ACE SPEC cards can turn the tide of a match in Pokémon TCG, and six new ones are releasing alongside the Twilight Masquerade expansion set on May 24.
Every ACE SPEC card is built differently, though, and there are superior cards that fit in most decks that outweigh those destined to only appear in specific ones. You can also have only one ACE SPEC card in your deck, so choosing which one to use is vital.
So, let’s rank the cards from best to worst from Twilight Masquerade, so you know which ones to look out for when you next try your luck with a booster pack.
1. Unfair Stamp
The best ACE SPEC card in Twilight Masquerade is Unfair Stamp. Using its effect, you can force each player to shuffle their hand after one of your Pokémon was knocked out during your opponent’s last turn, and then you draw five cards, and your opponent draws two.
This is a great way to get new cards in your hand while forcing your opponent to put their hand back in their deck. This makes it perfect against decks that rely on having a large hand or drawing certain cards.
2. Legacy Energy
In second place, we have Legacy Energy. This ACE SPEC Energy Card is best suited for decks that want to deny your opponent from getting a quick victory. Its effect makes it so the Pokémon this card is attached to when knocked out by your Opponent’s Pokémon forces the opposing player to take one less Prize Card.
Considering the aim of the game is to get all your Prize Cards to win, reducing even one could be the difference maker.
3. Scoop Up Cyclone
Scoop Up Cyclone is the ultimate reset card, as it lets you put one of your Pokémon and all attached cards into your hand. This includes the Pokémon, energy cards, and items and removes all damage counters.
Let’s use Charizard ex decks as an example of how you can take advantage of this. Your Charizard is about to die, but you have a Rare Candy in your hand and a Charmander on the field. You can use Scoop Up Cyclone, put the Charmander in your Bench to the Active Slot, and get your Charizard back into play without any damage for free using one card.
4. Hyper Aroma
Moving into the bottom three cards, we have Hyper Aroma, which lets you search your deck for up to three Stage 1 Pokémon, reveal them, and put them in your hand.
Buddy-Buddy Poffin, a common card you can have multiple copies of in your deck, gives you 2 Basic Pokémon to put directly onto your bench. Hyper Aroma might be helpful in certain situational decks, but it feels like a waste of an ACE SPEC slot.
5. Secret Box
I’ve talked about Secret Box before, as its effect makes it suitable for several decks, such as Chien Pao, for example.
When you use this card, you must first discard three other cards from your hand. When you do, you can search your deck for an Item card, a Pokémon Tool card, a Supporter card, and a Stadium card, reveal them, and put them into your hand. It’s the perfect setup tool, but it isn’t made with every deck in mind, so long as you have the cards to use it.
6. Survival Brace
Last, we have Survival Brace. An ACE SPEC card that, when attached to a Pokémon with full HP acts as a saving grace. If knocked out, it would survive with 10 HP, giving you an extra turn to use it.
Honestly, this card is just bad. It might have some uses and can be a way to ensure a Pokémon can survive long enough to set up some play, but it feels like a wasteful card to put in your deck.
