Pokemon TCG Destined Rivals – Hands-On Preview

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Summary

  • Destined Rivals introduces Team Rocket and a darker color scheme to the TCG.
  • The pull rates are disappointing, but the set includes great full art and SAR cards.
  • Despite some shortcomings, the popularity of Team Rocket and Mewtwo will make Destined Rivals a hit.

The Pokemon Trading Card Game is poised to carry on its 2025 surge with the release of Destined Rivals. Following the sensational Prismatic Evolutions and Journey Together, this new expansion packs a punch by bringing back Team Rocket to the TCG. Despite being another expansion that’s expected to be hard to obtain, Destined Rivals is certain to become a favorite among fans.

Before its formal release, I had the opportunity to test the product, and even though I experienced some more pull mishaps, there are still many reasons to look forward to it.

The Product Presentation

In contrast to numerous items from The Pokemon Company during the Scarlet and Violet period, Destined Rivals stands out with a more somber tone, beautifully executed. Typically, they employ vibrant and assertive colors for products like Elite Trainer Boxes, but this new collection leans towards darkness instead.

As a devoted fan, I can’t help but feel the excitement surge when Team Rocket makes their grand return! It’s only fitting that their charismatic leader, Giovanni, takes center stage once more, accompanied by none other than the enigmatic Mewtwo, one of Rocket’s most notorious Pokémon. The dynamic duo in their striking red and black color scheme truly adds a vibrant touch to the whole scene!

For some time now, we’ve been aware of the designs on the box art. It features Team Rocket occupying two positions, while Cynthia and her Garchomp claim another, and finally, Ethan with his Ho-Oh takes up the remaining spot.

The Pulls From 55 Packs

Lately, I’ve been having bad luck with unboxing my packs. I haven’t pulled a single Super Rare (SAR) from the last two previews (Journey Together and Prismatic Evolutions), and if you count the Journey Together Products I bought myself, that makes it 200 packs without an SAR. Now, with Destined Rivals, it’s over 250 packs and still no SAR.

Currently, I have pulled fifteen Standard EX cards out of my 55 pack collection. Unfortunately, for a collector like myself, these particular cards hold no value.

As for my notable catches, I obtained three full-art Pokémon, a gold card, and six AR cards. While this isn’t terrible, it turns out that these are among the poorest choices from the expansion set.

It can be disappointing when the collection “Destined Rivals” showcases detailed full arts of Giovanni, Mewtwo, Nidoking, and Persian alongside Ethan with Ho-Oh, and Cynthia with Garchomp, but only one Trainer’s Pokemon gets a full art treatment (Team Rocket’s Moltres), while the rest are standard.

The trainer card I received wasn’t particularly impressive, especially when faced with Pokémon like Ho-Oh, Mewtwo, Garchomp, and Crobat, as it becomes quite frustrating. However, the six Augmented Reality (AR) cards I obtained were decent.

Drawing both of Misty’s Pokémon was definitely the most striking moment in the opening scene. Rockets Spidops looks neat, but I’m not particularly fond of the other three. If I had a choice, I’d rather see Cynthia’s Roserade, Shaymin, Ethan’s Typhlosion, Rocket’s Houndoom, Rocket’s Murkrow, and Rocket’s Meowth instead.

Overall Thoughts On The Set

It’s worth mentioning that Destined Rivals could potentially gain immense popularity, largely due to the involvement of Team Rocket and their iconic character, Mewtwo.

In a more casual and straightforward manner: I don’t find the new additions outside of SARs (except for Arven’s Mabosstiff exceptionally well-trained dog) particularly appealing in the latest Scarlet and Violet era, but the allure of Team Rocket will eventually win me over.

Compared to size, Destined Rivals ranks as the second largest expansion of the past year with 244 cards, falling slightly behind Surging Sparks which has 256 cards. This might not be ideal for collectors aiming to finish master sets, but overall, there’s a diverse range of cards catering to various interests within this expansion.

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2025-05-16 16:11