Posted in: Card Games, Games, Pokémon TCG, Tabletop | Tagged: Paldea, pokemon, pokemon cards, Pokemon TCG, Scarlet & Violet

Pokémon TCG Early Opening: Scarlet & Violet Pre-Release Box

Pokémon TCG Early Opening: We open a Scarlet & Violet Build & Battle Box ahead of tomorrow's pre-release events kicking off the new era.

We are just one day away from pre-release events of the next Pokémon TCG expansion, Scarlet & Violet. This is not just a new set but, indeed, a whole new era for collectors and players alike. With Sword & Shield now wrapped after running for three years, Scarlet & Violet introduces Paldean Pokémon to the hobby for the first time, along with changes to gameplay and collectibility. Pokémon V and VMAX are out, replaced with Pokémon ex and Pokémon Tera ex. Yellow borders and set symbols are out, replaced with silver borders and set codes to better match Japan's sets. Rainbow Rares are gone, with the new Secret Rares consisting of Full Arts (yes, Full Arts are now considered Secret Rares for the first time), Illustration Rares, Special Illustration Rares, Gold cards, and more. The Pokémon Company International was kind enough to supply us with new Scarlet & Violet products so we can give you an early peek at these changes to the Pokémon TCG. These products include a Scarlet & Violet booster box, a Scarlet & Violet Elite Trainer Box, and a Scarlet & Violet Build & Battle kit. In this installment of our three-part early opening, we'll be opening the Build & Battle kit.

First, I'm starting each one of these openings by talking about pack structure. If you already catch one of the others, this is the same information. This is very important for collectors, though, as this is the biggest change we've ever seen to the structure of a basic pack. Each pack contains ten cards, but we are not guaranteed three holos… kind of. This is a major change from before, of course, as most packs, aside from special sets, didn't guarantee anything. The structure of a pack that people will consider to have "no hit" will end with the final three cards being a reverse holo, a second reverse holo, and a holo. Where are regular rares? Gone. Now, the hits can be found in different places. Illustration Rares will take the place of the second reverse holo. Full Arts and Pokémon ex will take the place of the holo.

Pokémon TCG: Scarlet & Violet Build & Battle Box

These products are made available before any other product in the set. In fact, you'll be able to find Scarlet & Violet Build & Battle kits tomorrow at tournament-official game stores two weeks ahead of the release of the booster boxes and Elite Trainer Boxes.

Build & Battle kits feature a pre-assembled deck of cards, a holographic promo stamped with the set logo, and four packs. These have no guaranteed pull rate. You can get the best card in the set, or…

…you can strike out!

These are affordable compared to other products, though, so they're worth a shot even if you don't pull anything above a holo rate. The stamped promos are exclusive to these boxes, so if you are a completionist like me; they're essential buys.

The one thing I want to leave collectors with is this: take your time. Build & Battle kits are a great and small peek at a set, but keep in mind that this is a whole new era. We are seeing Paldean Pokémon like the three holos above all appear in the Pokémon TCG for the first time. Open packs and cherish those hits, but experience the changes, because a change this big only comes to the hobby every three years at most.

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