Pokémon TCG Pocket’s Celestial Guardians expansion, themed around Alolan Pokémon from Sun and Moon, launches with Rare Candy, set to shake up the metagame.
Pokémon TCG Pocket is set to launch Celestial Guardians, its sixth expansion, on 30 April, and fans are already gearing up for what may be the most impactful update since the game’s debut. The new set not only expands on the Alola-themed cards, but also introduces a long-awaited Item card that could dramatically affect the current PvP metagame: Rare Candy.
Celestial Guardians brings Alola into the spotlight
Celestial Guardians is a larger set compared to recent expansions like Shining Revelry and Triumphant Light, offering two themed booster packs based on Solgaleo and Lunala. The expansion features several fan favourites from the Sun and Moon era, including the Alolan starter trio Rowlet, Litten, and Popplio, alongside regional variants like Alolan Raichu and Alolan Marowak.
In addition to Pokémon cards, the expansion includes Trainer cards referencing notable characters from the Alola region. Players can also look forward to new cosmetic features such as a themed binder cover and a display board to organise their growing collections.
What sets this expansion apart is the inclusion of what appear to be dual versions of certain Pokémon, including the starters. Early previews hint at daytime and nighttime forms, each with unique stats and abilities. It remains to be seen how prevalent this split will be, but it opens the door to new strategic builds and multiple evolution paths within a single deck archetype.
Rare Candy expected to alter evolution-based play
While the new Alolan cards are a major draw, it’s the introduction of Rare Candy that has caught the attention of competitive players. This item card allows a Basic Pokémon to evolve directly into a Stage Two, skipping the intermediate Stage One entirely. It’s a major shift, especially in a game where slower evolution lines have often lagged behind more aggressive strategies.
Up until now, evolution speed has been one of TCG Pocket’s most criticised mechanics, particularly in PvP. Stage Two Pokémon are powerful but often impractical due to the time and card economy needed to bring them into play. Rare Candy addresses this problem directly, giving underused evolution lines a potential comeback.
Metagame implications
Before its official reveal, Rare Candy had been a frequent topic among TCG Pocket players on Reddit, especially among veteran players familiar with its role in the physical TCG. Many were sceptical that such a card would make it into Pokémon TCG Pocket, as the developers have historically limited powerful Item card releases. That caution made the announcement all the more surprising.
Rare Candy’s inclusion in Celestial Guardians could finally give slower Stage Two decks like Charizard ex a real shot in PvP. For free-to-play players especially, it opens up more options beyond the usual top-tier line-ups.
At present, the metagame remains skewed, with Giratina ex and Darkrai ex decks making up a significant chunk of high-level PvP matches. While Rare Candy offers a potential counterbalance, some players have noted that its debut alongside Lunala ex, which is a card expected to strengthen Psychic-based decks, might instead reinforce the current meta. Lunala ex’s ability to move Psychic Energy between Pokémon could enhance existing Giratina strategies, though it's too soon to determine the full impact.
