Wow...I'm still trying to take it all in. Both the new Pokemon and the new TCG set are absolutely amazing. I'm glad I was right about the songbird and wrong about the (otter) thing, both look very cool.
But enough about that...
Miracle Crystal...
Un-freaking-believable. I can't believe how many good cards are in the set, to both boost current achetypes and create new ones.
Shifty EX : Almost too cheap to be true. Shame Pidegot will be gone in Modified by the time it's out, because I'd love to see it suffer by Shiftry's hand. But there are other things out there to destoy...I think Battle Frontier will see more play just because of this.
Delcatty EX : Sweet love for my Arcanine EX deck, this is. I'll replace some cards with this one the second it hits the streets. Awesome for any and every deck running special energy, and on top of that it makes you nearly un-deckable. Gyarados * might be good with it too, but...there's plenty of ways to stop a basic Pokemon from hurting ya...
Actually, all the EXs I've seen are pretty dang good, but here's some of the cards i didn't see talked about much yet...
Swalot – Grass – HP80
Stage 1
[C][C] A’la Mode: The Defending Pokemon is now Burned or Poisoned and Asleep or Confused.
[G][C][C] Reactive Poison: Does 50 damage + 20 more damage for each Special Condition on the Defending Pokemon.
Weakness: Psychic
Resistance: none
Retreat: 1
Lol, are you kidding me? Insane Special Conditions of you choice followed by 90 damage the next turn? Imagine this with Full Flame in play...
Windstorm – Trainer
Discard any 2 Pokemon Tool cards and Stadium cards in play.
A normal trainer card that is this good?!? Holy... discard Gyms without needing to play a counter Gym, discard your opponent's annoying Fluffy Berries, Protective Orbs, Battle Frontiers, Cursed Stones, Desert Ruins...all from a normal trainer. Insane.
Drifter – Trainer – Supporter
Search your deck for a Supporter Card, a Pokemon Tool card, and a Basic Energy card, show them to your opponent, and put them in your hand.
Very impressive. This is as good as, maybe even better than, Scott. An excellent way to get started in any game.
Seal Crystal – Trainer – Pokemon Tool
As long as the Pokemon with Seal Crystal attached to it is your Active Pokemon, neither players’ Pokemon can use any Poke-Powers or Poke-Bodies. This card can’t be attached to Pokemon-ex or Pokemon that already have Pokemon Tool cards attached.
This is quite amazing. Shutting down any and every Pokemon Power and Body, and every non-ex Pokemon can use it...insane.
Holon Circle –Trainer – Stadium
All attacks by all Pokemon in play automatically fail. At the end of a turn when a player tries to attack, discard this card.
Wow...turn 2 deck stopper if I ever saw one. Will T2 exist...?
This set makes so many new types of decks that were too slow before, playable, it's incredible. I am already busy at work making a 2nd and 3rd active deck (something that I haven't done in a long time, usually just stick with one), just because of some of these cards. I thought Legend Maker was good, but this set will be the one to drool over. Everything EX Delta should have been.