Ahead of the tenth Pokemon Generation of thePokemon TCG,the Scarlet & Violet era set the stage with an incredible selection of top-tier sets to enjoy. Whether you’re a Generation One fanatic or you can’t get enough Eeveelutions in your Pokemon TCG, the Scarlet & Violet era’s best sets offer something you’ll love.
Aside from maybe one or two exceptions, every set from the Scarlet & Violet era boasted at least one major chase card that made us open packs in search of glory. Every TCG generation features a blend of Pokemon from previous eras, and Scarlet & Violet’s best sets offer one of the best varieties ever.
8Journey Together
A Little Help From Our Friends
Journey Together is full of cards featuring Pokemon and trainers together,and revived this iconic mechanic for the Scarlet & Violet generation. This gimmick originally debuted in the Gym Heroes and Gym Challenge sets from the early 2000s, and Journey Together was the first of two sets from Scarlet & Violet to lean into this idea again.
Despite the immense amount of hype that cooled down following its release, this set still features several beautiful cards highlighting trainers like Iono, N, Lillie, and Hop, alongside their signature Pokemon partners.
7Paldean Fates
Shining Bright
Paldean Fates might not have made this list if it weren’t for its two heavy hitters: Charizard and Mew. When you have a card that gains enough fame to warrant a special nickname, that says a lot about its popularity and recognizability. The now-iconic Bubble Mew wasn’t always the top chase card, which isn’t surprising considering there’s a shiny Charizard in this set.
With Pokemon like Mew and Charizard leading the way for the best cards in the set, it’s nearly impossible to argue against including Paldean Fates among the most impressive sets from Scarlet & Violet.
6Surging Sparks
An Electric Ensemble
While Paldean Fates boasted a beautiful Charizard, Surging Sparks slides in front on the back of its now-iconic Pikachu Special Illustration Rare. While its nickname is a bit more vulgar than Bubble Mew’s, Pikachu remains the most desirable chase card in Surging Sparks.
Aside from Pokemon’s mascot, Surging Sparks' supporting cast includes beloved Pokemon like Latios and Latias alongside underrated trainers, such as Jasmine.
5Mega Evolutions
More Than You Think
The Mega Evolution sets follow a similar path to Journey Together, as they revived a long-dormant mechanic in the form of Mega Evolutions. The announcement of this mechanic’s return sparked a frenzy of activity as everyone rushed to buy some of theirfavorite bargain Mega Evolution cards before their prices skyrocketed.
Whether you prefer Mega Lucario or Mega Gardevoir, you’re in great hands with these sets, as they offer plenty of great Mega Pokemon options. This split-set setup is uncommon, but Mega Evolution wasn’t the first set to feature this style in the Scarlet & Violet era.
4Black Bolt & White Flare
The Unova Region In Full
Black Bolt & White Flare paved the way for the Mega Evolution set, though it possesses the unique distinction of including an Illustration Rare or Special Illustration Rare of every Pokemon from the Unova region.Black Bolt’s most expensive cardsfeature a separate list fromWhite Flare’s most valuable,though both sets boast an all-red Victini to chase.
Despite the painful decision-making process needed to choose which set to focus on,some of the best productsalleviate this stress by including packs from both sets.
3Destined Rivals
Team Rocket’s Return
Destined Rivals is one of the most impressive Scarlet & Violet era sets, as it ushered in the return of Team Rocket to the Pokemon TCG, and continued the precedent of trainer and Pokemon combinations set by Journey Together. Severaliconic cards return with an updated versionin this set, like Team Rocket’s Mewtwo ex.
Whether you enjoy the vintage versions or not, this set stands tall with some of the most impressive artwork of any set from the Scarlet & Violet era, with Pokemon like Nidoking getting one of their best depictions ever.
2Prismatic Evolutions
Eeveelutions Everywhere
Prismatic Evolutions' roster of valuable cardsis well-documented, as are the incredibly harsh pull rates that make it feel nearly impossible to get your hands on these cards. Aside from the pull rates, the high demand for this set made it equally hard to find on store shelves, unless you sat around waiting to catch store restocks the moment they happened.
The immense popularity surrounding this set forced thePokemon Center to update its website to combat botsbuying out all the stock, as resellers went all-in on swiping the supply away from genuine Pokemon TCG fans.
1Scarlet & Violet: 151
Turning Back The Clock
Unlike Prismatic Evolutions, the best set from the Scarlet & Violet era was sitting on store shelves at release, but once word got around about a set featuring some of the most iconic Pokemon from Kanto, things changed dramatically.
This set is largely responsible for the Pokemon TCG’s resurgence in popularity and forever changed the landscape of the hobby.
One look atthe valuable cards in this setwill explain the hype, as all of your favorites appear: from Bulbasaur to Charizard, to Pikachu. Even with stiff competition, there’s no doubt that 151 deserves to be called the Scarlet & Violet era’s best set, and one that will be a legendary part of the TCG’s rich history.
