If you’re reading this, you’ve probably also told yourself this would be the month you don’t buy more Pokémon cards. Same here. And yet, here we are, eyeing another lineup of Elite Trainer Boxes and tins like they’re life choices we already regret but will definitely make again.
Pokémon TCG: Azure Legends Tin - 5 Packs
0$29.99 at Amazon
Pokémon TCG: Stacking Tin (Q1 2025) - 3 Packs, Stickers (Random Design)
0$19.99 at Amazon
Pokémon TCG: Scarlet and Violet: Paradox Rift: Elite Trainer Box - Roaring Moon
0$56.77 at Amazon
Pokémon TCG: Scarlet and Violet: Temporal Forces: Elite Trainer Box: Walking Wake
0$53.64 at Amazon
Pokémon TCG: Scarlet and Violet: Temporal Forces: Elite Trainer Box: Iron Leaves
0$55.24 at Amazon
Pokémon TCG: Scarlet and Violet Shrouded Fable Elite Trainer Box
0$57.98 at Amazon
The Scarlet & Violet sets continue to impress, both visually and competitively, and unfortunately for our wallets, some of these boxes are genuinely worth opening.
Pokémon TCG: Azure Legends Tin - 5 Packs
Pokémon TCG: Azure Legends Tin - 5 Packs
0Contains 2 x Surging Spark Boosters$29.99 at Amazon
This tin is surprisingly solid. You get five booster packs from a diverse mix of sets — Surging Sparks, Stellar Crown, Temporal Forces, and Obsidian Flames — plus one promo featuring either Kyogre, Dialga, or Xerneas. It's essentially Pokémon's version of a loot box, and yes, I bought two. With chase cards across the included sets (Pikachu ex, Terapagos, Raging Bolt, to name a few), the chances of pulling something exciting are actually quite good. I'm not typically a fan of tins, but I'd grab another one.
Pikachu ex - 238/191
0$399.99 at TCG Player
Milotic ex - 237/191
0$140.00 at TCG Player
Pikachu ex - 247/191
0$95.97 at TCG Player
Hydreigon ex - 240/191
0$79.99 at TCG Player
Alolan Exeggutor ex - 242/191
0$55.99 at TCG Player
Pokémon TCG: Stacking Tin (Q1 2025) - 3 Packs, Stickers (Random Design)
Pokémon TCG: Stacking Tin (Q1 2025) - 3 Packs, Stickers (Random Design)
0Contains 1 x Surging Sparks Booster$19.99 at Amazon
I didn't expect much from this tin. I bought it mainly for the sticker sheets and the faint hope of a Surging Sparks pack. And it delivered. Three packs, one of which might contain something like Pikachu ex or Latias ex, and a tin I now use to store... well, nothing. But I'm not upset. There's a small chance you could pull a Milotic ex or Ceruledge ex if you're lucky, and if not? You paid twenty bucks to take a chance and got some mildly useful storage in return. That's more than I can say for half the cereal I've bought this year.
Alolan Exeggutor ex - 242/191
0$55.99 at TCG Player
Lisia's Appeal - 246/191
0$54.99 at TCG Player
Jasmine's Gaze - 245/191
0$54.94 at TCG Player
Latios - 203/191
0$36.79 at TCG Player
Archaludon ex - 241/191
0$34.99 at TCG Player
Pokémon TCG: Scarlet and Violet: Paradox Rift: Elite Trainer Box - Roaring Moon
Pokémon TCG: Scarlet and Violet: Paradox Rift: Elite Trainer Box - Roaring Moon
0$56.77 at Amazon
I initially got this box for the sleeves, but stayed because Roaring Moon ex is what happens when a Pokémon decides to stop playing fair. If your aim is to end games with a single, powerful move and look good doing it, this is your card. Paradox Rift may not have as many chase cards, but the ones it does have—like Iron Valiant ex and Groudon—feel like they were designed by someone who knows we'll be admiring them like ancient art in the future.
Groudon - 199/182
0See it at TCG Player
Altaria ex - 253/182
0$65.99 at TCG Player
Roaring Moon ex - 251/182
0$59.99 at TCG Player
Garchomp ex - 245/182
0$39.49 at TCG Player
Steelix - 208/182
0$34.99 at TCG Player
Pokémon TCG: Scarlet and Violet: Temporal Forces: Elite Trainer Box: Walking Wake
Pokémon TCG: Scarlet and Violet: Temporal Forces: Elite Trainer Box: Walking Wake
0$53.64 at Amazon
The Walking Wake Elite Trainer Box includes a full-art Flutter Mane and nine additional Temporal Forces packs to try your luck again at the best art from the Scarlet & Violet era. This version leans into the ancient theme, and I picked it up mainly to boost my chances of pulling Walking Wake ex. Is it competitively viable? That's debatable. But it looks like it stepped right out of a dream I had after eating too much sushi. With its vibrant blues and prehistoric drama, the aesthetic alone was worth the price. Also, the sleeves are sleek, and I pretend to care about those.
Raging Bolt ex - 208/162
0$112.94 at TCG Player
Iron Crown ex - 206/162
0$65.11 at TCG Player
Walking Wake ex - 205/162
0$149.95 at TCG Player
Gouging Fire ex - 204/162
0$56.88 at TCG Player
Gastly - 177/162
0$50.36 at TCG Player
Pokémon TCG: Scarlet and Violet: Temporal Forces: Elite Trainer Box: Iron Leaves
Pokémon TCG: Scarlet and Violet: Temporal Forces: Elite Trainer Box: Iron Leaves
0$55.24 at Amazon
Iron Leaves ex achieves the rare feat of being both playable and stunningly illustrated. It looks like it's mid-leap from a sci-fi anime, which is exactly the kind of vibe I want from my pulls. The other key cards—like Iron Crown ex and Gouging Fire ex—either pack a punch or look like they're about to. Raging Bolt ex, however, steals the spotlight. It's loud, dramatic, and perfectly balanced between "meta staple" and "thunder god cosplayer."
Morty's Conviction - 211/162
0$69.99 at TCG Player
Iron Leaves ex - 203/162
0$38.01 at TCG Player
Bianca's Devotion - 209/162
0$35.87 at TCG Player
Sawsbuck - 166/162
0$32.07 at TCG Player
Metagross - 178/162
0$29.95 at TCG Player
Pokémon TCG: Scarlet and Violet Shrouded Fable Elite Trainer Box
Pokémon TCG: Scarlet and Violet Shrouded Fable Elite Trainer Box
0$57.98 at Amazon
Shrouded Fable subtly introduces cards like Houndoom, which demands a hushed reverence with its stunning illustration, and Persian, which seems to be plotting something cinematic. The promos and sleeves are great, but I really wanted this box for the Illustration Rares that not only look fantastic but also tell a story. Fezandipiti ex, for instance, is the ultimate support attacker, while Cassiopeia delivers character drama in a foil rectangle. The art direction in this set borders on pretentious, and I mean that in the best way possible.
Persian - 078/064 - SV: Shrouded Fable
1$67.61 at TCGPlayer
Cassiopeia - 094/064 - SV: Shrouded Fable
0$59.98 at TCGPlayer
Fezandipiti ex - 092/064 - SV: Shrouded Fable
0See it at TCGPlayer
Houndoom - 066/064 - SV: Shrouded Fable
2$49.99 at TCGPlayer
Duskull - 068/064 - SV: Shrouded Fable
0$49.88 at TCGPlayer
