Crystal Guardians
Set Details
ONLY THE BEST SHALL PASS THE CRYSTAL GUARDIANS
A remote island… mysterious crystals… and incredible Pokémon just waiting for you to discover them! EX Crystal Guardians takes you to distant shores where more new Pokémon Delta Species, Pokémon-ex, and Pokémonlive among astonishing crystals that can change how Trainers do battle. Are you ready to explore the island and capture your favorite Crystal Guardians?
Released on August 30 2006 in English (March 10 2006 in Japan as Miracle Crystal), the EX Crystal Guardians Pokémon set whisks players to a remote island where natural crystals radiate strange energy and δ Delta Species Pokémon live in harmony with their standard counterparts. The expansion contains 100 cards and is the final chapter to feature dual‑type Delta Species, so you’ll find surprises such as Charizard δ (Fire/Metal) and Kingler δ (Water/Lightning) sharing booster space with “normal” Venusaur, Blastoise, and Kyogre ex. Four vivid pack designs—Charizard, Blaziken, Delcatty, and Jirachi—mirror the island’s elemental shards and instantly stand out on any shelf.
Gameplay depth sparkles like the set’s namesake crystals. Stadiums and Tools such as Crystal Beach, Cessation Crystal, and Windstorm became meta cornerstones: Crystal Beach punished decks that relied on Special Energy, Cessation Crystal shut down Poké‑Powers, and Windstorm provided the perfect counterweight by clearing troublesome Tools and Stadiums at will. The Castaway Supporter let players fetch both a Tool and Energy in one go, while δ Rainbow Energy helped off‑type Pokémon‑ex like Sceptile ex δ and Groudon ex unleash attacks without awkward color requirements. For newcomers, EX Crystal Guardians also broke ground by shipping three theme decks—Green Cyclone, Storm Surge, and Earth Shower—each loaded with exclusive holo prints of their headline monsters.
Collectors have plenty of crystal‑bright treasures to hunt. The set hides two Gold Star cards: Alakazam ☆ (99/100) and Celebi ☆ (100/100), both bursting through the art frame and gleaming with a gold‑foil rarity symbol. Delta holos feature a refractor finish that blankets the artwork, while reverse‑holo commons shimmer with the same mirror effect—a photographer’s dream for displaying binder pages. Tilt Pikachu δ (Metal‑type) in strong light and you’ll spot a faint silhouette of the island’s central crystal spire, an artist’s Easter egg nod to the set’s lore. Add the fact that EX Crystal Guardians introduced the disruptive Cessation/Windstorm control dance still referenced in retro formats, and this expansion stands tall as the sparkling bridge between Holon science and the dragon‑filled frontier that followed.
Crystal Guardians Set Cards
