Destined Rivals: Every Chase Card Ranked

Scarlet and Violet: Destined Rivals is widely considered one of the best Pokémon TCG sets of the entire Scarlet and Violet era, and for good reason. With Team Rocket making their grand return, iconic Trainer and Pokémon duos taking centre stage, and some of the most emotionally charged artwork the modern TCG has ever produced, the chase card lineup in this set is genuinely exceptional from top to bottom.

Whether you're cracking packs, buying singles, or deciding which sealed product to invest in, here is every major chase card in Destined Rivals ranked from honourable mentions all the way up to the undisputed number one.

Before diving in, it is worth clarifying what we mean by chase card. A chase card is any pull from a set that collectors and players actively target, whether because of its artwork, competitive value, rarity, or monetary worth. In Destined Rivals, the chase cards come primarily from three rarity tiers: Special Illustration Rares, Hyper Rares, and the Trainer's Pokémon ex full-art cards that define this set's identity.

These cards narrowly missed the top ten but are absolutely worth pulling and are considered strong hits in any pack opening:

• Team Rocket's Proton — a competitive staple Supporter card with stylish full-art treatment

• Team Rocket's Receiver — another Team Rocket support card that competitive players need and collectors want

• Iono's Bellibolt ex Ultra Rare — beautiful card with strong competitive utility in the Destined Rivals meta

• Arven's Mabosstiff ex — one of the most emotionally resonant Trainer's Pokémon pairings in the set, with gorgeous artwork that has struck a chord with the community globally

Giovanni has always been one of the most iconic figures in Pokémon history, and his Secret Rare full-art Trainer card in Destined Rivals does the character full justice. Dripping in villainous swagger with a power stance that practically leaps off the card, this is the kind of Trainer card that longtime fans have wanted for years. As a Supporter card, Giovanni also has real competitive applications in Team Rocket-themed decks, giving it appeal beyond pure collecting.

Sleek, sinister, and genuinely menacing, the Team Rocket's Crobat ex Special Illustration Rare is one of the more underrated chase cards in the set. Its dark, high-contrast artwork captures the predatory energy of the Pokémon perfectly, and its secondary market value has held up well since launch. Crobat fans and Team Rocket completionists alike consider this one of the more satisfying pulls in the entire set.

Hop and Zacian are one of the most visually striking Trainer's Pokémon pairings in Destined Rivals, with an SIR treatment that leans into the legendary, almost mythic quality of Zacian as a Pokémon. The artwork feels cinematic and grand, giving the card a presence that makes it one of the most display-worthy pulls in the set. For collectors who fell in love with Sword and Shield era Pokémon, this is a must-have.

Soft, luminous, and radiating warmth, the Lillie's Clefairy ex Special Illustration Rare is one of the calmest and most beautiful cards in the entire set. Lillie's presence as a beloved character from Pokémon Sun and Moon gives this card enormous nostalgic pull, and the artwork perfectly captures her gentle, nurturing bond with Clefairy. It is calm, radiant, and iconic in its own way, making it one of the top chase contenders for collectors who value beauty over raw monetary value.

Ethan and Typhlosion mid-charge, surrounded by wild streaks of flame and motion, make for one of the most kinetic and energetic cards in Destined Rivals. This SIR earns its place not through nostalgia alone but through the sheer quality of its artwork, which makes the whole card feel alive in a way that relatively few modern TCG cards manage to achieve. Gold and Silver fans have been waiting a long time for Ethan to get this kind of treatment, and Destined Rivals delivered.

One of the biggest surprises of the entire Destined Rivals set, Misty's Psyduck has emerged as one of the most valuable and talked-about cards in the lineup. Illustrated by the extraordinarily talented Okacheke, this SIR captures the iconic pairing of Misty and her perpetually headache-ridden Psyduck in a way that is simultaneously funny, adorable, and genuinely moving. Its market value has remained consistently strong since launch, making it as compelling a financial chase as it is an artistic one.

N's Zoroark ex is the emotional centrepiece of the Journey Together crossover in Destined Rivals, and its Special Illustration Rare treatment is one of the most striking pieces of artwork in the modern TCG. The bond between N and Zoroark has always been one of the most quietly powerful relationships in Pokémon lore, and this card captures it beautifully. Strong secondary market demand and deep nostalgic resonance for Black and White era fans keep this card firmly in the top half of the rankings.

Ethan's Ho-Oh ex Special Illustration Rare is one of the most majestic and visually spectacular cards in the entire Destined Rivals set. The legendary Rainbow Pokémon rendered in full-art Special Illustration style alongside its beloved Trainer is everything Gold and Silver fans could have asked for, and the card's consistent position near the top of secondary market rankings since launch reflects just how widely coveted it has become. Ranked consistently among the top three most valuable cards in the set globally, this is a pull worth celebrating.

Cynthia and Garchomp is perhaps the single most iconic Trainer and Pokémon pairing in the entire history of the franchise, and the Destined Rivals Special Illustration Rare does the duo complete justice. The battle-style artwork is dynamic, powerful, and emotionally charged, capturing the ferocity and elegance that has made Cynthia the most beloved Champion in Pokémon history. With a raw market price consistently sitting in the range of $250 to $280 and strong PSA 10 premiums, this is a top-tier chase card in every sense of the word.

With Team Rocket's Mewtwo ex SIR sitting at $180 to $240 raw and a Destined Rivals Booster Box containing 36 packs, the mathematics of chasing this card through pack opening are brutal. Special Illustration Rares appear roughly once every 18 to 25 packs on average, meaning a full booster box gives you approximately one to two SIR pulls with no guarantee of hitting the top cards.

For collectors who have a specific target card in mind, buying the single directly is almost always the most cost-effective approach. For collectors who want the full opening experience and are happy to chase across the entire SIR lineup rather than targeting one specific card, the booster box remains one of the most exciting products in the Scarlet and Violet era.