Rankings
Best Pokémon Sets to Open
Not all booster boxes are created equal. This ranking compares every tracked Pokémon TCG set by expected value per pack, top-rarity odds per euro, and number of valuable chase cards — so you can see which sets give you the best shot at pulling something worthwhile.
Short answer: Based on current price and pull rate data, Ascended Heroes offers the best opening value with an estimated EV of 10.16 € per 12.36 € pack.
Last updated: Aug 19, 2026
Set Rankings
Pokémon Sets Ranked by Opening Value
| # | Set | Pack Price | EV / Pack | Top Rarity | Chase Cards | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Ascended Heroes Mega Evolution | 12.36 € | 10.16 € | SIR 1:71 | 117 | Best Value |
| 2 |  Prismatic Evolutions Scarlet & Violet | 10.53 € | 7.29 € | SIR 1:45 | 80 | Best Value |
| 3 |  Brilliant Stars Sword & Shield | 8.35 € | 5.75 € | HR 1:3 | 90 | Best Value |
| 4 |  Chilling Reign Sword & Shield | 7.55 € | 4.49 € | UR 1:18 | 121 | High Risk |
| 5 |  Pitch Black Mega Evolution | 6.95 € | 2.41 € | SIR 1:80 | 46 | High Risk |
| 6 |  Lost Origin Sword & Shield | 9.57 € | 3.17 € | HR 1:5 | 109 | High Risk |
| 7 |  Chaos Rising Mega Evolution | 5.23 € | 1.70 € | SIR 1:100 | 46 | High Risk |
| 8 |  Mega Evolution Mega Evolution | 6.17 € | 1.91 € | SIR 1:101 | 66 | High Risk |
| 9 |  Vivid Voltage Sword & Shield | 7.27 € | 2.24 € | UR 1:18 | 74 | High Risk |
| 10 |  Battle Styles Sword & Shield | 6.96 € | 2.08 € | UR 1:18 | 76 | High Risk |
| 11 |  Fusion Strike Sword & Shield | 13.10 € | 3.89 € | HR 1:5 | 80 | High Risk |
| 12 |  Silver Tempest Sword & Shield | 7.92 € | 2.31 € | UR 1:27 | 115 | High Risk |
| 13 |  151 Scarlet & Violet | 30.46 € | 7.79 € | SIR 1:32 | 54 | High Risk |
| 14 |  Rebel Clash Sword & Shield | 9.10 € | 2.22 € | UR 1:10 | 73 | Buy Singles |
| 15 |  Sword & Shield Sword & Shield | 8.97 € | 2.08 € | UR 1:36 | 65 | Buy Singles |
| 16 |  Crown Zenith Sword & Shield | 17.71 € | 3.84 € | UR 1:29 | 103 | Buy Singles |
| 17 |  Darkness Ablaze Sword & Shield | 8.00 € | 1.70 € | HR 1:3 | 64 | Buy Singles |
| 18 |  Evolving Skies Sword & Shield | 33.93 € | 6.78 € | HR 1:5 | 125 | Buy Singles |
| 19 |  Champion's Path Sword & Shield | 14.35 € | 2.79 € | UR 1:18 | 36 | Buy Singles |
| 20 |  Scarlet & Violet Scarlet & Violet | 5.13 € | 0.89 € | SIR 1:32 | 72 | Buy Singles |
| 21 |  Astral Radiance Sword & Shield | 6.67 € | 0.76 € | UR 1:36 | 126 | Buy Singles |
| 22 |  Perfect Order Mega Evolution | 4.78 € | 0.51 € | SIR 1:75 | 19 | Buy Singles |
| 23 |  Twilight Masquerade Scarlet & Violet | 5.44 € | 0.41 € | SIR 1:86 | 27 | Buy Singles |
| 24 |  Phantasmal Flames Mega Evolution | 8.39 € | 0.60 € | SIR 1:80 | 18 | Buy Singles |
| 25 |  Surging Sparks Scarlet & Violet | 5.90 € | 0.34 € | SIR 1:87 | 29 | Buy Singles |
| 26 |  Shining Fates Sword & Shield | 10.38 € | 0.57 € | UR 1:16 | 31 | Buy Singles |
| 27 |  Journey Together Scarlet & Violet | 4.60 € | 0.15 € | SIR 1:86 | 11 | Buy Singles |
| 28 |  Obsidian Flames Scarlet & Violet | 6.01 € | 0.19 € | SIR 1:32 | 12 | Buy Singles |
| 29 |  Destined Rivals Scarlet & Violet | 11.88 € | 0.30 € | SIR 1:94 | 22 | Buy Singles |
| 30 |  Paldea Evolved Scarlet & Violet | 7.49 € | 0.17 € | SIR 1:32 | 26 | Buy Singles |
| 31 |  Paradox Rift Scarlet & Violet | 4.77 € | 0.08 € | SIR 1:47 | 28 | Buy Singles |
Ascended Heroes
Mega Evolution
Pack Price
12.36 €
EV / Pack
10.16 €
Top Rarity
1:71
Best Chase Card: Pikachu ex (1098.82 €)
Prismatic Evolutions
Scarlet & Violet
Pack Price
10.53 €
EV / Pack
7.29 €
Top Rarity
1:45
Best Chase Card: Umbreon ex (1253.82 €)
Brilliant Stars
Sword & Shield
Pack Price
8.35 €
EV / Pack
5.75 €
Top Rarity
1:3
Best Chase Card: Charizard V (296.52 €)
Chilling Reign
Sword & Shield
Pack Price
7.55 €
EV / Pack
4.49 €
Top Rarity
1:18
Best Chase Card: Blaziken VMAX (271.56 €)
Pitch Black
Mega Evolution
Pack Price
6.95 €
EV / Pack
2.41 €
Top Rarity
1:80
Best Chase Card: Mega Darkrai ex (293.24 €)
Lost Origin
Sword & Shield
Pack Price
9.57 €
EV / Pack
3.17 €
Top Rarity
1:5
Best Chase Card: Giratina V (735.77 €)
Chaos Rising
Mega Evolution
Pack Price
5.23 €
EV / Pack
1.70 €
Top Rarity
1:100
Best Chase Card: Mega Greninja ex (191.58 €)
Mega Evolution
Mega Evolution
Pack Price
6.17 €
EV / Pack
1.91 €
Top Rarity
1:101
Best Chase Card: Mega Lucario ex (213.95 €)
Vivid Voltage
Sword & Shield
Pack Price
7.27 €
EV / Pack
2.24 €
Top Rarity
1:18
Best Chase Card: Pikachu VMAX (160.54 €)
Battle Styles
Sword & Shield
Pack Price
6.96 €
EV / Pack
2.08 €
Top Rarity
1:18
Best Chase Card: Tyranitar V (106.38 €)
Fusion Strike
Sword & Shield
Pack Price
13.10 €
EV / Pack
3.89 €
Top Rarity
1:5
Best Chase Card: Gengar VMAX (915.91 €)
Silver Tempest
Sword & Shield
Pack Price
7.92 €
EV / Pack
2.31 €
Top Rarity
1:27
Best Chase Card: Lugia V (511.44 €)
151
Scarlet & Violet
Pack Price
30.46 €
EV / Pack
7.79 €
Top Rarity
1:32
Best Chase Card: Alakazam ex (459.36 €)
Rebel Clash
Sword & Shield
Pack Price
9.10 €
EV / Pack
2.22 €
Top Rarity
1:10
Best Chase Card: Cinderace VMAX (20.56 €)
Sword & Shield
Sword & Shield
Pack Price
8.97 €
EV / Pack
2.08 €
Top Rarity
1:36
Best Chase Card: Zacian V (76.26 €)
Crown Zenith
Sword & Shield
Pack Price
17.71 €
EV / Pack
3.84 €
Top Rarity
1:29
Best Chase Card: Giratina VSTAR (283.36 €)
Darkness Ablaze
Sword & Shield
Pack Price
8.00 €
EV / Pack
1.70 €
Top Rarity
1:3
Best Chase Card: Charizard VMAX (83.91 €)
Evolving Skies
Sword & Shield
Pack Price
33.93 €
EV / Pack
6.78 €
Top Rarity
1:5
Best Chase Card: Umbreon VMAX (2019.26 €)
Champion's Path
Sword & Shield
Pack Price
14.35 €
EV / Pack
2.79 €
Top Rarity
1:18
Best Chase Card: Charizard V (261.13 €)
Scarlet & Violet
Scarlet & Violet
Pack Price
5.13 €
EV / Pack
0.89 €
Top Rarity
1:32
Best Chase Card: Miriam (25.53 €)
Astral Radiance
Sword & Shield
Pack Price
6.67 €
EV / Pack
0.76 €
Top Rarity
1:36
Best Chase Card: Origin Forme Dialga V (52.04 €)
Perfect Order
Mega Evolution
Pack Price
4.78 €
EV / Pack
0.51 €
Top Rarity
1:75
Best Chase Card: Mega Zygarde ex (104.93 €)
Twilight Masquerade
Scarlet & Violet
Pack Price
5.44 €
EV / Pack
0.41 €
Top Rarity
1:86
Best Chase Card: Unfair Stamp (10.31 €)
Phantasmal Flames
Mega Evolution
Pack Price
8.39 €
EV / Pack
0.60 €
Top Rarity
1:80
Best Chase Card: Mega Charizard X ex (288.17 €)
Surging Sparks
Scarlet & Violet
Pack Price
5.90 €
EV / Pack
0.34 €
Top Rarity
1:87
Best Chase Card: Pikachu ex (34.89 €)
Shining Fates
Sword & Shield
Pack Price
10.38 €
EV / Pack
0.57 €
Top Rarity
1:16
Best Chase Card: Skyla (10.54 €)
Journey Together
Scarlet & Violet
Pack Price
4.60 €
EV / Pack
0.15 €
Top Rarity
1:86
Best Chase Card: Lillie's Clefairy ex (5.39 €)
Obsidian Flames
Scarlet & Violet
Pack Price
6.01 €
EV / Pack
0.19 €
Top Rarity
1:32
Best Chase Card: Charizard ex (17.78 €)
Destined Rivals
Scarlet & Violet
Pack Price
11.88 €
EV / Pack
0.30 €
Top Rarity
1:94
Best Chase Card: Team Rocket's Mewtwo ex (27.90 €)
Paldea Evolved
Scarlet & Violet
Pack Price
7.49 €
EV / Pack
0.17 €
Top Rarity
1:32
Best Chase Card: Chien-Pao ex (20.48 €)
Paradox Rift
Scarlet & Violet
Pack Price
4.77 €
EV / Pack
0.08 €
Top Rarity
1:47
Best Chase Card: Garchomp ex (4.45 €)
How we rank sets
Sets are ranked by a composite score based on the ratio of expected value per pack to pack price, and by top-rarity odds per euro spent.
- Expected value (EV) per pack = sum of (card pull rate × card EUR price) for all priced chase cards in the set.
- EV ratio = EV per pack ÷ pack price. Higher is better. A ratio above 0.65 is labelled Best Value; below 0.25 is labelled Buy Singles.
- Top rarity is the rarest identified rarity (SIR > HR > CR > UR) from the set's rarity slots.
- Sets without price data for any chase cards are excluded from EV calculations but still shown.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Pokémon set is the best to open right now?
The best set to open depends on current pack prices and pull rates. This ranking updates automatically based on live data. Sets with a high expected value per pack relative to their pack price are rated Best Value.
What does expected value per pack mean?
Expected value (EV) per pack is the estimated average EUR value you get from opening one booster, calculated by multiplying each chase card's pull rate by its current market price and summing them up. It does not include commons or uncommons.
Is a high EV ratio enough reason to open packs?
Not necessarily. EV is a statistical average, and individual openings are random. Even a set with a high EV ratio can produce disappointing results. If you want one specific card, buying the single is almost always more cost-effective.
What does the Buy Singles label mean?
A Buy Singles label means the estimated opening cost significantly exceeds the expected value per pack. In other words, on average you are paying more in packs than the cards are worth. Buying singles directly is more rational for collecting specific cards.
Related Rankings