Sun & Moon—Crimson Invasion

Status: Released (November 2017)

Ultra Beasts Invade in Crimson Invasion

The Alola region faced a new threat on November 3, 2017, with the release of Sun & Moon—Crimson Invasion. This set marked the TCG debut of the "Ultra Beasts"—mysterious, extradimensional Pokémon with powerful attacks and unique prize card interactions. Buzzwole-GX, Kartana-GX, Nihilego-GX, and Guzzlord-GX led the charge, bringing aggressive new strategies that shook up the meta. The expansion was characterized by intense red-tinted artwork, reflecting the invasion theme.

Buzzwole-GX and Zoroark's New Partner

Of all the Ultra Beasts, "Buzzwole-GX" made the biggest splash. Its "Jet Punch" attack provided incredible early-game pressure, dealing 30 damage to the active Pokémon and 30 to a benched Pokémon for a single fighting energy. This allowed it to dominate evolving basic Pokémon before they ever had a chance to grow. Meanwhile, "Silvally-GX" emerged as a versatile support partner, often paired with metal types or other attackers, while the previously released Zoroark-GX found a new level of dominance when paired with the disruptive Golisopod-GX from Burning Shadows.