The Pokémon Company has revealed a new Pokémon TCG expansion called Destined Rivals. Read on below to learn more:
Enjoy quick games and powerful promo cards with the Scarlet & Violet—Destined Rivals Build & Battle Box.
The latest Pokémon Trading Card Game expansion, Scarlet & Violet—Destined Rivals, arrives May 30, 2025, but you can visit your local game store to play with it early! Starting May 17, 2025, select retailers will begin selling the Scarlet & Violet—Destined Rivals Build & Battle Box, giving fans a chance to have a Prerelease battle and experience the latest expansion before its official release date. To find a Prerelease event near you, be sure to use the Event Locator.
The Prerelease format allows players to compete using a 40-card deck with four Prize cards set aside at the start of play, as opposed to a 60-card deck with six Prize cards. This format is perfect for introducing new players to the exciting world of the Pokémon TCG with quick, fun games, and it also gives seasoned players a window into all that Scarlet & Violet—Destined Rivals has to offer. Due to the limited card pool and the variance of cards that can be acquired in a Build & Battle Box, Prerelease events are also a great opportunity to flex your creative deck-building muscles.
Each Build & Battle Box includes four Scarlet & Violet—Destined Rivals booster packs and a 40-card ready-to-play deck featuring key cards from current and prior sets as well as one of four unique foil promo cards. Depending on which promo card you get, you could be playing with the fiery Ethan’s Typhlosion, the destructive Misty’s Gyarados, the nefarious Team Rocket’s Tyranitar, or the Tera-countering Team Rocket’s Mimikyu.
Is there anything more symbolic of Ethan and Typhlosion’s bond than the Buddy Blast attack? For just one Fire Energy, Ethan’s Typhlosion can do 40 damage, plus 60 more damage for each Ethan’s Adventure card in your discard pile. Ethan’s Adventure is an especially helpful Supporter card that can grab you up to three in any combination of Ethan’s Pokémon and Basic Fire Energy cards, putting you on the path to Prerelease success. If you find any additional copies in your booster packs and receive Ethan’s Typhlosion as your Prerelease promo card, be sure to include them immediately.
Reckless, destructive, and overpowering. Gyarados has a reputation for instilling fear into the hearts of many, and Misty’s Gyarados is no different. Its Splashing Panic attack discards the top seven cards of your deck and does 70 damage for each Misty’s Pokémon discarded in this way. If you’re really lucky, Misty’s Gyarados can do up to 490 damage, but that’s not likely in the Prerelease format. Add as many Misty’s Pokémon to your deck as possible, and be careful not to run out of cards while splashing damage with Misty’s Gyarados!
Get ready for this powerhouse of a Prerelease promo card that’s reminiscent of Dark Tyranitar from the Team Rocket Returns expansion. Team Rocket’s Tyranitar is sure to dust up trouble with its Sand Stream Ability, placing two damage counters on each of your opponent’s Basic Pokémon during Pokémon Checkup. The Armor Pokémon has to remain in the Active Spot for Sand Stream to continually trigger, but it’s well worth the chip damage if you can keep it going.
We’re not going to sugarcoat it, Team Rocket’s Mimikyu’s Gemstone Mimicry attack isn’t going to have much impact in Prerelease matches due to the Scarlet & Violet—Destined Rivals expansion featuring zero Tera Pokémon (though it can be extremely impactful in the Standard format). However, it still has a Retreat Cost of zero, and that’s helpful in any Pokémon TCG battle. There’s one combo you can look to make a reality while opening booster packs—if you use Team Rocket’s Giovanni to switch in Team Rocket’s Mimikyu while gusting up your opponent’s Benched Pokémon, you’ll easily be able to retreat into the attacking Pokémon of your choice!
There are variations among Build & Battle Boxes, so you can add your own creative twist when building your deck. Whether you’re heading to a local game store or just playing with a friend, you’re in for some quick and fun battles with cards from the new Scarlet & Violet—Destined Rivals expansion! If you’re not able to make it to a Prerelease event, these Build & Battle Boxes will be available for purchase when the expansion officially launches.
Source: Pokemon.com
Source: Pokemon
