Hello readers! Vince here with an unusual post. This time, I would like to imagine what a format would be like if you can only use cards from a limited number of expansions. So far, to recap, there’s Standard that happens once every year to keep the game fresh. Expanded keeps all sets from Black & White-onwards which would be more than 30 expansions! Limited format is more about a specific expansion that’s usually a one and done event like prereleases. And Legacy keeps expansions that consists of both HeartGold/SoulSilver and Black/White series. The formats have already been established, but how about making one more?

Ever since the leftover expansions from the XY series rotated out from Standard, I was thinking of a format that contains the Black & White and XY series in a similar manner to Legacy. With that, I would hypothetically call this the Unity format. The card template from both BW and XY are the same, whether it be trainers, energy, and Pokémon (regular and EX). With limited expansions, it’ll be less hostile than Expanded because some successful decks won’t have to deal with endless power creep than what we’re seeing today.

Here’s a list of expansions regarding BW & XY:

  • -Black & White
  • -Black & White Emerging Powers
  • -Black & White Noble Victories 
  • -Black & White Next Destines
  • -Black & White Dark Explorers
  • -Black & White Dragons Exalted
  • -Black & White Boundaries Crossed
  • -Black & White Plasma Storm
  • -Black & White Plasma Freeze
  • -Black & White Plasma Blast
  • -Black & White Legendary Treasures
  • -Dragon Vault
  • -BW Black Star Promos
  • -XY
  • -XY Flashfire
  • -XY Furious Fists
  • -XY Phantom Forces
  • -XY Primal Clash
  • -Double Crisis
  • -XY Roaring Skies
  • -XY Ancient Origins
  • -XY BreakThrough
  • -XY BreakPoint
  • -Generations
  • -XY Fates Collide
  • -XY Steam Siege
  • -XY Evolutions
  • -XY Black Star Promos

Even though that’s more than 20 set expansions to work with, decks that we’re successful in its own time will remain successful in this new format. Though to maintain a healthy environment, cards that were banned from the Expanded format will remain banned in this new format.

The list of cards banned is here:

  • -Archeops
  • -Ghetsis
  • -Lysandre’s Trump Card
  • -Wally
  • -Forest of Giant Plants
  • -Hex Maniac
  • -Puzzle of Time

So what can you expect to see in this hypothetical format? Well instead of explaining, I’ll just list some of the decks that are seen throughout the days:

  • -Emboar variants (fire accelerator)
  • -Blastoise variants (water accelerator)
  • -Magnezone variants (lightning accelerator)
  • -Eelectrik (lightning recovery)
  • -Bronzong (metal recovery)
  • -Darkrai EX (both DRX and BKT, turbo dark) with Yveltal-EX
  • -Greninja Break
  • -Xerneas Break
  • -Night March

…and much more. As for some card staples? Here’s the list again:

  • -Shaymin-EX (Set Up)
  • -Jirachi-EX (Stellar Guidance)
  • -Muscle Band
  • -Battle Compressor
  • -Professor Sycamore/Juniper
  • -N
  • -Lysandre
  • -Vs Seeker
  • -Fighting Fury Belt
  • -Some Ace Spec staples such as Computer Search, Dowsing Machine, and Scramble Switch.

And many more!

This is mostly an example of what a hypothetical format would be like if they implemented it in the Pokemon TCG Online. As of this post, there’s no plans or any talk regarding this format, most likely because I barely mentioned something fun to use and is not been discussed at all, hence why I decided to speak up in my leisure.

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