Trainer cards (Supporters, Items, and Pokémon Tools) are key to winning battles in Pokémon TCG Pocket, often being the primary reason behind victories even in impossible situations. The Eevee Grove set (A3b) has released a few Trainer cards but do they pack a punch in the meta? Let’s find out.
Penny
Let’s start with a card that’s a hit or a miss… a gamble that relies too much on sheer luck and RNG to work: the Eevee stan, Penny.
She picks a random Supporter (not another Penny) from your opponent’s deck, shuffles it back to their deck, and mirrors that Supporter’s effect. So, if you find a Professor’s Research, you can use your Penny card as one and draw two cards such as the Prof would. Similarly, drawing Sabrina lets you switch out the opponent’s Active Pokémon. However, these are a couple of the ideal scenarios.
In most cases, it’s highly likely that Penny ends up being futile. After all, the Supporter you pull from the opponent is random, and many cards can do absolutely nothing or even ruin your game.
Getting cards like Lusamine, Gladion, Red Cyrus, Erika, etc may be useless in numerous battles. An Iono can even play spoilsport and destroy a good Hand, turning the tide in your opponent’s favor.
As such, Penny is a major disappointment that, more often than not, winds up being utter garbage. Sure, it can be a game-changer in certain situations like pulling a Guzma when your opponent is armed with an irksome Tool or Red when an opponent EX is rampaging.
Overall, a pretty mid card that you can skip for a better Supporter.
Hau
With Eevee Grove, Primarina got itself a much-deserved EX, and now, all three Alolan starters have an EX each (along with stunning Rainbow Rare versions).
Decidueye EX, Incineroar EX, and Primarina EX are all meta-relevant, and Hau is a simple guy… he just adds an attractive 30 DMG to the attacks done by any of these Alolan starter EXs.
To put it in figures, Hau has the following effects on the Alolan starter EX trio:
- Decidueye EX does 130 DMG to damaged opponents with Pierce the Pain and 110 DMG with Razor Leaf.
- Incineroar EX does 60 DMG with Fire Fang (and also burns the target) and 170 DMG with Scar-Charged Smash (if Incineroar EX has previously taken some damage) or 110 DMG otherwise.
- Primarina EX’s Hydro Pump does 70 DMG with 1 Energy and if it has at least 1 extra Water Energy attached, it does 110 DMG. Sparkling Aria does 130 DMG and also heals Primarina EX by 20 DMG.
The extra damage is undoubtedly super handy and makes Hau a must-have in decks centered around these EX cards. More of such EX-centric Supporters, please!
Eevee Bag
Oh wow! After the Poké Ball, another Item card has received the Crown Rare treatment! And for the first time in Pokémon TCG Pocket, an Item card gives you a choice regarding its effect. In essence, it works as either a Potion (heals 20 DMG) or Giovanni (+10 DMG to the opponent’s Active mon).
While that sounds stellar, keep in mind that this effect only applies to the Eeveelutions. But that’s totally fine since the Eeveelutions (including the non-EX variants) are a tough bunch and since the Eevee Bag is an Item card, you have two huge perks: you can use multiple Item cards per turn and you can pair them with Supporters.
So, add 2 Potions with Eevee Bag to heal a jaw-dropping 60 DMG. Or, add Red to do +30 DMG to those pesky EX cards! The choice is yours and this is undoubtedly an Item you need in your Eeveelution decks.
Pokémon Tools are super useful cards that have been available in the physical TCG games and follow these rules in Pokémon TCG Pocket:
- Pokémon Tool cards can be attached to your Active or Benched cards, and they provide some special battle effects.
- They stay attached to the Pokémon in question until it leaves play.
- Like Item cards, you can use as many Pokémon Tool cards as you like during a turn but each Pokémon can have only one Tool attached at a time.
Eevee Grove has introduced only one Pokémon Tool but it’s pretty good.
Leftovers
Leftovers is a fairly popular add-on in the mainline games and it’s finally in Pokémon TCG Pocket! Attach it to your Active Pokémon and it starts healing 10 DMG each turn.
This Pokémon Tool is great for the new Snorlax EX whose ability joins the party to heal a whopping 30 DMG each turn. You can even attach it to the notorious Giratina EX to offset as much damage as possible and to Solgaleo EX to compensate for the 10 HP lost on using Sol Breaker.
Leftovers may not be meta-shaking but it’s a very useful Tool to bring to the fight.
Happy collecting and battling, Pokémon TCG Pokcet-ers!
