New “Underpowered” Stellar Miracle Pokemon Cards Leave Players Divided

The highly anticipated release of Stellar Miracle, the next Pokemon TCG set, is on the horizon and it has already garnered attention from competitive players. The community has been buzzing with excitement as a diverse range of cards have been revealed for this upcoming set.

Despite being the latest trio of releases, the newest Pokemon TCG cards have not been able to meet the expectations of some fans. This has led to concerns amongst many about the cards being too specific in their use or not strong enough.

Several days were spent revealing cards such as Orthworm, Raging Bolt, and Iron Boulder through the official Japanese Pokemon TCG YouTube channel. While there is excitement from some players about the new artwork and competitive potential, there are also those who are not fully convinced by these new additions.

Orthworm ex Stellar Miracle Pokemon card. — The Pokemon Company

Orthworm ex (074/102) Pokemon card.

Thanks to translations provided by PokeBeach, we are able to delve into the Attacks and Abilities of the upcoming cards. Among them, Orthworm ex (074/102) stands out as the most intriguing, with viewers on the forum even dubbing it as “funny”.

Orthworm ex possesses the costly yet effective Attack Rock Tomb. This move inflicts 150 damage and hinders the opponent’s Pokemon from escaping in the following turn.

The most captivating aspect on the card is the Ability Kerpow Return. Whenever Orthworm ex sustains damage from an Attack (even if it is Knocked Out), the player has the option to add 2 Damage Counters to the opponent’s Pokemon for each Metal Energy currently attached to it.

Despite the Orthworm card being divisive, the introduction of the new Ancient and Future Pokemon received even more mixed reactions. While some players praised the artwork as “fire”and “amazing”, there was also a significant number who expressed concern about their viability.

Paradox Pokemon cards from Stellar Miracle. — The Pokemon Company

Raging Bolt (075/102) and Iron Boulder (047/102) Pokemon cards.

Raging Bolt has average HP but boasts a powerful Attack that deals 130 damage. Additionally, it has the ability to use Raging Thunderstorm, which inflicts 30 damage to one of the opponent’s Pokémon for every attached Energy card.

Iron Boulder possesses a marginally larger HP pool and the Attack Adjustable Horn, which inflicts 170 damage. However, the condition for this Attack is that it will only be effective if the number of cards in your hand matches that of your opponent; otherwise, it will have no impact.

According to Pokemon TCG players in the forums, it has been noted that these Pokemon, particularly Iron Boulder, require strategic deck-building in order to achieve success. While they do have potential in competitive play, they may not be the most optimal choices in the current Stellar Miracle card list.

During the discussion, a player made a humorous remark stating, “Raging Bolt would be a great addition to a GLC deck. And Iron Boulder would make a great bookmark!”This was in reference to the Gym Leader Challenge format of playing Pokemon cards.

Despite the naysayers, many players were still excited by the card reveals and disagreed with their negative opinions. They even pointed out the potential for these cards to be used in creative decks, and how they could possibly impact the current competitive meta.

A fan expressed their opinion on Iron Boulder, stating that it is a strong card when paired with Iron Crown and the Future Booster item. They believe that its high damage output for a basic single-prize card, combined with the easy accessibility of similar cards like Iono and basic draw power, makes it a viable option for a single-prize Future deck.

No matter if you’re eagerly anticipating the release of these cards or have reservations about their effectiveness, it’s important to explore the other cards that have been unveiled for this upcoming expansion. The Talonflame line appears to be extremely formidable, as does the freshly revealed Lapras card.

Stellar Miracle will be released in Japan on July 19, 2024. Be sure to familiarize yourself with the mechanics of Stellar Tera-type cards before the expansion set is launched, and consider importing it if you are interested in its stunning artwork.