Coalossal V – Pokemon Vivid Voltage Review

Otaku

Coalossal V (SW – Vivid Voltage 098/185, 173/185) did not make our countdown of the top 15 cards from SW – Vivid Voltage, but Coalossal VMAX did, and this is the only Coalossal V.  That means I’d practically be reviewing it anyway in the Coalossal V review, so why not just make it official – and easier to read – by reviewing it separately?  Its status as a Pokémon V means Coalossal V gives up an extra Prize when KO’d, is excluded from certain beneficial effects, and is specified by certain detrimental ones.  The compensation for this is that Coalossal V is a Basic, instead of being a Stage 2, has 60 more HP than the one baseline Coalossal.  We’ll discuss whether or not it seems to have better effects as well. 

Coalossal V’s [F] typing is good, at least in theory.  It enjoys double damage against Pokémon like Eternatus VMAX (Weakness), and this set contains some promising new Fighting support.  There’s proven Fighting support in Expanded.  [F] Resistance might be a problem, though, but I wouldn’t sweat the anti-Fighting effects you technically could face in Expanded.  Being a Basic is as good as it gets; no extra cards or time is required for it to hit the field.  The 220 HP is typical for a Basic Pokémon V, and with a decent shot of surviving a hit.  [G] Weakness isn’t good; Decidueye (SM – Darkness Ablaze 013/189; SM – Black Star Promos SWSH035) goes from 3HKOing to 2HKOing due to it… or a OHKO enough help.  A lack of Resistance is typical but technically also the worst.  A Retreat Cost of [CCCC] is too high to pay, but it does come with access to cards like Poké Maniac and Buff Padding.

Coalossal V knows two attacks.  For [FFC] it can use “Searing Flame” to do 90 damage, plus Burn your opponent’s Active.  “Boulder Crash” requires [FFFC] and does 180 damage with no additional effects.  This is where the card disappoints.  Both attacks are either overpriced or underpowered, and I’m inclined to say it is more the former because of Coalossal VMAX.  See its review for details, but the short version is Coalossal VMAX itself has a good, less-expensive attack.  So the one turn before it evolves, unless you’re including Energy acceleration, it can’t attack.  If you are including Energy acceleration, it still doesn’t attack especially well. You can run something like Bea to try and speed things up… but it can do more with other cards.  Expanded doesn’t really help with these problems, either.  Coalossal V is still beefy enough to run in a Mulligan deck, or to run alongside other Fighting types, in the Limited Format.  The high Energy costs are still a concern here, however.

Ratings

• Standard: 2/5
• Expanded: 2/5
• Limited: 3/5

Coalossal V is a filler evolving Pokémon V, and while not awful, it isn’t one of the better ones, either.  Run it because you have to in order to field Coalossal VMAX.