Dual Fusion (C1) introduces dual-type Pokémon and two boosters: Mega Mewtwo X and Pikachu. Choose the card you want to play or collect, then open the booster containing its supporting cards. You do not need to alternate packs just because there are two covers.
Reviewed October 29, 2026, the expansion's release date. The complete C1 checklist contains 217 prints: 131 main-numbered cards and 86 secret cards. Different illustrations and finishes count separately; 217 entries do not mean 217 different gameplay effects. The full reveal agrees with the local catalog.
Dual Fusion at a glance: what is new, and who should open it?
Dual Fusion starts the C series on October 29, 2026. If you are returning after several expansions, begin with one question: do you want an enjoyable deck, a particular Pokémon, or a finished collection? Those goals overlap, but the same opening plan rarely serves all three equally well. A player missing several evolution pieces needs a different pack from someone chasing one illustration.
For a quick Dual Fusion decision, the Pikachu booster offers Pikachu ex, Mega Greninja ex and Mega Dragonite ex among its ordinary ex cards. The Mega Mewtwo X booster offers its headline attacker, Mew ex and Mega Tyranitar ex. This is a choice between card pools, not a published strength ranking. Open the linked details below before spending a large hourglass reserve.
The Dual Fusion release also brings ways to try cards before owning a complete list. Pokémon Zone's launch overview lists six rental decks, including the four headline Pikachu, Mewtwo, Greninja and Tyranitar options, plus Honey Gather and Rabbit Jumping. Check the in-game rental screen for current access and expiry. A rental can tell you whether you enjoy the setup; it cannot predict tournament success.
Dual Fusion dual types: what actually changes
The official announcement identifies Mega Mewtwo X ex C1-056 as Psychic/Fighting and Mega Greninja ex C1-042 as Water/Darkness. These are two types on one Pokémon. Check the opponent's printed Weakness and the exact wording of type-specific support when deciding how that matters.
A Pokémon's types do not replace its attack's Energy requirements. Mega Mewtwo X ex's Dual Impact needs two Psychic Energy and one Colorless requirement. Mega Greninja ex's Splash of Darkness needs two Water Energy, despite its Darkness type. Adding Fighting or Darkness Energy purely to match the card's colors can make those attacks harder to fund. Colorless requirements can be paid with any Energy type.
The card's own Weakness is a separate printed field: do not import both weaknesses from the video games. Also read the Mega Evolution ex rule. Losing one gives the opponent three points, so a large attacker can also become the opponent's winning target.
Dual Fusion: Mega Mewtwo X or Pikachu?
Use the linked booster checklists to see what you already own and what is missing. The table lists ordinary C1 prints; check the specific entry when chasing alternate artwork.
| Booster | Representative targets | Supporting cards to check | Choose it when… |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mega Mewtwo X | Mega Mewtwo X ex, Mega Tyranitar ex | Abandoned Station; Larvitar and Pupitar for Tyranitar | You want the Psychic attacker or the Tyranitar evolution line, and can support its setup. |
| Pikachu | Pikachu ex, Mega Greninja ex, Mega Dragonite ex | Light Ball; Froakie and Frogadier; Dratini and Dragonair | Your goal is Pikachu or one of these evolution projects. |
Eviolite C1-123 is shared by both boosters. Its presence alone is no reason to switch packs. It is a defensive Basic-Pokémon tool; check the card's full conditions before assigning it a slot.
For Dual Fusion collecting, name the exact print you want, including its number and finish. For Dual Fusion battling, first ask whether an owned print already provides the same effect. A missing illustration and a missing deck piece are different reasons to keep opening.
Dual Fusion pack lists: exclusives, shared cards and exceptions
Each Dual Fusion booster lists 113 catalog entries locally. 12 entries are shared, leaving 214 distinct entries across the two ordinary booster lists. The remaining three entries complete the 217-card set catalog. These are membership counts across all listed rarities, not equally likely outcomes or the number of different effects you can pull.
The Dual Fusion shared pool includes Charcadet, Voltorb, Electrode, Cosmog, Cosmoem, Eevee, Bidoof, Bibarel and Eviolite, plus the three Crown entries shown later. A shared Basic does not mean its evolution is also shared: follow the entire line's source labels.
Three Dual Fusion entries need special attention: Sweet Honey C1-152, Pikachu ex C1-183 and Mega Mewtwo X ex C1-185 currently have no ordinary booster assignment in the local catalog. Do not open a named pack expecting these exact prints. Check their individual details and current in-game acquisition conditions rather than inferring a source from the Pokémon on the cover.
This matters when comparing Dual Fusion art versions. Ordinary Pikachu ex C1-043 belongs to the Pikachu pack, but that does not establish the acquisition method for C1-183. Likewise, a collection number within the same set does not guarantee ordinary pack availability. Set completion and pack completion therefore have different denominators.
Dual Fusion key cards: the payoff and the catch
These are launch-day reading priorities, not a proven strength ranking. The individual card database provides the card-by-card cross-check.
- Mega Mewtwo X ex: Dual Impact deals 100 damage, or 140 while a Stadium is in play. Abandoned Station is a same-booster Stadium to inspect. The damage condition says a Stadium must be in play; it does not require that specific Stadium. Plan for the condition disappearing when the board changes.
- Mega Greninja ex: its two-Water attack deals 100 and prevents the Defending Pokémon from retreating during the opponent's next turn. Retreat prevention is not a promise that every switching effect is blocked. The Froakie → Frogadier setup still costs space and time.
- Pikachu ex: Thundertail deals 130 but discards two Lightning Energy. Work out the following turn before committing to it. Light Ball adds 30 damage to the opponent's Active Pokémon when attached to Pikachu ex; it does not refund the discarded Energy.
- Mega Tyranitar ex: its 180-damage attack needs four Energy, including two Darkness, and discards the top two cards of your deck. Check the Larvitar and Pupitar line and the remaining deck size before treating 240 HP as an easy setup.
- Mega Dragonite ex: its attack costs five Energy, including Water and Lightning, and deals 250 to one randomly chosen opposing Pokémon. You cannot choose the target. The Dratini and Dragonair line, mixed Energy and three-point risk are real commitments.
More Dual Fusion ex cards worth comparing
The cover Pokémon are only part of Dual Fusion. The main-numbered pool has 12 four-diamond ex cards; shiny entries add further identities elsewhere in the catalog. Compare the following alternatives against your missing pieces before assuming the most prominent artwork is your best target.
| Dual Fusion card | Ordinary booster | What to understand before building |
|---|---|---|
| Alolan Exeggutor ex C1-005 | Pikachu | Its three-Grass attack hits the Active for 100 and one randomly selected opposing Benched Pokémon for 50. The bench target is not yours to choose. |
| Fuecoco ex C1-025 | Pikachu | Its larger attack improves while it has damage on it. Do not confuse a damage condition with protection from the next knockout. |
| Mew ex C1-057 | Mega Mewtwo X | Its acceleration flips three coins and attaches according to heads to Benched Psychic Pokémon. Plan for zero heads and identify an eligible recipient. |
| Lycanroc ex C1-080 | Mega Mewtwo X | Its retaliation Ability works while Active and damaged by an opposing attack. A Bench slot alone does not provide that retaliation. |
| Mega Skarmory ex C1-091 | Pikachu | Its attack starts at 90 and gains damage from consecutive heads. Extra coin damage is uncertain, while its three-point knockout liability is fixed. |
| Giratina ex C1-101 | Mega Mewtwo X | Its larger attack needs Grass and Psychic plus a Colorless requirement. Check your Energy plan independently of its Dragon typing. |
| Bewear ex C1-118 | Mega Mewtwo X | Its three-Colorless attack deals 100, with another 100 only if both of two coins are heads. Build around the base damage before counting the bonus. |
For Dual Fusion experiments, compare attack cost, evolution stages, retreat commitment and points conceded together. A Basic that starts quickly and a Stage 2 with a larger attack solve different problems. Putting several expensive finishers together can leave you with a hand of impressive cards and no attacker ready when needed.
Dual Fusion Trainer cards can decide which booster you need
Before chasing a second flashy attacker, inspect the Dual Fusion support package. Several Trainers have precise conditions; adding every new one uses deck space without necessarily making your chosen plan more consistent. The linked records let you inspect the card's own wording and illustration.
Healing, disruption and search
Sweet Honey C1-119, in the Mega Mewtwo X pack, heals through repeated coin flips until tails. Its uncertain result suits a different risk tolerance from a fixed heal. The ordinary print and the separately sourced illustrated C1-152 must not be treated as the same acquisition target.
The Pikachu-side Dual Fusion Super Potion heals 40 from a Pokémon with Energy attached and discards a random attached Energy if it heals. That can delay your next attack, especially with mixed Energy. Full Heal removes Special Conditions from your Active Pokémon; it is not HP recovery. Match the answer to the actual problem you are losing to.
Max Repel, from the Mega Mewtwo X pack, forces an opposing Active Stage 2 to the Bench, with the opponent selecting the replacement. It is not unrestricted targeting. Dual Fusion Poké Mart Guy, in Pikachu, retrieves two random cards from the specified Super Potion, Max Repel and Full Heal package in your deck. Its value depends on which eligible cards you actually include.
Supporters with specific homes
Dual Fusion Blue's Provocation needs Venusaur, Charizard, Blastoise or Pidgeot in play before you can bring a chosen opposing Benched Pokémon Active. Compare the new Venusaur, Charizard, Blastoise and Pidgeot records, including the stages you must assemble. A powerful switching effect can still be unusable in the wrong hand.
Dual Fusion Serena's Choice examines your top three cards, puts one in hand and shuffles the others back. It offers selection, not a guaranteed missing card. Rika supplies two Fighting Energy specifically to your Whiscash or Paldean Clodsire; it is not generic Fighting acceleration for Mewtwo just because Mewtwo has a Fighting type.
Dual Fusion Rising Star requires at least three different Pokémon types in play before switching your own Active with a Benched Pokémon. Dual types make that condition worth investigating, but check the whole board instead of assuming one two-type card satisfies three types. Lorelei adds damage for Dewgong, Cloyster or Lapras during the turn. Neither Supporter belongs automatically in every new deck.
Dual Fusion secret rares: choose a collection you can finish
The Dual Fusion rarity breakdown below comes from the local catalog and rarity mappings, cross-checked against the C1 archive. These are counts of prints, not pull probabilities. A small category is not necessarily easier to finish, because its offering rates and acquisition routes also matter.
| Dual Fusion rarity group | Prints | Collection implication |
|---|---|---|
| Main-numbered diamonds | 131 | 57 one-diamond, 42 two-diamond, 20 three-diamond and 12 four-diamond entries. Start here for a main-set checklist. |
| One star | 21 | Illustration targets, including the starter trio shown below. |
| Two stars | 30 | Alternate Pokémon ex and Supporter illustrations. Specify the exact card number. |
| Three stars | 4 | Pikachu ex, Jigglypuff, Mega Mewtwo X ex and Umbreon. Not all four have an ordinary booster assignment. |
| Shiny, one symbol | 20 | Separate collection entries; compare the gameplay effect before crafting a duplicate role. |
| Shiny, two symbols | 8 | Includes identities absent from the 12 main-numbered ex cards. |
| Crown | 3 | Fuecoco ex, Pawmot and Giratina ex; all three are listed in both booster pools. |
For familiar Pokémon artwork, Dual Fusion Venusaur C1-132 is assigned to Pikachu, while Charizard C1-136 and Blastoise C1-139 are assigned to Mega Mewtwo X. A single “collect the Kanto starters” goal therefore crosses boosters even though the illustrations form a natural theme.
For immersive-style Dual Fusion targets, compare Pikachu ex C1-183, Jigglypuff C1-184, Mega Mewtwo X ex C1-185 and Umbreon C1-186. The catalog assigns Jigglypuff to Pikachu and Umbreon to Mega Mewtwo X; check acquisition details separately for the two unassigned entries. Do not turn a four-card art wish list into an assumption that four cards share the same opening method.
Dual Fusion Crown collectors can inspect Fuecoco ex C1-215, Pawmot C1-216 and Giratina ex C1-217. Their shared availability means the Crown checklist alone does not distinguish the two ordinary packs. Choose between them using the other missing cards you would still be happy to receive.
A narrower Dual Fusion collection is often a clearer project: the three starter illustrations, one favorite Pokémon's prints, or the main-numbered set. Set a budget before changing goals. Completing a playable deck does not oblige you to complete its highest-rarity artwork, and finishing one art theme does not oblige you to finish the entire set.
A Dual Fusion opening plan for three kinds of player
Returning player with older staples
Start Dual Fusion by checking the support you already own, then pick one new attacker. If Mega Greninja appeals, inspect its Froakie and Frogadier path together. If Mega Tyranitar appeals, check Larvitar and Pupitar. A partially built second evolution line is not always a useful consolation prize for missing the first.
New player choosing a first project
Use a Dual Fusion rental to distinguish a deck you enjoy from a card you merely like looking at. Watch how often you can attack, how you recover after a knockout and whether the next turn still works after spending Energy. Decide whether you want a straightforward opening attacker or a longer evolution project before committing resources.
Collector with limited hourglasses
For Dual Fusion collecting, write a short list of exact card numbers and check both pack pages. Cross out owned cards first. Stop to reassess when the next opening mostly repeats cards outside that list. A fixed number of openings guarantees no particular missing card, so budget limits are more reliable than promises about how many packs completion “should” take.
Dual Fusion deck ideas: what to test rather than assume
A useful Dual Fusion test has a question: can the list attack on schedule, keep an eligible backup ready, and survive giving up its main attacker? Test those before asking whether the largest damage number is impressive. Record failures as well as wins; a game won after perfect coin flips does not measure how often the engine works.
For a Stage 2 comparison, inspect the pre-C1 Mega Sceptile ex / Greninja. For an older Water comparison, inspect pre-C1 Suicune ex / Greninja ex. Neither is a tested Dual Fusion list. They provide concrete examples of evolution slots, supporting Pokémon and Energy choices to compare against your proposed build.
When your Dual Fusion plan stalls, identify the bottleneck before opening more: missing evolution pieces, too many Energy types, insufficient early attackers or too many conditional Trainers. Only the first problem is automatically solved by obtaining another card. The others may need a smaller, more focused list built from cards already in your collection.
Dual Fusion for returning players: compare before spending
Our tournament snapshot covers September 29–October 26, 2026, with 25 tournaments and 2,622 decklists. It ends before C1 and contains no C1 card sample. It cannot establish the new expansion's win rates or best deck.
For a concrete comparison, open Mega Altaria ex / Greninja: this is a pre-C1 reference using an older Greninja, not evidence for the new Mega Greninja ex. Compare the role of each card and the evolution slots; do not replace one simply because the names overlap.
The existing Magnezone / Miraidon ex list is another pre-C1 reference for examining a Lightning deck's Energy plan. It is not a tested C1 Pikachu list. The Pikachu guide and Mewtwo guide also concern older card versions; use their identified prints when comparing effects. Read the dated 2026 deck overview for its own evidence window.
A practical stopping rule: pick one playable core or one exact artwork, compare your missing pieces on the pack page, and reassess once that goal is complete. Do not keep opening for a higher-rarity copy if your only objective was the gameplay effect. Check the game's current offering rates before making probability-based decisions; this site's opening simulator is entertainment, not evidence of in-game odds.
Dual Fusion, Pikachu event packs and First Partners
The C1 Pikachu booster in the table is a regular expansion booster. Pika Pika! Pikachu Packs belong to separate event missions. Special Pack: First Partners is another product, with its own special pack stamina. The official release notice distinguishes all three. An event Pikachu reward does not establish where a particular C1 print can be pulled. Check in-game event details for availability and reward conditions.
Dual Fusion FAQ
Do I need both boosters?
Only if your targets are split between them. Begin with the set checklist, then choose the booster that advances your current target. Shared cards do not require both.
Does a dual-type Pokémon need both Energy types?
Read its attack symbols. Mega Greninja ex needs Water for its attack; Mega Mewtwo X ex needs Psychic plus a Colorless requirement. Mega Dragonite ex separately illustrates a real mixed Water/Lightning cost.
Which C1 deck is already proven best?
This guide has no post-release C1 tournament sample. Use it to understand the cards and choose a target, then check dated results when sufficient data exists. For Dual Fusion, completing a plan you can explain is a firmer starting point than chasing a launch-day ranking.
