Hello all you fans of the Pokemon Trading Card Game and casual readers. Pokemon cards come in many different types. Among those types are Trainer cards. And among those Trainer cards are Stadium cards. These cards are not necessary to gameplay but can provide such serious boosts that you really should play one just to counteract the Stadium that your opponent might play. So today we’ll be looking at the best.
Stadiums are unique among Trainer cards because they stay in play until removed or replaced and they provide effects to both players regardless of who put them in play. This means that you have to be careful that the Stadium that you choose to play doesn’t boost your opponent more than you.
Let me add one more thing. Full disclosure, finding the right Stadium can be highly tuned to your specific deck, so it’s always best to look through them all when figuring out which one to play. However, today we’re looking at which ones are the best for almost any deck. If you don’t need a specific Stadium, give this list a once over. I’m sure you’ll find a good fit. And to clarify the criteria for the list, we will be looking at all Stadium cards legal in the Expanded format as of August 20, 2021.
10. Lysandre Labs
This Stadium shuts down the effects of all Tool cards in play. This can be incredibly beneficial if you don’t plan on playing any Tool cards.
9. Mountain Ring
If you’re incredibly wary of bench damage, then this is a good Stadium for you. Mountain Ring prevents all damage done to Benched Pokemon by attacks.
8. Spikemuth
Whenever a player’s Active Pokemon moves to their bench, this Stadium deals 20 damage to it. This is a very good Stadium if you don’t plan on moving around a lot. There are also some strategies that key off of your Pokemon having more damage, so this stadium could boost you as well.
7. Rose Tower
Once per turn, Rose tower allows you to draw from your deck until you have three cards in your hand. Any draw support is handy, so this draw support is good but not so good that your opponent can crush you with it.
6. Martial Arts Dojo
This Stadium is a bit complicated, so bear with me. It says that the attacks of your Pokemon that have Basic fighting energy attached to them do 10 more damage. If you are behind your opponent on prize cards, then those attacks do 40 more damage. And this Stadium doesn’t affect Ultra Beast Pokemon. This is a really great Stadium for some extra damage because you can just play a couple fighting energy in any deck for the bonus.
5. Training Court
Once per turn, Training Court allows you to put a Basic energy from your discard pile into your hand. This can become an incredibly useful resource if it stays in play for multiple turns.
4. Viridian Forest
Viridian Forest also helps you to get energy by allowing you to discard a card from your hand once per turn. If you do, you may search your deck for a Basic energy and put it into your hand.
3. Chaotic Swell
This is the anti-Stadium Stadium card. Once you play Chaotic Swell down, the next Stadium to be played is immediately discarded along with Chaotic Swell. This is a great card to play one copy of if you really don’t feel like playing any other Stadium.
2. Sky Field
This Stadium increases the number of Bench space that each player has to eight spaces. If this is a key part of your deck, then it can be incredibly beneficial. In addition, most other decks aren’t necessarily prepared to use all that bench space so it won’t benefit them as much.
1. Parallel City
This Stadium is unique because it is one of two Stadiums that provides separate effects to the players. When you play this card, you get to decide which effect is assigned to which player. The first effect reduces a player’s Bench to only three spaces. The second effect reduces damage done by fire, water, or grass Pokemon by 20 damage. The multiple effects and flexible nature of this card make it top notch.
