Japan's SM6+ Set, 'Dragon Storm,' Plus 'Champion Road' Mini-Set!

Yay for more useless dragons! Seriously, just when you think Pokemon finally figured out that dual type attacks are why dragons don't see play, they go and release kommo-o level dragon attack costs giving all the nostalgia peeps another garbage chase card that is instant binder fodder for the rest of the world.

Salamence seems underwhelming for sure, but Dragonite doesn't look half bad. Neither of them are worth playing if DDE isn't reprinted.

At least these GX cards can actually take consistent knockouts when they get set up, unlike Kommo-o.
 
Yup it's official I am running Articuno GX. Can't wait to find out what all these cards actually do.
 
I really dislike how the dragon type mechanic works. TPCi, if you want to give dragon pokemon bad attack costs, be my guest, but please, just make their attacks stronger. If we get 2 energy costs, they should have really strong attacks, but instead they are just mediocre...
 
For a millisecond I thought Dragonite GX Vikavolt could be a thing... Then I noticed the (w)... Then I remembered that Dragonite GX would be a stage two... So unless dragon gets some crazy support, either in the form of mixed energy acceleration, or dde, this card is practically unplayable.
 
Since Salamence GX is only decent Im going to cry if DDE isnt reprinted.

Oh btw, WHERE'S MY LATIOS AND LATIAS GX?!
 
I'll probably end up being totally wrong, but here are my guesses for what the attacks will be/what they seem like they'll be:

Dragonite-GX – Dragon – HP250
Stage 2 – Evolves from Dragonair
[L] Dragon Claw: 70 damage.
[W][L][C][C] Giga Impact: 200 damage. This Pokemon can’t attack during your next turn.
[C][C][C] Dragonporter GX: 200 damage. Switch this Pokémon with one of your benched Pokémon. (You can’t use more than 1 GX attack in a game.)
When your Pokemon-GX is Knocked Out, your opponent takes 2 Prize cards.
Weakness: Fairy (x2)
Resistance: none
Retreat: 4

Reshiram-GX – Fire – HP180
Basic Pokemon
[C] Flame Charge: Search your deck for a basic [R] Energy card and attach it to this Pokemon. Then, shuffle your deck.
[R][R][R][C] Scorching Pillar: 130 damage. Your opponent's active Pokémon is now burned.
[R][R][R][C] Vermilion GX: 180 damage. You may move as many [R] energy attached to your Pokemon as you like to your other Pokémon in any way you like. (You can’t use more than 1 GX attack in a game.)
When your Pokemon-GX is Knocked Out, your opponent takes 2 Prize cards.
Weakness: Water (x2)
Resistance: none
Retreat: 2

Salamence-GX – Dragon – HP250
Stage 2 – Evolves from Shelgon
Ability: Dragon Guard
If this Pokémon is on your bench, your [N] Pokémon have no weakness.
[R][W][C][C] Bright Flame: 200 damage. Discard 2 Energy from this Pokémon.
[R][C][C] Flame Flight GX: No damage. Effect unreadable. (You can’t use more than 1 GX attack in a game.)
When your Pokemon-GX is Knocked Out, your opponent takes 2 Prize cards.
Weakness: Fairy (x2)
Resistance: none
Retreat: 2

Articuno-GX – Water – HP170
Basic Pokemon
Ability: Legendary Ascent
When you play this Pokemon to your Bench, you may switch your Active Pokemon with this Pokemon. If you do, you may also move any number of basic [W] Energy cards attached to your Pokemon to this Pokemon.
[W][W][C] Ice Wing: 120 damage.
[W] Cold Crush GX: Discard one energy attached to Articuno GX, if you do, discard one energy attached to all of your opponent's Pokémon. (You can't use more than 1 GX attack in a game.)
When your Pokemon-GX is Knocked Out, your opponent takes 2 Prize cards.
Weakness: Metal (x2)
Resistance: none
Retreat: 2
 
Alright, couple things to say here despite all of them not entirely readable.

First, I'm happy to see that Dragonite-GX and Salamence-GX both have 250 HP, the number I want to expect from stage 2 Pokemon (unlike the upcoming Lunala-GX and Kommo-o-GX).

Oh, the Dragonite uses WATER energy, I thought it was going to use grass, I guess it doesn't matter if DDE gets a reprint. The card looks shallow on paper, but gotta remember the Dragonair from Sun and Moon that lets you attach as many energy as you want. I could see a turbo strategy with Dragon's Wish and set up a bunch of these Dragonites that all do OHKO damage with a band, so that's something.

Reshiram.....I don't know man. 4 Fire energies to do 110 damage, gx attack or not whatever that second effect of the attack is it better be good, otherwise just use Ho-oh. Can't say much else about it. I guess it's at least better than it's EX counterpart but so far not by much.

Now Salamence was the one I want to have high hopes for, It's at least nice it can do 200 damage at the price of discarding 2 energy (C'mon that's gotta be exactly that attack. That Salamence has like exactly the same art as the old ex one). Discarding 2 energy would mean nothing since it's attack cost is 1 Fire 1 Water and 2 Colorless, so you're most likely charging this thing up with Double Colorless Energy and / or Double Dragon Energy (again, if it gets reprinted but that's highly likely). That means it can use 2 energy attachments to get going, and unlike what people tried with Kommo-o-GX which of course also used both energies, Salamence can much more likely get an OHKO on something and it doesn't have to be once per game. I'd try it! Who knows, maybe that ability and GX attack will be worth it in the end, I'm just thankful it has 250 HP and not any less.

Holy crap, that Articuno actually does have the same ability! Except it's regular attack does LESS that Tapu Koko's attack, so the GX attack hopefully will make up for that. I guess it doesn't matter too much, since you're 2HKOing anyway, but the more damage the more you ensure the proper numbers to get an eventual knock-out. Something to do with crush seems like discarding energy just like what the description was talking about. It's alright to me, so far at least!

So the cards in my opinion are...

Good.
Maybe Bad.
Good to me so far.
Eh.
 
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Dragonite using water energy? What? Dragonite has been grass and lightening in the past, I wonder what the switch it all about

Seeing the older dragonite cards, I assume this whole expansion will be a throwback to the ex era? Since the only card using those two energies was the Dragonite-ex from back then (there's also an older baby Dragonite which uses them, alongside a fighting one though)
 
Articuno GX is interesting
it has the same ability as tapu Koko GX (most likely)
in my opinion, it's more viable
it has access to both max elixir and aqua patch
if the GX attack has anything to do with discarding energy I like it
Maybe an Articuno GX Zoroark Deck?
 
Why would they make a Dragon type Dragonite card that isn't playable with any previous Dragon type cards from that family?

 
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