The Cards Of Pokémon TCG: Silver Tempest Part 40: Skuntank V Alt

In November 2022, Pokémon TCG released the final main series set of the Sword & Shield era. The expansion, Sword & Shield – Silver Tempest, came out on September 9th, 2022. It is the twelfth set under the Sword & Shield banner, and it adapts the Japanese sets Incandescent Arcana and Paradigm Trigger, with its Trainer Gallery subset adapting cards from VMAX Climax. The Lugia-themed Sword & Shield – Silver Tempest also continues both Radiant Pokémon as well as the Trainer Gallery, a special subset of Character Rares, Character Super Rares, Full Art Trainers, and Black & Gold VMAXes that began in the first set of the year, Sword & Shield – Brilliant Stars. Follow me on a journey through this latest set as we appreciate the artwork, discuss the card’s place in the set, and theorize as to what certain elements of the expansion may imply for the future of the Pokémon TCG. Today, we continue with the Full Art section of Sword & Shield – Silver Tempest.

How gloriously weird that Skuntank gets one of the four Alternate Art slots in the final main series set of Sword & Shield? I love to see an underrated Pokémon get the spotlight, and wow, does Skuntank run with it. This is the kind of card that could make a Skuntank hater question their initial impression with just a single image. Artist Jiro Sasumo does a beautiful job showing an anthill-style view of Skuntank’s lair, as a Paras watches it gathering food for its family of a mate Skuntank and two baby Stunky. Sasumo is relatively new to the TCG, with their first set credit being in Sword & Shield – Brilliant Stars after some initial promo cards. Some of the more notable Sasumo cards include Galarian Moltres V Character Super Rare from Sword & Shield – Astral Radiance and Leafeon VSTAR Special Art Rare from the upcoming Crown Zenith.

Stay tuned for the continuing journey through this Lugia and Alolan Vulpix-themed set as we continue to spotlight the cards and artwork of Pokémon TCG: Sword & Shield – Silver Tempest. Next time, the spotlight continues with the Full Art section of this expansion.