30th Celebration Set Review: The Cards To Watch

30th Celebration is a Mega Evolution series set released on 2026-09-16, with 128 printed cards (161 total) that are nearly all Pokémon printed for the first time.

Most of the set is not seeing tournament play yet. The cards that are fall into two groups. The first is reprints that were already staples: Ultra Ball is in 82% of Standard decks and Poké Pad in 81%. The second is two new Pokémon ex that have already found homes, Mew ex in three Mega Lopunny archetypes and Greninja ex in one small Mega Greninja list. Keep the timing in mind. This snapshot covers 6,894 decklists from 95 tournaments over a 32-day window that started before the set came out, so these early numbers are a floor for the new cards, not a ceiling.

The cards that matter

Mew ex

This is the new card with the clearest competitive role so far. "Memory Helix" lets it use the attacks of any of your Benched Pokémon (you still need the Energy). "Teleportation Burst" does 30 and lets you switch it with a Benched Pokémon. It is core in three archetypes:

That is who should care: Mega Lopunny players. Mew ex copies your Bench's attacks and can pivot out after attacking, so it gives a Mega Lopunny deck a second attacker without a second evolution line. It gives up 2 Prizes like any Pokémon ex, and 160 HP is not much for a Pokémon that has to sit Active to attack.

Greninja ex

A 300 HP Stage 2 that evolves from Frogadier. "Stealthy Slash" costs one Water Energy and does 30 damage to any of your opponent's Pokémon for each damage counter already on it. "Aqua Edge" does 160 for two Water. It is core in Mega Greninja Dudunsparce, at 73% of lists and 1 copy on average. That archetype is only 22 decks (0.1% usage), so read this as proof that the card works, not as proof that it is strong. Stealthy Slash is a one-Energy finisher against anything already carrying damage counters, which makes it worth a look for any Water deck that spreads damage.

Sleepers

None of the cards below appear in the current data. Everything in this section is speculation based on card text.

Pikachu ex ("Pika-Pika Parade")

For one Colorless Energy, "Pika-Pika Parade" searches your deck for any number of Basic Pokémon and puts them onto your Bench. "Thunderbolt" does 200 for three cost but discards all Energy from it. My guess (speculation) is that a Basic-heavy deck willing to open with a 2-Prize Pokémon could use it as a turn-one bench filler. The other Pikachu ex, with "Zip-Zap Frenzy" (attach any number of Basic Energy from your hand to your Pokémon), is the more aggressive of the two and could matter if an Energy-hungry Lightning deck appears. That is also speculation.

Mewtwo ex

"Photon Bullets" does 50 damage to each of your opponent's Pokémon ex for two Psychic Energy. "Psychic Powers" does 230 but can't be used again next turn. In a format where many top archetypes are built around Pokémon ex, a spread attack that only hits ex could be a real tech. That depends on which boards you face, so treat it as speculation until it shows up in results.

Gengar ex and Umbreon ex

Gengar ex places 13 damage counters on any opponent's Pokémon with "Chaotic Pain" for two Darkness Energy, and "Fainting Spell" gives a coin flip to Knock Out whatever Knocks it Out. Umbreon ex's "Lunatic Claw" does 100, or 240 if the Defending Pokémon already has damage counters. Both hit hard for their cost. Whether they're worth building around is speculation: Gengar ex is a Stage 2 from Haunter, and both give up 2 Prizes.

Jirachi ex and Lapras

Jirachi ex draws until you have 7 cards with "Wish Granter" for one Colorless Energy, and "Swift" does 150 that isn't affected by Weakness, Resistance or any effects on the Defending Pokémon. Lapras searches out any Supporter with "Ferry Across". Both are consistency attackers that cost you your attack for the turn, so I'd guess (speculation) they end up as one-of tech at most, not core pieces.

What changes in the meta

The top of the format is untouched by new cards

Dragapult Munkidori leads at 16.9% usage and a 54.1% average win rate. The only 30th Celebration cards in its lists are the Poké Pad and Ultra Ball reprints, and nothing new in the set shares an evolution line with it. The same holds for Mega Kangaskhan Meowth (8.1%, 54.1%), N's Zoroark (6.2%, 54%) and Dragapult Dusknoir (6.4%, 51.7%). Reprinting staples keeps them in the pool but doesn't change any of these lists.

Mega Lopunny decks gain the most

Mew ex is core in all three Mega Lopunny archetypes in the data, and one of them (Mega Lopunny Mew) is named after it. Those decks sit between 0.2% and 1.6% usage today, well outside the top 12. Whether Mew ex lifts them into the upper tier is speculation, but among the new cards it has the most tournament evidence behind it.

Evolution lines worth checking

Several new Pokémon share an evolution line with existing archetypes. That tells you where to test them, not that anyone plays them yet:

• Slowpoke shares a line with Mega Kangaskhan Slowking (6.9% usage, 53.6% win rate). Its "Well-Hidden" coin flip can shield it for a turn, making it an alternative Basic to test.
• Lucario shares a line with Mega Lucario Solrock, Mega Lucario Dudunsparce and Mega Lucario Hariyama. "Aura Sphere" does 100 plus 60 to a Benched Pokémon, which gives those decks a non-Rule Box attacker option.
• Toxel and both Toxtricity share a line with Mega Absol Toxtricity and Mega Sharpedo Pecharunt. The 140 HP Toxtricity's "Thunderous Bolt" does 150 for three Energy.
• Chandelure shares a line with Mega Chandelure. "Eerie Glow" does 130 and leaves the Defending Pokémon Burned and Confused.
• Greninja ex shares a line with Greninja Mega Froslass, Greninja Dudunsparce and Mega Greninja Dudunsparce, though only the last of those plays it so far.

Any of these could move a list, and that's speculation until results show it. The full card list is on the 30th Celebration set page.

FAQ

Which 30th Celebration cards are seeing tournament play in Standard?

Five so far. Ultra Ball (82% of Standard decks), Poké Pad (81%) and Switch (28%) are reprints of existing staples. Among the new cards, Mew ex is core in three Mega Lopunny archetypes, and Greninja ex is core in the 22-deck Mega Greninja Dudunsparce archetype.

Is Poké Pad new in 30th Celebration?

No. It was first printed in Ascended Heroes and returns here as a reprint. It is already in 81% of Standard decks at an average of 3.5 copies, and Dragapult Munkidori plays 4 in every list.

How many copies of Mew ex do Mega Lopunny decks play?

Mega Lopunny Dudunsparce plays it in 87% of lists at an average of 1.8 copies. Mega Lopunny Dusknoir plays it in 73% of lists at 1.6 copies. Mega Lopunny Mew plays it in every list at 2.1 copies.

Does 30th Celebration change the Dragapult Munkidori deck?

Not according to current data. Its only cards from this set are the Poké Pad and Ultra Ball reprints, and none of the new Pokémon share an evolution line with it. It remains the most-played archetype at 16.9% usage with a 54.1% average win rate.

Is Greninja ex good in Standard?

Too little data to say. It is core in Mega Greninja Dudunsparce (73% of lists, 1 copy on average), but that archetype is only 22 decks and 0.1% of the format. "Stealthy Slash" rewards decks that already put damage counters on the board, so that's where to test it.