The Pokemon Trading Card Game looks set to continue its 2025 hot streak with Destined Rivals. Following the incrediblePrismatic EvolutionsandJourney Together, the new expansion comes out swinging with the reintroduction of Team Rocket to the TCG. While it’sanother expansion that’s going to be hard to get hold of, Destined Rivals is sure to be a fan favourite.
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With powerful cards like Celebi EX, Palkia EX, and Mewtwo EX, you’ve got the makings of some elite decks in Pokemon TCG Pocket.
Ahead of its official launch, I got to go hands-on with the product, and despite me once again getting terrible pulls, there’s plenty to be excited about.
The Product Presentation
Destined Rivals flies in the face of many of the TCG’s Scarlet and Violet era products. While The Pokemon Company has often opted for bold and brash colours to emblazon things like its Elite Trainer Boxes, this new set goes dark, to perfect effect.
With the reintroduction of Team Rocket, it was only natural for the team’s leader, Giovanni, to take center stage, alongside one of Rocket’s most infamous Pokemon, Mewtwo. The red and black colour scheme really makes things pop here.
We’ve known about the pack artwork for a while now, with Team Rocket taking up two of the spots, Cynthia and Garchomp one, and Ethan and Ho-Oh the other.
The Pulls From 55 Packs
I’m on something of a cold streak with my pack openings recently. I’d not pulled a single SAR from my previous two previews (Journey Together and Prismatic Evolutions), and when counting the Journey Together Products I’d purchased myself, I’m at around 200 packs with no SAR. That’s now over 250 with Destined Rivals.
Now, from my 55 packs, I did pull 15 standard ex cards, it’s just a shame as a collector, they’re worthless.
In terms of my bigger hits, I got three full art Pokemon, a gold card, and six ARs, which doesn’t seemawful. The problem is, they are some of the worst ones in the expansion.
When Destined Rivals includes incredible full arts of Giovanni and his Mewtwo, Nidoking, and Persian, Ethan with his Ho-Oh, and Cynthia with her Garchomp, it’s frustrating to only get one Trainer’s Pokemon full art - Team Rocket’s Moltres - and two that are standard.
The gold card I got was a trainer, which when there are Ho-Oh, Mewtwo, Garchomp, and Crobat in the mix is frustrating, and my six ARs I got werefine.
Pulling both of Misty’s Pokemon is probably the highlight of the opening, and Rocket’s Spidops looks cool, but I’m not a huge fan of the other three. Cynthia’s Roserade, Shaymin, Ethan’s Typhlosion, Rocket’s Houndoom, Rocket’s Murkrow, and Rocket’s Meowth would have all been preferable.
Overall Thoughts On The Set
I’ve alluded to it already, but Destined Rivals is going to be very, very popular, mainly thanks to Team Rocket and its Mewtwo.
Outside of the SARs, which are all genuinely great (maybe aside from Arven’s Mabosstiff ex), the expansion is one of my least favourites in the recent Scarlet and Violet era, but the pull of Team Rocket is ultimately going to be too much.
In terms of size, Destined Rivals is the second-biggest expansion of the last 12 months, with 244 cards, sitting just behindSurging Sparks'256. This isn’t great for those looking to complete master sets, but overall, there’s a little something for everybody here.
