The damage of the attacks is reduced a lot in emmerald. Most stage 1 pokémon have 3 energy causing only 40 damage, when usually they cause 50.
Seviper causes only 30 damage with 3 energy! This is the base damage for Jungle Scyther, which is much better! (resistance and retreat cost) Many rare cards should be uncommon to me, like Zangoose, Seviper or Chimecho (maybe zangoose could be better with a Double colorless energy in unlimited and nosepass would be a solution against baby pokémon in unlimited)
Emmerald pokémon Ressembles a lot those expedition and older sets, when the attacks of pokémon were weaker based on their costs, like, 3 energy 30 damage for an evolved pokémon. (it changed a little in RS and changed a lot after sandstorm, to the pattern it is now). Few pokémon are freed from this condition in this set: Blaziken, Glalie, and, obviosly, the exs.
I liked , however, the water pokémon a lot. Swampert's power is good and so is Milotic ex (reflect energy). In RS-on, it's possible combo EM-Swampert with the Energy call RS-swampert
Emmerald set cards are really well illustrated, I'm obblyed to aggree. It's a "beautiful" set