In today’s lightning-paced Standard format, choosing the right Energy can make or break your deck. Here are the 10 best Special Energy cards in 2025.
Special Energy are the wild cards of Pokémon TCG. Unlike Basic Energy, which keep your Pokémon ticking along, the right Special Energy can completely swing the tide of a battle.
These aren’t just “fancier versions” of Basic Energy- they’re the powerful resources that sneak in extra damage, speed up your setup, and fix weaknesses in your deck. Play the right one at the right time, and suddenly your “barely hanging on” match turns into a clear path to victory.
So whether you’re fine-tuning a championship list or building your first deck, this countdown of the 10 Best Special Energy Cards in 2025 will show you what’s hot, why they work, and where they shine.
1) Team Rocket’s Energy – DRI 182
Provides:
2x Psychic/Darkness Energy (condition-dependent)
Meta Role:
Energy acceleration
Best Used In:
Psychic/Darkness-type Team Rocket decks
Price (raw/ungraded)
$1.50
Pros
Cons
Team Rocket’s Energy is a must-have for Rocket decks running Psychic or Darkness attackers. It shined at the 2025 North American International Championships in several Rocket’s Mewtwo ex decks, fueling Erasure Ball for 160-340 damage, and powering Rocket’s Mimikyu.
It’s got rogue deck potential too with Rocket’s Arbok (DRI 113) control and Nidoking ex (DRI 119). But the strict “Rocket-only” attachment rule kills its versatility outside that niche.
With Destined Rivals just out, the real question is: who’s going to open the doors for this card? And will future sets see more Psychic and Darkness-type Rocket Pokémon that would capitalize on this Special Energy?
2) Ignition Energy – WHT 86
Provides:
1x Colorless or 3x Colorless Energy (condition-dependent)
Meta Role:
Energy acceleration
Best Used In:
Decks with hard-hitting colorless Stage 1 and Stage 2 attackers
Price (raw/ungraded)
$1.00
Pros
Cons
Ignition Energy is the definition of “go hard or go home.” In the right hands, it turns a Stage 1 or 2 evolution attacker into a one-turn wrecking ball.
Timed well, its energy acceleration is amazing for taking strategic KOs or activating a much-needed card effect. You can use it to power cards like Slaking ex (SSP 147) to set up massive 280-damage as early as turn 2 or 3, or Blissey ex (TWM 134) for extra draw.
But outside those “all-in” moments, its self-discarding drawback makes it hard to justify being your focal Energy line. Still, in the right deck, it’s a great situational Energy.
3) Reversal Energy – PAL 192
Provides:
1x Colorless or 3x any type of Energy (condition-dependent)
Meta Role:
Counter attacking
Best Used In:
Decks with single-prize (non-ex) Evolution attackers
Price (raw/ungraded)
$0.50
Pros
Cons
In the current format, this is arguably the best Special Energy card for comeback plays due to its versatility and energy supply.
Its default Colorless Energy is nothing special. But if you’re behind on prizes and attach it to a non-rule box Evolution, it suddenly becomes three energy of any type. That’s enough to turn most single-prize Stage 1 or Stage 2 attackers into an instant threat for taking key knockouts- think Roaring Moon (PRE 65) and Blaziken (DRI 42).
Highlighting its versatility, we’ve seen Reversal Energy pop up in a range of different decks at major 2025 tournaments.
4) Prism Energy – BLK 86
Provides:
1x Colorless or 1x any type of Energy (condition-dependent)
Meta Role:
Utility Energy
Best Used In:
Multi-type decks featuring Basic attackers
Price (raw/ungraded)
$0.50
Pros
Cons
With the recent release of the Black Bolt series comes Prism Energy- a rainbow Special Energy that cracks open new possibilities for competitive players.
Multi-type Basic attackers like Pikachu ex (SSP 57) and Raging Bolt ex (TEF 123) are proven threats in the meta. They hit the board fast and pack deadly attacks. The only thing slowing them down? Those awkward multi-type energy costs.
That’s where Prism Energy changes the game. It patches up mismatched attack costs and lets your attackers fire off sooner without fishing for the “missing” energy.
This card could also breathe life into underplayed multi-type Basics like Lapras ex (SCR 32) and Terapagos ex (PRE 92).
5) Spiky Energy – JTG 159
Provides:
1x Colorless Energy
Meta Role:
Chip and spread damage
Best Used In:
Stall/control and poison archetype decks
Price (raw/ungraded)
$7.50 (for gold Hyper Rare)
Pros
Cons
A solid Special Energy for stall-control builds, Spiky Energy pings 20 damage back whenever your Active is hit- and it stacks if you attach more than one.
It’s great for tanky, chip-damage strategies that wear opponents down while keeping your own Pokémon in play.
Spiky Energy also slots neatly into creative rogue decks built around Poison-damage, which is seeing a surge in support. Pair it with attackers like Rocket’s Nidoking ex (DRI 119), Toxicroak ex (SVI 131), or Pecharunt (SVP 12) to quickly deplete your opponent.
6) Enriching Energy – SSP 191
Provides:
1x Colorless Energy
Meta Role:
Draw engine
Best Used In:
Decks that need extra draw support
Price (raw/ungraded)
$2.00
Pros
Cons
Enriching Energy is more than just attacking fuel- attach it from your hand and you get to draw a massive four cards. Two birds, one stone.
As an ACE SPEC, you only get one copy, so timing is everything. Many players attach it to a Pokémon purely to trigger the draw effect and boost deck consistency.
But it really shines with the popular Dudunsparce draw engine. Instead of evolving Dunsparce into Dudunsparce (PRE 80), you can go into Dudunsparce ex (JTG 121), slap on an Enriching Energy, and not only draw four but also power Tenacious Tail- an attack that can easily push 180+ damage in the mid-to-late game.
7) Boomerang Energy – TWM 166
Provides:
1x Colorless Energy
Meta Role:
Energy recycling
Best Used In:
Decks that run discard attackers
Price (raw/ungraded)
$0.50
Pros
Cons
Boomerang Energy has seen success in multiple 2025 tournaments, most notably in Slaking ex builds running four copies to keep its 280-damage discard attack online every turn. It also works well with Salamence ex (JTG 114).
It’s one hell of a Special Energy for Pokémon that discard Energy as part of their attack. Instead of losing the Energy, Boomerang simply reattaches to the same Pokémon after the attack- letting heavy energy-discarders sustain pressure.
The catch? It only provides Colorless Energy, so it can’t cover specific colored Energy requirements. Even so, for decks that burn through Energy quickly, Boomerang is an incredibly efficient way to keep the offense rolling.
8) Legacy Energy – TWM 167
Provides:
1x any type of Energy
Meta Role:
Utility Energy with prize denial
Best Used In:
Multi-type and control-disruption decks
Price (raw/ungraded)
$0.50
Pros
Cons
A strong pre-rotation staple in Lugia VSTAR/Archeops decks, Legacy Energy has seen reduced play post-rotation- but it still finds its way into decks for it’s dual prize-denial and multi-type energy effect.
As an ACE SPEC, you only get one copy, and the effect can only be triggered once per game. But that’s often enough to flip the prize race.
It’s seen success in Ho-Oh ex decks to fuel tech attackers like Wellspring Mask Ogerpon ex (TWM 64) and Iron Hands ex (PAL 70).
9) Luminous Energy – PAL 191
Provides:
1x Colorless or 1x any type of Energy (condition-dependent)
Meta Role:
Utility Energy
Best Used In:
Multi-type decks
Price (raw/ungraded)
$0.30
Pros
Cons
Seen in top Dragapult-Charizard ex lists from major tournaments, Luminous Energy covers both attackers’ needs while also enabling Munkidori’s Adrena-Brain for extra chip-damage.
It’s a go-to for decks juggling multi-Energy requirements. The catch? It’s a rainbow Energy only if it’s the only Special Energy attached to that Pokémon. That restriction means you can’t stack Luminous or combine it with other Specials on the same Pokémon. But when used right, it’s an incredibly flexible way to meet attack costs without overloading your list with extra basics.
10) Neo Upper Energy – TEF 162
Provides:
1x Colorless or 2x any type of Energy (condition-dependent)
Meta Role:
Energy acceleration
Best Used In:
Decks with Stage 2 attackers
Price (raw/ungraded)
$10
Pros
Cons
Made for powerful evolution decks, Neo Upper Energy offers two units of any Energy in a single attachment- but only when attached to a Stage 2 Pokémon. In effect, it lets slower Stage 2 decks keep pace with faster Basics.
Seen in Hydreigon ex (WHT 67) and Dragapult ex (PRE 73) lists, where its double-color flexibility covers tricky energy requirements. It’s also a natural fit in Quaquaval ex (PAL 52), fueling Spiral Shot for a quick 230 damage and immediate reuse.
Highlighting the popularity of Neo Upper Energy, it currently tops the most expensive energies in the current meta, thanks to its rarity and playability.
Kalam is a PTCG gameplay expert and content creator. He started playing and collecting Pokémon cards since 1996. When he’s not working, you can find him nerding out on Anime!
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