Pokémon TCG Reveals New Cards for Journey Together Set, With Shocking Trainer Getting Powerful Cards

THE Pokémon Trading Card Game revealed some new cards that will appear in the next Journey Together set, including some powerful cards tied to a surprising character. In 2025, the Pokémon Trading Card Game will bring back the Trainer's Pokémon, a card trick from the game's early days. These Pokémon cards are tied to specific trainers within the franchises and benefit from other cards and abilities targeted to that trainer's Pokémon. The original Trainer's Pokémon were limited to Kanto Gym Leaders and Team Rocket, but the new sets will feature newer Trainers Pokémon games.

Recently, the Pokémon Trading Card Game revealed a new batch of letters from Battle Partnersa Japanese set that will be released in the US and internationally as Journey Together. As shown at PokéBeachthe new cards include several Trainer Pokémon tied to Hop, the main rival character from Pokémon Sword and Shield. In addition to Hop having the Legendary Pokémon Zacian, the trainer will also bring a Dubwool, a Snorlax and a Cramorant in the new set, all gaining increased damage thanks to various card synergies. The result is a set of surprisingly powerful cards that can destroy most Pokémon in the current TCG goal.

Why Hop's Pokémon are so powerful in the Pokémon TCG

Hop's Pokémon benefits from multiple synergies and power boosts

While none of Hop's Pokémon seem all that impressive at first, they all receive big boosts thanks to various cards. For example, Hop's Snorlax has an ability that gives all of Hop's other Pokémon a boost to their attacks. Additionally, the newly revealed Postwick stadium card also provides a 30 damage boost to all of Hop's Pokémon attacks. The Hop's Choice Band item card also increases the attacks of one of Hop's Pokémon and decreases the energy cost of attacks by one.

All of these Hop boosts stack, meaning a player can potentially boost any of Hop's Pokémon to deal 90 extra damage and a lower energy cost. This means that Hop's Cramorant can deal 210 damage without energy, while Hop's ex Zacian can deal 330 damage for just 3 Metal energy. Hop's Zacian is also an easy counter to Budew, a Pokémon that has become a must-have Pokémon in new decks.

Our Take: Hop's Pokémon Are Surprisingly Powerful, But They're Still Annoying

Hop isn't a popular trainer, but these Pokémon are too good to ignore

Hop's inclusion as a featured coach was always strange. Although Lillie, N, and Iono are popular characters in the franchise, Hop has always been a nuisance, always one step behind his trainer.

Its inclusion in the new Pokémon TCG set mostly feels like an excuse to bring in Zacian, a powerful and popular Legendary Pokémon. Unfortunately, Hop's synergies seem too good to ignorewhich is why we'll likely see at least a few decks trying to use their Pokémon's powerful attacks next year.

Source: Poké Beach