We are still at the beginning of the Shining Fates release, but already it is less than thirty days away from the Pokémon TCG Sword & Shield Battle Styles expansion. Due to the continued hype in the trading card community surrounding the Shining Fates release, this set could be easily overlooked. Still though, the Shining Fates Set brings some awesome new innovations to the world of the Pokémon TCG for both players and collectors alike.
The Battle Styles set will be the fifth main expansion in the Pokémon Sword & Shield series. In addition to building on the VMAX mechanic previously established in the Sword & Shield series, the new set introduces a new gameplay mechanic called Battle Styles. This mechanic brings two new forms of attack for Pokémon: the raw power of Single Strike (cards highlighted in red), and the constant barrage of tactical blows that is Rapid Strike (cards highlighted in blue). The new Battle Style mechanic is even included on the product art for the newest Pokémon TCG expansion as products and packs feature Single Strike Urshifu V/VMAX and Rapid Strike Urshifu V/VMAX, as well as Single Strike Tyranitar V and Rapid Strike Empoleon V.
The Battle Styles set is based on the Japanese set “S5a Single Strike Master and Rapid Strike Master” that was released on January 22, 2021. Battle Styles will follow the typical trend of being a larger set than its Japanese equivalent. There are more than 160 cards in the checklist including: 60 Battle Style Cards, 12 V cards, 6 VMAX cards, 16 full-art cards, 2 special energy cards, and over 15 trainer cards.
The set is due to release on March 19, 2021, Battle Styles will have a pre-release Build & Battle Box that comes out on March 5, 2021. The Build & Battle box will allow players of the TCG to create a Battle Styles deck that is playable in the pre-release format. When the rest of the products hit shelves later in March, the best way to build your Battle Styles collection will be with the Pokémon TCG Battle Styles Booster Box, as each one comes with 36 Battle Styles booster packs. A variety of retail products will also include Battle Styles booster packs including Battle Styles Elite Trainer Boxes, the Single Strike Urshifu V Box, and Rapid Strike Urshifu V Box, as well as Venusaur VMAX Battle Box, and Blastoise VMAX Battle Box.
The setlist is confirmed with Single Strike Urshifu V/VMAX, Rapid Strike Urshifu V/VMAX, Single Strike Tyranitar V, and Rapid Strike Empoleon V as some of the major highlights. See the full Pokémon Battle Styles setlist below.
Pokémon Battle Styles Checklist
| #1 Bellsprout | #2 Weepinbell | #3 Victreebell | #4 Cacnea | #5 Cacturne | #6 Kricketune V |
| #7 Cherubi | #8 Cherrim | #9 Carnivine | #10 Durant | #11 Scatterbug | #12 Spewpa |
| #13 Vivillon | #14 Fomantis | #15 Lurantis | #16 Tapu Bulu | #17 Blipbug | #18 Flapple V |
| #19 Flapple VMAX | #20 Entei | #21 Victini V | #22 Victini VMAX | #23 Tepig | #24 Pignite |
| #25 Emboar | #26 Heatomr | #27 Salandit | #28 Salazzle | #29 Sizzlipede | #30 Centiskorch |
| #31 Horsea | #32 Seadra | #33 Kingdra | #34 Galarian Mr. Mime | #35 Galarian Mr. Rime | #36 Remoraid |
| #37 Octillery | #38 Corphish | #39 Crawdaunt | #40 Empoleon V | #41 Frillish | #42 Jellicent |
| #43 Bruxish | #44 Electabuzz | #45 Electivire | #46 Shinx | #47 Luxio | #48 Luxray |
| #49 Pachirisu | #50 Tapu Koko V | #51 Tapu Koko VMAX | #52 Yamper | #53 Boltund | #54 Galarian Slowpoke |
| #55 Spoink | #56 Grumpig | #57 Baltoy | #58 Claydol | #59 Chimecho | #60 Espurr |
| #61 Meowstic | #62 Mimikyu V | #63 Necrozma V | #64 Dottler | #65 Orbeetle | #66 Mankey |
| #67 Primeape | #68 Onix | #69 Cubone | #70 Marowak | #71 Gligar | #72 Gliscor |
| #73 Timburr | #74 Gurdurr | #75 Conkeldurr | #76 Mienfoo | #77 Mienshao | #78 Rolycoly |
| #79 Carkol | #80 Coalossal | #81 Silicobra | #82 Sandaconda | #83 Falinks | #84 Stonjourner |
| #85 Single Strike Urshifu V | #86 Single Strike Urshifu VMAX | #87 Rapid Strike Urshifu V | #88 Rapid Strike Urshifu VMAX | #89 Zubat | #90 Golbat |
| #91 Crobat | #92 Galarian Slowbro | #93 Murkrow | #94 Honchkrow | #95 Houndour | #96 Houndoom |
| #97 Tyranitar V | #98 Morpeko | #99 Steelix | #100 Mawile | #101 Bronzor | #102 Bronzong |
| #103 Pawniard | #104 Bisharp | #105 Honedge | #106 Doublade | #107 Aegislash | #108 Aegislash |
| #109 Corviknight V | #110 Corviknight VMAX | #111 Spearow | #112 Fearow | #113 Lickitung | #114 Lickilicky |
| #115 Glameow | #116 Purugly | #117 Stoutland V | #118 Bouffalant | #119 Drampa | #120 Indeedee |
| #121 Bruno | #122 Camping Gear | #123 Cheryl | #124 Energy Recycler | #125 Escape Rope | #126 Exp. Share |
| #127 Fan of Waves | #128 Korrina's Focus | #129 Level Ball | #130 Phoebe | #131 Rapid Strike Scroll of Swirls | #132 Rapid Strike Style Mustard |
| #133 Single Strike Scroll of Scorn | #134 Single Strike Style Mustard | #135 Sordward and Shielbert | #136 Tool Jammer | #137 Tower of Darkness | #138 Tower of Waters |
| #139 Urn of Vitality | #140 Rapid Strike Energy | #141 Single Strike Energy | #142 Kricketune V | #143 Flapple V | #144 Victini V |
| #145 Empoleon V | #146 Empoleon V | #147 Tapu Koko V | #148 Mimikyu V | #149 Necrozma V | #150 Single Strike Urshifu V |
| #151 Single Strike Urshifu V | #152 Rapid Strike Urshifu V | #153 Rapid Strike Urshifu V | #154 Tyranitar V | #155 Tyranitar V | #156 Corviknight V |
| #157 Stoutland V | #158 Bruno | #159 Cheryl | #160 Korrina's Focus | #161 Phoebe | #162 Rapid Strike Style Mustard |
| #163 Single Strike Style Mustard | #164 Flapple VMAX | #165 Victini VMAX | #166 Tapu Koko VMAX | #167 Single Strike Urshifu VMAX | #168 Single Strike Urshifu VMAX |
| #169 Rapid Strike Urshifu VMAX | #170 Rapid Strike Urshifu VMAX | #171 Corviknight VMAX | #172 Bruno | #173 Cheryl | #174 Korrina's Focus |
| #175 Phoebe | #176 Rapid Strike Style Mustard | #177 Single Strike Style Mustard | #178 Octillery | #179 Houndoom | #180 Exp. Share |
| #181 Level Ball | #182 Rapid Strike Energy | #183 Single Strike Energy |
