Sword & Shield—Brilliant Stars

Status: Released (February 2022)

Arceus Descends in Brilliant Stars

The game changed again on February 25, 2022, with Sword & Shield—Brilliant Stars. This set introduced the "VSTAR" mechanic, evolving Pokémon V into powerful forms with a one-time-use "VSTAR Power" ability or attack. The poster child was "Arceus VSTAR," whose "Starbirth" ability allowed you to search your deck for *any* two cards. This consistency was unmatched, and Arceus instantly became the backbone of countless top-tier decks.

The Trainer Gallery Debuts

For collectors, Brilliant Stars was a revolution. It introduced the "Trainer Gallery," a subset of 30 cards featuring Pokémon alongside their iconic trainers in full-art glory. Chase cards like "Umbreon VMAX" with Karen or "Sylveon VMAX" with Valerie gave players significantly better pull rates and added huge value to opening packs. Combined with the "Charizard V" alternate art, this set is widely considered one of the best-designed expansions in TCG history.