Collect all of these Destined Rivals chase cards and realize how cool Team Rocket can be!
For the 10th main expansion of the Scarlet and Violet series, Pokemon TCG turns back to one of the most popular nefarious organizations in the franchise, Team Rocket.
Infamous as they are in stealing strong Pokemon, Team Rocket became pivotal in highlighting the greatness of certain trainers in the Pokeverse, especially Ash Ketchum in the anime and Red in the video games.
But for Pokemon TCG, Destined Rivals puts more Team Rocket Pokemon in the spotlight, and if you’re a fan of Giovanni, feast your eyes on some of the most highly sought-after cards in the set.
More chase cards from other sets:
- 10 Prismatic Evolutions Chase Cards That Are Worth Pulling
- 10 Most Expensive Cards in Surging Sparks
- 10 Most Expensive Cards in Temporal Forces
- 10 Most Expensive Cards in Paldean Fates
- 10 Most Valuable Cards in Stellar Crown
10 Most Expensive Destined Rivals Chase Cards
Apart from the Team Rocket organization, other trainers are also featured in the Destined Rivals set, which are all available in some well-drawn and colorful full art cards:
10. Ethan’s Typhlosion (Illustration Rare)
Ethan, the default name of the male protagonist in Pokemon Gold and Silver, had his own set of collectible cards in Destined Rivals.
One of the most valuable Ethan cards as of writing this article is the Illustration Rare copy of Ethan’s Typhlosion, which has a neat fire-themed background.
9. Team Rocket’s Mewtwo ex (Hyper Rare)
Mewtwo became the set’s focal Pokemon, so it’s no surprise that rarer copies of Mewtwo ex will take the cut in our chase card list.
If you’re an avid collector of gold cards, this Hyper Rare Team Rocket’s Mewtwo is definitely a must-have. How often would you see a Hyper Rare with a Trainer on it?
8. Misty’s Psyduck (Illustration Rare)
Known for being too innocent and always goofing out, Misty’s Psyduck will once again touch the hearts of many fans with this Illustration Rare card, featuring the beloved duck Pokemon chilling out in a pond with its Trainer.
While it’s just a Basic Pokemon, Misty’s Psyduck boasts a curious ability: it discards the bottom card of your deck and places itself on top of it. This quirk might spark some players’ creativity and open up fresh, unconventional strategies for retrieving key cards.
7. Ethan’s Adventure (Special Illustration Rare)
Another Destined Rivals chase card that features Ethan is a Supporter card called Ethan’s Adventure, printed as a Special Illustration Rare.
This card captures a wholesome moment of Ethan together with his Pokemon during the time that he was just starting out as a Trainer. And looking at its effect, it’s highly expected to become quite the staple piece for most Ethan decks.
6. Team Rocket’s Crobat ex (Special Illustration Rare)
If you’re going to think something about Team Rocket Pokemon in the video games, there’s a good chance that you’ll remember facing lots of Zubat, Golbat, and Crobat. And this Special Illustration Rare card perfectly portrayed all the evolution forms of the bat Pokemon in one intricate artwork.
Like most Pokemon ex, Crobat ex is quite a powerful card, with 310 HP and a move that deals more than a hundred damage and the option of putting Crobat ex back into its owner’s hand.
5. Team Rocket’s Nidoking ex (Special Illustration Rare)
One of Giovanni’s signature Pokemon in the video games is the Poison/Ground-type Nidoking. In Destined Rivals, Team Rocket’s Nidoking ex is also highly popular among the fans, garnering a market value of almost a hundred dollars.
Judging by this card’s moves, Nidoking ex looks like it will work well in other Poison decks, though not in quite the same way as those that use Pecharunt ex in the current meta.
4. Team Rocket’s Moltres ex (Special Illustration Rare)
Apart from Mewtwo, Team Rocket also has another Legendary Pokemon at its disposal in Destined Rivals — a majestic-looking Moltres ex, featured as a Special Illustration Rare card.
In this card, Moltres can be seen with one of Team Rocket’s admins, a guy named Archer. Although not as well-known as other Team Rocket members, Archer actually once became the organization’s interim head.
3. Ethan’s Ho-Oh ex (Special Illustration Rare)
Of all the Ethan cards in the set, this Ethan’s Ho-Oh ex is definitely the one that you should pull if you’re opening packs of Destined Rivals products right now.
It’s worth noting that Destined Rivals is actually based on two Japanese Pokemon TCG sets: Glory of Team Rocket and Hot Air Arena. Ethan’s Ho-Oh was the featured card in the Hot Air Arena set, so fans of this majestic Pokemon will be excited to see it finally arrive in English.
2. Cynthia’s Garchomp ex (Special Illustration Rare)
Destined Rivals is also home to other Trainer-oriented cards, including the Pokemon owned by Sinnoh’s Champion, Cynthia.
While Cynthia has already tasted defeat at the hands of Ash Ketchum in the anime, we can’t deny that her Garchomp remains an iconic Pokemon, not just in the anime, but also in the video games, where it was arguably one of the most formidable opponents to beat in Generation IV games.
1. Team Rocket’s Mewtwo (Special Illustration Rare)
The Special Illustration Rare card of Team Rocket’s Mewtwo already gained attention way before the English release of Destined Rivals. Looking at the card’s color palette and the perfect portrayal of Mewtwo as an imposing Pokemon of pure power, it truly deserves the title of being the best Destined Rivals chase card.
Right now, SIR Team Rocket’s Mewtwo is priced around $300, but it might change depending on various factors, especially market trends.
Conclusion
Now that you know which cards you should look for in Destined Rivals, it’s now easier to manage your expectations as you open each of the set’s packs.
The best cards you can own in terms of value are the top three listed here. Keep in mind, however, that they are extremely hard to find. Just like most Special Illustration Cards, they can be quite rare. If you’re determined to get them, be prepared to spend some money or check your local game shops for any singles they might have in stock.
We hope you enjoyed reading our list. For more chase card lists, guides, and other tips related to Pokemon TCG, check out our other content here at PokeCardHQ.
