Hello everyone and happy new year! This is Elena from Gaia Storm TCG and it is a pleasure to be here again. 2019 has just started and it will bring plenty of changes to the game. What is happening in Pokémon TCG and what will arrive?

 

Months after the release of Lost Thunder, the metagame has already taken a very solid form. In this start of the year it is clear that there are some decks that shine over the rest of the strategies. Blacephalon GX Naganadel, Decidueye, Zoroark Variants, Malamar and Buzzwole have been constantly reaching top positions during the season. As a result, some very interesting antimeta concepts have emerged in an attempt to stop the top tier builds. Harrogate Regionals, for instance, saw the surprising appearances of Passimian and aggro Steelix (yes, that it a thing now!). However, the best thing about this format is the variety it offers, making Standard a very interesting environment where many strategies hold a chance.

 

In addition, I believe that this is probably one of the best moments ever to start playing Pokémon TCG. With the reprint of Tapu Lele GX (one of the most popular cards for the past formats) and the rising of alternative draw supports it is as cheap as ever to enter directly in the competitive play. Even if building from scratch something like Blacepalon GX might be out of reach for some new players, there are very competitive alternatives in the current format that can perform very well at any tournament: Regigigas/Unown control, Granbull Magcargo or even Lost March.

 

But let’s not forget that, as mentioned earlier, that this is going to be a year of changes in the game. A brand new type of GX Pokémon -Tag Team GX- will make their debut in the next expansion in early February. With the downside of giving 3 prizes if taken down, these combination of two iconic Pokémon features crazy attacks and tons of HP. Even if the first Tag Team GX might not be played straight away there is no doubt that TPCI is going to reinforce this mechanic as it was previously done with the introduction of the GXs. The very first GX  of this new generation we will receive is Magikarp & Wailord Tag Team, that will hit the stores right this month in a promo box. This means it will be legal much earlier than the rest and will offer players the possibility to experiment with the potential of these new cards.

 

All in all, 2019 is going to be a great year for the game with new exciting mechanics to come. I can’t wait to try all the new cards!