The Pokemon TCG is going through a new phase, where most of the usual decks of the meta are going to start falling behind while the best cards are starting their race to the top. Some will fall, while others will stand out and set a new standard in the meta.

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What To Buy For The Pokemon TCG's Scarlet & Violet 151

There's a lot to love in the Pokemon TCG Scarlet & Violet 151 set, and if you're unsure where to start, we have a guide for you.

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So, do you want to know what to buy first from this expansion? Which will be the cards that will fit into what we have? Which cards will set a trend? Or which cards will be important when more expansions get released? Let's answer those questions and more.

10 Tapu Koko Ex

Miraidon's New Friend

The Electric-type is on trend; anything that can work around Miraidon ex will be excellent, and this is exactly the case with Tapu Koko ex. Firstly, it’s a basic, Electric-type Pokemon, so you can pull it out of the deck via Miraidon’s Tandem Unit.

But that’s not all, as Tapu Koko has an attack named Revenge Shock. It deals 30 damage, but if you use it on a Pokemon that defeated one of yours in the previous turn, it’ll deal 90 damage and paralyze the target. Overall, it’s an excellent card that will blend perfectly with the current meta.

9 Scream Tail

Counter Against Lost Box

Scream Tail comes in handy for those Gardevoir ex decks that want to have an attacker ready to get into action quickly as they are facing annoying decks like Lost Box with Sableyes in the field. This is thanks to Roaring Scream, which deals 20 damage per damage counter on Scream Tail.

Gardevoir will get in charge of setting the damage counters on Scream Tail via Psychic Embrace, so you only have to send it to the Active Spot and attack with it whenever you feel you can get stuck. It also works like a charm to avoid getting stalled by Klefki.

8 Jirachi

A Fan-Favorite, Useful Card

Let's forget a bit about battling and now more about collecting. Jirachi, a fan-favorite Pokemon, is back in an expansion, and this card is a must-buy for several reasons. It’ll be a usual Pokemon in the meta, it has some lovely artwork, and come on, it’s Jirachi what we are talking about; everyone loves it!

On top of that, it's playable. Stellar Veil can protect your Benched Pokemon from Basic Pokemon's attacks, and that's extremely useful against mini decks and decks with Lost Box Engines. When a card is playable, its value greatly increases, so you must chase this one before it is too late.

7 Tatsugiri

A Drawing Panic Button

A card will be sound to buy if it also gives you a reason to use it in a pre-existing deck, and this is exactly the case with Tatsugiri. It seems small, but in reality, all we need from it is its secondary attack: Survival Strategy.

With it, you can search your deck for up to two cards and put them in your hand. Then, you can freely retrieve Tatsugiri to the bench. It’s a great combo in almost any deck on your first few turns if things aren’t going as expected.

6 Xatu

A New Engine For Gardevoir Ex

Gardevoir is getting a lot of love, and this is because Xatu arrived at this expansion. With Xatu, you can attach a Psychic-type Energy from your hand to any of your Benched Pokemon. If you do, you can draw two cards from your deck.

It's a great card that fits on almost any Psychic-type-based deck, as it's great to use in the early stages of the game because it is sturdy, and its usage is great to hit the ground running. Also, Xatu is a retro Pokemon a lot of people love. We'll see it in plenty of Psychic-type decks.

5 Ancient Booster Energy Capsule

Extra Health And Synergies With Ancient Pokemon

Items are usually great cards to buy, mainly because they are playable, so they get a lot of resale value. In this case, the Ancient Booster Energy Capsule will be a card we'll often see during the next few months, as it synergizes with all the Ancient Pokemon.

If an Ancient Pokemon has this card attached to it, they’ll receive 60 more HP. It’s a beastly card to attach to Roaring Moon thanks to its attacks, and it’s a great card to have on Brute Bonnet as it activates its special ability, which lets you poison your Active Pokemon at your will, leading you to create several strategies with several cards that uses Special Conditions to their benefit.

4 Future Booster Energy Capsule

Free Retreat Costs And Extra Damage

The Ancient Booster Energy counterpart, Future Booster Energy Capsule, must also be here. It deserves a spot on this list because of its usage. If a Future Pokemon has it attached, the Pokemon won't have a retreat cost, and their attacks will do 20 more damage.

The retreat cost effect is to benefit Iron Valiant, while the extra damage gives a helping hand to Iron Hands ex. In short, you'll also see this one a lot, as it'll be useful not only when Paradox Rift gets released but also when more Future Pokemon gets released.

3 Counter Catcher

A Reprint Of A Now-Classic

Counter Catcher, a famous and very powerful card from the Sun & Moon era, is getting a reprint! This card was useful back then as it worked as a Boss’s Orders, but only if you were behind in Prize Cards.

With Counter Catcher, you can switch your opponent’s Active Pokemon with one of their benched ones. It’s an excellent card to use when losing a match, and it can greatly help you as a comeback. It’ll have a good price as well, so put an eye on it!

2 Earthen Vessel

One Of The Best Cards Of The Expansion

Dear collectors, this card will mark the story as one of the best cards of this expansion; it’ll cost a lot of money in the future and has several utilities in a vast array of decks. If you play the TCG, you’ll see it a lot.

Earthen Vessel lets you discard a card from your hand and then draw two Energy Cards from your deck. It’s extremely useful to set up the likes of Lugia (and Snorlax) or Roaring Moon, combined with the Dark Patch, as an example. You can do whatever you want with it!

1 Techno Radar

A Future Asset For All Future Decks

Techno Radar will also be very important, mainly because it'll be useful for all the Future Pokemon from now and the following expansions. To use this card, you must discard a card from your hand. If you do, you can search and draw two Future Pokemon from your deck to your hand.

This card is extremely helpful in setting Iron Valiant's possible strategy, and the same goes for a possible deck of Iron Hands ex. It does not have as much usage as it can have the Earthen Vessel; nonetheless, any Future Pokemon can benefit from this card.

NEXT: Pokemon TCG: The Best Cards From Scarlet & Violet 151