Pokemon VSTAR Mechanic Revealed: Arceus VSTAR!

By: Water Pokémon Master · Posted Posted onOct 19, 2021 at 8:31 AM · 66 Comments

Arceus VSTAR and the upcoming VSTAR mechanic have officially been revealed by Creatures and TPCi!

A Pokemon VSTAR evolves from a Pokemon V, gives up two Prize cards, and features a special Pokemon Ability called a VSTAR Power. You can only use one VSTAR Power per game, similar to a GX attack.

A VSTAR card has a texture, golden highlights on its text boxes, and behind its VSTAR Power you can see an actual star.

Arceus V (#083/100) and Arceus VSTAR (#084/100) will debut in Japan’s Star Birth set in January. The English version of Arceus VSTAR was also revealed, which shows it’s card #123/172. The name of its English set is currently unknown, but will probably release in February. The set symbol features Arceus’s mandala.

We first discovered the trademark for VSTAR in November 2020 — almost a year ago. This is the longest we’ve ever seen a trademark registered ahead of its use.

Thanks goes to Bangiras for the card translations!

Arceus V – Colorless – HP220
Basic Pokemon

[C][C] Trinity Charge: Search your deck for up to 3 basic Energy cards and attach them to your Pokemon V in any way you like. Then, shuffle your deck.

[C][C][C] Power Edge: 130 damage.

When your Pokemon V is Knocked Out, your opponent takes 2 Prize cards.

Weakness: Fighting (x2)
Resistance: none
Retreat: 2

Arceus VSTAR – Colorless – HP280
VSTAR – Evolves from Arceus V

[C][C][C] Trinity Nova: 200 damage. Search your deck for up to 3 basic Energy cards and attach them to your Pokemon V in any way you like. Then, shuffle your deck.

Ability (VSTAR Power): Starbirth
During your turn, you may search your deck for up to 2 cards and put them into your hand. Then, shuffle your deck. (You can’t use more than 1 VStar Power in a game.)

When your Pokemon V is Knocked Out, your opponent takes 2 Prize cards.

Weakness: Fighting (x2)
Resistance: none
Retreat: 2

Pokemon also released a trailer showing off the new Arceus VSTAR card:

View thread (66 replies)
Probably the first few vstars will be during vmaxes, but then vmaxes will phase out probably soon then it will just be Vstars for a while
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I will accept this. I'm glad to see the three-prize meta go away. I don't love the massive numbers over all, but maybe this is a slow shift and return to a smaller numbers meta. Baby steps? I can only hope.
 
We're still missing two VMAXES, so I wouldn't discount VMAX co-existing with V-STAR for at least one year.

I should have seen the writing on the wall with Dunsparce, they usually don't print such fantastic ability support without something on the wings, and the fact that there wasn't a meta colorless deck in format should have been a clear signal that they would print something like this.

As for the card, it's powerful. Melony and Raihan can help it with one energy, while Flaaffy can load it under one turn. I like that it's greatly limited as far as "generic" partners you can use it with, because otherwise Adventurer's Discovery would have broken it in half. There's counters too; both Urshifu hit for a OHKO if there's no Dunsparce on field and after it uses its ability it becomes a powerful charger for extra Arceus on field, but nothing else. It isn't ADP level broken and I'm glad because of that.
 
Because Vstar power is an ability, i don't think there will be damage dealing Vstars like GX attacks because using 2 attacks in 1 turn is way too op
 
The way it's formatted leaves the possibility open for some VSTAR Powers being attacks. Not sure if there is an official blurb somewhere specifying it will always be an Ability.
 
This is definitely like a GX attack, but I'm not sure if I like the design space more or less. They cannot be as powerful - because they don't cost anything and don't end your turn - but that might be a good thing.
This is still not as good balance-wise as a GX, because it evolves from a V instead of a regular Pokemon, but it's definitely a step in the right direction. I wouldn't hold my breath for Hatterene VMAX and Melmetal VMAX, just like not all Megas got their cards. The faster they bury VMAXes, the better.
 
So the wording says we can only use 1 VSTAR power per game, it doesn't say we can only use said power once. That definitely makes Arceus VSTAR way more powerful.
 
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