Snow Hazard and Clay Burst will see the release of a new Forretress ex, Annihilape ex, Bellibolt ex, and Mimikyu!
This is the first Grass-type Forretress since 2006’s POP 3 promo packs; before then, it was only a Grass-type in 2003’s Skyridge and in 2002’s Neo Destiny. This is out of 17 unique Forretress cards. It’s also nice to see underappreciated Pokemon get the ex treatment!
Bellibolt ex is too small to read. We already knew the card was coming because Bellibolt is featured on the Clay Burst booster pack.
Thanks goes to JustInBasil for the translations!
Forretress ex – Grass – HP270
Stage 1 – Evolves from Pineco
Terastal: This Pokemon doesn’t take any damage from attacks while on the Bench.
Ability: Explosive Energy
Once during your turn, you may search your deck for up to 5 Basic [G] Energy cards and attach them to your Pokemon in any way you like. Then, shuffle your deck. If you searched your deck in this way, this Pokemon is Knocked Out.
[G][G] Guard Press: 120 damage. During your opponent’s next turn, this Pokemon takes 30 less damage from attacks (after applying Weakness and Resistance).
Pokemon ex rule: When your Pokemon ex is Knocked Out, your opponent takes 2 Prize cards.
Weakness: Fire (x2)
Resistance: none
Retreat: 3
Annihilape ex – Fighting – HP320
Stage 2 – Evolves from Primeape
[F] Angry Grudge: 20x damage. Put up to 12 damage counters on this Pokemon. This attack does 20 damage for each damage counter you placed in this way.
[F][C] Seismic Toss: 150 damage.
Pokemon ex rule: When your Pokemon ex is Knocked Out, your opponent takes 2 Prize cards.
Forretress is a based Pokemon and it's great to see them back.
That said, the fact that the classic "Electrode explosion" Ability now has to attach 5 energies to catch up is scary. And by now it's pretty clear there's no "grand plan" behind Terrastalization granting bench barrier beside "eh, put anything in, nobody plays with these anyway".
Annihilape ex - as I've said, if you don't have 250+ HP in this format, you're getting OHKO'd by attacks like these. Anything that won't be a tanky Stage 1 or Stage 2 is gonna be kind of worthless without a gimmick.
Mankey/Primeape/Annihilape ex - man, where's my Rhyperior ex? I want to see Stage 2s who normally had high attack cost to become Stage 2 exs. Anyways, Anni's main atk is a one-shot deal. -/-/3-4
Mimikyu - something talk back to me abt no answer to ex immunity can now eat their own dirt, as it is our first and effective ex immune Pokemon. 5 Geodudes
Pineco/Forretress ex - if VIV Electrode was barely even that playable, why do expect the same thing as Forretress? -/3
Mankey/Primeape/Annihilape ex - man, where's my Rhyperior ex? I want to see Stage 2s who normally had high attack cost to become Stage 2 exs. Anyways, Anni's main atk is a one-shot deal. -/-/3-4
Mimikyu - something talk back to me abt no answer to ex immunity can now eat their own dirt, as it is our first and effective ex immune Pokemon. 5 Geodudes
Pineco/Forretress ex - if VIV Electrode was barely even that playable, why do expect the same thing as Forretress? -/3
Limelight for underappreciated pokemon is always welcome! No matter what, there will always be someone to whom this is their absolute favorite pokemon.
These cards are miles apart. Even one Energy attachment makes a huge difference, VIV Electrode is not exciting in a format with Arceus VSTAR, but five energies basically gives you all of your Energy attachments for the early game. It doesn't mean it will make for a great deck, but it cannot be discounted.
Fortress ex may enable some shenanigans down the line, but right now there isn't anything that pays off enough from it.
Not impressed by Annihilape ex. Yes it's just a single energy for up to 240 damage, but if I'm using a stage 2 multiprizer I'd rather using something that hits similar numbers for 2 or even 3 energy if it doesn't put itself into easy OHKO range. It does have a second attack to fall back on in some instances, but its usefulness/niche is more dependent on the first attack.
I've been having a ton of fun playing control lately, and that Mimikyu is just what the doctor ordered! Not as bulky as Miltank, and not able to attack off a single attach (which isn't as big for control), but I'll take the immunity from ex's over those things. Sure a ton of things have ways to bypass this ability now a days (and especially with ex's inviting more non-rulebox stage 1's and 2's into decks), but it's nice to have.
Also we got things like Defiant Band and Iono. If they print some more comeback cards it just gets better, and some strong Grass attackers as well.
Although I already have something like Dhemise VMax in my head. Imagine pulling off turn 2 Dhelmise VMax with 2 Forretress ex, giving 4 prizes for 10 energy, use Iono to put the opponent into a 2 card hand, and swing at something for 300+ damage lol. EDIT: Oh wait Dhelmise VMax rotates rip. We have Alolan Exeggutor V, but it's less bulky.
I was looking at the Forretress ex and thought, “ooh, nice. We’ve never had one of those before. And also, now I suppose there’s some small chance of it making its way into our December shiny vault.”
The I realized it was teralized and thought, “sweet, now we get to see another tera crown. It may mean delaying the Grass type tera crown, which I vastly prefer, but it’s nice to see Forretress getting this further special treatment.”
Then I saw it’s ability and thought “Yoooooooooo! Electrode ex spiritual successor! In a format with Defiant Belt! Now we’re starting to the the successor decks come together!”
Seriously, though, part of what made Electrode ex good was access to cards like Pow! Hand Extension which allowed you to play from behind. At the very least, Forretress ex decks have access to a powerful, universal, but hitherto awkward and unwieldy damage modifier that slots perfectly into the deck’s strategy. And also, Iono will work well with this archetype. Which cards benefit from this ability the most is still up in the air for now, but if we continue to get cards based on comebacks, we might see a fun, nostalgia-inducing deck arise. (Yes, Electrode ex was after my time, but I still love playing decks built around it on TCGONE. Hopefully a Forretress ex deck would be as fun to play as an Inteleon engine deck or a Lost Box deck, two of my favorite modern archetypes, which produce a fair number of skillful interactions and can be scaled in power in relation to whatever deck my brother chooses to use due to enabling a wide number of variants.)
EDIT: I just noticed Forretress only attaches Grass type Energy, so it’s not as ubiquitous as I once imagined, but that’s okay, since Grass tends to get less support than many other types, at least since 2016. Also, it reduces the chances of this card breaking the format wide open.
Also, I hope Wo-Chien gets a card eventually. I’ve always liked snails, and while I know it’s based on eastern tradition, it’s backstory about a man writing the king’s evils on a wooden tablet gives me Biblical Old Testament prophet vibes. I feel like I could write a short story about it through that lens.
Forretress ex – Grass – HP270
Annihilape ex – Fighting – HP320
Mimikyu – Psychic – HP70
