Image courtesy of TCGdex.net

A Water-Colossal on the Rise: Gyarados V in the Modern Meta

In the expansive ocean of the Pokémon TCG, Gyarados V cuts a dramatic silhouette with its 220 HP and a pair of attacks that can swing tides in a single turn. This Basic Water-type from the Evolving Skies set (swsh7) arrives as an Ultra Rare holo, illustrated by PLANETA Tsuji, carrying the kind of presence that makes opponents pause and plan carefully. Its elevated HP gives it staying power in the early game, while its two high-damage callbacks give you outs to close games when you’ve chipped away at the foe’s board. For collectors, the holo treatment and the signature PLANETA Tsuji style add a splash of drama to any Water-themed display. For players, the combination of Get Angry and Heavy Storm creates two distinct routes to victory, depending on how your match unfolds. ⚡💧

Key numbers at a glance

• Set & Rarity: Evolving Skies (swsh7), Ultra Rare holo — a coveted pull for many builders.
• HP & Type: 220 HP, Water-type Basic Pokémon. A sturdy frontline option that can weather the early trades.
• Attacks:
  • Get Angry — Cost: Water, Water, Colorless. This attack deals 20 damage for each damage counter on Gyarados V.
  • Heavy Storm — Cost: Water, Water, Water, Colorless. A raw 180 damage finisher when you’ve aligned the energy mix.
• Weakness & Retreat: Weakness to Lightning ×2; Retreat cost 3.
• Regulation & Availability: Regulation Mark E; Expanded-legal, not Standard.
• Illustrator: PLANETA Tsuji.

How the two-attack toolkit plays in matchups

Gyarados V’s Heavy Storm is a clean, hefty nuke that can swing a game when you’ve loaded enough Water Energy—three Waters plus a Colorless—to the active. Its damage output is a straightforward 180, a number that often KO’s mid-to-late-range threats or leaves you with a favorable swap into a remaining attacker. The payoff is balanced by energy requirements and the need to protect the attacker from opposing threats, but in the right ceiling, Heavy Storm can end games before your opponent stabilizes their board.

Get Angry adds a second dimension to how you pace your plays. The damage scales with the number of damage counters on Gyarados V, so the longer you stay in the field with a dent or two, the higher the payoff becomes on the next turn. This encourages a calculated risk—tailoring your plan to whether you want to weather a couple of blows and set up a dramatic finish or go all-in early and press for a KO before the opponent can recover. The attack’s design rewards careful energy management and timing, turning a potential vulnerability into a strategic gambit. 🔥

Matchup highlights: where Gyarados V shines

• Against heavy multi-attack decks: Heavy Storm can seal the deal when you’ve charged enough Water Energy, punishing foes who overextend with big-but-slow threats.
• In post-synergy planes: When paired with energy acceleration and draw support, Gyarados V becomes a reliable anchor, trading efficiently and flipping the prize race in your favor.
• Against walls with manageable HP: A well-timed Get Angry can overtake a glacial tempo by stacking enough damage counters to push a KO, especially if the opponent’s bench is thin.
• Lightning-type threats: The obvious caveat is the ×2 weakness to Lightning. In metagames where Electric lines rack up, you’ll want to anticipate escorts and retreats to maximize your uptime and minimize risk.

Collector insights and market currents

The holo Gyarados V from Evolving Skies sits at an interesting price point in the secondary market. Current snapshots show a spectrum from the low end around 8–9 USD to mid-range values near 11–12 USD, with holo options peaking toward roughly 18 USD in certain listings. On CardMarket, the USD and EUR values mirror the fluctuating demand seen in premium Water-type staples—buyers are often drawn to the striking PLANETA Tsuji artwork and the card’s competitive implications in Expanded formats. For collectors, the holo treatment and the set’s overall splash of alternate-art flair make this a desirable centerpiece, especially in Oceanic-themed or nostalgia-driven displays. 💎

From a gameplay perspective, the card’s 220 HP helps it weather early attrition while you build up the necessary energy for Heavy Storm. The energy cost on that attack is non-trivial, so deck builders tend to favor steady energy acceleration and reliable draw support to keep Gyarados V online while you pressure the opponent’s board. The card’s Expanded-legal status broadens the deck-building horizon, enabling creative techs that leverage older Water-type staples to shore up weaknesses and maximize the Gyarados V finisher window.

Art, lore, and the vibe of the card

PLANETA Tsuji’s artistry on Gyarados V captures the fluid menace of a sea-dominating serpent with dynamic shading and metallic glints that make the holo pop. Collectors often place this card in a display alongside other Water-types from Evolving Skies, appreciating how the art elevates the sense of motion and power in a single frame. It’s not just a stat sheet—it’s a storytelling moment at your table, a reminder that the ocean can roar as loudly in the TCG as it does in the wild. 🎨

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