Scarlet & Violet Era Guide: The Newest Generation of Pulls

The Scarlet & Violet era is the current generation of the TCG, introducing the Paldea region and a refreshed lineup of card rarities that collectors are chasing right now.

New rarity tiers

Scarlet & Violet refined the rarity system with tiers like illustration rares and the coveted special illustration rares (SIRs), which feature characters and Pokémon in beautifully detailed scenes. Hyper rares (gold cards) sit at the top of the standard chase.

Sets in the era

The era includes the base Scarlet & Violet set, Paldea Evolved, Obsidian Flames, Paradox Rift, Paldean Fates, Temporal Forces, Twilight Masquerade, Shrouded Fable, Stellar Crown, Surging Sparks, and more arriving regularly.

Why it is exciting to collect

This is the era you can pull fresh from packs today, which makes it accessible and fun. Special illustration rares in particular have become instant favorites for their artwork, and some early SIRs have already climbed in value.

Condition still matters

Because these cards are brand new, top grades are attainable — but that also means a 10 is the expectation for a fresh card, and any flaw stands out. Inspect centering and surface even on cards straight from the pack.

Track the new chase cards

The Scarlet & Violet era moves fast, with new sets and chase cards arriving often. Use Cardemon to identify the exact card and rarity, estimate condition on your best SIRs, and keep your growing collection organized and valued as the era expands.