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Pokémon TCG Pocket doesn’t just reuse some artworks from older sets, it also revives classic mechanics, attacks, and abilities. In this article, we explore the throwbacks in Celestial Guardians and how they compare to their original counterparts.
Cards from Celestial Guardians have got a bunch of shared reference with the TCG, mostly from the Sun&Moon era (2017-2019), to the point that we'll give a breakdown of similar designs (common attacks, common concepts...) by Pokémon type, plus a few highlights.
Grass Pokémon
Decidueye ex
Decidueye is represented as an archer, and in TCG has generally been able to snipe Pokémon on the Bench. Although nothing mentions it on its Pocket version, the main strength of Pierce the Pain is to be able to aim directly for any Pokémon with any damage on it, including Benched Pokémon. This attack reminds of Decidueye's Tracking Shot, printed in Cosmic Eclipse (2019), as it deals damage the same way; in addition though, it also deals 80 baseline damage to the opponent's Active Pokémon.
Golisopod
In the video game, First Impression is a signature ability of Golisopod. It can only be used on the first turn of the game. The attack damage being higher when Golisopod is brought from the Bench to the Active is a TCG take of this effect, which has been seen time and time again in multiple Golisopod print in the TCG, such as in Unified Minds (2019). Wimpod's Wimp Out ability allows to rest it safe on the bench until it evolves and come back with a more powerful attack.
Various references among Grass-Type Pokémon
Rowlet is a carbon copy of the TCG version printed in Cosmic Eclipse (2019). Its Skill Dive attack can hit any Pokémon on the field, which is the perfect setup for Decidueye ex's Pierce the Pain attack
Wimpod is also a carbon copy of the TCG version printed in Burning Shadows (2017). Its Wimp out ability allows it to retreat on the very first turn, so it can come back later on when evolved to use First Impression.
16 years later, Surskit comes back from Supreme Victors with 10 extra point of damage on its Quick Attack with a lucky coin flip.
Petal Blizzard is a common attack in the TCG, where it deals damage to all the opponent's Pokémon for a single Energy. Carried from Unified Minds (2019), this attack has gained 10 extra damage in Pocket, so it doesn't get entirely nullified by Shaymin's Fragrant Flower Garden.
Bounsweet's evolutions are all about coin flip in Pokémon TCG Pocket. Steenee's Double Spin is a direct throwback to its Paradox Rift print (2013), dealing 10 less per heads but costing 1 less Energy.
The Flickering Light attack is taken from the TCG version of Shiinotic printed in Darkness Ablaze. In Pocket, it costs one more Energy, making it harder to use, especially since the Pokémon-specific supporter Mallow discards all Energy to heal Shiinotic, which would then take two turns to make it able to attack again.
Anchor Shot is a recurring attack in TCG prints for Dhelmise, the first occurrence being the one from Guardians Rising (2017)
Fire Pokémon
Salazzle
Due to its Fire-Poison dual typing, Salazzle in the TCG seldom inflicts both status, as unlike the video game, both conditions can stack. The Heated Poison attack is reminiscing of the Hot Poison ability from Salazzle in Guardians Rising (2017), as they both cause the opponent's Active Pokémon to become Burned and Poisoned.
Various references among Fire-Type Pokémon
Burning Bonemerang is straight up copied from the Crimson Invasion print (2017) of Alolan Marowak.
Oricorio shares the same Kindle attack as the one from Guardians Rising (2017), with 10 extra damage and a subtlety: in TCG, you could actually choose which Energy to discard from the opponent's Active Pokémon, while in Pocket, it's actually random.
Water Pokémon
Wishiwashi ex
The School Storm attack is directly coming from Wishiwashi GX in Cosmic Eclipse (2019) where its damage depends on the number of Wishiwashi and Wishiwashi GX on your field. Although its damage output is less important even at full bench (which is limited to 5 in the TCG against Pocket's 3), it could come online a turn sooner. Ironically, it doesn't have its School Form in its GX print.
Dangerous
Araquanid's Dangerous Claws is another one in the list of some attacks named "Dangerous", which have the specificity to deal much more damage when the opponent's Active Pokémon is a Basic Pokémon. Found on all kinds of Pokémon, it first appeared on Bewear in Guardians Rising (2017)
Various references among Water-Type Pokémon
Spike Armor is a recurring attack in TCG Sandslash, with the latest being on Alolan Sandslash from Ultra Prism (2018). It's much better than in Pocket: it doesn't cost anything to use, it deals more and the "spikes" deal more damage as well.
Lately, Cloyster's prints in the TCG have been a lot about reducing the damage it takes, either through an ability or as an effect of an attack. Guard Press is one of these, directly inspired by Cloyster from Sun&Moon (2017).
The Celestial Guardians print of Pyukumuku definitely takes after its very first print in Sun&Moon (2017), sharing its HP and Innards out ability, an ability inherited from the video game.
Lightning Pokémon
Alolan Raichu ex
For the first ex version of Pikachu's evolution, designers were quick to reuse the same design as the one they used for the regular Alolan Raichu printed in Crimson Invasion (2017). Costing the exact same, Psychic had a stronger base damage output (70) but scaled up less favorably than Alolan Raichu ex from Pokémon TCG Pocket, dealing 20 extra damage per Energy instead of 30.
Oricorio
The bane of all-ex decks! Its meta-defining Safeguard ability has been in the TCG for a long time, with one of the latest and most iconic example being Mimikyu from Paldean Fates (2024). This newer version of Safeguard is actually nerfed compared with the original one that also blocks the effects of the attacks, as first seen on Wobbuffet in Sandstorm (2003).
Vikavolt
Disconnect marks the first time in Pokémon TCG Pocket that an attack entirely prevents the opponent from using Item cards. This kind of effect is amazing in the TCG where Items are much more played than Supporters, and Vikavolt V has been a top threat of metagames in which it was legal, even in Expanded, notably thanks to its Paralyzing Bolt attacks that shares the same effect.
Various references among Lightning-Type Pokémon
Alolan Golem has the same Super Zap Cannon attack than the one from Team Up (2019). The original is even more Energy-hungry but also deals slightly more.
Psychic Pokémon
Lunala ex
Lunala ex's Psychic Connect is directly inspired by Lunala GX's Psychic Transfer (Sun&Moon, 2017). Both abilities move from a Pokémon to another. The Pocket version is much more restrictive: it only moves from the Bench to the Active, the Benched Pokémon has to be a Psychic-type itself and you have to move all of these Energies at once.
Banette
Banette's Night Bind attack can easily trap an opponent's Active Pokémon by preventing them to attach enough Energy for it to be able to attack AND for it to retreat as well. This unique effect in Pokémon TCG Pocket is inspired by Duskull's Night Bind in Stormfront (2008). It's seldom seen in the TCG but always conditioned by the success of a coinflip: it's interesting that, for once, Pocket does powercreep the TCG. A good decision since the Banette Psychic Toolbox deck is a viable meta deck.
Tapu Lele
In the TCG, Tapu Lele has multiple prints for which its attack damage depends on the number of Energy attached to the opponent's Pokémon, such as its Ultra Prism print in 2018. It can only damage the Defending Pokémon tho. For the exact same Energy Arrow attack, you can find it on Latias from Unified Minds (2019), printed in the Sun&Moon era.
Various references among Psychic-Type Pokémon
Sableye is no stranger of trapping Pokémon, preventing them from retreating, as seen in its Evolving Skies iteration (2021) where it has the exact same Corner attack as in TCG Pocket.
Besides the change from the discontinued Fairy Type to Psychic Type and bad side effect to the attack, nothing differentiates the Comfey of Pocket from the one of Guardians Rising (2017), which was the very first print of the Pokémon in the TCG.
The pre-evolution of the 2 iconic Legendary Pokémon from Sun & Moon have always been peaceful in the TCG, more prone to teleport away from danger, defend themselves from attack or healing themselves. The Pocket prints of Cosmog and Cosmoem are respectively inspired by the TCG prints from Ultra Prism (2019) and Cosmic Eclipse (2019) of the same Pokémon.
Fighting Pokémon
Passimian ex
Moving some Energy from your Active Pokémon when it's knocked out by an attack to another one of your Benched Pokémon is a seldom seen ability, which first occurrence dates back to Magneton from EX Legend Maker (2006) with the Special React Energies. The latest example is Veluza from Paradox Rift (2023) with Energy. It seems to be a very first for Energy.
Various references among Fighting-Type Pokémon
Gust is a recurring ability in the TCG, exclusive to Fighting Pokémon. The first occurrence appeared on Heracross in Burning Shadows (2017), which is a dual Bug and Fighting Pokémon in the video game. The ability to survive to a fatal hit with 10HP remaining first appeared on Giovanni's Machamp in Gym Challenge 2 (2000), under the name Fortitude.
Courtesy to its big hands, Push Out is a recurring attack in Hariyama's TCG prints, first seen in Arceus (2009). Pocket reuses the exact same repelling effect.
Crunch, a strong and popular attack in the video game, has also been a mainstay in the TCG. Starting from Basculin in Black & White (2011), it almost always had the effect to discard an Energy from the Defending Pokémon with a lucky coin flip. The stronger GX version of midday Lycanroc in Burning Shadows (2017) has Crunch discarding an Energy with no coinflip required.
Midnight Lycanroc's Blood Fang is the first time this attack appears throughout both TCG, but not the first time an attack deals more according to the difference between your Pokémon's HP and your opponent's. Spirited Throw on Primeape from Steam Siege (2016) already featured this kind of attack, which so far seems to be exclusive to Energy. It forces the opponent to be careful on how they deal damage to Rockruff and Lycanroc to not suffer from a big swing back.
Dark Pokémon
Alolan Muk ex
The wordiest attack in Pokémon TCG Pocket traces back to an early era of the TCG: the first “status condition dealer” was Ninetales in Aquapolis (2003), with its effect depending on a coin flip, like most similar effects in the TCG. Unlike in Pocket, you could choose which condition to inflict on the Defending Pokémon. This type of attack has recurred over the years, with the latest example being Cradily’s ability in Stellar Crown (2024). It typically appears on Pokémon under the name “Miracle Powder,” and usually requires a coin flip to apply either any condition or a subset of possible conditions.
Various references among Dark-Type Pokémon
The Spike Cannon attack from Toxapex is immediatley taken from Toxapex GX in Guardians Rising (2017), save for the lower base damage of 20 instead of 30.
Metal (Steel) Pokémon
Solgaleo ex
On multiple TCG prints, Solgaleo has an ability that can make it switch its position on the Bench to the Active spot, such as Solgaleo GX's Ultra Road in Sun&Moon (2017).
Various references among Metal-Type Pokémon
Klefki in Celestial Guardians is very similar to Klefki in Fusion Strike (2021). Unfortunately, Unlock only draws 1 card instead of 2 in the TCG...
Dragon Pokémon
Kommo-O
Kommo-O's Clanging Scales is a port from the TCG print of Crimson Invasion, with a lower Energy cost. Unfortunately, it also lost 10 HP and its first attack in the process.
Drampa
Berserk is the signature ability of Drampa in the video game, raising its Special attack when its HP becomes too low. In the TCG, multiple prints of the Pokémon include this attack that becomes more powerful when a Pokémon on your bench is damaged; the first being Drampa GX in Guardians Rising (2017).
Colorless Pokémon
Delcatty
Delcatty's Energy Assist marks the very first time in Pokémon TCG Pocket where something is able to generate Energy, as unlike the TCG, there's no Colorless Energy available. Even in the TCG, Colorless Energy isn’t a Basic Energy type, which is why Delcatty's Energy Assist in Legends Awakened (2008) could only attach a Basic Energy from the discard pile.
Various references among Colorless-Type Pokémon
"Trapping" attacks, raising the cost of attacks and retreat on your opponent's next turn for their current Active Pokémon, are seldom seen in the TCG, spread across a lot of different types, generally only costing 1.
The angry Bewear is familiar to Tantrum, as seen in its Burning Shadows print (2017). It's a strong attack in every case, but with the downside to make it confused.
Trainer - Items
Big Malasada
Malasadas are a local treat from Hawaii, the real-world region that inspired Alola in the Pokémon universe. Stores there even sell Big Malasada, which cures all status conditions from a Pokémon. In both TCGs, Big Malasada also restores some HP in addition to removing one status. Unfortunately, unlike the Sun & Moon print (2017), the version in Pocket only heals 10 HP.
Rotom Dex
The good old Pokédex has evolved lately, being now controlled by the Pokémon Rotom. In Sun & Moon, the Rotom Pokédex replaced the classic one; in later generations, it became the Rotom Phone. In the TCG, it has the ability to look at the top cards of your deck and either decide of their order or entirely shuffle your deck. In Pocket, it only looks at the top card of your deck; in its Burning Shadows iteration (2017), it let you look at the top 4 cards of your deck.
Trainer - Tools
Leaf Cape
Leaf Cape doesn't exist in the TCG. However, giving more HP to Pokémon is a recurring effect in the game, especially to Pokémon. One of the first occurrence was on Shaymin Lv. X in Platinum (2009), through its Poké-Body Thankfulness which gave all Pokémon an extra 40HP.
Poison Barb has been around since Generation II, boosting the power of Poison attacks. It wasn’t until Sun & Moon (2017) that it received its first, and so far only TCG print, where it inflicts the Poison condition on any Pokémon that damages its holder.
Trainer - Supporters
Kiawe
Kiawe is one of these rare Supporters with an Energy acceleration effect that can accelerate by more than a single Energy in TCG Pocket, at the cost of ending your turn thus skipping your attack. In its TCG version printed in Burning Shadows (2017), although it also ends your turn, it accelerates for up to 4 Energy, on any of your Pokémon.
Mallow
Mallow has the same effect as Cheryl (Battle Styles, 2021): it heals all damage from the target at the cost of discarding its Energy. Unlike in Pocket, it applied to all evolved Pokémon, not just a specific Shiinotic or Tsareena.
This heal-at-the-cost-of-Energy effect also appears on the Max Potion item, which is a rare sight in the TCG.