"People are sleeping on Ilima": Pokemon TCG Pocket player highlights a potential Arceus ex buff

The Pokemon TCG Pocket community is always buzzing when a new expansion is announced, and the upcoming Celestial Guardians set is no exception. Among the new cards previewed, Ilima — a Supporter card — is catching the attention of strategic players looking for hidden gems.

In particular, u/TheDawnOfNewDays on Reddit sparked a conversation suggesting that Ilima could become a major buff for Arceus ex decks, while also providing strong support for tanky leads like Snorlax.

"People are sleeping on Ilima. Arecus buff & Snorelax lead"

People are sleeping on Ilima. Arecus buff & Snorelax lead. byu/TheDawnOfNewDays inPTCGP

Ilima's effect is simple but impactful: it allows a player to return one of their damaged Colorless Pokemon to their hand. At first glance, it seems like just another niche option, but when combined with certain strategies, its potential grows significantly.

The Reddit post highlighted how Snorlax, with its high 150 HP, would only be reliably one-shot by heavy hitters like Charizard, Mewtwo, Palkia, and Rampardos — otherwise surviving most other threats long enough to benefit from an Ilima play.

The core idea brought forward by u/TheDawnOfNewDays is that Snorlax can serve as a durable frontline while players manipulate their board state using Ilima. Removing a damaged Snorlax before it gets knocked out allows for efficient resource cycling, a tactic that could mesh well with Arceus ex’s strategy.

Several members of the community weighed in on this discussion, each providing their perspective.

u/AW038619 pointed out a critical mechanical synergy: when Ilima is played, the removed Pokemon can simply be replayed onto the Bench.

"Cool thing about Ilima is after playing him, you can replay your mon on the bench, so you are not losing total number of mons for the purpose of Arceus"

Adding to the enthusiasm, u/JusthaHunch suggested that Genetic Apex Snorlax could be a true defensive wall now.

"GA Snorlax going to be the new wall with rocky helmet and this"

However, not everyone was completely sold on Ilima’s hype. u/Fancy-Rip-3527 offered a nuanced view, reminding players that "bounce" effects like Ilima don't always work equally well across all Pokemon.

Comment byu/TheDawnOfNewDays from discussion inPTCGP

Finally, u/IHateYouAIex835293 raised a thought-provoking concern about the card’s design. From their perspective, Ilima represents a shift away from previous balancing standards.

Comment byu/TheDawnOfNewDays from discussion inPTCGP

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A potential game-changer for Pokemon TCG Pocket Colorless decks?

Ilima's TCG card as seen in the past (Image via The Pokemon Company)

While it remains to be seen how Ilima will perform once Celestial Guardians officially releases, early discussions point toward a promising new tool for Colorless-focused strategies.

Players running Arceus ex decks — or any deck featuring durable Colorless attackers — may find that Ilima offers a subtle but critical edge in maintaining tempo and survivability during intense matches.

As the meta continues to evolve, cards like Ilima serve as a reminder that sometimes the most impactful shifts come not from flashy new Pokemon, but from clever utility cards hiding just below the surface.

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