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Skyridge Expansion: Pokémon-e Completed
By Master Trainer Mike
"The ships hung in the sky in much the same way that bricks don't."
-- Douglas Adams (1952 - 2001)
"I think we might be going a bridge too far."
-- Sir Frederick Browning (1896 - 1965)
The Pokémon-e series for the Pokémon trading card game started back with Expedition in late 2002, continued with Aquapolis, and now ends with the upcoming Skyridge expansion. And what an interesting series of cards it has been with the introduction of Supporters, Technical Machines, Crystal Pokémon, and new versions of fan favorites. Now Skyridge finishes this series while introducing a few new items of its own, but let us begin at the beguine.
What's in This Set?
As with each of the Pokémon-e expansions, Skyridge is a large set. You'll find 144 different nonholo cards, 32 holo cards in the holo set, and 6 Crystal Pokémon in all. So 144 + 32 + 6 = 182 cards. Of course, each of the nonholo cards (everything but the 1-32H series) also has parallel foil versions of each card randomly mixed in the booster packs as well! This is similar to what was done for Expedition and Aquapolis. So 182 cards are in the normal and holo sets, and 150 cards are in the parallel foil set. With me so far?
Out of the 150 new cards in this set (144 + the 6 Crystal Pokémon, remember?), here is how the set breaks down.
124 Pokémon
21 Colorless Pokémon (14% of total new cards)
6 Crystal Pokémon (4%)
3 Darkness Pokémon (2%)
17 Fighting Pokémon (11.3%)
8 Fire Pokémon (5.3%)
25 Grass Pokémon (16.7%)
8 Lightning Pokémon (5.3%)
4 Metal Pokémon (2.7%)
12 Psychic Pokémon (8%)
20 Water Pokémon (13.3%)
23 Trainer Cards
2 Pokémon Tools (1.3% of total new cards)
4 Stadium Cards (2.7%)
6 Supporters (4%)
7 Technical Machines (4.7%)
4 Trainers (2.7%)
3 Energy Cards
3 New Special Energy Cards (2%)
Allow me to point out some of the highlights of these cards!
Colorless Pokémon
As always, Colorless is the most flexible type of Pokémon since they can fit into any deck type when needed. Several in this set will see a lot of use.
Noctowl F-42-# has a useful Investigate Poké-Power that lets you look at the top 2 cards of your opponent's deck (or 2 of his or her Prize cards) each turn. It's always nice to see what's coming. Snorlax F-33-# is back and has a Continuous Tumble attack that has you flip coins until you get a tails. With this Snorlax F-33-#, you dish out 30 damage for each successive heads you flipped. No one can call him lazy. The Raticate line has appeared in many sets, and the Skyridge version is now my new favorite. Rattata E-27-# can Call for Friends or possibly make your foe Paralyzed for 1 Energy while Raticate E-28-# can Continuous Bite for up to 70 damage for only 2 Colorless Energy! These are not rats that you want to corner.
A brand new Pokémon called Buried Fossil E-36-# also appears in this set. This 30 HP Basic Pokémon takes the place of Mysterious Fossil and can evolve into Omanyte E-17-#, Kabuto, and Aerodactyl E-43-#. It even has the Reconstruction Poké-Power to help it dig out of your deck some of these cards to hasten its evolution. Talk about a buried treasure! You'll also find a new Cleffa E-32-#, Igglybuff F-35-#, Dunsparce E-33-#, Persian E-44-#, Granbull E-35-#, and Ursaring F-37-# line, and several others. It is the return of Ditto E-30-#, though, that should have the largest effect on the game.
Yup, Ditto E-30-# is back! The Pokémon who has caused the most rules questions of them all has returned. Working similarly to the Fossil version, it has a Prismatic Body Poké-Power that allows each Basic Energy card attached to Ditto E-30-# provide every type of Energy -- but it provides only 1 Energy at a time. This has been clarified over the earlier version where Rainbow, Metal, and Darkness could also provide different Energy types (which led to all sorts of confusion). Now it is only Basic Energy cards that do so. Unlike the original Ditto, this version does not Transform; it remains a 50 HP Colorless Pokémon. It does have a Copy Attack that allows it to copy the attack of 1 of the Defending player's Pokémon, though. This version of Ditto E-30-#, while not as powerful as the older version, will be legal in the Modified format and could still end up seeing a lot of play. Who says that copying is bad?
Crystal Pokémon
As always, the Crystal Pokémon cards look great. (The Crystal Ho-oh E-75-# is my favorite!) These cards aren't always easy to play but they sure do look great in your collection. I won't tell you what they all are, but I anticipate the Crystal Charizard F-73-# becoming a real fan favorite!
Fight the Good "Fighting" Pokémon
Several strong Fighting Evolution cards appear in Skyridge. Let me tell you about a few.
Tired of your opponent using a Poké-Body power? The new Aerodactyl E-43-# is for you. (Its Ancient Wind Poké-Power can allow you to ignore Poké-Body powers during your turn.) Want to stop Evolution from occurring? Use the new Kabutops E-70-#! (Its Primal Aura Poké-Body power stops all players from playing Basic or Evolution cards from their hand while Kabutops E-70-# is the Active Pokémon.) Playing a Fire/Fighting deck? Then check out the new Fighting version of Magcargo F-69-#. (Its Crushing Lava attack either makes the Defending Pokémon Burned or does an extra 20 damage -- for 60 total -- depending on what type of Energy card you discard from it.)
In addition to all of these interesting abilities, the Fighting Pokémon in this set just hit hard!
Machamp F-68-# can hit for up to 120 damage! Throw in its Immunity Poké-Body power (which prevents all effects of attacks done to Machamp F-68-# -- meaning it can be damaged but not given any Special Conditions), and it will fight for you for a long time! Kabutops E-70-# can Dual Cut for up to 100 damage! Rhydon E-69-# has a coin flip to do 100 damage, as well! Piloswine F-64-# can flip its way to 110 damage! Poliwrath E-68-# has a Spiral Punch that has you flip until you get a tails, and it does 40 + 20 damage per heads! Flip well enough and you can Knock Out even the largest Pokémon! The Poliwrath E-68-# can also cause the Defending Pokémon to become Confused if it is your Active Pokémon and you discard a basic Energy card from it. And speaking of Special Conditions, Sandslash E-24-# can hit for 60 points while making your opponent's Pokémon Poisoned if you flip well. Also look for a new Gligar F-29-# that makes a good starting Basic. With its 60 HP, it can hit for 10 HP for 1 Energy and flip to do 10 and either makes the defending Pokémon Poisoned or Paralyzed for 2 Energy. All in all, Skyridge makes Fighting something to consider when necessary.
"Fire" in the Hole Pokémon
This is the first set in a while that has not added any really strong Fire cards to the Pokémon world. The new Flareon E-59-# is decent since it can heal itself of all Special Conditions when you attach a Fire Energy. The Fire Magcargo E-60-# can Fire Stream for 60 damage and do 10 damage to each of your opponent's Benched Pokémon. The best in this set is the new Arcanine F-59-#, though.
Blaine's Arcanine decks were a fan favorite a few years ago, and this Arcanine F-59-# works in a similar fashion. When you play Arcanine F-59-# from your hand to evolve your Active Growlithe F-11-#, you can flip 3 coins. For each heads, you can take a basic Energy card from your discard pile and attach it to Arcanine F-59-#. Since its White Flames attack needs 3 Energy to do 70 damage, it is possible for you to power it up and use it right away! Flame on!
Pain in the "Grass" Pokémon
Once again, Grass Pokémon provide a veritable garden of Pokémon to choose from.
While this set includes the Ledian E-57-#, Sunflora F-10-#, and Venomoth F-08-# Evolution lines, and Heracross E-11-# and Yanma E-06-# serve as decent starting Basic Pokémon, you will see 3 Evolution lines being played a lot! First is my personal favorite, the Weedle F-01-#/Weedle F-02-#/Kakuna F-03-#/Beedrill F-57-# line. You have different Weedles to choose from to start with, a Kakuna F-03-# that has a protective Exoskeleton (all damage done by attacks to Kakuna F-03-# is reduced by 10), and a very strong Beedrill F-57-# to finish up the line. First, when you play Beedrill F-57-# from your hand to evolve your Active Pokémon, the Defending Pokémon is now Poisoned and Paralyzed! Second its Needle Rush attack can do up to 100 damage (depending on how well you flip) for only 2 Energy! Don't forget this Stage 2 Pokémon also has a free Retreat Cost! Talk about your Queen "Bee" for a day!
Of course, I couldn't forget the new Crobat line (my second favorite), either. Starting with 2 different Zubats (Zubat E-01-# or Zubat E-03-# -- notice a pattern yet?), you move onto a decent Golbat E-03-# that can make the Defending Pokémon Confused or Poisoned and you end up with a strong Crobat E-58-#. This 90 HP free Retreat Cost Pokémon has a Poké-Power (Carry Off) that lets you flip a coin once per turn. If heads, you can look at your opponent's hand and then choose any Baby, Basic, or Evolution Pokémon card in his or her hand and have him or her shuffle it back into his or her deck! Then use its Double Cross attack. You flip 2 coins and do 40 damage per heads. Decent, but what happens if you flip 2 tails? Then the Defending Pokémon is now Confused and Poisoned!! Bat-ter up!
Finally let's look at the Nidoqueen line. Again, starting with 2 versions of Nidoran (Nidoran F-04-# or Nidoran F-05-#), you move on to an 80 HP Nidorina F-06-# and end with the 110 HP Nidoqueen F-58-#. While its Retreat Cost is high (3) and its attack (Double Claw) is only decent, you may end up with at least one set of these cards in your deck because of its Evolution Helper Poké-Power. Once during your turn, if Nidoqueen F-58-#is on your Bench, you may search your deck for a card that evolves from your Active Pokémon and attach it, thereby evolving it. Talk about drilling for pay dirt!
Who Left the "Lightning" On Pokémon
There have never been many Lightning Pokémon to begin with, so we end up seeing new versions of the same appearing from time to time. Skyridge is no exception to this rule. Jolteon E-64-# and Raikou E-65-# are back along with the Magneton F-65-#, Electrode F-39-#, and Raichu E-63-# lines. While Electrode F-39-# can Self-Destruct for 100 damage (and 20 to each Benched Pokémon), and Magneton F-65-# lets you distribute damage among your opponent's Bench as you see fit (10 for each Lightning Energy you discard from it), Raichu E-63-# is probably the line that will see the most play. It has the return of the Zzzap attack on it (first introduced on Pichu). For 2 Colorless Energy, this attack does 20 damage to each Pokémon with a Poké-Body or Poké-Power. With 80 HP (instead of 30 on Pichu), it will be easier to keep this Pokémon around. Be afraid of this electric mouse. . . .
"Psychic" Hot Line Pokémon
More Psychic Pokémon are in this set than in the last two, but not to worry, because they are as strong as ever!
Girafarig E-22-#, Misdreavus E-41-#, and Wobbuffet E-42-# are back, and, of the three, it is the later Patient Pokémon that wins out. If this 70 HP Pokémon becomes Poisoned or Burned, the Defending Pokémon also becomes affected by the same Special Condition. It also has a return attack that has a 75% chance of doing as much damage to the opponent as it has on it for only 2 Energy. This one is a decent Basic to throw into any Psychic deck.
Gengar F-66-# is back to make trouble. This line still has Resistance to Fighting and Weakness to Darkness attacks. Gastly F-22-# places a damage counter (getting around Psychic Resistance). Haunter F-23-# lets you discard 2 cards and draw them while attacking for 30 damage, and Gengar F-66-# can make Pokémon Burned or Confused while doing 40 damage with its Hydrokinesis attack. Also, when you play Gengar F-66-# from your hand to evolve your Active Pokémon, you can take a non-Baby Basic Pokémon from your discard pile and put it onto your Bench. Flip 3 coins and for each heads you can also choose a basic Energy card from the discard pile and attach it as well. Watch out since it keeps returning from the shadows!
The Alakazam E-66-# in this set has 100 HP and an Energy Jump Poké-Power that lets you move 1 Energy card from one of your Pokémon to another per turn. Xatu F-67-# is the Pokémon that may cause an entire new deck design, though. The Pokémon-e releases have introduced a new type of Trainer known as Technical Machines. These Trainers allowed you to give different attacks to your Pokémon, but each Technical Machine could attach to only one particular Energy type of Pokémon. Xatu F-67-# has a Poké-Body called Synchronicity that allows you to attach ANY Technical Machines to Xatu F-67-#! Now you can choose your favorite Technical Machines and not worry about mixing Energy types in the deck. Throw in the fact that its attack has a 50% chance of allowing you to take a card from your discard pile and put it on top of your deck, and suddenly you can reuse your favorite (and strongest) Technical Machines again and again. Rare and mystical, huh?
"Water" Water Everywhere and Not a Drop to Drink Pokémon
This set has lots of Water Pokémon, such as Articuno F-63-#, Mantine E-18-#, and Vaporeon E-61-#. You'll also see some searching basics. Lapras F-17-# and a new water Delibird F-19-# each have an attack that has you search your deck for a Supporter card or Technical Machine or Pokémon Tool, respectively.
You'll find new versions of the Dewgong line (Dewgong F-61-# has an attack that does more damage the higher the Retreat Cost of the Defending Pokémon), the Gyarados line (When you play Gyarados F-62-# from your hand to evolve your Active Pokémon, you may flip 2 coins. For each heads, discard an Energy card attached to the Defending Pokémon.), Piloswine line (Piloswine F-64-# can make the Defending Pokémon Asleep or Paralyzed), and the Starmie E-67-# and Politoed E-62-# Evolution cards, as well.
The Omastar E-40-# Evolution card (evolving from the new Buried Fossil) may have an entire deck built around it, though. Its Primal Stare Power says this:
As long as Omastar is your Active Pokémon, your opponent can't play Basic Pokémon or Evolution cards from his or her hand to evolve his or her Active Pokémon.
Combine this with its Spook attack that does not allow the Defending Pokémon to retreat next turn (in addition to doing 50 points of damage) and you have the start of a lock-down deck. Lock your opponents into a spiral of defeat!
Metal and Darkness Make Their Appearance
A couple of Metal and Darkness Pokémon in this set are worth looking over. The Skyridge Steelix F-72-# has a Poké-Body power that has all basic Energy attached provide Metal Energy instead of their normal type. Since you are limited to 4 Metal Energy in a deck, this makes it easier to power up the Metal Tail attack, which either does 40 damage or lets you flip for double or nothing.
Magneton F-71-# and Houndoom F-70-# do a variable amount of damage based upon the difference in the number of Benched Pokémon you and your opponent have in play. Here's a hint: They do more damage when you have fewer Benched Pokémon than your opponent. Finally Umbreon E-71-# has a Dark Gaze Poké-Body power that says this:
As long as Umbreon is your Active Pokémon, Benched Pokémon (yours and your opponent's) can't use Poké-Powers.
This is a good way to shut down an opponent who is using Nidoqueen's Evolution Helper.
Midnight "Trainer" to Georgia
Let me just jump in and give you an idea of some of interesting Trainers that Skyridge contains.
For Stadium cards, you can use Ancient Ruins F-52-# to draw cards (once per turn show your hand, and, if you don't have a Supporter, you can draw a card), Mystery Zone F-53-# to trade an Evolution card for a needed basic Energy card in your deck or Underground Lake E-55-# to bring back your Omanyte or Kabuto cards from your discard pile to your Bench as basic Pokémon. Finally Mirage Stadium E-56-# has a player flip a coin when they try to retreat a Pokémon. On tails, that Pokémon can't retreat on that turn!
You'll find plenty of good drawing and searching Supporters in this set. Oracle E-47-# will make it into the most decks. Acting like a Double Strength Computer Search, you can choose 2 cards from your deck and put them on top of your deck in any order! Wow!!! Give me 4 of those for every deck! Fisherman F-47-# lets you take 4 basic Energy cards from your discard pile and add them to your hand, Relic Hunter F-46-# lets you search your deck for 2 Supporter and/or Stadium cards and Apricorn Maker F-48-# lets you search for 2 Trainers with "Ball" in their names.
Speaking of "Ball" Trainers, you'll find several in this set to go along with Master Ball B-50-#. Fast Ball F-43-# lets you reveal your deck until you find an Evolution card and then add it to your hand. Friend Ball F-44-# lets you search your deck for a Pokémon of the same Energy type as one of your opponent's in-play Pokémon, and Lure Ball F-45-# lets you flip 3 coins. With each heads result, you take an Evolution card from your discard pile and add it to your hand! Suddenly "Play Ball!" has a new meaning.
Technical Machine cards make the strongest showing in this set with the new Miracle Sphere cards (such as Miracle Sphere F-49-#) and the Mystery Plates (such as Mystery Plate E-51-#). The Miracle Sphere cards are Technical Machines that can be attached to any of 3 different Energy types of Pokémon. The type of damage and effects these attacks do are based upon what type of basic Energy cards are attached to the Pokémon it is being used on. These combine well with the multi-Energy Crystal Pokémon. You can attach Mystery Plate Technical Machines to any type of Pokémon. Each one has 2 different attack effects based upon whether your opponent has 5 or more Prizes left or only 1. Using them takes some luck with timing, but they all have interesting effects.
Throw in a couple of interesting Pokémon Tools and you can see what an interesting set of Trainers looks like.
Running Out of "Energy" cards
Finally you'll see 3 new Energy cards in this set. Bounce Energy F-55-# provides 2 Colorless Energy, but when you attach it to a Pokémon, you must take an attached basic Energy from it and return it to your hand. This card is useful for paying Retreat Costs while saving a basic Energy you may need later (especially in multi-color decks). Cyclone Energy F-54-# works similar to the Aquapolis Warp Energy D-55-# except that when you attach it, your opponent must switch his or her Active Pokémon with one from their Bench. Finally Retro Energy F-56-# removes the top Evolution card and 2 damage counters when you play it on an evolved Pokémon. It's good for removing Special Conditions, and it heals at the same time.
Coming to the End
Wait! I almost forgot to tell you about the new Box Toppers! We used a new type of card material and holo technology on them. They look great! Remember, you get only 1 in the top of a sealed box of Skyridge boosters. I know . . . that's sneaky of us, but you'll like them when you see them!
So, now that Skyridge is out, is this the last of the Pokémon-e technology? Don't forget each of these cards has a data strip on the side that unlocks puzzles, songs, and pictures on your e-Reader on a Game Boy Advance. Rumors are out that Nintendo plans on using them again on their upcoming Pokémon cards. We may see them again someday!
Finally, make sure to check out our website to see where your local Skyridge Super BattleZone event is taking place. Bring your new cards and compete for a chance to win product, promos, and trophies!
Check out some strategy articles by visiting our Strategy page. You can also see past strategy articles in our Archives
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