Precious Metals

By Steffanie Saw

Are you lacking in Iron? Short on Energy? Consider supplementing your deck with Metal types!

The newest set of Pokémon TCG: Platinum brings about a ton of changes to the Diamond & Pearl realm, including Team Galactic's Pokémon, new Pokémon Formes, an all-new Lost Zone card mechanic... and even more twists and changes!

Working with Heavy Metal

It takes steely determination to work with Metal-type Pokémon. Admittedly, it is not always the easiest Energy type to base a deck around. To make this deck building a little easier, let's showcase Metal-type Pokémon, and see what Platinum has to offer in the way of serious arena-rocking strategies!

Platinum has 4 different Dialga cards, each with its own abilities. Plus, with a new LV.X version in this set alone, you'll undoubtedly be spoiled for choices to pick from.

Dialga 's (7/127) Deafen attack keeps your opponents on their toes, preventing them from playing any Trainer or Stadium cards for one turn. This could really hamper their setup and put them one full turn behind. With the capacity to inflict 70 damage in one turn with its Second Strike attack, it's definitely a hard-hitting Basic Pokémon.

Lost Zone Cause

Probably the most acclaimed card of the set thus far, the 120 HP powerhouse Dialga LV.X (122/127) has the ability to stop many popular decks in their tracks. First off, its Poké-Body Time Crystal shuts down all Poké-Bodies except those of SP Pokémon.

The Remove Lost attack deals a solid 80 damage. Plus for each heads you flip, you get to take an Energy card from the Defending Pokémon and put it in the Lost Zone. This unique card mechanic makes part of the play area a place where no card comes back into play, so your opponent will be counting his or her losses—one card at a time.

Tools of the Trade

Able to hold its own, the bold Bastiodon (20/127) has the resourceful Metal Trait Poké-Body to do away with 1 damage counter each turn, as long as it has a Pokémon Tool attached. In conjunction with Unown G (Great Encounters, 57/106), which can attach itself to a Pokémon as a Pokémon Tool, Unown G now counts as a Trainer card that triggers the card effect. A simple yet effective combo, and Unown G should be more difficult to remove from play than a normal Pokémon Tool.

Bastiodon's previous Stage, Shieldon (62/127), has some enduring qualities, too. The inexpensive attack cost for Endure means that with a lucky heads flip, it can fight on for another day with its HP going down to 10, instead of being Knocked Out.

Steel's Bells

Nothing wrong with going with Bronzong (41/127); Team Galactic's version of this Bronze Bell Pokémon is one to look out for. The strategy here is to gradually cover the opponent's Bench with damage, then use Psychic Pulse to do 40 damage to the Defending Pokémon and 10 to each Benched Pokémon that has sustained damage already. Using Abomasnow's (Stormfront, 12/100) Snow Play attack to stack up a lot of damage on your opponent's Benched Pokémon beforehand—20 damage to each, excluding Grass and Water Pokémon—will make this combo worth considering.

A Steely Determination

Platinum brings a new Metal-type version of the fan-favorite and Worlds 2008 featured Pokémon Lucario (53/127) to the table. The festive-sounding Do the Wave attack brings new meaning to the word teamwork—each of your Benched Pokémon adds an additional 10 damage to the total damage. You can flood the Bench with Basic Pokémon to maximize Lucario's base damage with the help of a Pokémon with the Call for Family attack, such as the highly playable Pachirisu (Great Encounters, 5/106). It's a fast way to grab 3 Basic Pokémon to put on the Bench for only 1 Energy.

But one thing's for sure, Platinum will certainly check all the right boxes if you love your Metal-type Pokémon—whether you are a casual fan, serious collector, or devoted player.