The Pokémon Company International (TPCi) is continuing the high-paced tempo of reveals for the paired expansions, Black Bolt and White Flare.
This time, the legendary Pokémon of Tornadus, Thundurus, and Landorus have all been revealed.
The Forces of Nature
Despite their distinctions as Legendary Pokémon in the lore of the franchise, the newly revealed cards seem to be lacking some of that bombastic style and flair that's normally associated with such esteem.
Tornadus Wrapped in Wind: Attach a Basic Energy card from your hand to this Pokemon. Hurricane: 100 damage. Move a Basic Energy card from this Pokemon to 1 of your Benched Pokemon. Thundurus Charge: Search your deck for a Basic Lightning Energy card and attach it to this Pokemon. Then, shuffle your deck. Disaster Volt: 110 damage. Discard an Energy from this Pokemon. Landorus Abundant Harvest: Attach a Basic Energy card from your discard pile to this Pokemon. Earthquake: 110 damage. This attack also does 10 damage to each of your Benched Pokemon. (Don't apply Weakness and Resistance for Benched Pokemon.)
Artwork aside, each of the three Pokémon is at Basic level with a respectable health size. Landorus ekes out a bit of a lead at 130, though.
Comparing the three to current competitive staples of the same stripe, like Raging Bolt or its ex version, Tornadus, Thundurus, and Landorus feel a little lacking.
This is further exacerbated by how little damage they do for a cost of three energy, roughly 100-110 damage depending on which Pokémon you are fielding.
That said, Tornadus, Thundurus, Landorus all have an inherent energy acceleration ability. Each one is slightly different from the other. Regardless of the differences, this kind of ability is pretty rare on Basic level Pokémon.
Thundurus definitely takes the spotlight when it comes to gaining energy. This particular Pokémon is pulling a basic energy straight from the deck. This is a highly efficient ability, even if you have to give up your attack for it in the first place.
Tornadus, meanwhile, allows its player to ramp energy the old-fashioned way, from the hand. Lastly, Landorus will take some finagling as it attaches an energy card from the discard pile.
Unfortunately, the problems for the three keep coming, as once they’re online to attack, keeping them online becomes the next issue. Tornadus and Thundurus need a constant supply of energy in hand as they’re always chucking away one of their own somewhere.
Thankfully, Landorus doesn’t have this issue but does do friendly fire to allied bench Pokémon. Given that Munkidori is still in legal rotation, this can end up being a little more positive than first inclined.
All-in-all, there’s a pretty good chance these cards won’t see competitive play. The reception of online community members appears to be on the positive side. That said, the favor for them seems more out of nostalgia or for collection purposes.
Then again, in any Trading Card Game (TCG), Rogue decks are a thing that exist. We can easily see someone making use of any, or all, of the three above-mentioned Pokémon in their deck. There is also the possibility that TPCi might print out the Therian Formes of Tornadus, Thundurus, and Landorus later in the same set.
Ultimately, we’ll just have to wait and see. It’s still early for Black Bolt & White Flare’s reveal season after all.
Black Bolt & White Flare Reveals More Evolution Lines and Trainer Cards