Even though agility isn't a Pokémon tcg (trading card game) game mechanic, we could describe Chilling Reign's Cinderace as an agile Pokémon. Cinderace has an above average balance between attack strength and defence. Pokémon like Walrein, Golurk and Aggron are tougher, but they have a prohibitively retreat cost of 4 Energy cards. With a retreat cost of only 1 Energy card Cinderace is easily withdrawn from battle after its attack, mitigating the downside of the Fireball Shot after which it isn't allowed to attack during your next turn. Though Cinderace is a relatively strong Pokémon, Cinderace is most valuable if used by a player who chooses strategy over brute force.

Cinderace, as well as Scorbunny and Raboot, is a valuable Pokémon at any stage of the game. Scorbunny and Raboot have among the hardest attacks given their stage and Energy cost. Just like Cinderace, they only cost one Energy card to retreat. This unique property should be utilized as much as possible.

Cinderace's major downside is its inability to attack in your next turn when it has used its Fireball Shot. With its low retreat cost it is cheap to withdraw the Pokémon from battle during the next turn and replace it with another Pokémon that can attack or take the blow instead of Cinderace.

Cinderace's Ability 'Crisis Power' makes it even more valuable in the later part of the game. Crisis Power gives Cinderace 30 more damage on top of Fireball Shot's 150 damage points for every prize card that has been taken by your opponent, making him an acute threat, even for almost all Pokémon V.

Because of its value in late battle, Cinderace should not be sacrificed and be kept on the bench so it can be used in dire situations.

To unleash Cinderace's full potential in late battle, if your opponent has taken several prize cards, you could play Chilling Reign's Karen's Conviction during the turn you use Fireball Shot. If your opponent is close to victory with 5 taken prize cards, the combo of Fireball Shot (150 damage) + Crisis Power Ability (5 * 30 = 150 damage) + Karen's Conviction (5 * 20 = 100 damage) will do 400 damage to your opponent's active Pokémon. This will defeat the toughest Pokémon VMAX even if it has items such as Full Face Guard attached.

BREAKthrough's Giovanni's Scheme or XY's Muscle Band (+20 damage) can be used in a similar way causing Cinderace's Fireball Shot to do 320 damage with 5 prize cards taken by your opponent. Since 330 is the highest base HP (health points) of the toughest Pokémon, Cinderace is a threat to all Pokémon.

Before you get this point in the game, you'll need to navigate Scorbunny, Raboot and Cinderace safely through the battle. Chilling Reign's Furfrou is an interesting colorless Pokémon which also has a retreat cost of only 1 Energy card. Raboot's attack Volley Kick does 60 damage, but it can't attack during the next turn, so the retreat strategy is advised in this stage too. Furfrou can be helpful here and its 1 Energy cost Find a Friend move can help you getting the rights into your hand.

The retreat strategy can leverage Evolving Skies's Entei's Angry Fang attack, which does 10 damage for every damage point on all of your benched Single Strike Pokémon. If your Cinderace has taken much damage Entei's Angry Fang attack can be among the most cost effective attacks for a Basic Pokémon.

Since Cinderace is a Single Strike Pokémon you could consider using the Impact Energy card on it, protecting it against poison. Don't use this card or try to discard if your opponent is deploying Chilling Reign's Weedle, because its stage 2 evolution Beedrill with its Persist Sting attack can knock out any Pokémon with Special Energy attached to it.

A couple of trainer cards are useful to have in your deck for enabling this strategy. Since there are multiple scenarios for hand draws, a couple of cards can be helpful in various situations.

• Pokémon Fan Club is useful when you already have Raboot or Cinderace in your hand. You could draw Scorbunny, Entei or Furfrou to facilitate the synergy mentioned above.
• Poké Kid can help you get your hands on the evolution cards you need for this strategy.
• Steven can increase the odds of getting the right trainer cards and gives you an energy card which is useful because of all the discarded Energy cards as a consequence of this strategy.
• Fisherman is also cost effective because of all the discarded Energy cards.
• Lysandre gives you some control over the Pokémon you're fighting. When Cinderace is ready for an attack you use Lysandre to force a tough Pokémon into battle with Cinderace.

See JustInBasil's highlights of Chilling Reign.

See Xander Pero's article on strategy for Chilling Reign.