Posted in: Card Games, Games, Pokémon TCG, Tabletop | Tagged: Eevee, Evolving Skies, pokemon, pokemon cards, Pokemon TCG

Pokémon TCG – Evolving Skies Product Review: Elite Trainer Box #1

The latest Pokémon TCG expansion, Sword & Shield – Evolving Skies, has hit shelves. One of the most anticipated sets in recent years, Evolving Skies adapts in part the Japanese sets Sky Stream, Towering Perfection, and the massive hit Eevee Heroes to English. I've hosted quite a few Evolving Skies openings right here on Bleeding Cool, but now it's time to look at each individual product and decide… is it worth buying? This time, we look at the Pokémon TCG: Sword & Shield – Evolving Skies Elite Trainer Box: Sylveon, Espeon, Glaceon, & Vaporeon edition.

The Good

• First up, the aesthetics! I noted this in my first Elite Trainer Box opening, but it's worth repeating: I've never understood sealed collectors until now. This box itself is something to marvel at. Even more beautiful than what you see above is the box itself inside, which has a similar design but is lined with silver foil. This is the prettier of the two boxes and may be the best-looking ETB that the Pokémon TCG has put out.
• The packs alone are worth the $40+ (depending on where you get it) price tag here. You get packs of Evolving Skies. While Elite Trainer Boxes do not offer a guaranteed pull rate, I find after opening an embarrassing number of packs that Evolving Skies is quite a generous set. Your chances with this box are good!
• The extras. Players, in particular, can take advantage of the dice and damage counters, but even collectors will appreciate the dividers.

The Bad

• The one critique I've had for the last three Elite Trainer Boxes (Shining Fates, Sword & Shield – Battle Styles, and Sword & Shield – Chilling Reign) remains the same for the newest Pokémon TCG set. The foggy material used for the front of the sleeves clouds the artwork of cards, making the sleeves unusable. Competitive players have remarked that they prefer these, and that's fine, but there should be a balance here.

Is this Pokémon TCG product worth buying?

Emphatically yes. I've never had so much fun opening a Pokémon TCG set and every Elite Trainer Box has given me great cards and the expected dopamine hit. Short of buying a booster box, which is the best way to work toward completing a set, this is the product to get.

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