What to buy from Chaos Rising?

The safest picks

Some cards are easier to justify right out of the gate. It doesn't mean all of them will be auto-includes in every deck, but they're cards with strong effects or that could show up across multiple lists.

Special Red Card

Special Red Card is probably the easiest pick to buy from the set.

It can only be used when your opponent has three Prize cards left. Even with that condition, the effect is strong: your opponent shuffles their hand into the deck and draws three cards.

This kind of card matters because it disrupts the opponent's plan at a decisive moment. Sometimes they've got everything lined up to close the game out, and a card like this can buy you one more turn to come back.

I'd run two copies.

Transformation Tome

Transformation Tome is less obvious, but really interesting.

It lets you swap a Basic Pokémon in play for a Basic Pokémon from the discard pile, keeping attached cards, damage and other effects. It's not the easiest card to use, but it opens up some unusual plays.

It can show up in decks that need to swap the Pokémon in play, get more out of the bench, or set up an unexpected trade mid-match.

I don't think it'll go into every deck, but it's the kind of Item worth keeping on the shelf.

I'd grab four copies.

Prism Tower

Prism Tower looks simple, but it can help a fair number of decks.

The Stadium lets you discard two cards from your hand to draw one. At first glance it doesn't sound like much. But some decks actually want to discard specific cards, get bad pieces out of hand, and dig for better ones.

Decks like Ceruledge, Archaludon and even some Team Rocket lists can really put this effect to use.

I'd grab four copies.

Great Haul Net

Great Haul Net is a more specific card.

It recovers Water Pokémon and basic Water Energy from the discard pile back into the deck. If Water decks end up strong, this card could be key to keeping resources around during the match.

With Mega Greninja ex in the same set, it makes sense to have this one nearby.

I'd grab four if you're planning to test Water decks.

AZ’s Tranquility

AZ’s Tranquility swaps your Active Pokémon with one from your bench. If the Pokémon ex moves to the bench this way, it heals 80 damage.

It doesn't look insane, but it's useful. It can pull a Pokémon out of harm's way, change the damage math, and buy you an extra turn in some games.

I'd grab four copies.

The Pokémon lines worth testing

Now we get to cards that depend more on having their own deck. Some might take a while to show up, but they have enough potential to justify the buy.

Mega Greninja ex

Mega Greninja ex is one of the most interesting cards in the set.

The Ability lets you put six damage counters on one of your opponent's Pokémon, as long as it's the Active and you discard a Water Energy from your hand.

That effect is strong because it helps set up knockouts and pressures Pokémon on the bench. The attack can also hit 200 damage, but the main reason to test the card is the Ability.

Suggested line:

The new Frogadier also helps, since it searches three Pokémon from the deck. That makes setting up the field a lot smoother.

Beedrill ex

Beedrill ex has a very direct plan: the more Beedrill you have in play, the more damage you do.

With three Beedrill on the field, the attack hits 330. With four, it hits 440. Numbers high enough to knock out pretty much anything.

The catch is putting all that together consistently, since Beedrill ex is a Stage 2. Even so, the card has a clear plan and could turn into a real deck if it finds the right list.

To test, I'd grab:

Delphox

Delphox has a strong Ability. Once per turn, you can discard a Fire Energy from your hand to draw until you have seven cards.

Drawing up to seven is really good, especially in a deck that can put Fire Energy in the discard well. The attack can also do solid damage depending on how much Energy is in play.

The downside is that Delphox is also a Stage 2. So the card has to earn its slots.

Still, worth testing.

Delibird

Delibird lets both players attach up to three Energy from their hand to their Pokémon. The opponent attaches first.

That might sound bad, but the idea is to use Delibird in a deck built to abuse the effect. It can help dump a lot of Energy on board early in the match.

Not a card to build the deck around, but it could be a solid support piece.

I'd grab four copies to test.

Cinccino ex

Cinccino ex is a tough card to evaluate.

The Ability has you flip a coin when it takes attack damage. On heads, the damage is prevented. That can win games, but it can also let you down when you need it most.

The attack does damage based on how much Energy is attached. So the plan is to load up Energy, hit hard, and lean on the Ability to survive.

It's a gamble, but worth testing.

Metagross

Metagross stands out mostly for fans of Metal decks.

The attack can reach 300 damage when you discard three Metal Energy. That number matters, especially against big Pokémon.

The new Beldum also looks like a solid pick for the line.

I'd grab:

Single-copy cards

Some cards don't need many copies, but they can be useful in specific spots.

Patrat and Watchog

Patrat blocks players from moving damage counters between Pokémon.

That matters against strategies built around that kind of effect. It's not a card for every match, but it could be a solid answer if that style of deck shows up.

Watchog can run alongside, but it doesn't feel mandatory.

Deoxys

Two versions of Deoxys come in as single-copy picks.

One can deal bench damage, but the cost is high. The other works as a defensive option against Pokémon with Abilities.

Not cards to buy in bulk, but worth having one of each.

Xerneas

Xerneas has an attack that scales with the amount of Psychic Energy in play.

Right now the support to make it work probably isn't there, but the card could find a spot if a Psychic deck nails Energy acceleration consistently.

I'd keep one copy around.

Ferrothorn

Ferrothorn is a very specific card.

If it gets discarded from your deck by an opponent's effect, the opponent discards eight cards from the top of their own deck.

It might never come up. But if a mill deck gets popular, this card turns into an interesting answer.

I'd grab one copy.

Cobalion ex

Cobalion ex can move Metal Energy onto itself when it switches from the bench to the Active spot.

It doesn't look very strong right now, but it could fit into a Metal deck somewhere down the line.

I'd keep one copy around.

Philippe

Philippe attaches two basic Metal Energy from the discard pile to your Metal Pokémon.

Today it might not feel essential, but it could get better after format shifts. If Metal decks need more ways to accelerate Energy, this card shows up.

I'd grab four copies.

Special Energy

The three Special Energy cards in the set look more situational.

Nitro Fire Energy can be used in Fire decks that discard Energy when attacking, since it returns to your hand after the attack.

Bubbly Water Energy protects Water Pokémon from Special Conditions.

Magnetic Metal Energy gives a Metal Pokémon a zero retreat cost.

None of them feel mandatory right now, but Special Energy tends to be worth grabbing when prices are low. I'd buy four of each if the price is right.

What I'd leave for later

Some cards have interesting ideas, but I wouldn't buy them as a priority.

Carnivine looks too specific.

Chesnaught with Meganium could be fun, but it's not a safe competitive buy.

Ampharos has neat interactions, but it feels more like a casual brew.

Crobat asks a lot to do something that other cards already do better.

Goodra, Tauros, Roxie’s Performance, Emma and the Stadium tied to Mega Floette also don't look like priorities.

Some of them could find a spot later, but I wouldn't start with them.

The most focused buy

If you just want to buy what looks most useful to get started, I'd go with this:

If you want to test more decks, I'd add:

And if the price is right, I'd round it out with:

Wrapping up

Chaos Rising has a few cards that are very easy to buy, like Special Red Card, Transformation Tome and Prism Tower.

It also has Pokémon lines that could turn into interesting decks, like Mega Greninja ex, Beedrill ex, Delphox and Cinccino ex.

Not everything has to be bought on day one. But if the plan is to get ready to test the format, this buy list already covers the cards that look most important and a few bets that might make sense further down the line.