If you’re reading this, you’ve probably also told yourself this would be the month you don’t buy more Pokémon cards. Same. And yet here we are, staring down another lineup of Elite Trainer Boxes and tins like they’re life choices we already regret but will definitely make again.
Scarlet & Violet sets keep dropping bangers, both visually and competitively, and unfortunately for our wallets, some of these boxes are actually worth ripping open.
Pokémon TCG: Azure Legends Tin - 5 Packs
This one’s weirdly solid. You get five booster packs from a really good mix of sets — Surging Sparks, Stellar Crown, Temporal Forces, and Obsidian Flames — and one promo featuring either Kyogre, Dialga, or Xerneas. It’s basically Pokémon’s version of a loot box, and yeah, I bought two. Between the chase cards across the included sets (Pikachu ex, Terapagos, Raging Bolt, take your pick), the odds of hitting something fun are actually decent. I don’t even like tins, and I’d still grab another one.
Pokémon TCG: Stacking Tin (Q1 2025) - 3 Packs, Stickers (Random Design)
I wasn’t expecting much. I bought it for the sticker sheets and the vague promise of a Surging Sparks pack. And it delivered. Three packs, one of which might cough up something like Pikachu ex or Latias ex, and a tin I now use to hold exactly nothing. I can’t even be mad. There’s a tiny chance you’ll pull a Milotic ex or Ceruledge ex if you get lucky with the packs, and if you don’t? Well, you paid twenty bucks to roll the dice and got some vaguely useful storage in return. That’s more than I can say about half the cereal I’ve bought this year.
Pokémon TCG: Scarlet and Violet: Paradox Rift: Elite Trainer Box - Roaring Moon
I got this one for the sleeves and stayed because Roaring Moon ex is basically what happens when a Pokémon decides it’s done playing fair. If your goal is to end games in one violent swing and look great doing it, this is your guy. Paradox Rift doesn’t have as many chase cards, but the ones it does have— like Iron Valiant ex and Groudon— feel like they were drawn by someone who knows we’ll all stare at these like cave paintings in 30 years.
Pokémon TCG: Scarlet and Violet: Temporal Forces: Elite Trainer Box: Walking Wake
The Walking Wake Elite Trainer Box comes with a full-art Flutter Mane and nine more Temporal Forces packs to roll the dice again on the best art of the Scarlet & Violet era. This version leans into the ancient side of things, and I picked it up mostly to increase my odds of pulling Walking Wake ex. Is it playable? Debatable. But it looks like it wandered out of a dream I had after eating too much sushi. With vibrant blues and prehistoric drama, the vibe alone was worth the price. Also, the sleeves are clean, and I pretend I care about those.
Pokémon TCG: Scarlet and Violet: Temporal Forces: Elite Trainer Box: Iron Leaves
Iron Leaves ex pulls off the rare combo of being both playable and beautifully drawn. It looks like it’s mid-leap out of a sci-fi anime, which is exactly the kind of energy I want from my pulls. The other heavy hitters — like Iron Crown ex and Gouging Fire ex — either hit like a truck or look like they’re about to. Raging Bolt ex steals the show, though. It’s loud, dramatic, and perfectly balanced between “meta staple” and “thunder god cosplayer.”
Pokémon TCG: Scarlet and Violet Shrouded Fable Elite Trainer Box
Shrouded Fable can quietly slip in cards like Houndoom (the kind of illustration that makes you lower your voice in reverence) and Persian, which looks like it’s plotting something appropriately cinematic. The promos and sleeves are nice, but I really wanted this box for the Illustration Rares that don’t just look cool — they tell a story. Fezandipiti ex, for example, is the Swiss Army knife of support attackers, and Cassiopeia is straight-up character drama in a foil rectangle. The art direction in this set is borderline pretentious, and I mean that as a compliment.
Christian Wait is a contributing freelancer for IGN covering everything collectable and deals. Christian has over 7 years of experience in the Gaming and Tech industry with bylines at Mashable and Pocket-Tactics. Christian also makes hand-painted collectibles for Saber Miniatures. Christian is also the author of "Pokemon Ultimate Unofficial Gaming Guide by GamesWarrior". Find Christian on X @ChrisReggieWait.
