Galarian Chestplate – Chilling Reign
Date Reviewed: August 7, 2021
Ratings Summary:
Standard: 3.00
Expanded: 2.00
Ratings are based on a 1 to 5 scale. 1 is horrible. 3 is average. 5 is great.
Reviews Below:
Otaku
I’ve mentioned it in a few other Card of the Days, so let us officially take a look at Galarian Chestplate (SW – Chilling Reign 141/198)! This is a Trainer-Item, specifically a Pokémon Tool. While Items are normally great because they have no costs or conditions automatically built in to use them, Tools do have a condition: to play them, you must attach them to a legal target that doesn’t already have a Tool equipped. Excepts are those Pokémon with an effect that specifically allows them multiple Tools at a time. Both support and counters exist for Tools as well, even in Standard. Galarian Chestplate has no attachment restrictions, at least: anything can equip it.
However, its effect is worded so that it only benefits Galarian Pokémon. Specifically, while Galarian Chestplate is equipped to a Pokémon with “Galarian” in its name, that Pokémon takes 30 less damage from attacks made by your opponent’s Pokémon. This works whether the equipped Pokémon is Active or on the Bench, but the damage reduction happens after Weakness and Resistance. The latter isn’t a problem, but the former means anything that does 40+ damage still hits you harder. Regular readers know the rule about things like doing extra damage, reducing damage taken, healing, or increasing HP scores: unless it alters how many turns it takes for a KO, it doesn’t actually matter. Exceptions allowed when altering such numbers triggers or avoids triggering other card effects.
Fortunately for Galarian Chestplate, soaking 30 damage is solid. After all, that is how much damage is reduced by proven cards such as Metal Frying Pan and Metal Goggles. Yes, though cards have additional effects, and they’re pretty good ones. Metal Frying Pan cancels out Weakness, and Metal Goggles protects against damage counter placement by an opponent’s attacks and Abilities. Metal types also have other damage reducing options, but even the games where it was just the -30 to damage taken applying, Metal Goggles and Metal Frying Pan was enough to make significant differences. So…
…it is just a matter of finding out what Pokémon with Galarian in their name would significantly benefit from it. I don’t know of any proven examples, but with cards like Galarian Moltres V and Galarian Zapdos V seeing competitive success, I’m reasonably confident something will eventually pop up. Still, in Expanded I have to award a lower score, simply because there are so many great Tools here that competition is fierce. There are other Tools to consider in Standard, but none of them are standouts like Float Stone or Muscle Band.
Ratings
- Standard: 3/5
- Expanded: 2/5
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