As Pokémon TCG Pocket players dive into the Paradox Drive (B3a) set, they will encounter several Paradox Pokémon and several Trainer cards based on the Ancient and Future species of Scarlet and Violet.
With no Mega Evolutions in this booster pack, it is undoubtedly difficult for the set’s Pokémon EX to impress the playerbase, but what about the Trainer cards?
Let’s see how these few additions fare in a meta as expansive and dangerous as Area Zero!
Juliana
Juliana is the female protagonist of the Scarlet and Violet games, so it’s fitting that we start with her card. However, there’s another reason: Juliana is THE best Trainer from Paradox Drive (there, I said it), and more important, she is going to be widely meta going forward as well.
To tell you why, let’s talk about the strongest Pokémon in TCG Pocket: Mega Evolutions. A good number of these powerhouses, such as Mega Charizard X and Y, Mega Blaziken, and Mega Venusaur, are Stage 2 cards. So, in decks with Stage 2, which are often the strongest attacker(s) in your deck, Juliana can summon them from the depths of your deck.
Especially in Mega Blaziken EX, Mega Venusaur EX, and Mega Sceptile EX decks, wherein you have only one Stage 2 Pokémon, you know that Juliana is guaranteed to summon the powerhouse you need (Mega Char decks tend to have both X and Y these days).
Surprisingly, Juliana is useless in Paradox Pokémon decks since all of them are Basics. But yes, wth more Mega Evolutions and regular Stage 2 cards bound to join the game, Juliana gives you the power to draw the highlight Pokémon of your deck, and this makes her one of the best Trainers in TCG Pocket!
Professor Sada
Professor Sada helps you attach 3 different types of Energy from your discard pile (not Energy Zone) to an Ancient Paradox Pokémon in any way you wish.
Now, there are two aspects to this, one concerning and the other nice, and we’ll analyze both.
“from your discard pile”
If this were “from your Energy Zone” instead, Prof Sada would have been an absolutely broken card for the Ancient monsters. But, you would have needed to discard Energy either by retreat or suffering a KO to let Prof Sada fetch any Energy for you, be it one Energy, two, or three.
Coming to the nice part.
“in any way you like”
No matter which Ancient Paradox Pokémon you use, you can, at the very least, use Prof Sada to give it one free Energy of the deck type once it comes to the Active Spot after the former Active Pokémon retreated or got KO’d. In fact, the more the better, so you have a ready-to-go attacker the very next turn.
So, in a generic sense, Prof Sada is fine, and the only problem is that the Ancient mons aren’t too good in Paradox Drive.
But this Supporter has another specific use… something associated with a certain type that always calls for multiple other types for attacks. Yes, it’s the Dragon type, and this set has three Ancient Paradox Dragons that need Prof Sada to function.
Running 
types in TCG Pocket is already a pain, and Prof Sada attaching 3 different Energy types from the discard pile is just terrible when you see how powerless these three Dragons are against the meta.
Sure, Raging Bolt can give you an instant win against a Mega Evolution EX, but see how the Energies are from the discard pile, NOT the Energy Zone.
So you would have needed to discard 3 different types of Energy before you can even use Prof Sada, and the only way to do that is using Baby Pokémon like Mantyke or Magby (poor HP pool), or the new Sableye, which gives random Energies to Benched folks.
This is all a mess, and you cannot rely on such draconic decks for Ranked battles. If only Ancient Paradox Pokémon were stronger!
Professor Turo
Professor Turo’s main strength is that it helps Miraidon EX perform better. Let’s understand the tech here.
When you put Miraidon EX on the Bench from your hand, it can switch into the Active Spot, and when it does, you can move all the Energy you have in play to Miraidon.
Now, suppose one of your Miraidon EX has taken a beating and is on the verge of a KO (140 HP is meh, after all). With Prof Turo, you can bring that damaged Miraidon EX back to your deck, and put the fresh Miraidon EX to the Active Spot and get all the Energy.
While Miraidon EX is the main beneficiary of the Prof, let’s see how it helps Iron Bundle EX as well.
When Iron Bundle EX first moves into the Active Spot, it deals 80 DMG instead of 60 DMG, and also paralyzes the opponent. To reap this benefit again, use Prof Turo to bring it back to the deck, and once you draw it again, it can salvage the damage boost and Paralysis effect again.
Professor Turo and Professor Sada’s minutes of fame may only last for the Paradox Drive meta for now, but if we have a powerful Iron Valiant EX and Roaring Moon EX in the future, the duo can get back to business.
Pokémon Tools 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.
Ancient Booster Energy Capsule
Okay, so the Ancient Paradox group at least gets something nice to relish. The Ancient Booster Energy Capsule Pokémon Tool increases the health of Ancient Paradox Pokémon by a whopping 40 HP (puts even the Leaf Cape to shame). Honestly, this is a tremendous boost and brings the HP of the Ancient mons to a respectable level.
This makes you wish that the Ancient cards were stronger, but at least they can tank hits better than expected. Again, let’s hope a
Future Booster Energy Capsule
Future Pokémon get a welcome +20 damage boost to their attacks with the Future Booster Energy Capsule Tool, an automatic Red effect against any opponent.
Definitely a boon for Miraidon EX, whose damage output is already capable of hitting dangerously high voltage levels based on the number of 
Energies it has. This Tool literally does the work of a free Energy.
Stadiums are Trainer cards whose effects affect all Pokémon in play (both you and your opponent) and can be used once per turn.
- This card stays in play after you use it, unlike Items and Supporters, which are discarded after they are used.
- Only one Stadium can be in play at a time, and it’s discarded only after a new Stadium enters the battlefield or if the effect of a Pokémon/Trainer disposes of the Stadium.
- Stadium cards of the same name cannot be played when the same Stadium is already active.
Area Zero
The final card is the aptly named Area Zero Stadium, which is the only Trainer aside from Juliana to hold future potential. While Juliana summons Stage 2 Pokémon, Area Zero lets you and your opponent dump a Basic card you guys don’t need, right into your deck, and draw a card.
Now, this new card may be another Basic, Professor’s Research, a useful Item, a Pokémon you need, or, if it’s a bad day at the office, the same Basic you just discarded (lol).
Still, it’s a Stadium that joins the ‘drawing power’ meta, and these tend to always find use in decks. In fact, you can use Juliana and Area Zero together to draw a Stage 2 and another card, which might be a game-changer.
It’s good to see Paradox Drive contribute two powerful Trainers that can see continued usage in the meta!
Happy collecting and battling, Pokémon TCG Pocket-ers!
