Pokémon TCG: Sword & Shield—Brilliant Stars (Japanese: スターバースStar Birth) is the name given to the ninth main expansion of cards from the Sword & Shield Series of the Pokémon Trading Card Game (the Sword & Shield Era in Japan). The expansion introduces the Pokémon VSTAR mechanic to the TCG.
Brilliant Stars is the ninth main Sword & Shield Series expansion of the Pokémon Trading Card Game and is set to release on February 25, 2022. In Japan, it was released as Star Birth on January 14, 2022 and is the ninth expansion of the Pokémon Card Game Sword & Shield Era. Brilliant Stars consists of cards sourced from the Japanese Star Birth expansion, the Start Deck 100, and the VMAX Climax subset.
The expansion centers on the Alpha Pokémon Arceus, which supports the Pokémon V and new Pokémon VSTAR mechanic. Like their predecessors, evolve from a requisite Pokémon V. Each one also has an attack or Ability called a VSTAR Power that, much like GX attacks in the Sun & Moon Series, can only be used once in a game. Other Pokémon supporting the VSTAR mechanic in the expansion include Charizard, Shaymin, and Whimsicott. Brilliant Stars includes a subset of cards named the Trainer Gallery, which comprises Full Art reprints depicting Pokémon alongside a Trainer, a concept last seen in the Cosmic Eclipse expansion.
Each Brilliant Stars booster pack contains ten cards from the expansion, a code card for use with the Pokémon Trading Card Game Live, and either a basic Energy card (featuring a new design) or a VSTAR marker card. VSTAR markers can be used as a visual aid for players to show if they have used a Pokémon VSTAR's VSTAR Power or not, much like GX markers in the Sun & Moon Series. Trading Card-sized markers have a white obverse with the VSTAR symbol and a black reverse with a Poké Ball design. Acrylic VSTAR markers were available in other products. Each Star Birth pack contains five cards.
