Rapid Strike Energy – Battle Styles
Date Reviewed: March 22, 2021
Ratings Summary:
Standard: 4.00
Expanded: 4.00
Ratings are based on a 1 to 5 scale. 1 is horrible. 3 is average. 5 is great.
Reviews Below:
Otaku
12th-Place in our countdown goes to Rapid Strike Energy (SW – Battle Styles 140/163, 182/163). This Special Energy is one of the new Rapid Strike cards, which is important as it means Octillery (SW – Battle Styles 037/163, 178/163; SW – Black Star Promos SWSH089) can fetch it from your deck through its “Rapid Strike Search” Ability. As for what the Energy does, Rapid Strike Energy may only be attached to Rapid Strike Pokémon, and even if you somehow get it into a non-Rapid Strike Pokémon, its effect also states that you immediately discard it from that Pokémon. Rapid Strike Energy provides two units of Energy, that count as two Fighting, two Water, or a Fighting and a Water. As opposed to the typical wording for cards like this, where it would provide two units of Energy that always counted as both Fighting and Water.
Rapid Strike Energy grants speed and/or power to Rapid Strike decks, by virtue of being self-contained Energy acceleration. Cover any [CC], [FC], [FW], or [WW] cost with a single attachment, accessing stronger attacks more quickly. It isn’t as plain as directly increasing the damage an attack does, but if you’re able to use a more expensive attack with less prep time, odds are your Pokémon are hitting harder, faster. Not every Rapid Strike Pokémon can make good use of Rapid Strike Energy, but most can make at least some use of it. Some can make great use out of it. Your mileage will vary according to the Rapid Strike Pokémon themselves, as well as the specifics of the deck. Things don’t really change in the Expanded Format, though I am assuming at least one Rapid Strike Pokémon that strongly benefits from Rapid Strike Energy will exist in that metagame.
Ratings
- Standard: 4/5
- Expanded: 4/5
For many Rapid Strike decks, Rapid Strike Energy card will be important or even essential, but it is useless (or close to it) for non-Rapid Strike Pokémon, and even those like Luxray (SW – Battle Styles 048/163) that can only use it to fill a token [C] requirement. Still, it makes for a short and sweet review. I believe at least a few of the new Rapid Strike Pokémon have great promise, if not what we have, what we’ll eventually receive. Which is why I had this rated fairly highly on my own list, though it showing up this low isn’t really a problem.
Vince
Any Rapid Strike Pokémon can benefit from Rapid Strike Energy, as it provides 2 units of energy, be it water and/or fighting energy. That means it can easily cover the attack costs that involve CC, FF, WW, or WF, though that means not all rapid strike Pokémon benefit from this, because such attack costs might usually be from Water or Fighting Pokemon. Still good enough to make it on the list.
Ratings:
Standard: 4
Expanded: 4
This may look like a limited version of Double Rainbow Energy, but it is easily searchable via Octillery’s ability.
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