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In an earlier post, I wrote about the new Pokémon Trading Card Game (TCG) Expansion: Shining Fates. In this post, I take a deeper look at the range of products released for the set. Shining Fates focuses on Shiny Pokémon and contains many V and VMAX Pokémon. As you would expect, those Pokémon are front and centre in these products.
The Elite Trainer Box
An Elite Trainer Box is a bundle product, containing an array of cards and accessories for collectors. Typically, an Elite Trainer Box is released alongside a new expansion set, providing a quick, cost-effective way to establish a collection.
The Elite Trainer Box will appeal to new and returning players alike. However, it is worth noting that this product does not contain a ready to play 60-card deck. If you are purchasing this for a new player, consider picking up a Starter Deck product alongside it. An Elite Trainer Box will provide the means to supplement and customise the starter deck.
What's in the Box
- 10 Shining Fates booster packs (Each containing 10 semi-randomised cards, and 1 basic energy).
- 1 full-art promo card, featuring Eevee VMAX.
- 65 card sleeves, featuring Gigantamax Eevee.
- 45 Energy Cards.
- A players guide to the Shining Fates expansion.
- A Pokémon TCG rulebook.
- 6 damage-counter dice.
- 1 competition legal coin-flip die.
- 2 acrylic condition markers.
1 Code card for Pokémon TCG Online
The box itself can hold around 500 cards and comes with four dividers to help organise your collection.
Thoughts on the Shining Fates Trainer Box
I spoke about the Champion's Path Elite Trainer Box recently. Comments I made then hold true for this product, I am a fan of bundled products like the Elite Trainer Box. They are a great way to explore a new set and generally speaking, they offer value for money. I tend to buy singles when expanding my CCG/TCG collections, but recommend bundle products to new players. They provide a way to build up a collection quickly and provide useful accessories. The Elite Trainer Box is especially valuable to players of both paper and online game. Each booster in the box contains a code card for a virtual booster pack.
One note: The popularity of Pokémon TCG has risen in the past year, in some cases demand is outstripping supply. Combined with the particular desirability of this set, prices for Shining Fates products (especially the Elite Trainer Box) could fluctuate unexpectedly. Shop cautiously!
Shining Fates Tins & Mad Party Pin Collections
Three different Tins and four different Party Pin Collections are available under the Shining Fates Banner.
Each tin contains:
- One of Three Foil Cards featuring either a shiny: Eldegoss V, Boltund V, or Cramorant V.
- Five Shining Fates booster packs.
- One code card for the Pokémon TCG Online.
The tin itself can be used to store cards and/or accessories.
Each Party Pin Collection contains:
- One of four promo cards featuring either: Bunnelby, Dedenne, Galarian Mr. Rime, or Polteageist.
- One enamel pin matching the Pokémon on the promo card.
- Three Shining Fates booster packs.
- One code card for the Pokémon TCG Online.
Thoughts on Tins and Pins
The desirability of these product boils down to the featured card. If you want it, the price of the product is likely to be better valued than purchasing the card singularly. Getting three, or five booster packs provides the possibility of plucking valuable or otherwise useful cards. I like the tin product. All three from the Shining Fate range have strong feature cards, and five booster packs to back them. These will make great gifts.
Pokemon V and VMAX Collections
Shining Fates gives us one V Collection (Pikachu), and two VMAX Collections (Shiny Crobat, and Shiny Dragapult). At the time of writing the VMAX collections are unavailable, they are due for release on 5 March 2021.
The Pikachu V Collection contains:
- One foil promo card featuring Pikachu V.
- One oversized foil card featuring Pikachu V.
- Four Shining Fates booster packs.
One code card for the Pokémon TCG Online.
A VMAX Collections contains:
- One etched promo card featuring either Shiny Crobat V or Shiny Dragapult V.
- One etched promo card featuring either Shiny Crobat VMAX or Shiny Dragapult VMAX.
- One oversized card featuring either Shiny Crobat VMAX or Shiny Dragapult VMAX.
- One metallic coin featuring either Crobat or Dragapult
- Seven Shining Fates booster packs
- One code card for Pokémon TCG Online
Thoughts on V and VMAX Collections
I really like these products. Like the Tins, the desirability is reliant on the particular feature card (or cards for the VMAX products). In the case of the Shining Fates collections, we have three strong Pokémon featured, Crobat and Dragapult VMAX especially. Any of these products will make a great gift to a Pokémon TCG player. I would expect the feature cards to be in high demand on the singles market, so grab one of the collections if you can.
If you want to shop more Pokemon, explore our vast collection here. From Hidden Fates to Vivid Voltage, Zatu is your one-stop shop for all things Pokemon! We even have brand new Evolving Skies featuring Eevee and evolutions in gorgeous new full art.
Editors note: This blog was originally published on March 2nd, 2021. Updated on September 21st, 2021 to improve the information available.
