Sun & Moon—Lost Thunder

Status: Released (November 2018)

A Thunderous Expansion in Lost Thunder

The largest set in history (at the time) arrived on November 2, 2018, with Sun & Moon—Lost Thunder . Boosting over 200 cards, this expansion combined the Japanese sets "Thunderclap Spark," "Fairy Rise," and "Super-Burst Impact" into one massive block. It reinvigorated the "Lost Zone" mechanic, introducing the "Lost March" deck archetype which used cheap attackers like Jumpluff and Natu to deal massive damage based on the number of Pokémon in the Lost Zone.

Blacephalon-GX and Alolan Ninetales-GX

While Lost March was fun, the true titans of the set were "Blacephalon-GX" and "Alolan Ninetales-GX." Blacephalon-GX, or "Cake Pop," offered explosive aggression by discarding fire energy for huge damage, a strategy perfectly supported by the new Prism Star "Naganadel." On the other side, "Alolan Ninetales-GX" became the ultimate support Pokémon for Stage 2 decks, using its "Mysterious Guidance" ability to search for two Item cards upon evolution. This ability to instantly find Rare Candies made Stage 2 decks viable again, reshaping the entire standard format.