Trainer Gallery cards in thePokemon TCGare just plain rad. They’re celebrations of memorable Pokemon alongside the people who inhabit the world along with them. We see different sides of people and Pokemon alike, as they work in harmony (or occasionally, disharmony) toward some goal or end. Or perhaps they’re simply relaxing together. Whatever the case may be, it’s cute as all get-out.
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These full-art cards have featured in several major sets, but Silver Tempest ups the ante once again, with a stunning collection of Trainer Gallery representatives we just can’t wait to gush over.
9Serperior V
One of our favorite things about the Trainer Gallery concept is that the Pokemon TCG gets to shine the limelight on certain characters who haven’t necessarily had that happen for them in quite some time. While remakes of Pokemon Black & White are inevitable, the jury’s out on how, or if, their direct sequels Black 2 & White 2 will receive similar treatment. That’s why it’s great to see Rosa, heroine of said sequels, in a popular card with popping artwork.
The decision to pair Rosa alongside Serperior in Serperior V’s depiction is a smart one; Serperior’s lovely shades of green contrast vividly with the greens of the fields in the background, and the Grass Pokemon’s form works so well for slithering alongside Rosa as she walks her bicycle wherever they’re headed. Solar Beam for 120 damage at a pretty easy cost makes Serperior V fairly OK competitively as well, though the real goal is to evolve to Serperior VMAX as soon as possible.
8Mawile V
Players of Pokemon Sword & Shield will remember Bede as the brash and arrogant rival who embarks on his own little journey of self-discovery after being ousted from his chosen path but scooped up for another by none other than the insatiable old lady, Opal. We consider Bede’s abrupt return toward the end of the Galar League to be one of the finest moments in the game, so we’re all in on any Trainer Gallery card with Bede front-and-center.
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Or rather, kind of as a backdrop - Mawile Vshowcases the titular Mawile first and foremost, but in a way that emphasizes the groovy teamwork between the chomping pal and white-haired youth. Bede’s in his Fairy trainer getup here, so it’s fitting to see him stepping off toward the sunset - the unknown future! - alongside his friend.
7Druddigon
The Druddigoncard itself, in its most recent form, actually dates back to the Brilliant Stars expansion of the Sword & Shield era. But Silver Tempest brought it back with aplomb in a Trainer Gallery variant that features an adorably sleepy dragon friend and an Unovan Ace Trainer leaning back against it as she studies a map, no doubt preparing for the next leg of their joint journey.
Ace Trainers, or ‘COOLTRAINERS’ as they were initially localized (yeah…), represent the zenith of non-leadership power that players may bump into while exploring regions such as Unova. They frequently employ Dragon-type Pokemon here, and no doubt this Druddigon means business when it’s finally awake; under the right conditions, you can hit for 160 with a scant two Energy.
6Smeargle
Smeargleis a menace with a paintbrush. A talented menace to be sure, but a menace nevertheless. Truly, the only way this hilariously-designed Silver Tempest card could have further accentuated that fact is if it broke all tradition and splattered paint on the yellow border as well. Even as it stands, it’s barely-controlled chaos, and we are here for it.
You may have to strain your eyes a tad to find him, but the trainer in this Trainer Gallery card is Sword & Shield’s ‘Artist’ archetype. The fellow looks every bit as chaotic as the Pokemon who is… drawing… him…? Is that supposed to be him? Perhaps it’s a deep manifestation of the Artist’s soul… uh, yeah, we’ll leave these two be.
5Corviknight VMAX
Silver Tempest touts a Corviknight V Trainer Gallery card as well, and in that card’s artwork, we see the famed Flying-type lifting one of its Flying Taxis up off the ground with powerful talons. It’s a familiar sight, but there’s nothing more breathtaking than a Flying Taxi ride aboard a Gigantamax Corviknight - represented in the Pokemon TCG as Corviknight VMAX.
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At this point, Corviknight is so massive that the vehicle rests safely on its skull as the gargantuan bird takes to the heavens. Passengers can feel secure in the knowledge that their noble mount won’t falter under turbulence; Lustrous Body prevents Ability effects from triggering, so it’s smooth skies from here to Wyndon Stadium.
4Gardevoir
Akira Egawa’s artwork in the Pokemon Trading Card game often features lower angles to more ably showcase the subject in a heroic light. Silver Tempest’s Trainer Gallery Gardevoir is an excellent example. Here, we Kalosian Champion Cynthia and her Psychic/Fairy partner, standing closely as they admire their shared treasure.
It’s a lovely scene, made lovelier by the magnificent shades of color lighting up the Pokemon League’s tower behind them. There have beena lotof Gardevoir cards through the years, but here’s one a fairly new all-timer.
3Milotic
Wallace, the bedazzling Water-type Gym Leader in Pokemon Ruby & Sapphire (as well as their sixth-gen remakes), has always had a bit of an asterisk attached to the broad positivity fans express about the fellow. He takes over the Hoenn Champion role from Stephen in Pokemon Emerald, after all, and while Emerald is often cited as the finest version of the Hoenn games there is, having a final battle against a guy who specializes in one type has always felt a bit odd.
But hey. That’s neither here nor there when he gets to shine brightly from atop some cool-looking rocks whilst training his ace Pokemon, Milotic. She seems to be responding quite well to his tutorship today, with pillars of water gushing high into the late-afternoon sky. Careful you don’t get struck by one of those pillars - Water Arrow does 50 damage to an opponent’s Pokemon of the player’schoice, making Silver Tempest’s Milotic an effective sniper.
2Rockruff
Pokemon Scarlet & Violet have really gone the extra mile for dog-lovers, with not one, not two, but three dog-type duos occupying the Paldea region. But don’t forget Alola, whose Rockruff is something of a mascot especially in the Sun & Moon anime. Rockruff’s multiple potential evolutionary forms of Lycanroc make it a capable ally for much of those games, and surely for Ash Ketchum during his own extended stay, but Ash’s Rockruff is initially Professor Kukui’s.
Whether you’re imagining this cool card’s artwork as illustrating the games, the anime, or heck, even the manga, it’s tough to argue against the cuteness here as Kukui sits beside his slumbering pup and smiles. Rockruff is doubtless dreaming of becoming a mighty Lycanroc, but which one?
1Braixen
Our favorite Trainer Gallery card in the Silver Tempest expansion won’t exactly light the world aflame with a stunning action shot. It’s just Serena, seated next to her Braixen, wearing one hat and holding another, as the two BFFs have a swell time smiling cutely. But it’s so well-drawn! And it’s just plain happy. It’s happiness incarnate, and we love to see it.
Flare Parade’s a pretty quirky attack. This Braixen is capable of inflicting up to 240 damage for two Colorless Energy, though it involves casting off and discarding a whopping four Serenas to light that big bonfire. Which is… honestly really weird if you think about it.
