Legal Sets
Official Rules
- •60-card decks exactly
- •Maximum 4 copies of any card with the same name (Basic Energy exempt)
- •Must include at least 1 Basic Pokémon
- •First player does not draw a card and cannot play a Supporter on Turn 1
- •Pokémon-ex give up 2 Prize cards when knocked out
- •Level X Pokémon introduced via Diamond & Pearl — level up from the corresponding Pokémon
- •Transition season — last EX sets plus first Diamond & Pearl set
- •2007 World Championship held in Hawaii — Tom Roos (Finland) wins Masters
Format Overview
The 2006-07 season was a transition era, bridging the EX series and Diamond & Pearl. The card pool spanned from EX Deoxys through Diamond & Pearl — ten sets covering the tail end of Delta Species mechanics and the introduction of Level X Pokémon. This created one of the most diverse metagames in TCG history, with viable strategies ranging from Holon Engine decks to Castaway toolbox builds to fast Diamond & Pearl aggro.
EX Crystal Guardians fundamentally changed the format with two cards: Cessation Crystal and Castaway. Cessation Crystal shut down all Poké-Powers and Poké-Bodies while attached, crippling engine-dependent decks like Metanite and InfernCatty. Castaway searched for a Supporter, a Pokémon Tool, AND a basic Energy — providing unprecedented consistency every turn. Windstorm became essential as the counter to Cessation Crystal.
At the 2007 World Championship in Hawaii, Tom Roos won Masters with 'Absolutions' — a spread-damage deck using Jolteon ex's Flash Bite and Super Scoop Up to accumulate damage, then Absol ex to rearrange it for precise knockouts. It was an unconventional strategy that outmaneuvered the more traditional setups. The format also saw strong showings from Empoleon (Japan's Yamato finished 3rd), Banette ex variants, and the enduring Metanite engine.
Key Cards
Top Decks (10)
Absolutions
1st Place — 2007 World Championship (Masters)
Roos's winning deck spreads damage with Jolteon ex's Flash Bite and Super Scoop Up to replay it, then uses Absol ex to rearrange damage counters for precise knockouts. Rayquaza ex δ provides a late-game closer. An unconventional strategy that outplayed the field.
Rambolt
1st Place — 2007 World Championship (Seniors)
Banette ex hits hard for one energy by discarding Supporters. Lunatone/Solrock provides supplementary draw. Buffer Piece and Crystal Beach slow opponents, and Pokémon Reversal drags up vulnerable targets. A lean, consistent aggro deck.
Swift Empoleon
2nd Place — 2007 World Championship (Seniors)
Empoleon spreads damage as a single-prize attacker while Cessation Crystal shuts down Poké-Powers. Cursed Stone punishes evolved Pokémon passively. Scramble Energy lets it fight from behind. A disruption-heavy build.
Flyvees
1st Place — 2007 World Championship (Juniors)
Flygon ex δ provides raw power while Eeveelution ex attackers give type coverage. Rare Candy accelerates Flygon into play. The Holon Engine provides setup consistency. Fearow δ offers free retreat switching.
Aggro Scizor ex
4th Place — 2007 World Championship (Masters)
Only 8 Pokémon. Scyther's Twin Play sets up instantly. Scizor ex's Danger Perception gets stronger as it takes damage. The remaining 36 Trainers provide enormous disruption (Energy Removal 2, Pokémon Reversal) and damage amplifiers (PlusPower, Strength Charm, Cursed Stone).
InfernCatty
The fastest aggro deck. Infernape deals 80 damage turn one with Double Rainbow Energy. Delcatty provides Energy Draw, while Delcatty ex's Upstream combos with Infernape Lv.X's Flare Up. Windstorm clears Cessation Crystals that shut down the engine.
Banette ex / Eeveelutions
Top 8 — 2007 World Championship (Masters)
Banette ex's cheap attacks combine with Vaporeon ex's Evolutionary Swirl for hand disruption. Umbreon ex resists Psychic, Crystal Beach and Battle Frontier lock down Special Energy and Poké-Powers. Multi-angle disruption.
Metanite
Dragonite δ's Delta Charge recovers Lightning Energy from discard. Metagross δ's Crush and Burn discards energy for massive damage. Holon's Castform provides draw and attaches as energy. An unstoppable energy loop that outputs massive damage every turn.
Empoleon / Cessation Lock
3rd Place — 2007 World Championship (Masters)
The 2004 World Champion's Empoleon build maxes out on Cessation Crystal and Castaway for a consistent disruption engine. Empoleon's Aqua Jet spreads damage while Cessation shuts down Poké-Powers. Scramble Energy lets Empoleon trade efficiently from behind.
Lucario / Eeveelutions
Exploits the format's Fighting-weak starters (Eevee, Holon's Castform, Skitty) with Riolu's early aggression, then transitions to Lucario for consistent damage. Eeveelution ex techs provide type coverage. Castaway fetches Cessation Crystal and Strength Charm every turn.
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