Strike a balance between the power of Single Strike style and speed of Rapid Strike style with the new Fusion Strike style. The upcoming Pokémon TCG: Sword & Shield—Fusion Strike expansion features this new Battle Style as well as more powerhouse Pokémon V and Pokémon VMAX to lead into battle. To prepare for the expansion’s release on November 12, 2021, take a peek at some of the compelling cards you’ll find, and don’t forget to check out the first set of preview cards from the Pokémon TCG: Sword & Shield—Fusion Strike expansion.

Chandelure VMAX

No matter how thoughtfully your opponent develops their strategy, it’ll be difficult for them to avoid getting scorched by Chandelure VMAX. Its Cursed Shimmer Ability prevents opponents from playing Pokémon Tool cards from their hand while Chandelure VMAX is in the Active Spot. And given that this Fire-type tank boasts 320 HP, it may take a while to Knock Out. In addition to its clever Ability, Chandelure VMAX’s Max Poltergeist attack punishes opponents for attempting to make use of Trainer cards—the attack forces an opponent to show their hand, and then it does 70 damage for each Trainer card there. Considering the importance of a well-played Pokémon Tool or other Trainer card in any battle, Chandelure VMAX’s power to nullify these mechanisms will make it a useful Pokémon to bring into battle.

Gengar VMAX

Gengar might be known for lurking in the shadows, but Gengar VMAX steps boldly into the spotlight, ready to dish out some serious damage. Its appropriately named Fear and Panic attack does 60 damage for each of your opponent’s Pokémon V and Pokémon-GX in play. With many decks and strategies built around the synergy of multiple Pokémon’s attacks and Abilities, Fear and Panic strikes at the heart of an opponent’s strategy. Gengar VMAX possesses an impressive 320 HP and a second attack, G-Max Swallow Up, which does 250 damage—making this Pokémon even more terrifying to face in battle.

Accelgor

A Stage 1 Fusion Strike Pokémon, Accelgor is ready to shell out damage at a limited Energy cost. Its Ninja Tornado attack does 120 damage and ordinarily requires 1 Grass Energy and 2 more Energy of any type. However, if you move Accelgor from your Bench to the Active Spot the same turn as the attack, it can be used for just a single Grass Energy. You might need to supplement your deck with the necessary cards to help move Accelgor from the Bench to the Active Spot quickly and frequently if you want to maximize this low-cost attack, but 120 damage for a single Energy is well worth the logistical challenge.

Grimmsnarl

A Stage 2 Single Strike Pokémon, Grimmsnarl is an ideal attacker if you can run a strategy with a rather bare Bench of Pokémon. Grimmsnarl’s Rear Attack costs just 2 Darkness Energy and does 100 damage, but if you happen to have 2 or fewer Benched Pokémon, it does an additional 140 damage—a rare feat for a single-Prize Pokémon. Timing is everything in the Pokémon TCG, and unleashing Grimmsnarl on an opponent at the right moment could be a game changer, if not a game finisher.

Genesect V

This Fusion Strike Genesect V might be a Basic Pokémon, but its Ability is far from basic. With the Fusion Strike System Ability, you can draw cards once per turn until you have as many cards in your hand as you have Fusion Strike Pokémon in play. With the potential to draw cards until you have a hand of six, this Ability will obviously come in handy with decks constructed around maximizing the synergy of Fusion Strike Pokémon. While the option to draw additional cards is not unique to Genesect V, the power to potentially draw that many cards at once is unusual. And the fact that many Fusion Strike Pokémon have attacks and Abilities strengthened by other Fusion Strike Pokémon is obvious encouragement to capitalize on this mechanic by playing as many Fusion Strike Pokémon as possible.

These are just a handful of the incredible cards you’ll find in Pokémon TCG: Sword & Shield—Fusion Strike. See what other cool cards you can discover when the expansion releases on November 12, 2021.