With the newest Pokemon TCG set Astral Radiance out, collectors and players of the Pokemon TCG alike are trying to pull the newest VSTAR cards. It feels like VSTAR is slowly replacing VMAX cards in the recent Pokemon TCG sets and there may be a reason for that. But when it comes to VMAX vs VSTAR, what’s the difference between the new VMAX and the older VSTAR cards?
VMAX vs VSTAR
VMAX cards are based on a gimmick from the Switch game Pokemon Sword and Shield called Gigantimax. This feature let players charge up their Pokemon during battle, making them physically gigantic and extremely powerful for 3 turns. In the trading card game, VMAX is used in a similar fashion by evolving your Pokemon into something more powerful. The VMAX cards feature a full art Pokemon in it’s Gigantimax form.
VSTAR may be based on a gimmick from the new upcoming Switch game, Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. We can’t confirm this theory yet but there’s quite a bit of evidence pointing towards this being a possibility. In the TCG, VSTAR is now the most powerful card you can have in a deck. Unlike VMAX cards, VSTARs have special powerful abilities that can only be used once per game, sometimes less health than VMAX cards, and cost two prize cards instead of 3. Using these abilities can mean the difference between winning or losing a match. In terms of the art, VSTAR cards aren’t necessarily full art, but feature special CGI art of the Pokemon.
Which one do you prefer? VSTAR or VMAX? Let us know in the comments below!