I couldn’t see/find a Battle Region thread already, so please accept my apologies Mods if there is one
So we know that Character Rares are continuing in Battle Region, next Japanese set. Obviously, as the NUMBER ONE Cameo collector, I am super excited by this!
Excitement of a new Garchomp/Cynthia and Misty/Starmie character rares aside, I wanted so shamelessly speculate…
These are the cards we know already… Now, we know that the full art’s have a non full art in the set as well. For example, starmie character rare and non character rare.
BUT, my attention was drawn to…
Whilst there is nothing particularly wrong with Miltank, it struck me as a strange choice. Miltank has been printed 11 times, not including a few build/boxes. Equally, in every set, it has been a common/uncommon. I note that in Battle Region, it will be the first time that she’s being printed as a rare. Even in Neo Genesis, her debut showing was as an uncommon. Now obviously, rares in the new world order are bulk, but still I thought interesting that she’s making her first showing as a rare.
I HUMBLY SPECULATE THAT SHE’S IN THE SET BECAUSE A CHARACTER RARE MILTANK IS COMING.
I have no idea who Zach is, but it was the only image that I could find. But any pokemon player recognises this gameplay state… There is only one Miltank of note… The level 20 terror, feared Nuzlocke ender and ace of Goldenrod City.
It’s always disappointing when a pokemon doesn’t ever get a single decent chase card. I was really excited to see octillery get a cool character rare. Really hope miltank and many other overshadowed og pokemon gets a nice character rare.
68 Vileplume CHR with Erika
69 Chandelure CHR with Shauntal (confirmed)
70 Wyrdeer CHR with Azeru (confirmed)
71 Kleavor CHR with Lian (confirmed)
72 Miltank CHR with Whitney
73 Virizion V FA
74 Starmie V FA
75 Hisuian Typhlosion V FA
76 Hisuian Decidueye V FA
77 Hisuian Samurott V FA
78 Garchomp V FA
79 Cyllene FA
80 Roxanne FA
81 Kamado FA
82 Virizion V CSR
83 Starmie V CSR with Misty (confirmed)
84 Garchomp V CSR with Cynthia (confirmed)
It doesn’t make much sense - the large gap and lack of cards between Kleavor CHR and Starmie V CSR. My assumptions were that CHR cards were holos leaving only Vileplume available before Chandelure and either Absol or Miltank after Kleavor. Technically there are a few other holos - Pyroar, Keldeo, Gallade & Diancie but none are possible.
I am guessing that full arts will be shifted in between CHR and CSR so if Miltank is in, then that leaves a possible CSR for Virizion - seeing that the other 2 non-VSTAR Vs are getting CSRs.
However, I did miss any alternate arts, so either the Hisuian starters are getting VSTAR alternate arts or you can disregard the list lol. Not sure how VSTAR alternate arts will work anyway given that the 1/4 copypasta star has to be shoehorned in. Terrible design.
Move the SR Supporters to 85, 86 and 87, and you’ll have space for 3 Hisuian starter special art Vs
68 Vileplume CHR with Erika
69 Chandelure CHR with Shauntal (confirmed)
70 Wyrdeer CHR with Azeru (confirmed)
71 Kleavor CHR with Lian (confirmed)
72 Miltank CHR with Whitney
73 Virizion V FA
74 Starmie V FA
75 Hisuian Typhlosion V FA
76 Hisuian Typhlosion V SA
77 Hisuian Decidueye V FA
78 Hisuian Decidueye V SA
79 Hisuian Samurott V FA
80 Hisuian Samurott V SA
81 Garchomp V FA
82 Virizion V CSR
83 Starmie V CSR with Misty (confirmed)
84 Garchomp V CSR with Cynthia (confirmed)
85 Cyllene FA
86 Roxanne FA
87 Kamado FA
88 HR Hisuian Typhlosion V-STAR
89 HR Hisuian Decidueye V-STAR
90 HR Hisuian Samurott V-STAR
91 HR Cyllene
92 HR Roxanne
93 HR Kamado
94 UR Hisuian Typhlosion V-STAR
95 UR Hisuian Decidueye V-STAR
96 UR Hisuian Samurott V-STAR
97 UR Turbo Stall / Cancelling Lure / Honey (Item)
98 UR Jubilife Village (Stadium)
This is based on the assumption that S9 Star Birth sets the tone of what sets will look like this year - key points are:
every V in the set gets an SR V
every V-STAR in the set gets an HR V-STAR
every SR Supporter gets an HR Supporter
some of the Pokémon V are selected to also get a special art V
the set mascot (Arceus) certainly gets a special art V and UR gold V-STAR. For S9a Battle Region, the mascots are the Hisuian starters
Thanks for the input! I think Virizion V CSR should be changed to Virizion AA because going by the ‘rules’, they’ve upped it to 4 alternate arts per set. Don’t think Virizion is associated with any trainer anyway to get a CSR.
edit: Don’t think it will establish a new rule, but if CHRs and CSRs become a permanent fixture, then it’s like every V in the set will get an alternate art lol. Either a ‘traditional’ alt art or a CSR. They really need to increase guaranteed JP set secret rares to 2 if that is the case. It’s already getting dodgy that they first dropped the guarantee last year (was it with the Duraludon/Rayquaza sets?) before it seemingly returned when the secret rares continue to increase.
I’m in two minds about whether they’d do another Erika’s Vileplume. They did echo Cosmic Eclipse with Vmax Climax by doing Acerola/Mimikyu’s - but I’d say that’s an exception rather than the rule. I’d obviously be thrilled if they did,
@koala, I think that list is extremely likely. Excellent set list analysis as always.
I’m not sure how I feel about the gold VSTAR, I much preferred the gold Shinies instead. But I suppose the Sparkling cards will fill that role as a homage to the DPPt era SH cards.
Roxanne was leaked as #81/67 and Hisuian Samurott (Gold) as #91. Also a picture of Jubilife Village but without a number.
Unless there’s a wacky order, there is no space for the Hisuian starters’ V’s alternate arts. Weird if Virizion will be the only one.
Potentially the alternate arts could be VSTARs instead, which would mean RRs for VSTARs are gone as well as RR trainers (finally) or if one of these remain, then that sucks.
Imagine keeping rainbow rare trainers or rainbow rare Pokemon or even Gold Pokemon instead of alternate arts. Awful if true.
68 Vileplume CHR with Erika69 Chandelure CHR with Shauntal (confirmed)
70 Wyrdeer CHR with Azeru (confirmed)
71 Kleavor CHR with Lian (confirmed)
72 Miltank CHR with Whitney
73 Virizion V FA
74 Starmie V FA Virzion V AA
75 Hisuian Typhlosion V FA Starmie V FA
76 Hisuian Typhlosion V SA Hisuian Typhlosion V FA
77 Hisuian Decidueye V FA Hisuian Decidueye V FA
78 Hisuian Decidueye V SA Hisuian Samurott V FA
79 Hisuian Samurott V FA Garchomp FA
80 Hisuian Samurott V SA Cyllene FA
81 Garchomp V FA Roxanne FA (confirmed)
82 Virizion V CSR Kamado FA
83 Starmie V CSR with Misty (confirmed)
84 Garchomp V CSR with Cynthia (confirmed)
85 Cyllene FA HR Hisuian Typhlosion VSTAR
86 Roxanne FA HR Hisuian Decidueye V-STAR
87 Kamado FA HR Hisuian Samurott V-STAR
88 HR Hisuian Typhlosion V-STAR HR Roxanne
89 HR Hisuian Decidueye V-STAR UR Hisuian Typhlosion V-STAR
90 HR Hisuian Samurott V-STAR UR Hisuian Decidueye V-STAR
91 HR Cyllene UR Hisuian Samurott V-STAR (confirmed)
92 HR Roxanne UR Trainer
93 HR Kamado UR Jubilife Village
94 UR Hisuian Typhlosion V-STAR
95 UR Hisuian Decidueye V-STAR
96 UR Hisuian Samurott V-STAR
97 UR Turbo Stall / Cancelling Lure / Honey (Item)
98 UR Jubilife Village (Stadium)
It could actually be that neither Typhlosion or Decidueye get gold cards and all the rainbows are in.
So they really just cut alt arts…who makes these decisions…getting rid of the most desired cards and still propping up trash CGI recolours.
Also, I thought CHR/CSR cards were meant to be made for competitive cards? Octillery, Houndoom etc. Don’t play the game so I wouldn’t know, but from watching ptcgradio it doesn’t sound like Starmie or Garchomp are all that good. Apparently Chandelure is crap, so yeah, not sure why they get immediate CHR/CSR (beyond the fact that Misty and Cynthia are super popular) whilst Fusion Arts and Star Birth cards remain untouched.
Seems like the set’s configuration is a right mess. They also touted “Sparkling” Pokemon which ended up being 3 cards.
68 Vileplume CHR
69 Chandelure CHR with Shauntal (confirmed)
70 Wyrdeer CHR with Azeru (confirmed)
71 Kleavor CHR with Lian (confirmed)
72 Virizion V FA
73 Virizion V SA
74 Hisuian Typhlosion V FA
75 Hisuian Typhlosion V SA
76 Hisuian Decidueye V FA
77 Hisuian Decidueye V SA
78 Hisuian Samurott V FA
79 Hisuian Samurott V SA
80 Cyllene FA
81 Roxanne FA (confirmed)
82 Kamado FA
83 Starmie V CSR with Misty (confirmed)
84 Garchomp V CSR with Cynthia (confirmed)
85 HR Hisuian Typhlosion VSTAR
86 HR Hisuian Decidueye V-STAR
87 HR Hisuian Samurott V-STAR
88 UR shiny Pokémon (Fusion Strike/Brilliant Stars pre-release)
89 UR Hisuian Typhlosion V-STAR
90 UR Hisuian Decidueye V-STAR
91 UR Hisuian Samurott V-STAR (confirmed)
92 UR Turbo Stall / Cancelling Lure / Honey (Item)
93 UR Jubilife Village (Stadium)
VMAX Climax CSRs don’t have an SR counterpart so it would be hard to imagine Starmie V and Garchomp V having it too. CSR is another type of SR so it still falls in line with the concept that every V gets an SR
Also, several past sets each have 4 special arts:
Star Birth - 4 V
Fusion Arts - 3 V, 1 VMAX
Blue Sky Stream / Skyscraping Perfection - 3 V, 1 VMAX
Jet-Black Poltergeist / Silver Lance - 3 V, 1 VMAX
so it’s possible Virizion V could have a special art alongside the Hisuian starters (it’d be strange to cut out special arts in a set that’s including a small pool of CHR/CSRs)
