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

Pokémon TCG Scarlet & Violet – Paradox Rift Booster Box Opening

Our Pokémon TCG: Scarlet & Violet – Paradox Rift Booster Box opening gives our readers the full 36-pack experience of opening this set.

Pokémon TCG has released its third set of the current Paldea-themed era: Scarlet & Violet – Paradox Rift. This set continues to use the Pokémon ex mechanic of this era while introducing a new mechanic as well. The new mechanic is the Paradox card type, which comes in both Ancient and Future varieties, available both as Pokémon and Trainer cards. The aesthetic of these cards is cohesive, impacting not only the standard cards but also the Full Art and reverse holo versions. The Secret Rare section of Scarlet & Violet – Paradox Rift includes Full Arts, Illustration Rares, Special Illustration Rares, and Gold Hyper Rares. The Pokémon Company International was kind enough to supply us with new Scarlet & Violet – Paradox Rift products so we can give you an analysis of this set. These products include a Scarlet & Violet – Paradox Rift box bundle, a Scarlet & Violet – Paradox Rift Elite Trainer Box, and a Scarlet & Violet – Paradox Rift Build & Battle box. In this installment of our three-part early opening, we'll be opening the Booster Box.

A Pokémon TCG booster box contains 36 booster packs. This is by far the best way to get a full experience with a new set, because the odds are with you to pull something collectible in this kind of product, which offers so many chances with the sheer number of packs. It also helps that during the Scarlet & Violet era, the reverse holo slot is activated with the chance to pull an Illustration Rare, Special Illustration Rare, or Gold Hyper Rare. This makes your overall number of Secret Rare pulls potentially much higher than previous eras, especially now that Full Arts are considered Secret Rares.

Let's take a look at what we got.

Pokémon TCG Scarlet & Violet – Paradox Rift Booster Box

My hits included:

• Holo rares: 29
• Pokémon ex: 3
• Tera Pokémon ex: 2
• Full Art Pokémon: 1
• Full Art Trainer: 1
• Illustration Rare: 3
• Special Illustration Rare: 0
• Hyper Rare Gold: 1

This is certainly a strong box. During the Sword & Shield era and earlier, a box with two Full Arts and a Secret Rare was about the best you could hope for, at least until the Trainer Gallery subsets came into play. This box offered that before the Illustration Rare pulls, which have dramatically enhanced the experience here. Pokémon TCG fans are being treated to an exceptionally art-driven era, which makes openings so much more fun.

Just look at this Ferrothorn card. Not only is it beautiful and creative, it also shows how the Scarlet & Violet era is giving this Secret Rare treatment to species unlikely to get such a card in the past. I mean, look at the pulls. We have a Wimpod Secret Rare!

A notable new feature is the way Paradox Pokémon gets Reverse Holos. These Reverses do not use the energy symbols, instead offering a clean and flat foil that I find looks quite a bit better.

Overall, Scarlet & Violet – Paradox Rift has the makings of a strong set. I'm currently still thinking Scarlet & Violet – Paldea Evolved is the set of the year, but I like how much this one adds to the hobby while keeping the strong elements of previous Paldea-themed expansions in place. I recommend any Pokémon fan pick up a booster box, as it's my favorite way to celebrate the release of a new set.

You can stay tuned for previews of Scarlet & Violet cards as well as updates on everything Pokémon TCG right here at Bleeding Cool.

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