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After the dust has settled over the summer set, Shrouded Fable, we’re back to the main Scarlet and Violet event with Stellar Crown: SV7. Forget about the Loyal Three and that petulant runt with the chains, we’re going back to Area Zero, baby, and let me tell you, it’s aaaaaall about the Tera types… which is a bit of kick in the poke-wotsits for everything else. But it doesn’t mean we’re getting another Obsidian Flames set again, does it?
Does it? Hmmm…
Set Be Smol… Pulls Be Good?
Okay, there’s the playful insinuations of the intro done, let’s look at the facts. Stellar Crown is, for the main part, based on Japan’s Stellar Miracle, with a few other cards from… questionable sources – alright, the leftover cards from Japan’s Battle Academy and some random promos that we’ve been waiting for for aaaaages. There are 142 main set cards and 33 special rare cards, making a total of 175 cards in total – just over three quarters of the size of Twilight Imp… Masquerade and the smallest set in a good while (you’d have to go back to early Sun and Moon to see a smaller main set, just to give you an idea of what ‘a good while’ means) and… I am perfectly fine with this. I’ve been wanting smaller sets for while and here we are. With 15 holo rares and 14 exs, the pulls could be pretty balanced, and with only 33 Special Rares, getting a full set of this could be doable, though some of the cards, like the Art Rares of Bulbasaur and Squirtle, may set you back a pretty penny, though they are indeed pretty. All we really need to make this set good is that the pull rates are okay, and they appear to remain at a steady one in every three or four packs. That and that there is something worth pulling. And it is here that it is very much a game of two halves…
The Incredible Bulk
I always like to start with the ex’s, because when you play the game, you need the big hitters. Plus, they look good. But not all ex’s are created equal, and as Stellar Crown is a combination of Stellar Miracle, the Japanese set that debuted the Stellar Tera Pokemon, and those left over cards from the Japanese Battle Academy set and magazine promo cards, there is a bit of a gulf between top tier and what could only be described as binder fodder. The guilty parties are Lucario, Greninja and Melmetal, who would work in the Battle Academy context but here… look, the holo Melmetal in this set can do more damage than the Melmetal ex. Dishonourable mentions also go to Venusaur and Blastoise, that are slight art variations from last year’s 151 set and commit the ultimate Poke-sin for me… not having the rest of the evolution line in the set. BLASTOISE-PHEMY! Another sinner is Garganacl, but I can’t get too salty about this (get it?) because it is a bit of a tank – its ability makes it immune to special conditions and it’s attack does 170 for one fighting and two colourless,then prevents 60 damage from your opponent’s next attack on it. Okay, enough of the griping, let’s move on.
Before we get onto the Tera tetra (Greek for ‘four’, fact fans), there are four other ex’s to consider: Dachsbun, Medicham, Orthworm and Hydrapple. Dachsbun has an attack for two colourless that does 130 damage and leaves the defending Pokemon confused (probably at being attacked by a patisserie dog), but it has an ability that heals all your evolution Pokemon at the cost of all their energy. Medicham has an attack that reduces the defending Pokemon’s HP to 50 for two colourless and a second attack that does 190 for a fighting and two colourless – Tsareena ex from Temu, but not bad. Orthworm ex is another interesting if impractical Orthworm – it has an attack that costs four colourless energy that does 150 damage and prevents retreat, but also has an ability that does 20 damage back for every steel energy attached to it if it gets hit. This could work well with Vengeful
Punch or Rocky Helmet, but is entering glass cannon territory. The best of the bunch is probably Hydrapple, the Stage 2 evolution of Applin, a multi-headed fruit-dragon (as opposed to Dragonfruit) with a decent ability and attack combo. The attack, for two colourless energy, does 30 damage plus 30 for every grass energy attached to your Pokemon; the ability allows you to attach a grass energy from your hand to one of your Pokemon and heal 30 damage. This is essentially another Pokemon to take advantage of that Ogerpon Teal Mask ex from TM, but also works nicely from the Dipplin from that set too. Again, being a Stage 2 does make it awkward but…
Peridot Every ‘I’, Chrysolite Every ‘T’…
So, we’re left with the Stellar Tera – two Basics, a Stage 1 and a Stage 2, and they’re all pretty interesting but… none of them are Primarina! WHERE IS PRIMARINA THE UNRIVALLED? (it’s a recurring theme, roll with it). The Macguffin with these Stellar Tera types is that they all have two attacks (so far): one that has a straightforward energy cost and one that has a really awkward energy cost (three different types), but often has a bonkers effect… if not particularly practical.
Starting with Lapras ex, its first attack for one measly water energy does 40 damage for each energy attached to it – if only there was a way to accelerate energy (foreshadowing) - but its second attack, for one water, one psychic and one steel, allows you to search through the top 20 cards of your deck and attach any energy cards you find there to your Pokemon in any way you like. As impractical as you like, but b-b-b-b-bonkers! Galvantula ex (the Stage 1) has an attack for one lightning and a colourless that does 110 damage, but 110 damage more if it is against a V or ex, but a second attack for one grass, one lightning and one fighting that does 180 damage and item locks your opponent (plus all energy is discarded). Cinderace ex (Stage 2) can do 280 damage for one fire and two colourless (but can’t use it twice in a row), but for one fire, one fighting and one darkness, it can do 180 to one of your opponent’s Pokemon. The tricky attacks are also all named after semi-precious gems, which is kinda fitting.
The jewel in the Stellar Crown, however, is Terrapagos ex, and to say this set is built around them may sound churlish, but… you’ll see. Packing 230 HP, which is not bad for a Basic, its first attack cannot be used during your first turn, and for two colourless energy does 30 damage for each of your benched Pokemon. That doesn’t sound too terrifying but… you’ll see. Its second attack for one grass, one water and one lightning does 180 and prevents damage from all non-colourless Basic Pokemon. It’s only colourless though… what kinda of harm can colourless do?
Okay Rob, show ‘em the rest of the set…
The Colourless Cavalcade
I’m gonna leave the jewelled terrapin alone for a while, because though it is definitely the heart of these cards, there are some other pocket monsters of note here. There are also a lot of ‘vanilla’ Pokemon from the Academy, the sort of cards that, if they were a meeting, should have been an email… no, a sticky note. Having the complete set is all very well, but this is over 20 cards that would not have been missed, including Reshiram, and I like Reshiram. They should have just been included in Battle Academy and that would have been that. Another rant over.
Joltik, however, is good without the Galvantula, ex or otherwise. Weak as wet tissue, but its attack for one colourless allows you to search your deck for two lightning and two grass and attach them to your Pokemon in any way you like – this is unreal acceleration for the cost of one energy and one prize (it will be KO’d next turn) and, like ketchup, goes with anything. Another ketchup card is the Slowking and could lead to a Slowking box – for one psychic, one colourless discard the top card of your deck and, if it is a non-Rule Box Pokemon, use one of its attacks. And with Academy at Night and Rescue Stretcher, this becomes a bit easier to set up. Want invulnerability? There’s a Terrakion for that. Want to clear the bench? There’s a Kyurem for that – you get the idea. Another cheeky pair are Veluza (I was going to call this bit ‘Get in Veluza, we’re going shopping’, but I forgot) and Crabominable. Each has a decent attack for a ridiculous cost (Veluza does 110 and cuts through effects for four colourless energy, Crabominable does 250 for one water and four colourless and can’t attack next turn) which seem terrible – until you see the ability that reduces the attack cost for one colourless per Kofu in the discard pile - Kofu is a new Supporter that allows you to draw four if you can put two at the bottom of your deck – at which point, it becomes interesting. Not exactly meta, but where’s the fun in that?
Which brings us to the main event, which is all those colourless Pokemon, oft overlooked. Here we have three little supporting Pokemon that make a big difference. First up is the Bouffalant, 100 HP and it has an attack of sorts (110 for three colourless) but it’s not here for that. Its ability says that when you have two Bouffs in play, your colourless Basic take 60 less damage. What was Terrapagos ex again? That’s right – taking 60 less damage. Next is Fan Rotom. It has an attack of sorts (70 damage for one colourless if you have a Stadium in play – not bad, actually…), but it’s not here for that. Its ability allows you, if it is in play on your first turn (going first or second), to search your deck for three colourless Pokemon under 100 HP. What was Bouffalant again? That’s right – appearing on your bench, turn one. Finally, and possibly one of the strongest cards from the set, comes Noctowl, 100 HP and it has… (WE GET IT! TELL US ABOUT THE ABILITY!) okay, okay – when it evolves from Hoothoot, you can search your deck for two trainer cards if you have a Tera Pokemon in play. What was Terrapagos ex again? That’s right – getting everything it wanted for Christmas.
Now, it has to be said, these cards will actually be really useful in a lot of other decks – Fan Rotom will be great for getting Bidoofs for your Bibarels and Noctowls will work in any deck with Tera Pokemon, but The Pokemon Company haven’t leaned so much into a particular ex since Dark Charizard. Just saying…
But At Least They’re Not Doing That With The Trainer Cards, Right?
No. Yes. Kinda. Ish. Look, there are definitely some cards in here that definitely have Terrapagos ex in mind, but they also make some old cards look more appealing. Take the stadium Area zero Underdepths (and no, of course I don’t call it anything else). Recalling the old days of Sky Field, it allows you to have eight Pokemon on your bench if you have a Tera Pokemon in play. Terrapagos’ two-energy attack doesn’t look too shabby now, does it? But it also breathes new life into Palkia VSTAR and Raikou V – a last huzzah for these two cards. There’s also Glass Trumpet, which needs a Tera Pokemon in play to use, but allows you to attach two energy from your discard pile to a benched colourless Pokemon. Good for the turtle, but good for Blissey ex too. Briar is good for any Tera Pokemon, but is very conditional – if your opponent has two prize cards remaining and your Tera Pokemon KOs a Pokemon this turn, take an extra card. Dark Charizard fodder, if ever I saw it. Finally, there is an Ace Spec card that is just for Teras, but is more for any Tera – the Tool Sparkling Crystal, which reduces the Tera it is attached to’s attack cost by one energy. Great for those awkward energy costs but also another reason to play a Lost Vacuum or two in your deck.
But here we leave the Tera types and consider the rest of the Pokemon. We’ve already looked at Kofu and… I don’t mind it. It’s okay. But a supporter that’s a bit more than ‘okay’ is Crispin: search your deck for two basic energy cards of different types; put the first in your hand, attach the other to your Pokemon in any way you like. For multiple energy type decks, this is amazing. Maybe not as good as Mirage Gate, but you can use this without ploughing through a sixth of your deck. The other
Supporter of note is the Gravity Gemstone Tool, which increases the retreat cost of both active Pokemon by one energy (if it is attached to the active). Will my Poisoned Spidops deck ride again? Maybe. There are also two other Ace Spec cards that are interesting. The Deluxe Bomb Tool is going to be great for those ‘hit me, I dare ya!’ decks, because if the active Pokemon this is attached to gets hit, you can discard it to do 120 damage to the attacking Pokemon – stop hitting yourself (yes, this works very nicely with Orthworm ex)! The other card is a Stadium, Grand Tree. When in play, it allows you to evolve a basic to a stage one, then a stage two – in one go! The only drawback is that you can’t use this on a basic that has just been played, and you opponent can use it too. Oops.
That’s all the cards that are of note – better round this up.
Obsid-Again Flame?
Stellar Crown, like a precious and unique gemstone, is not without its flaws but it is a thing of beauty. True there is a lot of bulk from the Battle Academy that really didn’t need to be in this set, and there is a certain eagerness to make you want to play a certain kind of deck. But you can’t deny the beauty of some of these cards, and even the bog-standard Stellar Tera cards look absolutely gorgeous - and that’s before you start even thinking about the Art and Special Art Rares. There’s also the beauty in the fact that most players love to play around the margins of the meta, and there’s plenty of scope for this here. Sure, it has elements of Obsidian Flames, but this is light years ahead of that.
Now, c’mere Spidops – it’s time for a make-over…