The last Pokémon TCG set of the Sword and Shield era features alternate VMAX designs, new rarities, and more

The final Pokémon Trading Card Game (TCG) set of the Sword and Shield will be known as VSTAR Universe.

As per Pokémon news website PokéBeach, the set was revealed through a YouTube livestream. VSTAR Universe will be released in Japan on Dec. 2 and will feature reprints and alternate art cards of previously released cards from different sets and promos. Most of the reprints will be new designs for various Pokémon VSTAR and their VMAX versions, both of which are powerful variants of Pokémon cards.

Pokémon VSTAR includes cards that became prominent in the Pokémon TCG meta at some point, such as Mew VSTAR/VMAX, Arceus VSTAR/VMAX, Origin Forme Dialga and Palkia VSTAR/VMAX, Giratina VSTAR/VMAX, and Mewtwo VSTAR/VMAX. The set will have 172 cards all in all excluding the secret rare versions of some of them. Each pack will have 10 cards instead of the usual five in Japan.

VSTAR Universe will also debut two new card rarities, namely the “Art Rare” (AR) and “Special Art Rare” (SAR). Both these rarities will feature full art versions of cards. Some of the revealed cards that will have the AR treatment include Absol, Manaphy, Diancie, and Altaria. As for the SAR rarity, some Pokémon that will be using this treatment include Mewtwo VSTAR AND Charizard VSTAR.

As for the English TCG release, the Silver Tempest expansion will be releasing on Nov. 11, which will feature cards such as the famous Rayqauaza VMAX.