Pokemon TCG Stellar Crown Review – I’ve never wanted to build a deck so badly
After Shrouded Fable’s expansion at the start of August, fans have been eager to get their hands on the bigger card list for Stellar Crown. Unfortunately, the list isn’t as long as many may have hoped, but what’s included could alter the meta of the TCG.
Stellar Crown will introduce themes seen in the Scarlet and Violet Blueberry Academy DLC expansion. The crown of this bejeweled set is Terapagos ex, which has introduced Stellar Tera cards to the TCG.
While pull rates for this set are heavily impacted by a smaller card list and limited by a short selection of illustration rare cards, this expansion will leave players hungry to build decks and get playing. I was shocked at how quickly strategy ideas began to form as I opened each new pack, and I couldn’t wait to test some of the cards out in playable decks.
Key Details
- Release Date: September 13, 2024
- Booster Box Availability: Yes
- Card List Number: 175
- Series: Scarlet and Violet
- Review Samples: Stellar Crown ETB, Build-and-Battle Box, Booster Box
Stellar cards will challenge how players build decks
The first thing to note when cracking open Stellar Crown booster packs is that this set promotes creative thinking. Stunning options like Terapagos ex, Lapras ex, Hydrapple ex, and Galvantula ex all require multiple different Energy cards to run.
Additionally, Ancient and Future cards also shake up energy requirements. This means players will need to create decks that have the required types to run the powerful Stellar Tera cards. By pairing cards like Raging Bolt with Galvantula ex, players will have plentiful options that use similar Energy requirements.
The Stellar cards are similar to the Amazing cards of the Sword and Shield era but with more diversity for gameplay. Amazing fell flat thanks to extreme Energy costs and limited attack options. Stellar cards don’t seem to struggle with this issue and allow players to pack a punch more quickly as long as they have the tools to get Energy attached.
Stellar Crown is not for hard-core collectors
After opening the Stellar Crown ETB and Booster Box, it can be stated that Stellar Crown isn’t going to be a big hit with Pokemon collectors. This set is designed for gameplay and does not include an expansive gallery of full-art rare illustration cards. While a few cute options like the Kanto starters, Milcrey line, and Archaludon debut all have beautiful art to collect, there aren’t any major chase cards to go after.
Additionally, because the 175-card gallery is so small, it won’t take players long to collect most standard card options from the list.
In Stellar Crown, much like Shrouded Fable, the standard Pokemon shine. Options like Raging Bolt and Grimmsnarl pack a serious punch, while strategy cards like Alcremie allow players to make bold moves. Archaludon’s “Metal Bridge” Ability is particularly useful, allowing any Pokemon with a Steel energy attached to retreat free of cost.
These are cards that could change the meta when in play with options like Tarapagos ex which pairs with the Area Zone Underdepths Stadium card for damage thanks to the attack Unified Beatdown. This attack does x30 for each benched Pokemon while Area Zone Underdepths allows anyone with a Tera card in play to increase their bench size up to eight Pokemon.
Meanwhile, Lapras ex is hitting players with Karimar Rain, which allows the player to look at up to 20 cards, take all the energy cards found, and attach them as the player sees fit. This overpowered card could be perfect for those needing Energy acceleration.
This expansion is brilliantly playable and left me frantic to build a deck. I wanted to try these strategies for myself and ended up down a rabbit hole trying to fit everything I wanted to do together.
Verdict: 4.5/5
Stellar Crown has some of the prettiest cards currently available in the TCG, but also some of the most playable. This expansion is worth investing in if you plan to build powerful new strategies. It is fun, inspiring, and colorful, making every pack opened a treat.
While it will be a letdown for collectors, the versatility of the cards is sure to be appealing specifically to players, and many of these could be seen circulating in top decks in the coming months.
It is always exciting to try out new mechanics in the Pokemon TCG, but this set in particular does a wonderful job of encouraging trainers to test their limits and try new things. If you want excellent Trainers, new Ace Spec cards, and a plethora of type options, this set is for you.