XY—Primal Clash

Status: Released (February 2015)

Awaken Ancient Power in XY—Primal Clash

The land and sea trembled with the release of XY—Primal Clash on February 4, 2015. This expansion brought the "Primal Reversion" mechanic from the *Omega Ruby* and *Alpha Sapphire* video games into the TCG, introducing the titanic cards Primal Kyogre-EX and Primal Groudon-EX. These cards featured "Ancient Traits"—special abilities that gave Pokémon persistent advantages, such as being able to attach two energy cards per turn or healing damage when evolving.

The Rise of Primal Groudon and Wailord

Competitive play was shaken up by the sheer size and power of the new cards. Primal Groudon-EX, with its "Omega Barrier" ancient trait, became nearly impossible to target with trainer cards, allowing players to build up massive attacks undisturbed. Meanwhile, Wailord-EX—with its then-record-breaking 250 HP—spawned the infamous "Wailord Stall" deck, which sought to win by simply outlasting the opponent's deck. With powerful Mega Evolutions like Mega Gardevoir-EX joining the fray, XY—Primal Clash added a new layer of depth and strategy to the game.