Mewtwo V-Union V-Union
Date Reviewed:
November 2, 2021
Ratings Summary:
Standard: See Below
Expanded: See Below
Ratings are based on a 1 to 5 scale. 1 is horrible. 3 is average. 5 is great.
Reviews Below:
Otaku
Hope you’re not tired of these new promos, because today begin coverage of Mewtwo V-Union! If you don’t yet know the fundamentals of Pokémon V-Union cards, this link will take you to an article on the official Pokémon website. If you absolutely cannot or will not go and read that, I’ll try to fill you in as we go. To begin with, there are four cards named Mewtwo V-Union:
- SW – Black Star Promos SWSH159
- SW – Black Star Promos SWSH160
- SW – Black Star Promos SWSH161
- SW – Black Star Promos SWSH162
because Mewtwo V-Union is made by combining all four cards together! We’re covering (and scoring) each of them separately, mostly because of the sheer volume of information we would otherwise have to cover in an individual review. I’ll have an overall score for Mewtwo V-Union in the fourth and final review, besides scoring the individual cards.
All four of these cards have the same name (Mewtwo V-Union), typing (Psychic), Stage (V-Union), and Rule Box (How To Play A Pokémon V-UNION) printed on them, however these things are printed in different places and using different font sizes. Their individual artwork also makes a larger whole when correctly arranged, and the largest fonts for the shared card will correspond (more or less) to where you’d expect them on an oversized promo card. These four aspects of the card are also recognized by the PTCG’s mechanics. While this can be good, it has a massive drawback in that you’re limited to four total cards named “Mewtwo V-Union” in a single deck. Unless you want to waste slots, that means running one of each piece. If a piece is stuck in your Prizes, you better find a way to get it. If, in Expanded, a piece ends up in the Lost Zone… too bad!
As the one Rule Box on the card explains, to put Mewtwo V-Union into play requires you have one of each piece of it in your discard pile, as well as an open space on your Bench. Then, during our turn, you can move those pieces from your discard pile to your Bench, assembling them into Mewtwo V-Union. A V-Union only requires one Bench space, even though they’re made of four cards. There is an additional catch, however: you may only put Mewtwo V-Union into play once per game through this method. Currently, there are no alternative ways to put it into play. If an effect causes Mewtwo V-Union to leave the field… that’s it. It doesn’t matter if it is sent to the deck, your hand, or any other zone: nothing resets its built-in mechanic for putting it into play.
Mewtwo V-Union’s status as a Psychic Pokémon should be helpful. While some of the currently available [P] support in Standard won’t matter, and others you could give or take, Shadow Rider Calyrex VMAX offers badly needed Energy acceleration. Another perk is exploiting the [P] Weakness found on Rapid Strike Urshifu VMAX. In Expanded, you’ll face some [P] Resistance, but most older Psychic types are actually [P] Weak themselves. Mewtwo V-Union gains access to Dimension Valley, plus some other decent tricks, in Expanded; being able to use any of its attacks for [C] less is a simple but sweet reward. Unlike Fog Crystal (which can only fetch Basic Psychic Pokémon or basic Psychic Energy cards), Mysterious Treasure can snag a Mewtwo V-Union card from your deck.
There’s actually a bit more to being a Pokémon V-Union. They’re a form of Pokémon V, so any effect that applies to or excludes those will do the same with Pokémon V-Union. Effects that reference a specific subclass of Pokémon V (like Pokémon VMAX) do not apply. As stated, they have a Rule Box so yes, Path to the Peak can shut off Mewtwo V-Union’s Ability (found on a different piece). Speaking of Rule Box’s, there is another on Mewtwo V-Union, split between SW – Black Star Promos SWSH161 and SW – Black Star Promos SWSH162. This one states that Mewtwo V-Union is worth three Prizes when KO’d. Yup, the same as a Pokémon VMAX. V-Unions don’t have to wait to evolve, but running afoul of the 4 Copy Rule can make them… finicky. V-Union is their Stage of Evolution: they are neither Evolution (or Evolved) Pokémon, nor Basic Pokémon.
The only other aspect of Mewtwo VMAX printed on this card is a single attack. I’m tempted to still get into them but… yeah, we’re running pretty long as is. The good news/bad news is that SW – Black Star Promos SWSH159 only has one last thing to discuss: “Union Gain”, priced at [C]. This attack appears on the first piece of all four currently available Pokémon V-Union. The only difference is affecting a different type of Energy, in accordance with that particular V-Union’s type. Meaning Mewtwo V-Union can use Union Gain to attach two [P] Energy from the discard pile to itself. Only basic Psychic Energy count as [P] when not attached. Using Union Gain not only means giving up an attack, but exposing Mewtwo V-Union to whatever attack your opponent uses next turn. Even in Expanded, where you can use it for [0], I don’t think that’s a worthwhile trade.
While I won’t go into details, Mewtwo V-Union does not set a new HP record, nor does it have any other single Energy attachment attacks. This is why I said it needs Energy acceleration, with Shadow Rider Calyrex VMAX being one of the few compatible options in Standard. In Expanded, maybe you could use Malamar (SM – Forbidden Light 51/131; SM – Black Star Promos SM117; Shiny Vault SV18/SV94). Its “Psychic Recharge” attack can, once during your turn, attach a basic Psychic Energy card from your discard pile to something on your Bench. Fortunately, if you have multiple instances of this Malamar in play, each can use its Psychic Recharge once during your turn. Even one or two of these on your Bench could make a big difference.
So… that’s Mewtwo V-Union (SW – Black Star Promos SWSH159)! It seems unlikely we’ll ever get a different “first quarter” for Mewtwo V-Union, as the cards need to not only have the same name and be the same quadrant of the larger V-Union, but they also need to be part of the same artwork. Still, if it happens, it wouldn’t take much to improve over Union Gain. For as hard as I’ve been on it, Union Gain is not worthless. If you’re desperate or your opponent can’t attack during your next turn, getting two Energy from your discard pile is a solid deal.
Ratings
- Standard: 2/5
- Expanded: 2/5
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