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

Pokémon TCG Review: Scarlet & Violet – Journey Together

Join us for an early opening of the new Pokémon TCG set, Scarlet & Violet – Journey Together, which sees the return of Owner's cards.

Pokémon TCG is gearing up to release its latest set of the Paldea-themed era: Scarlet & Violet – Journey Together. This set brings back "Owner's Pokémon," which focuses on Pokémon owned by specific trainers. The first and most prominent instance of this style of card was in Gym Heroes and Gym Challenge back in the year 2000. We are in what seems to be the final leg of the Scarlet & Violet era, which has reinvigorated the hype behind this hobby in a huge way. The Pokémon Company International was kind enough to supply us with new Scarlet & Violet – Journey Together products so we can give you an analysis of this set. Let's dig into these.

The products that I assessed for this review were a booster box, a Build & Battle box, and an Elite Trainer Box. We'll go through these one by one in order of my opening so you can experience the set with me firsthand.

The first product I opened was the Elite Trainer Box. These come with nine booster packs, a set guide, playing materials including dice and damage markers, card sleeves themed to the set, and an SV Black Star Promo card exclusive to the set. These are fan-favorite products because they offer a nice amount of packs and include that promo card, which means that even if you get no good pulls — and remember, pulls are random across all products like this — you'll still leave with a nice card.

Now, none of the cards I pulled from the ETB were Owner's Pokémon, so while it was fun going through these packs, I didn't get a very deep sense of the expansion. It took until the next product for that. However, two exs and an Illustration Rare aren't half bad for nine packs. It's that N's Zorua promo, though, that makes this a must-have product.

Next up was the Build & Battle Box.

This is likely the first product you'll be able to get from this new Pokémon TCG expansion, as pre-release events have already begun. Generally, this is the one product that game stores will sell for these events. An especially good game store may throw in a handful of packs in addition to these, but there is no guarantee of that. Within a Build & Battle Box is four packs, a deck-building kit, and one of four promo cards stamped with the set's logo. Another must-have for completionist collectors like myself.

This product is where I saw how this set is handling Full Art cards. The basic background and green line art across Scarlet & Violet-era Full Arts continues here, but Trainers will now be present behind the Pokémon on Owner's Full Arts. A terrific touch. Take a closer look.

Finally, I moved on to the set's definitive product: the booster box. This is essentially how stores display individual packs, but you will also be able to purchase these sealed with all 36 packs. This is the best, albeit most expensive, way to experience a new set.

Here's what I managed to pull from 36 packs of Scarlet & Violet – Journey Together.

It cannot be understated how much more of a varied and exciting experience it is to open up booster boxes in the Scarlet & Violet era. There was a time in recent history when a Full Art GX or a Rainbow Rare was about the best you could expect from a booster box. A Secret Rare wasn't guaranteed, two Secret Rares felt like hitting the lotto, and three? Well, you're the chosen one.

This box? Seven Secret Rares.

Now, the activation of the Reverse Holo slot with Illustration Rares, Special Illustration Rares, and Gold Hyper Rares makes opening packs much more dynamic. Ever since the Sword & Shield era opened things up with the Trainer Gallery, things have been far more exciting… and that continues here with this set in a big way.

Overall, this was a fun and dynamic opening for what promises to be one of the stronger sets of the Scarlet & Violet era. While this set evokes Gym Heroes and Gym Challenge, the appearance of Trainers on the Special Illustration Rares harkens back to the Character Rares of Sun & Moon – Cosmic Eclipse as well as the aforementioned Trainer Gallery cards from the Galar era.

While pre-orders are currently sold out, keep an eye out for these products here and remember to keep reading Bleeding Cool for Pokémon TCG content.

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