As you’d expect from the Pokémon TCG, collectors have plenty of chase cards to look forward to, but the real strength of the set comes from the potential of its meta-shifting cards. The Nerds of Color received a review sample courtesy of The Pokémon Company International.

I know, I know. Collectors are already in speculation mode given the rise of scalper culture with Phantasmal Flames set to drop November 14. But I’m more focused on just how much potential there is in this set to shake up the current metagame in the TCG.

Since gaining massive support by way of cards in the Scarlet & Violet series, the Pokémon Trading Card Game has been mostly dominated by one psychic-type in particular: Gardevoir EX.

The psychokinetic Pokémon has been on a tear over the last year, placing at least top five in nearly all national, regional, and local events thanks to its efficiency as an energy accelerator.

With plenty of supporters, trainers, and item cards, alongside the increasingly irritating power of Munkidori’s ability to move damage around, Gardevoir EX’s grip on the game’s meta has been long felt across the TCG.

Thankfully, Mega Evolution — Phantasmal Flames has introduced some cards that just might bump the guardian Pokémon from the spotlight.

Like I mentioned earlier, Munkidori really amplifies the power of Gardevoir’s ability, Psychic Embrace, which allows the player to attach any number of discarded psychic cards onto their Pokémon.

If a player chooses to do this, they need to place two damage counters (or 20 damage) onto whichever Pokémon receives the energy card. Munkidori’s ability, Adrena-Brain, then allows the player to move up to 30 damage from their own onto their opponent’s Pokémon instead.

As you can imagine, the two of them together are just a complete nuisance.

Enter Battle Cage, a new stadium card that prevents any and all damage counters from being placed on benched Pokémon by effects and abilities. This card has the potential to truly stifle the Munkidori part of the Gardevoir engine.

Combined with Mega Evolution’s earlier Psyduck promotional card with its Damp ability, other Pokémon that appear in the metagame like Dusknoir may very well get walled off pretty effectively.

And yet, Phantasmal Flames’ focus isn’t just on dark types. Sure, there’s the new Punk Helmet tool, which damages attackers who go after dark Pokémon with the tool attached, but fire Pokémon get their fair share too.

Oricorio EX is about to be Charizard and Mega Charizard EX’s best friend.

Its new ability Excited Turbo allows the player to attach basic fire energy from their hand to one benched Pokémon as often as they like, so long as a fire-type EX Pokémon is in play. This can become dangerous so fast because of Mega Charizard EX’s new move, Inferno X.

For just two fire energy, the player can discard any amount of fire energy attached to their other Pokémon for 90 damage for every card discarded in this way.

Combined with the new trainer card Firebreather that allows the player to search for up to seven fire energies in their deck, as well as the Super and Max Rod item cards, this engine has the potential to completely dominate upcoming events.

Other really cool utility and trainer cards that appear are Blowtorch, which discards your opponent’s tool cards or a stadium in play for the cost of your fire energy, and Dawn, whose ability to search for an entire evolution line beats out previous trainer cards with ease.

With Mega Evolution — Phantasmal Flames dropping November 14, I wonder how much longer the reign of psychic types will be once dark and fire types like Mega Charizard and Mega Gengar start taking big swings right back at them.