Pokémon TCG: Scarlet & Violet—Obsidian Flames is the third main expansion of cards from the Scarlet & Violet Series of the Pokémon Trading Card Game. It was released on August 11, 2023.
Blurb
Raging Flames Forged in Darkness!
Red-hot embers illuminate the pitch-black night and sparks flare into an inferno as Charizard ex surges forth with newfound powers of darkness! The glittering Terastal phenomenon imbues some Pokémon ex like Tyranitar, Eiscue, and Vespiquen with different types than usual, while Dragonite ex and Greedent ex show mastery of their own inner strengths. Not to be outdone, Revavroom ex, Melmetal ex, and more Pokémon promise to change the course of battle in the Scarlet & Violet—Obsidian Flames expansion!
Information
Obsidian Flames is the first set to feature Tera Pokémon ex with types that differ from their usual types. Type-shifted Tera Pokémon ex use the same Energy types as their usual type for their attacks, but have differing Weakness and Resistance in accordance with their shifted type. Other cards from this set depict Pokémon Centers in the Paldearegion in the illustrations' backgrounds.
The set's Charizard ex can use its Ability to attach Basic Fire Energy cards from the player's deck upon Evolution, which can be used to strengthen Entei's Blaze Ball attack. Another strategy is to use Town Store to find Pokémon Tool cards to attach to Revavroom ex, which can have up to four attached simultaneously because of its Ability. Lapras's Hail attack has a cost of only Colorless Energy, which can allow the player to spread damage to their opponent's Benched Pokémon, then damage those Pokémon further with Vespiquen ex's Phantom Queen attack. Finally, Team Star Grunt, reprinted in this expansion after its release in the Scarlet & Violet expansion, can be used in conjunction with Camerupt to move the opponent's Active Pokémon's Energy to the top of their deck so it can be discarded to increase the power of the Eruption attack.
Although Pokémon cards are typically ordered first by type and then by Pokédex number, in Obsidian Flames, the ultra rare prints of Absol ex (Pokédex number #0359) and Charizard ex (Pokédex number #0006) are numbered 214/197 and 215/197, respectively, despite both being Darkness-type Pokémon. However, in the Japanese Ruler of the Black Flame expansion, Charizard ex does come before Absol ex.
Obsidian Flames is available in English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese.
