Pokémon TCG Pocket: Team Rocket Recruit, the card that redefines the meta

The new Brilliant Festival expansion of Pokémon TCG Pocket is now available, bringing with it 111 cards that have impacted the metagame.

Among them, one of the most notable is Team Rocket Grunt, a card that, with proper use, can change the course of a game. Its effect allows you to remove Energies from the opponent's Active Pokémon, which can completely block their strategy.

How to get the Team Rocket Grunt card?

Team Rocket Grunt is obtained randomly in Brilliant Festival expansion packs and comes in two versions:

• Standard: Available in packs or for 70 pack-opening points.
• Super rare: Can be purchased for 1,250 pack-opening points.

Each opened pack grants 5 pack-opening points, usable exclusively in the corresponding expansion.

Strategy: how to leverage its devastating effect

The use of Team Rocket Grunt requires a combination of luck and strategy. Its mechanic involves flipping a coin until tails appears, and for each heads obtained, a random Energy from the opponent's Active Pokémon is discarded.

Keys to maximizing its impact

• Play it at the right moment, when the opponent has accumulated Energies on their main Pokémon.
• Especially affects slow decks that require multiple Energies, like Dragonite or Celebi ex.
• Works as a control card, reducing the opponent's resources and giving us a strategic advantage.
• It's the perfect counter to cards like Misty, which accelerates Energy charging through coin flips.

While its potential is enormous, it depends on luck, which means that in some cases it may have no effect.

Advantages and disadvantages of Team Rocket Grunt

Advantages

• Can define a game in a single turn if it manages to remove all Energies from the opponent's key Pokémon.
• No immediate counter: if the opponent loses their Energies, they become vulnerable.
• Impact on the metagame, forcing players to use decks with less reliance on multiple Energies.
• Psychological pressure: its mere presence in a deck can alter the opponent's strategy.

Disadvantages

• Depends on luck, as its effectiveness is based on coin flips.
• Limited use: being a Supporter card, only one of this type can be played per turn.
• Doesn't guarantee victory: if not played at the right moment, its impact can be minimal.

Is it worth using?

Despite its reliance on luck, Team Rocket Grunt is a card with a significant impact in Pokémon TCG Pocket. It can be a lethal weapon in the right hands and modify the metagame by forcing players to rethink their strategies. If you're looking for a card that destabilizes your opponent and can tip the balance in your favor, it's definitely an option to consider.