Sword & Shield—Rebel Clash

Status: Released (May 2020)

The Rebellion Begins in Rebel Clash

The punk-rock attitude of Galar took center stage on May 1, 2020, with Sword & Shield—Rebel Clash. This set introduced the final forms of the Galar starters as Pokémon VMAX: Rillaboom VMAX, Cinderace VMAX, and Inteleon VMAX. The expansion also focused heavily on "Toxtricity VMAX," a lightning/poison type that embodied the set's rebellious theme.

Boss's Orders Changes Everything

While the Pokémon were cool, one Trainer card defined the entire generation: "Boss's Orders." This supporter allowed players to switch one of their opponent's benched Pokémon with their active Pokémon. Known as a "gust" effect, it had been absent from the Standard format for a while (since Lysandre), and its return meant that no Pokémon on the bench was safe. Every deck had to adapt to the reality that their support Pokémon, like Dedenne-GX or Crobat V, were now liabilities that could be dragged out and knocked out for game at any moment. Sword & Shield—Rebel Clash brought a new level of aggression and tactical depth to the TCG.