Unseen Forces
Set Details
Between the Known and Unknown, There Are Unseen Forces!
Uncover powerful new forces in the Pokémon world: Lugia, Ho-Oh… and you! In EX Unseen Forces, you’ll be the first to find and capture rarely seen legends. Take them into battle to reveal your own unseen powers, and unveil greater worlds and greater battles than you ever knew existed.
The EX Unseen Forces Pokémon set roared into game stores on August 22 2005, thrusting the Johto region back into the spotlight with dramatic black‑and‑silver packaging that promised “powers beyond your control.” Adapted from Japan’s Golden Sky, Silvery Ocean, this tenth EX‑Series expansion boasts a hefty 115‑card roster that mingles classics from Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal—from the fully evolved Johto starters to legends like Lugia and Ho‑Oh. It also unveiled a striking reverse‑holo treatment: a shimmering 3D Poké Ball lattice that flashes under light and makes even a common Unown feel special.
In competitive play, EX Unseen Forces shook up the meta with an armada of Pokémon‑ex and clever tech cards. Lugia ex and Ho‑Oh ex headline the lineup, each wielding game‑swinging, multi‑type attacks that demanded fresh deck‑building strategies. Stage‑2 juggernauts Meganium ex, Typhlosion ex, and Feraligatr ex finally gave Johto’s starters their long‑awaited EX forms, while Supporters such as Professor Elm’s Training Method and Mary’s Request provided the card‑flow engines that defined the 2005–06 season. The set even squeezed in 28 different Unown, turning the once‑novelty alphabet Pokémon into a legitimate toolbox for “Hidden Power” enthusiasts.
Collectors soon realized that hidden gems lay beneath the surface. The expansion debuts the Gold Star legendary beast trio—Raikou ☆, Entei ☆, and Suicune ☆—each card breaking the art frame and flashing a gold star that sends PSA gem‑mint prices soaring. Early print runs of reverse‑holo Trainer cards feature a subtle “ghost” ray pattern that was later corrected, giving variant hunters a quiet chase. And here’s a detail many miss: the jagged silver aura on Lugia ex actually spells out “GS” and “SO,” a nod to the Japanese title Golden Sky, Silvery Ocean. Between its competitive impact, stellar pull value, and Easter‑egg‑laden artwork, EX Unseen Forces remains a defining release for Johto‑era collectors and players alike.
Unseen Forces Set Cards
