The upcoming Pokemon TCG Team Rocket 2025 expansion has been officially announced on the Japanese website dedicated to the Pokemon Trading Card Game. This expansion was first teased in a trailer for the Scarlet and Violet TCG, aptly named “Trainer’s Pokemon,”which premiered during the recent Pokemon World Championships.
Titled “The Glory of Team Rocket,” this set is scheduled for release in Japan on April 18, 2025. The English version will follow suit, launching on May 30, 2025, coinciding with the Heat Wave expansion as part of the widely anticipated Destined Rivals set. This expansion will feature a total of 98 new cards.
Highlighting the Meta-Influencing Cards in Pokemon TCG Team Rocket 2025
Among the standout cards, Team Rocket’s Mewtwo ex takes the spotlight with a robust 280 HP and its powerful attack, Deletion Sphere, which can deal up to 220 damage without factoring in weaknesses. This card could significantly alter gameplay dynamics for competitive players.
Another notable inclusion is Team Rocket’s Meowth, which currently is the only card confirmed to have a full art variant. Its artistic design features charming chibi versions of Giovanni and Meowth, while the regular card showcases a base 70 HP and has two unique attacks.
The expansion also includes disruptive mechanics with cards like Team Rocket’s Porygon evolution line, which can shuffle and strategize by forcing the opponent to discard while enabling the player to regain cards. Additionally, Team Rocket’s Giovanni provides strategic depth by allowing players to alter board dynamics through smart switches.
The following table outlines the 14 cards from the Pokemon TCG Team Rocket 2025 expansion that have been publicly revealed thus far. The translations from Japanese to English are approximate and may differ slightly in the final product:
| Name of the Card | Type | Descriptive Text |
| Team Rocket’s Tarountula | Basic Pokemon |
50 HP Take Down: 30 – This Pokemon also does 10 damage to itself. Weakness: Fire (x2) Resistance: None Retreat Cost: 1 |
| Team Rocket’s Spidops | Stage 1 Pokemon |
130 HP Evolves from Team Rocket’s Tarountula Ability: Charge Up – Once during your turn, you may attach a Basic Energy from your discard pile to this Pokemon. Rocket Rush: 30x – This attack does 30 damage for each of your Team Rocket’s Pokemon in play. Weakness: Fire (x2) Resistance: None Retreat Cost: 2 |
| Team Rocket’s Mewtwo ex | Basic Pokemon |
280 HP Ability: Power Saver – This Pokemon can’t attack unless you have 4 or more Team Rocket’s Pokemon in play. Deletion Sphere: 160+ – You may discard up to 2 Energy from your Benched Pokemon. This attack does 60 more damage for each card discarded this way. Pokemon ex rule: When your Pokemon ex is Knocked Out, your opponent takes 2 Prize cards. Weakness: Darkness (x2) Resistance: Fighting (-20) Retreat Cost: 3 |
| Team Rocket’s Meowth | Basic Pokemon |
70 HP Cat Burglar: Choose a random card from your opponent’s hand. Your opponent reveals that card and shuffles it into their deck. Wild Scratch: 20x – Flip 3 coins. This attack does 20 damage for each head. Weakness: Fighting (x2) Resistance: None Retreat Cost: 1 |
| Team Rocket’s Persian ex | Stage 1 Pokemon |
260 HP Evolves from Team Rocket’s Meowth Haughty Orders: Your opponent reveals the top 10 cards of their deck. You may choose an attack from a Pokemon you find there and use it as this attack. Your opponent shuffles the revealed cards back into their deck. Cruel Slash: 140 – Your opponent’s Active Pokemon is now Confused. Weakness: Fighting (x2) Resistance: None Retreat Cost: 1 |
| Team Rocket’s Porygon | Basic Pokemon |
90 HP Hacking: Discard 1 card from your hand. Then your opponent discards 1 card from their hand. Weakness: Fighting (x2) Resistance: None Retreat Cost: 1 |
| Team Rocket’s Porygon 2 | Stage 1 Pokemon |
90 HP Evolves from Team Rocket’s Porygon R Command: 20x – This attack does 20 damage for each Supporter in your discard pile with “Team Rocket” in its name. Weakness: Fighting (x2) Resistance: None Retreat Cost: 1 |
| Team Rocket’s Porygon Z | Stage 2 Pokemon |
140 HP Evolves from Team Rocket’s Porygon 2 Ability: Reconstitute – You must discard 2 cards from your hand in order to use this Ability. Once during your turn, you may draw a card. Control R: 20x – This attack does 20 damage for each Supporter in your discard pile with “Team Rocket” in its name. Weakness: Fighting (x2) Resistance: None Retreat Cost: 1 |
| Team Rocket’s Receiver | Item |
Search your deck for a Supporter card with “Rocket”in its name, reveal it, and put it into your hand. Then, shuffle your deck. You may play as many Item cards as you like during your turn. |
| Team Rocket’s Ariana | Supporter |
Draw cards until you have 5 cards in your hand. If all of your Pokemon in play are Rocket’s Pokemon, draw until you have 8 cards in your hand instead. You may play only 1 Supporter card during your turn. |
| Team Rocket’s Archer | Supporter |
You can play this card only if any of your Team Rocket’s Pokemon were Knocked Out during your opponent’s last turn. Each player shuffles their hand into their deck. Then, you draw 5 cards, and your opponent draws 3 cards. You may play only 1 Supporter card during your turn. |
| Team Rocket’s Giovanni | Supporter |
Switch your Active Rocket’s Pokemon with 1 of your Benched Team Rocket’s Pokemon. If you do, then switch 1 of your opponent’s Benched Pokemon with their Active Pokemon. You may play only 1 Supporter card during your turn. |
| Team Rocket’s Energy | Special Energy |
This card can only be attached to a Team Rocket’s Pokemon. If this card is attached to anything other than a Team Rocket’s Pokemon, discard this card. As long as this card is attached to a Pokemon, it provides 2 in any combination of Energy. |
This expansion showcases an exciting mix, introducing eight new Pokemon cards alongside four Trainer cards, which include one Item card and three Supporters, in addition to a new Special Energy type.
Moreover, the Pokemon Company is set to complement the 2025 Pokemon TCG Team Rocket expansion with an array of fresh merchandise. One intriguing product in the lineup is a briefcase emblazoned with the iconic Team Rocket “R”logo.
Is This the First Appearance of Team Rocket in Pokémon TCG?
This won’t be the first time Team Rocket has been featured in the Pokemon Trading Card Game. The fifth expansion was entirely centered around Team Rocket, marking a significant moment in the TCG’s history with the introduction of “Dark Pokemon.” This feature predated the establishment of the Dark type in Generation II.
In that expansion, several Pokemon from the first two generations were assigned a “Dark”designation, suggesting they had succumbed to Team Rocket’s turbulent influence. While these cards typically had lower HP, they compensated with enhanced attacking capabilities, creating intricate strategies for players during battles.