Pokemon TCG Pocket Celestial Guardians: Meta predictions and expected cards

The next major expansion, Pokemon TCG Pocket Celestial Guardians, is finally on the horizon. This highly anticipated set launches on April 30 and ushers in the A3 series era. Themed around the fan-favorite Alola region, the expansion is split into two distinct booster packs, each led by one of Gen 7's legendary icons: Solgaleo and Lunala.

With a mix of competitive staples and nostalgic callbacks, Pokemon TCG Pocket Celestial Guardians is set to shake up the meta and broaden the deck-building possibilities for players. Here’s what to expect from this upcoming release.

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Headliners of Pokemon TCG Pocket Celestial Guardians: Solgaleo ex and Lunala ex

Solgaleo ex and Lunala ex as revealed in the trailer (Image via The Pokemon Company)

At the forefront of Pokemon TCG Pocket Celestial Guardians are Solgaleo ex and Lunala ex, the central figures of the two booster variants. Solgaleo ex enters the stage as a powerful Stage 2 Metal-type with 180 HP. Its ability, Rising Road, allows for swift repositioning from the bench to the active spot — a valuable tactic in fast-paced matchups.

The attack Sol Breaker delivers 120 damage for just two Metal Energy, though it also deals 10 damage to Solgaleo itself. While the self-damage is minor, the two-stage evolution might pose consistency challenges. Nevertheless, it’s a much-needed addition to Metal archetypes that currently lack diversity.

Lunala ex, on the other hand, is a 180 HP Psychic-type and offers strategic energy manipulation. With its Psychic Connect ability, players can transfer all Psychic energy from a benched Pokemon to the active one once per turn. Its primary attack, Lunar Blast, deals 100 damage for one Psychic and two Colorless Energy, making it a flexible, secondary attacker.

This card has promising synergy with popular Psychic heavyweights like Gardevoir, Mewtwo ex, and Giratina ex, setting it up as a vital support card in Psychic-based decks.

Other cards that will come in the expansion (Image via The Pokemon Company)

The Alolan region gets a full spotlight treatment in this set. The trio of Alolan starters — Rowlet, Litten, and Popplio — are introduced with two unique card variants each. This also confirms that their final evolutions — Decidueye, Incineroar, and Primarina — will also be present, offering a variety of build paths and strategies for deck construction.

Alolan Raichu ex joins as a Stage 1 with 140 HP and an intriguing attack that scales with the opponent’s energy. It deals 60 base damage, plus 30 more for each Energy attached to the opposing active Pokemon, making it a solid tech choice in any Colorless-compatible deck.

Other new Alolan Pokemon include:

• Alolan Meowth (with Alolan Persian likely to follow)
• Alolan Vulpix (suggesting Alolan Ninetales' inclusion)
• Oricorio in both Pa'u Style (Psychic) and Sensu Style (Ghost) variants, with Baile Style (Fire) and Pom-Pom Style (Electric) likely to appear later

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Pokemon TCG Pocket Celestial Guardians: Trainer and support cards

Lillie's 3-Star Immersive card as revealed in the trailer (Image via The Pokemon Company)

Several support cards included in Pokemon TCG Pocket Celestial Guardians are poised to reshape gameplay dynamics:

• Lillie: Making history as the first 3-Star Immersive trainer card, Lillie heals 60 damage from a Stage 2 Pokemon — an excellent companion to Solgaleo ex and other existing Stage 2 powerhouses like Charizard ex and Garchomp ex.
• Rare Candy: This card allows players to evolve a Basic directly into a Stage 2, — a game-changer for evolution decks. Get ready to see this card in almost all Stage 2 decks.
• Lana: Allows you to switch in an opponent’s benched Pokemon, but only if you have Araquanid in play, confirming Araquanid’s debut in the set.
• Kiawe: Supports Fire-type builds by attaching two Fire Energy to Alolan Marowak or Turtonator, at the cost of ending your turn — confirming Turtonator’s introduction.
• Acerola: Moves 40 damage from your damaged Palossand or Mimikyu to your opponent’s active Pokemon, highlighting tactical damage manipulation and confirming Mimikyu’s debut in the expansion.
• Mallow: Fully heals a Shiinotic or Tsareena at the cost of discarding all their energy, confirming both Pokemon will make an appearance.
• Sophocles: Boosts damage output by 30 for Alolan Golem, Vikavolt, or Togedemaru, confirming these Alolan favorites and their full evolution lines.

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How Pokemon TCG Pocket Celestial Guardians could shape the new meta

Pokemon TCG Pocket Celestial Guardians introduces a fresh wave of deck possibilities, particularly for Metal and Psychic archetypes.

Although cards such as Solgaleo ex, Lunala ex, and Alolan Raichu ex are sure to be attention-grabbers and will likely draw interest from competitive players, they won't be revolutionizing the present meta. These cards are solidly constructed and have their positives, but experienced players likely won't be constructing their main decks around them.

That being said, what makes them so engaging is the ways in which they can combo and interact with other cards in inventive manners. To give an example, Solgaleo ex could work well with Dialga ex, Lunala ex may have some interaction with Giratina ex, and Alolan Raichu ex could get along with Manaphy.

What is most impressive about this expansion, though, is the quality and variety of supporting cards it introduces.

With cards like Rare Candy and Lillie giving Stage 2 decks more viability, and with synergy-rich Pokemon like Lunala ex encouraging creative energy management, the expansion has all the ingredients to shift or balance the current meta in exciting directions.

The Alolan revival also brings a flavorful thematic cohesion that old-school fans and competitive players alike will appreciate. Whether you're building a new deck or looking to optimize your current lineup, Pokemon TCG Pocket Celestial Guardians is shaping up to be one of the most impactful expansions yet.

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