as a way to fetch a Pokemon from your selection, and let us not forget its first part.

Some decks rely on discard, and having a discard engine that also creates further value in finding a Pokemon? There’s no question that this is one of the best Pokemon TCG offerings around.

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4) Path to the Peak (Chilling Reign)

Path to the Peak in Pokemon TCG (Image via The Pokemon Company)

Do you know what has really taken over the world of Pokemon TCG? Cards with Rules Boxes. These include Pokemon V, Pokemon GX, and similarly powerful offerings. Cards with special rulings for their abilities and forms fall under this one's purview.

Any Pokemon with a Rule Box in play - yours and your opponent's - have no Abilities with Path to the Peak in play! So many amazingly powerful decks require those kinds of Pokemon. When this Stadium is in play though, your VMAX, GX, etc cards pose no threat.

This isn’t an unbeatable Pokemon TCG card, though. You can counter and remove Stadiums, but not all decks run anti-Stadium. Are you tired of dealing with cards like Crobat V? Well, put that creature to rest with Path to the Peak.

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3) Zamazenta V (Base Set)

Zamazenta V in Pokemon TCG (Image via The Pokemon Company)

Speaking of VMAX cards, Zamazenta V from the Sword and Shield Base Set is going to shut that down in a hurry. Simply put, VMAX Pokemon your opponent controls cannot deal damage to this selection at all. Now, it won’t stop them from swapping out a different type of creature, but it might be too late by then.

It also has Assault Tackle, which deals 130 damage and allows you to discard a Special Energy from your opponent’s active Pokemon. It does a lot for very little energy. I ran a Zamazenta deck for a little while myself, and it was so satisfying to stop your opponent’s biggest, hardest-hitting moves.

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2) Arceus VSTAR (Brilliant Stars)

Arceus VSTAR in Pokemon TCG (Image via The Pokemon Company)

The VSTAR Pokemon are easy to use, and wildly powerful in the Pokemon meta. It’s rare that the VSTAR version is better than a VMAX monster, but Arceus definitely is an exception to that rule. Like other offerings that are similar, it has a one-shot ability, but it’s easily one of the best in the entire Sword and Shield arc.

Starbirth lets you search your deck for up to two cards of any type, and put them in your hand. Then, of course, you shuffle. This will let you fix whatever problem you’re having at the moment, and that’s before the three-energy Trinity Nova attack. It deals 200 damage and lets you search your deck for up to three basic Energy cards.

You can then attach them to a Pokemon V in any fashion you like. Essentially, you can potentially one-shot a creature, then set up another to make sure they can do the same. Do not sleep on the might of this Pokemon TCG card, online or otherwise.

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1) Mew VMAX (Fusion Strike)

Mew VMAX in Pokemon TCG (Image via The Pokemon Company)

Mew VMAX decks are still pretty popular, and when it first debuted, it was everywhere. Why? Cross Fusion Strike. You can pick Pokemon on your bench and use its Fusion Strike Ability instead! Moreover, you can keep your hardest hitters safe on the bench, and one-shot your foe’s TCG Pokemon.

If you need other damage types or abilities, that’s an excellent way to make it happen. It has incredible HP with 310, and can also use Max Miracle to deal 130 damage. However, it can’t be affected by any of your opponent’s effects on their active Pokemon. Mew VMAX is so flexible and so strong.

One fun combo is to use it with a benched Genesect V. Activate its 210-damage Techno Blast, and then recall Mew VMAX. It has no retreat cost, so you can swap a different Pokemon of the same name in.

Techno Blast prevents you from attacking the next turn, but all you have to do is put a different Mew in play to override that. It’s a filthy combo, and with the right cards to supplement it, you can obliterate your opponents at a break-neck pace.

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These are only a handful of the amazing Pokemon cards from the Sword and Shield era. There were excellent Trainer, Item, and Pokemon cards of all varieties. There’s no telling what players will see in the Scarlet and Violet era, but hopefully there will be cards on par with these.