The release of the A4a Hidden Spring miniset in Pokémon TCG Pocket on August 28, 2025, brought 105 new cards to the game. Among them, the card that caused the most controversy and curiosity was Celebi, a legendary creature that, far from standing out for its offensive power, became a true anti-meta wildcard.
The key to its strategy lies in its move Temporal Foliage, which deals a modest 40 points of damage but with an additional disruptive effect: it devolves the opponent's active Pokémon. Although it may seem like a limited resource, this mechanic opens the door to unexpected plays that can ruin well-crafted plans and cause instant defeats.
How Celebi's instakill strategy works
Celebi's true potential appears when it faces opponents who rely on Rare Candy to accelerate evolutions. When the affected Pokémon devolves, all damage dealt is transferred to the basic version, which usually has fewer health points.
By combining Celebi's attack with supports like Red (which grants 20 additional damage points against Pokémon ex) or Giovanni (which adds 10 extra points to the turn's damage), it's possible to eliminate major threats like Charizard ex in a single play. In the most extreme case, if the opponent has no more creatures on the bench, the result is an immediate instakill.
