With the recent installments in the Pokémon video games introducing Galarian and Alolan forms, fans have seen some of their favorite Pokémon redesigned with new typings. Marowak got an amazing new design with a fire/ghost typing in Sun & Moon and Farfecth’d got a powerful makeover in Sword & Shield. But long before new typings were being added into the games, Pokémon TCG was experimenting with them.
10 GARDEVOIR EX
Garvedoir ex was redesigned as fire type in the Ex Dragon Frontiers expansion. For a Pokémon that usually looks so graceful, this artwork that shows Gardevoir enveloped by a flaming aura, arms spread out wide, with glaring eyes is quite the design change. Amazing aesthetics aside, at the time, this card had a pretty powerful ability.
Once during your turn before you attack, you can put an Imprison marker on your opponent’s active Pokémon. Any Pokémon with an Imprison marker on them is unable to use their Poké-Powers or Poké-Bodies.
9 BLASTOISE
Blastoise Delta Species was released in EX Crystal Guardians and this classic starter Pokémon is just as cool as a water type as it is in its redesigned fighting/steel type. The first series of Delta Species cards were all part steel type, but this was changed a couple expansions in, in favour of completely different typings altogether.
Its fun to imagine Blastoise forgoing the massive cannons on his shoulders due to his new typing and instead, bashing his enemies to bits with his stubby arms and massive legs. Or as his second move Skull Bash implies, doing away with them by way of a headbutt.
8 RAYQUAZA EX
Rayquaza ex Delta Species was released in the EX Dragon Frontiers expansion. Although it may not seem so strange now that Rayquaza is electric type given it lives in the sky with thunder and lightning, but in the mid-2000s, dragon Pokémon were all normal typings. So getting an electric dragon was a great way to surprise TCG players.
We like the older cards because their abilities are often more inventive than some of the new cards that can KO everything in one attack. It’s Poké-Body ability lets you ignore the normal energy necessary in the costs of its two attacks as long as you have more prize cards than your opponent.
7 FLYGON EX
Flygon EX Delta Species was released in the EX Dragon Frontiers expansion. A fan favourite dragon for a long time, the psychic retyping is vastly different from what we’d expect considering it’s normally a dragon/ground type. It also uses a strategy that you don’t see as often in the meta anymore, which is spreading damage to all of your opponents Pokémon.
It’s Poké-Body ability is Sand Damage and it lets you put one damage counter on each of your opponent’s benched basic Pokémon between turns. On top of that, it’s Psychic Pulse attack deals an additional 10 damage to each of your opponent’s benched Pokémon that has a damage counter on it. That’s an extra 30 damage from the beginning of your turn to the beginning of your opponent’s.
6 SALAMENCE EX
The team at Pokémon were really intent on retyping dragon types in these sets, since they named one of the expansions Dragon Frontiers! Salamence EX Delta Species is another card from that set and has some pretty intimidating artwork to go along with its water typing. Salamence cards are water and fire, so this is no surprise now, but it definitely was in 2006.
A theme that you’ll see is that these cards don’t hold a candle to the new ultra rares in terms of power. But in our opinion, the ingenuity of the designs and the fair balance between the different Delta Species cards is what made them such a memorable release.
5 MEWTWO
One of the few non-EX Pokémon on this list, Mewtwo Delta Species is just too cool to not include. From the original Delta Species expansion, EX Delta Species, Mewtwo seems one of the most fitting Pokémon to get a retyping (given its the product of genetic splicing). The fire/steel type alone is a cool enough type pairing, but that ominous red aura is what really makes this design stand out.
It’s Poké-Power is very similar to recent versions of Mew. When you put Mewtwo Delta Species from your hand onto the bench, you can move any number of energy cards attached to your Pokémon onto your other Pokémon in any way you like. It’s Energy Ball attack is also very similar to the more modern Mewtwo EX’s X Ball attack.
4 TYRANITAR EX
We think that Tyranitar by itself is one of the coolest Pokémon designs. When Silver and Gold came out, everyone wanted one in their roster. This electric type Tyranitar EX from EX Dragon Frontiers has some of the most stunning artwork on any Delta Species card. Probably the only thing that could make Tyranitar scarier than it already is, is having bolts of electricity fly out of its body; which is does here.
It is also one of the rare Pokémon that has three attacks. Its Electromark attack lets you put a shockwave counter on one of your opponent’s Pokémon. You can then use Shock-wave to knock out any Pokémon that has one of those counters on them.
3 GYARADOS GOLD STAR
Anyone who was a fan of these sets knew that the Gold Star cards would be on here. Not only are these cards given a different typing, but they’re also the shiny version of the Pokémon. These cards are very rare and VERY expensive. Gyarados Gold Star is from the EX Holon Phantoms expansion. If you thought that blue Gyarados was an intimidating Pokémon, then take a look at this red one.
This design screams power, not to mention it has a ridiculous attack in the form of All-out Blast. You discard cards from the top of your deck until you have one card left, then this attack does 50 damage plus 20 more for each energy card you discard that way. It’s a final gambit move that could probably knock out most Pokémon even in the modern format.
2 MEW GOLD STAR
As opposed to Gyarados Gold Star, that just screams rage and anger, Mew Gold Star gives us a lovely sense of calm. This card is from EX Dragon Frontiers and has a water typing as opposed to its normal psychic type. Like most Mew cards, this one also plays off of the energy and other attacks that are present on the battlefield.
Mimicry lets you choose an attack one of your opponent’s Pokémon in play has and copy that attack as long as you have the right energy for it. The soft blue aura surrounding Mew in front of the deep red background makes this one of the most visually appealing cards to ever be released.
1 CHARIZARD GOLD STAR
There was no question that the number one spot on this list could go to any other Pokémon than Charizard Gold Star. It is a crazy rare card that would cost you around $350 if you wanted to buy it in decent condition. Shiny Charizard is also one of the coolest looking Pokémon in the video games and the TCG. The dark typing is just the icing on the cake.
The subtle flames in the background, the contrast between the light and shadow on its body, and the way the fire extends past the border of the card are some of the reasons why this is one of the most sought after cards in the TCG.
NEXT: Pokémon: The 10 Best Grey Shiny Pokémon, Ranked
