The Paldean Wonders set is now available in Pokémon TCG Pocket and this quick detour to Paldea doesn’t look to be such an exciting one.
Touted as a departure from Mega Evolutions (theme of the last three expansions), the B2a addition was expected to bring a meta-relevamt ex addition to the game, but the pan doesn’t heat up.
Or are there any secret gems?
Well, there’s only one way to find out, so fasten your seatbelts as we explore this Paldean extravaganza.
We start with an ex that is arguably the most meta from this set, Meowscarada ex.
The 2 Energy, 80 DMG Solar Beam is decent, and what truly makes Meowscarada ex noteworthy is the 1 Energy move, Flower Trick.
Basically, you choose a spot from any of the four available among the Active Spot and the Bench, and at the end of your opponent’s next turn, you do a devastating 70 DMG to the Pokémon in that spot.
Do note that your opponent will know which spot you’ve chosen (there will be a blue tab on the placement), and they can still move the said Pokémon by withdrawing to the Bench (if Active) or to the Active (from the Bench). You can also evolve. But regardless of what you do, the spot picked is going to be hit with 70 DMG, which is a notable damage figure.
A low HP or weakened Pokémon is bound to be KO’d if equal to or less than 70 HP. On the other hand, if a strong attacker is withdrawn to that position to avoid a KO (and awarding a point to the opponent), a loss of 70 HP can be a death sentence.
Ultimately, no matter what happens, Meowscarada ex is going to cripple the opponent’s strategy. This could very well turn the tide to your favor, and the fact that all this happens at only 1 Energy makes Meowscarada ex deadly.
There’s a lot more happening in Meowscarada ex’s favor, by the way!
- Erika heals 50 DMG from
Pokémon while Lillie does 60 DMG healing, helping keep Meowscarada ex healthy. - 160 HP can be buffed to 190 HP with good ol’ Lefa Cape, making Meowscarada ex decebtly bulky.
- Crimson Blaze brought the handy Quick-Grow Extract to the helm of TCG Pocket, helping find Meowscarada ex should you choose to go with Floragato. If not, there’s always Rare Candy for the quick evolution.
- On the topic of the Pokémon, you can also add the dreaded Shining Revelry Meowscarada, that not only checks Pom-Pom Style Oricorio, but also punishes ex Pokémon with a whopping 130 DMG (150 DMG with Red)
Overall, Meowscarada ex is a very solid Pokémon and with the traditional perks Grass types enjoy in TCG Pocket, it works even in Ranked battles. Meowscarada ex is going to disrupt the opponent, no matter who it is, and it also destroys the dreaded Hydreigon decks running rampant in Ranked.
So yeah, despite the brickbats that Paldean Wonders is facing, we have a good start with Meowscarada ex turing out to be quite good!
The advent of Mega Evolutions in TCG Pocket brought two fiery threats to the meta: Mega Blaziken ex and Mega Charizard Y ex. Even Blacephalon ex burns the opponent and can be switched out via Celesteela courtesy of being an Ultra Beast.
So, seeing Armarouge ex being meh is disappointing. For one, it needs 3 
Energy to deal only 120 DMG and also discards one Energy on attacking. If this was 2 Energy instead, it would have been better.
Moreover, taking 30 less damage looks good on paper, but Armarouge ex has only 140 HP (160 HP with Giant Cape).
All these characteristics just don’t matter when facing strong decks, including the omnipresent Megas.
This is a very underwhelming ex card and would be forgotten by the next set.
The last thing the Water meta needed was Misty fodder, and behold, we have a Pokémon that relishes Misty’s gains!
Chien-Pao ex does an insane 130 DMG to any one of your opponent’s Pokémon, at the cost of losing all the 3 
Energy used.
Being a Basic, Chien-Pao ex can bring victory to you in your very first turn if you flip 3 heads with Misty… it’s endgame. In fact, even getting 2 heads is solid.
However, if Misty fails, and the opponent brings high HP Pokémon to the battlefield, 130 DMG may not be enough to get the job done, and you’re also losing all Energy.
So, it’s all luck, and that doesn’t really translate to being meta. Literally a coin flip! It’s good that Chien-Pao ex is a Basic, so that does give it potential, but at the end of the day, it’s a lot dependent on Misty.
Just like Grass types, Lightning Pokémon also have quite a lot of functional support in TCG Pocket. Bellibolt ex is bulkier than most Lightning types, and does 70 DMG for 2 
, but if you have 4 Energy in play, Bellibolt ex inflicts a crazy 140 DMG!
Pair it with Genetic Apex Magneton, and you’re easily swinging for 140 DMG. With the Training Area Stadium card, you’re doing 150 DMG. This is the go-to strategy, and it also beats the annoying Hydreigon. Clemont Supporter helps bring Magneton to the battlefield.
Also, use the Crimson Blaze Magnemite (has 50 HP) since Lisia helps draw Magnemite quickly (Tadbulb is 60 HP). And it’s well-known how strong Space-Time Smackdown Magnezone is.
Finally, with 3 Energy retreat cost, Bellibolt ex can also use the Heavy Helmet Pokémon Tool to take 20 less damage from attacks. It can also survive Rampardos (despite taking super-effective damage) as well as Hydreigon (which it can OHKO, as mentioned earlier).
Overall, Bellibolt ex is arguably the best Pokémon from the Paldean Wonders set, and is a superb addition to the Lightning-type meta, and the game as a whole!
Since the debut of Dialga ex in the Space-Time Smackdown set, Metal types have always managed to carve a niche for themselves in TCG Pocket, from being meta to spice, but the latest ex Pokémon to join the fray is kind of disappointing.
A mere 150 HP Gholdengo ex deals 40 DMG for each 
Energy attached to it, so right off the bat, this Basic deals 40 DMG. Pair it with Dialga ex, and you get to do 120 DMG for 3 Energy. This figure is not interesting based on the mechanics involved, and definitely not enough to carve holes in the Mega Evolution ex armor.
You may also pair it with Orthworm, a 100 HP Pokémon that deals 10 DMG for 1 Energy and also gifts 1 Energy to one of your Benched Pokémon. So, stall with Orthworm whilst arming it with Heavy Helmet (it has a 3 Energy retreat cost). But here’s where the challenge appears. If Orthworm had a lower retreat cost, this duo would have been formidable, but you’ll also have to devote some Energy or maybe sacrifice Orthworm to bring forth Gholdengo ex.
Additionally, Metal behemoths like Solgaleo ex and Mega Steelix ex exist, bringing way more value to the table. Gholdengo ex is quirky, and can work in many battles, but is overall not as relaible as Celebi ex was.
There you have it, dear reader! Yes, Paldean Wonders is more of a filler set, giving you breathing room for 1 month and a well-deserved break from the Mega Evolution ex monsters.
Bellibolt ex is undoubtedly the best of the lot, and you can start running it in Ranked battles! Meowscarada ex is also good, and it makes battles more interesting than ever, while also giving the well-flourishing Grass meta a good bump.
Otherwise, there isn’t much to take home from this set.
Happy collecting and battling, Pokémon TCG Pocket-ers!
