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While Perfect Order is one of the smallest sets we’ve seen in the Pokemon TCG in quite some time, it contains one Pokemon card that can be used in just about every deck – and that's its secret weapon.
While Perfect Order only contains a mere 88 cards, it contains several new mechanics for one of the best card games that sets up some intriguing design space for future expansions. It also contains a card that will likely make an impact in just about every competitive Pokemon TCG deck, Meowth ex, which sets the stage for future sets. While Perfect Order is tiny, expect to see this set proliferate throughout the Pokemon TCG metagame immediately.
As with so many Pokemon sets, Perfect Order is tricky to get hold of. However, it's available for a very reasonable price at Miniature Market and Walmart in the US (for UK fans, go straight to Amazon). You can get the full lowdown in our guide on where to buy Pokemon TCG Perfect Order.
While Perfect Order is centered around Mega Zygarde ex, a powerful Basic Pokemon that’s also a Mega Evolution and can deal out massive amounts of damage to an opponent’s entire roster of Pokemon, the real star of the set is Meowth ex. This card is the undisputed MVP thanks to its Last-Ditch Catch ability. When the card is put into play, its player can immediately search their deck for a Supporter card. Being able to freely pull a Supporter into the hand (and then play it on the same turn, provided that you haven’t already played a Supporter) is huge. Plus, Meowth ex’s Tuck Tail attack allows a player to pull Meowth from the field and then put it back into play the following turn, thus allowing another activation of Last-Ditch Catch.
From the online chatter I’ve seen, it appears that almost every player is looking to add Meowth ex to their decks. In fact, I haven’t seen a card anticipated to slot into every deck, regardless of type or build, since 2024’s Fezandipiti ex. What’s really intriguing is that Meowth ex is an unevolved Pokemon, which lines up some intriguing design space for the future. Could we see other unevolved Pokemon serve as must-have accelerants or tech cards that have similarly wide use? Personally, I’d love to see more unevolved Pokemon ex cards, especially if they provide a similar versatility.
Other new mechanics in Perfect Order include a new variation on Special Energy cards. Generally, Special Energy cards benefit every kind of Pokemon, regardless of type. However, these new Special Energy cards extend special benefits to specific types of card. The Growing Energy Card grants extra HP to Grass-type Pokemon, while the Rocky Energy prevents Fighting-type Pokemon from suffering any effects of attacks. The downside, of course, is that these Special Energy cards can’t be targeted by abilities that pull out Basic Energy cards from the deck, but I’m sure they’ll see some kind of play in specialized situations. My guess is that Telepathic Energy will see use in Gardevoir ex decks, as the card itself accelerates Psychic Energy onto Bench Pokemon.
Another intriguing card is Mega Starmie ex, a Stage 1 Pokemon with respectable damage output and the ability to put a lot of pressure on opponents. Mega Starmie ex can potentially enter play early in the game, dealing damage to both Active Pokemon and Bench Pokemon with its Jetting Blow attack and then knocking out opponents with its Nebula Beam. Starmie ex made waves in Japan when it first released but was quickly solved for, but I expect it to see some play in Water-type decks.
In terms of collectability, secondary prices for this set seem somewhat reasonable, especially compared to Ascended Heroes. The Mega Hyper Rare Mega Zygarde ex is obviously the top seller, continuing a trend where the Mega Hyper Rare card becomes the most expensive in the set. Another hot card is the Special Illustration Rare version of Rosa’s Encouragement, a card that will automatically slot into Dragapult ex decks everywhere because of its ability to attach discarded energy to a Stage 2 Pokemon. Given that Dragapult ex decks are one of the most powerful in the game, Rosa’s Encouragement is going to draw some interest from players looking to add flashy cards to their meta decks. Of course, the Special Illustration Rare version of Meowth ex is another hot seller, in part because of the card’s presumed future popularity in every deck imaginable.
Overall, Perfect Order is everything a Pokemon TCG set is supposed to be. It adds several meta-relevant cards into rotation, tries out some new mechanics, and tosses in a few chase cards for collectors.
It’s interesting that Mega Evolution cards haven’t overwhelmed the metagame yet, too. With Mega Starmie ex, we have a bonafide true attacker that can at least be used in tandem with other cards, but the “big” cards of the set haven’t risen to the top of the metagame. Still, Perfect Order advances the Pokemon TCG set with a minimal amount of fluff, and that makes it a great expansion.
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For more tabletop recommendations, don't miss the best board games or the best tabletop RPGs. As for more Poke-goodness, be sure to check out our guide to the best Pokemon merch.
