The V Star cards in the Pokemon Trading Card Game can be game changers when used correctly. Host to some incredible attacks and special abilities to turn the tables with, they can be the decisive element that pulls victory from the jaws of defeat; or, the final nail in a well built coffin for your opponent. Some are definitely more valuable than others though, which is why we’re here to list every Pokemon V Star card, ranked from basic to meta breaker.
Bear in mind that this list is subject to change with the release of new V Star cards and the popularization of new metas. We’ll be updating this list accordingly as these factors emerge.
31. Whimsicott
Every Pokemon V Star Card, Ranked
Suited to sneakier strategies and sniping, this V Star card is surprisingly powerful.
With its Trick Wind attack, it can deal decent damage to an opponent’s Pokemon while also preventing the use of items or Special Energy cards. This can keep your battles nice and simple, or tilted in your favor if you’ve got item and Trainer cards of your own to use.
Its Fluffball Star attack, on the other hand, can snipe an opposing Pokemon whether it’s in play or on the bench, and increases the damage done by 60 for each Energy card attached to Whimsicott. Though this can burn through your energy fast, it’s great for taking out mutliple opposing Pokemon with minimal risk to your own.
Compared to other V Star cards though, there’s less versatility for strategies and it requires some careful planning to maximize its skills. As such, it’s not one which could see much proper use unless you’re willing to put in the time to make it so.
30. Origin Forme Palkia
Every Pokemon V Star Card, Ranked
Don’t let its lower attack power fool you – Origin Forme Palkia V Star is a force to be reckoned with.
Capable of boosting its Subspace Swell attack for every Pokemon you currently have benched, it can annihilate an opponent’s lineup with some simple setup strategies. Its Star Portal ability is also deceptively useful, allowing you to regain Energy cards from your discard pile and attach them to your in-play Pokemon as you see fit.
Both of these require some forethought though, and can be tricky to implement if you’re up against the currently-popular sniping deck builds. Regardless, there’s a lot you can do with this V-Star card, and it’s a worthwhile addition to most decks.
29. Drapion
Every Pokemon V Star Card, Ranked
This is a tricky V Star card to use effectively, but is still plenty viable under the right conditions.
Though it does run the risk of becoming weaker if Drapion V Star has damage counters on it, the Big Bang Arms attack is a heavy hitter and can knock out plenty of Pokemon currently in circulation. Its Dark typing is also useful for countering Psychic types, which are more likely to appear in decks utilizing cards that will show up further up this list.
Then there’s its Star Hazard ability, which can Poison and Paralyze your opponent’s active Pokemon while also applying three damage counters instead of one. Though its scope is limited, this ability can be great for taking down a particularly annoying target.
This makes it highly viable as a damage dealer in most strategies, and so long as you’re not up against fighting types, it can help you steamroll a variety of opponents.
28. Magnezone
Every Pokemon V Star Card, Ranked
While there are certainly stronger and more strategy-flexible Electric type V Star cards on this list, Magnezone is still far from a bad card to have on hand.
Through its Magnet Grip attack, this card can deal decent damage to an opponent while also adding two cards to your hand for good measure. This can be great for stalling and gaining more cards, either to fish for other pokemon or to increase your material for different strategies.
Its Electro Star attack can also be plenty useful. It deals 90 damage to two of your opponent’s benched Pokemon, spreading out some damage and increasing your odds of success in the proceeding battles.
It’s a solid team member all around, and is best used in support of building up strategies centered around other cards.
27. Hisuian Lilligant
Every Pokemon V Star Card, Ranked
Hisuian Lilligant V Star is a force to be reckoned with, or at least it can be with some proper setup.
By properly stacking Energy on the Pokemon, its Parallel Spin attack can deal massive damage in a single swoop or substantial damage over the course of a few turns. This makes it viable as a damage dealer for many deck builds, and worth investing in so that it’s as strong as possible.
There’s also its Star Perfume ability to consider, which can add five grass type Pokemon and five grass Energy cards to your hand in a single turn. Doing so is ideal for keeping your bench stacked, or ensuring you have some extra Energy cards on hand for a specific Pokemon’s attacks.
It may not be quite as flexible in its uses as other cards on this list, but it’s still great for any meta that needs some extra muscle to back it up.
26. Kleavor
Every Pokemon V Star Card, Ranked
Though its straight-forward damage potential isn’t as high as other V-Star cards, Kleavor V Star is a fantastic card for spreading out damage against V spammers.
Its Breaker Axe damages your opponent’s active Pokemon for 120 points of damage while also dealing 60 damage to one of its benched Pokemon Vs. This is perfect for keeping V Pokemon from posing too much of a threat by swapping in and forcing your own team to weather a fully topped-off behemoth.
It’s also host to the Rampage Star, which deals 30 damage multiplied by however many Pokemon are in your discard pile. This can make Kleavor V Star an Avenger of sorts, paying off a discard pile full of Pokemon whether it was intended or not.
Toss in the fact that it’s one of only a few Fighting type V Star cards, and you’ve got a decent addition to your deck which goes nicely with a few select strategies.
25. Aerodactyl
Every Pokemon V Star Card, Ranked
On its face, Aerodactyl V Star is a surprisingly strong new addition to the V Star catalogue of cards.
Through its Lost Dive attack, it can deal heavy damage while stacking up your lost zone’s card counter. This is very useful when combined with Trainer cards and other V Star cards that utilize the Lost Zone, to say nothing of simply using it to body opponents’ weaker Pokemon.
Then there’s its Ancient Star ability. It removes all the abilities of your opponent’s active Pokemon, preventing them from messing up your strategies with their own and leaving them vulnerable to attacks they might have otherwise avoided.
It would definitely rank among some of the best cards around, if not for the fact that it’s best used in a supporting role. This puts it at odds with some of its own abilities, and leaves it lower in our rankings than it could have been.
24. Darkrei
Every Pokemon V Star Card, Ranked
Though its attacks and abilities may seem lackluster at first, Darkrei V Star can be a force to be reckoned with after some setup work.
Its Dark Pulse attack gets more powerful for every Dark Energy card attached to it, but doesn’t burn through them to use the attack. Instead, it uses Normal Energy, making the longevity of its offense indefinite.
Likewise, its Star Abyss ability allows you to retrieve Item cards from your Discard pile, potentially increasing the amount of Dark Energy attached to the Pokemon further if the right cards are available. This also makes stocking up on cards needed for other strategies possible, if only a little due to the limitations on V Star Ability usage.
This is all complemented by Darkrei’s Dark typing, which leaves the card as a highly valuable one when up against the Psychic-focused decks out there.
23. Dragonite
Every Pokemon V Star Card, Ranked
Dragonite V Star has huge damage-dealing potential, but setting it up for success can be difficult if you don’t know what you’re doing.
Its Giga Impact attack is a heavy-hitting move, but requires a lot of energy to use and leaves Dragonite inactive the next turn. Fortunately, its Draconic Star ability alleviates some of these drawbacks, allowing you to pile Energy cards onto Dragonite so you can focus entirely on attacking.
This strategy can only be used once though, resulting in two KO’d Pokemon at most. Past that, you’ll need to carefully build your deck around Dragonite V Star, prepping cards that can keep it safe, heal it if it’s damaged and work around its lost offensive power if it gets taken down.
Should you have the time and patience to do this though, you’ll be well served by this powerful offensive Pokemon card.
22. Mewtwo
Every Pokemon V Star Card, Ranked
Boasting a hard to cover typing and some great attacks and abilities, Mewtwo V Star is a great addition to any deck.
Its Psy Purge attack can destroy anything in front of you, thanks to its boostability through discarding Psychic Energy from the Pokemon. This makes it easy to position as an offensive powerhouse, teraing through your opponent’s team like tissue paper.
Its Star Raid attack is nothing to sneeze at either, damaging every Pokemon V on your opponent’s side for 120 damage in one fell swoop. This is ideal for dealing with Pokemon V spammers, and can put an opponent’s plans of overwhelming you with strong Pokemon to a quick stop.
It’s a solid card to have on hand, and if it weren’t for the quality of the rest of the cards on this list, it would have broken into the top 20 easily.
21. Shaymin
Every Pokemon V Star Card, Ranked
Shaymin V Star is a bit of an outlier among the V Star library, primarily because it blends retaliation with healing capabilities.
This card’s low-cost Revenge Blast attack is ideal for turning the tides after your opponent has taken any of your Prize Cards, boosting the attack’s power by 40 points for every card taken. This can leave you in a great position to deal significant damage to them, while they have no recourse for reducing the damage done to them aside from knocking Shaymin V Star out.
It can also group-heal your benched Grass Pokemon by up to 120 points using its Star Bloom ability, allowing for a quick turnaround to an otherwise dire situation. This does limit you if you try to build your strategy around it though, so its viability across different decks is limited.
All the same, it’s an interesting card to work with, and can be a ton of fun to use when everything lines up right.
20. Serperior
Every Pokemon V Star Card, Ranked
A rare V Star card that is best used through hit and run tactics, Serperior V Star is all about dealing damage and then moving the card out of the way of harm.
Its Royal Tornado attack deals heavy damage while also allowing you to stack Energy cards on your Pokemon however you wish. This includes Serperior V Star itself, allowing you to quickly replenish its Energy for continuous attacks.
Then, there’s its Coiling Star attack, which deals extra damage for every Energy card attached to Serperior before swapping it out for another Pokemon. When used in tandem with its Royal Tornado’s ability, this can be incredibly powerful, even if it can only be used once.
This leaves it as a highly viable card, and one which is all the better when at the center of the right strategy.
19. Hisuian Decidueye
Every Pokemon V Star Card, Ranked
Another Starter whose unique typing serves it well, Hisuian Decidueye V Star is an attacker with huge damage-dealing potential.
This is thanks to its attack Somersault Feathers, which does as much as 250 damage if you discard three Energy cards from your hand. When paired with Trainer cards and other Pokemon’s abilities that increase the number of cards you can draw at any given time, this becomes easy to stack up and use repeatedly.
It can also be boosted by using Hisuian Decidueye V Star’s Star of Fortune ability to restock your hand, though this is only a one-off strategy.
Topping things off is the card’s Fighting type attribute, which makes it the perfect counter to decks geared toward dealing with Psychic types or that are too reliant on Normal types.
18. Zeraora
Every Pokemon V Star Card, Ranked
Zeraora V Star is a satisfying mix of Direct damage dealing and sniping molded into one package.
Its Crashing Beat attack can deal decent damage while also removing the active Stadium card from play. This can upend any strategies that try to rely too heavily on the Stadium, and makes Zeraora a great focal point for dealing damage.
Its Thunder Star ability is also top-notch, letting you launch four attacks that can target one or several Pokemon and deal 60 damage with each hit, without factoring in any weaknesses or resistances. Though limited in its uses, this is great for spreading damage and forcing your opponent to send out Pokemon who are already at a disadvantage.
Its only real drawback is its attack power could use buffing, but this is easy enough to remedy with the right Trainer cards or abilities from other Pokemon.
17. Mawile
Every Pokemon V Star Card, Ranked
Mawile V Star is as useful a card as it is a strange one.
Not geared toward offense or defense so much as it is toward total disruption of your opponent’s plans, this card’s moves are all about quickly switching out who’s on the field. Through its Sudden Eater attack, it deals low damage on its own or heavy damage if it has been swapped from the bench into the Active slot during the same turn. This makes it preferrable to have it swapping in and out, and hitting the opposing Pokemon at random intervals.
Its Star Rondo ability is similarly focused on shuffling Pokemon. When activated, it swaps Mawile V Star in as your active Pokemon while also swapping out your opponent’s Active pokemon for a benched one. This can throw off your opponent’s strategy for a short time, buying what could be the time necessary to completely turn around a match.
They’re not ideal strategies if you’re offense-minded, but for everyone else, it serves to make this card one that opens up a myriad of possibilities.
16. Hisuian Samurott
Every Pokemon V Star Card, Ranked
Out of the Hisuian starter Pokemon V Star variants, Hisuian Samurott may have the most potential offensive power.
Its Merciless Blade attack can deal an insane amount of damage, increasing in power for every Damage Counter applied to an opponent’s Pokemon. This makes it perfect for pairing with another Pokemon that specializes in stacking Damage Counters, where they pile on the markers before Hisuian Samurott V Star comes in and obliterates the enemy.
This is only bolstered by its Moon Cleave Star ability, which can immediately apply four Damage Counters to one Pokemon of your choosing. This can serve as an ace in the hole, immediately taking out a tricky opponent before they bring down any of your cards.
To be sure, most all of its uses revolve around a single strategy, but they’re also ones that most anyone could get the hang of using properly.
15. Hisuian Zoroark
Every Pokemon V Star Card, Ranked
Though it can take a while to set this card up properly, Hisuian Zoroark V Star is a force to be reckoned with when used right.
Its Baneful Curse attack can deal a crazy amount of damage so long as you have Pokemon with Damage Counters on them. This makes it a great oppositional card to ones that stack Damage Counters quickly, and can make your opponent regret trying to bombard you with a particular strategy.
On the other hand, its Phantom Star ability is great for acquiring more cards, opening up the door to other strategies or cards to bolster Zoroark’s attacks with.
This makes Hisuian Zoroark V Star a great card to use in both a primary and supporting role, no matter what strategies you choose to use it in.
14. Leafeon
Every Pokemon V Star Card, Ranked
Perfect for disrupting your opponent’s strategies and rhythm, Leafeon V Star is highly useful in a variety of scenarios.
Its Leaf Guard deals decent damage on its own, but has the added benefit of reducing the calculated damage done to it each turn by 30 points. This makes it surprisingly effective as a staller, and can give you breathing room to enact other strategies.
Its Ivy Star ability is also fiendishly effective, swapping out your opponent’s active Pokemon with a benched one. This makes it perfect for using in quick disruption tactics, throwing off your opponent to buy more time for your own strategies to play out.
And those are just examples of what Leafeon V Star can do on its own. When paired with other cards and Pokemon, it becomes several times more effective in any number of situations.
13. Zacian
Every Pokemon V Star Card, Ranked
Zacian V Star is a combat-oriented card through and through, and it can be an instrument of your opponent’s destruction when used right.
This V Star card is perfect for busting through your opponent’s offensive line. Its first attack, Breaking Edge, can knock out most Pokemon with ease thanks to its high damage output and ability to ignore weakness and resistance calculations. It’s only drawback is its Energy cost, which leans heavily on Steel Energy without providing a means of restoring it quickly.
Then, there’s its second attack, Star Sword. The move deals 310 damage and can take out almost anything, but damages Zacian V Star for 30 damage. Like double-edged techniques from the video games, this is best reserved for situations where you need to take out an opponent by any means necessary.
They both serve to push Zacian to the upper ranks of the offensive-focused V Star cards, and it easily could have risen higher if not for the quality of the top-ranked V Star Pokemon.
12. Alolan Vulpix
Every Pokemon V Star Card, Ranked
Providing a counter to V Pokemon spammers, Alolan Vuplix V Star is a force to be reckoned with, and not just because it’s one of the easiest V Star cards to get on the field.
Its Snow Mirage ability can damage your opponent’s Pokemon while also preventing it from being damaged by any Pokemon that has an ability. This can set it up to sweep a team if they’re too reliant on abilities, and is good for damaging a wide swath of Pokemon types besides.
There’s also its second attack, dubbed Silver Snow Star. This V Star attack multiplies itself for every V Pokemon in play, severely punishing your opponent if they have even a few active and on their bench at once.
This makes Alolan Vulpix V Star an unexpected offensive powerhouse, and an unexpectedly high-ranking V Star card in general.
11. Glaceon
Every Pokemon V Star Card, Ranked
Glaceon is perfect for maintaining pressure on an opponent while also building up a wall to impede their strategies with.
By using Icicle Shot, you can deal decent damage while preventing your opponent from making their defending Pokemon retreat. This can trap bad matchups against Glaceon V Star on the field, forcing a KO and throwing any strategy your opponent had out the window.
As for its Crystal Star attack, it’s perfect for dealing massive damage and then setting up your Glaceon V Star to endure everything thrown at it the next turn. It’ll then come out the other side without any scratches or effects applied to it, making for a great stall to prolong your planning time with.
Adding to all of this is Glacion’s unique weakness, which elevates it to being nearly one of the best V Star cards you could hope to have in your arsenal.
10. Zamazenta
Every Pokemon V Star Card, Ranked
Where Zacian prioritizes direct offense, Zamazenta benefits from a more strategically-minded moveset.
Like Dragonite V Star, its attack Giga Impact deals heavy damage, but leaves it vulnerable to taking damage itself in the following turn. In comparison to Dragonite though, it uses less Energy cards and fewer Energy types, making it easier to replicate.
Likewise, it can negate the damage it would potentially suffer with its Star Shield ability, which reduces the damage any of your Pokemon take during the following turn by 100 points. Though limited to one use, this can help extend the duration Zamazenta is on the field for, providing it with wall and tank utility that can play into a variety of strategies.
This is all combined with its Steel typing, which can be utilized to great effect against harder to cover deck typings and cards. With all that in mind, it’s easy to see why this card rose as far up the ranks as it did.
9. Hisuian Goodra
Every Pokemon V Star Card, Ranked
A tanky damage dealer, Goodra V Star is an ideal card to add to your deck for some frustratingly effective metas.
Through its Iron Rollout attack, it can deal heavy damage to your opponent’s Pokemon while also reducing incoming damage during the next turn. Doing so will set the battle on a course for an easy win with the proper setup, and will be difficult for almost any opponent to course correct from.
Even if your opponent does manage to dish out some punishment against it, Hisuian Goodra V Star’s Moisture Star ability can heal all the damage done to it and return its HP to full. And thus you’ll begin the cycle anew, trapping your opponent in an awful pattern of watching their Pokemon be steamrolled, sending out a new one, and repeating.
It’s fiendish, crafty, and ever so fun to execute correctly, making it easy to see why this card is in the upper third of our rankings.
8. Origin Forme Dialga
Every Pokemon V Star Card, Ranked
To say Origin Forme Dialga V Star is overpowered would be an understatement.
Its Metal Blast attack serves as a stronger form of Dark Pulse, increasing in power for every Steel Energy card attached to Dialga without using any of them in the attack. This nearly turns it into a perpetual energy attack of sorts, with the punishment able to continue as long as you continue to attach a few Normal Energy cards here and there.
Those Steel Energy cards can then be put to use for its its Star Chronos attack, which deals massive damage and then allows you to take an immediate second turn in exchange for a ton of Energy. Even with its limit to one use, this move is beyond broken and can help shift the tides in your favor; or, more realistically, even further in your favor.
It’s a brokenly good card, and easily one of the best ever introduced via the V Star line. And yet, it still can’t compare to what lies above it.
7. Hisuian Typhlosion
Every Pokemon V Star Card, Ranked
The unique typing of this Hisuian starter V Star card does it wonders, as does its maliciously effective moveset.
With its Hollow Flame attack, Hisuian Typhlosion V Star can deal a decent amount of damage while also adding three Damage Counters to your opponent’s benched Pokemon however you’d like. This can then set them up to be automatically knocked out via Typhlosion’s Shimmering Star attack, which instantly knocks out an opposing Pokemon in play if it has exactly four Damage Counters attached to it.
Likewise, this makes the card highly valuable to anyone with a deck built around Damage Counters. It can be the Pokemon that sets up the opponents team, applying counters left and right before delivering the final blow. Or, it can be the decisive attacker, swapping in and using its special attack to wipe away a particularly tricky enemy.
And that’s if you don’t just brute-force your way through the opposing team, taking full advantage of this Pokemon’s typing and the low chance of your opponent having cards that can resist it.
It’s really up to you with this card, which is why we rank it so highly among every Pokemon V Star card out there.
6. Rotom
Every Pokemon V Star Card, Ranked
The viability of this card as a devastating damage dealer is unreal, and far from difficult to pull off.
Its Scrappy Pulse attack deals huge damage on its own, and does even more if you’re willing to move Tool cards from your Discard pile into your Lost Zone. This is easy enough to do with some quick revisions to your deck, and can lead to a sizable stockpile of potential attack boosters once this card hits the field.
You can also stockpile the cards in your discard pile using Rotom V Star’s Star Conversion ability too, which lets you immediately discard as many cards from your hand as you’d like. This in turn will further feed into a Rotom-centric strategy, and keep the punishment it deals coming.
It may not be the card you’d expect to rely on, but that’s exactly why it earn its spot on this list so handily.
5. Lucario
Every Pokemon V Star Card, Ranked
Easily the best Fighting type V Star card and an ideal V or Energy Spammer punisher, Lucario V Star is a must-have.
It can deal massive damage with its Fighting Knuckle, which goes from 270 damage dealt to 390 if it’s aimed at a V Pokemon. This can be an optimal tool against anyone who relies too heavily on advanced forms of Pokemon, and can send the pillars of their strategies crashing down.
Then there’s its Aura Star attack, which multiplies in intensity for every Energy card attached to all of your opponent’s Pokemon. This is an all-around great move, and can quickly annihilate your opponent’s active Pokemon no matter the situation.
It’s just a darn good card, and is easily among the best you could hope to add to your deck.
4. Giratina
Every Pokemon V Star Card, Ranked
This is arguably the go-to V Star card if you’re looking to utilize an offensive Lost Zone meta, and for good reason.
Giratina V Star’s Lost Impact attack can destroy most any Pokemon in front of it, V Star or no. This is bolstered by its Dragon typing, which grants it zero weaknesses and leaves you free to spam attacks until its HP is depleted, which will take a while against anything that’s not also a high-level opponent Pokemon.
It also has the added bonus of adding two cards to the lost zone, which can contribute to the card’s Star Requiem ability. This unique attack knocks out your opponent’s active Pokemon immediately so long as there are 10 cards in your lost zone; which with the use of several items and Pokemon from the Lost Origins set, is a cinch to do.
It’s a dream to have in your deck and a nightmare for all your opponents, so of course it’s going to rank near the top of a ranking of every V Star Pokemon card.
3. Deoxys
Every Pokemon V Star Card, Ranked
Arguably the best for a sniping-centric deck, Deoxys V Star is a nightmare to manage as an opponent.
Its Psy Javelin attack deals 190 damage to your opponent’s active Pokemon as well as 60 damage to one of their benched team members. This is its repeatable attack too, meaning it can continue to snipe enemies indefinitely and continue to cause havoc no matter how your opponent sets up their team.
Its Star Force attack is also highly viable, multiplying its damage for every Energy card attached to both players’ Active Pokemon. As such, it’s a veritable death beam in later rounds, terminating whatever it hits with the utmost prejudice.
This is all before factoring in any sort of strategy to go along with Deoxys V Star’s typing or viability for metas, showing just how powerful it is and exactly how hard it was for anything to rank above it. And yet, two managed to do so.
2. Charizard
Every Pokemon V Star Card, Ranked
Though the costs of its abilities are high, the Charizard V Star card’s high damage-dealing potential is on another level.
Through its Explosive Fire ability, it can set loose a counterattack that is made more powerful for every damage counter applied to it. This is great for breaking any strategies built around building up Damage Counters, and can quickly turn the tables on someone who thought they were burying their opponent in potential damage boosters for themselves.
Its Star Blaze attack, meanwhile, is a nearly-guaranteed One-Hit KO against most opponents, clearing away an immediate threat with ease. This applies to most Pokemon with a Fire resistance too, and can leave a Water-focused deck without its star Pokemon if you time things right.
It’s the damage dealer of damage dealers among the V Star lineup, and is nearly untoppable if not for the god-level card that also inhabits the V Star line. Literally.
1. Arceus
Every Pokemon V Star Card, Ranked
A nightmare to deal with but a blessing to have on your side, Arceus V Star is a huge boon to any deck.
Its Trinity Nova ability can be a devastating Energy farming device. Dealing 200 damage per pop before allowing you to resupply your benched Pokemon V, it provides a deadly setup generator that most strategies will be powerless against.
Its Starbirth Ability is highly viable too, allowing you to draw two specific cards from your deck to immediately implement whichever play you’d like with ease. This can turn the tables if your opponent is winning, bury them if they’re losing, and shift the match toward your victory as quickly as the first turn besides.
It’s an unfairly good card, and as the V Star card lineup currently stands, it’s our pick for the best of the bunch.
