Diamond & Pearl—Stormfront

Status: Released (November 2008)

Weather the Storm with Diamond & Pearl—Stormfront

The Diamond & Pearl era culminated in a thunderous finale with Diamond & Pearl—Stormfront, released on November 5, 2008. This final expansion in the series brought the Sinnoh journey to a dramatic close, reintroducing Shiny Pokémon to the card game for the first time in years. Diamond & Pearl—Stormfront is celebrated for its secret rare "retro cards," which reprinted the original Base Set Charmander, Charmeleon, and Charizard with updated stats but classic artwork. This nostalgic touch, combined with the set's focus on powerful, storm-themed Pokémon, made it an instant favorite among collectors.

The Thunderous Impact of Stormfront

Competitively, Diamond & Pearl—Stormfront introduced game-changing cards like Machamp, whose "Take Out" attack could instantly knock out any unevolved Pokémon for just one fighting energy. The set also featured the "distributing" engine of Poké-Drawer + and Poké-Healer +, Trainer cards that became significantly more powerful when played in pairs. With high-value chase cards like the Shiny Drifloon and the imposing Regigigas LV.X, Diamond & Pearl—Stormfront was a perfect send-off for the Diamond & Pearl block, paving the way for the Platinum era.