Pokémon TCG: Scarlet & Violet — Journey Together is set to launch on March 28, 2025, and it's bringing back a beloved mechanic from 2004 that's sure to thrill fans: Trainer's Pokémon. This nostalgic feature, reminiscent of the classics from EX Team Magma vs. Team Aqua, is making a comeback, and I'm incredibly excited to dive into this new set.
Pokemon Trading Card Game: Scarlet and Violet Journey Together Booster Sleeves
9 $4.99 save 5% $4.74 at GameStop $4.49 at Best Buy
Pokemon Trading Card Game: Scarlet and Violet Journey Together Build and Battle Box
8 $21.99 save 5% $20.89 at GameStop
Pokemon Trading Card Game: Scarlet and Violet Journey Together Booster Bundle
7 $29.99 save 5% $28.49 at GameStop
Pokemon Trading Card Game: Scarlet and Violet Journey Together Booster Box 36 Count
8 $160.99 at Best Buy See it at GameStop
Pokemon Trading Card Game: Scarlet and Violet Journey Together Elite Trainer Box
9 See it at GameStop
Pokemon Trading Card Game: Scarlet and Violet Journey Together Three Booster Blister
3 $14.99 save 5% $14.24 at GameStop
This set highlights four iconic Trainers: N, Iono, Lillie, and Hop, each paired with their unique Pokémon ex, showcasing the strong bonds they share with their teams. If you've ever dreamed of building a deck centered around N's Zoroark ex, Lillie's Clefairy ex, or Iono's Bellibolt ex, Journey Together is your chance to make that happen.
Check out the full Pokémon TCG Release Schedule for 2025
My Journey Together Product Openings
Journey Together boasts over 180 cards, including 40+ Trainer's Pokémon, 16 Pokémon ex, 11 Illustration Rares, six Special Illustration Rares, and three Hyper Rare gold cards. Box Toppers are also back, with Enhanced Booster Display Boxes featuring a stamped N's Reshiram Illustration Rare.
Journey Together Standard Booster Box
Opening a Booster Box is a thrilling experience. With 36 packs, you get a flood of cards that keeps the excitement high. My standout pulls included N's Reshiram Illustration Rare, Iono's Bellibolt ex Secret Rare, and a Hyper Rare Spiky Energy. Even beyond the big hits, I found plenty of solid ex cards perfect for my decks.
Sadly, Hop's Zacian ex and Lillie's Clefairy ex Special Art Rare eluded me, but that's the nature of Booster Boxes. You get numerous chances, but no guarantees. Nevertheless, it's the best way to dive into the set. If you enjoy opening packs or want to bolster your collection, a Booster Box is always a fantastic choice. Check out all the rare pulls below; this box was definitely worth it for me.
Journey Together Elite Trainer Box
Elite Trainer Boxes offer a more premium experience than loose packs. The N's Zorua promo immediately caught my attention, and the box itself is ideal for card storage. The included sleeves, dice, and condition markers are perfect for players, and with nine booster packs, there's ample opportunity for exciting pulls.
With only nine packs, I wasn't expecting miracles, but I still managed to pull Iono's Kilowattrel Illustration Rare, Articuno Illustration Rare, and a Veluza ex. These fun cards made the opening worthwhile. ETBs may not have the volume of hits a Booster Box offers, but they provide a structured, all-in-one product that's great for experiencing Journey Together. Check out the full list of rare cards from our preview below; we uncovered some real gems.
Journey Together Build & Battle Box
Build & Battle Boxes offer a unique experience compared to Booster or Elite Trainer Boxes. The highlight is the prebuilt 40-card deck, allowing you to start playing immediately. I pulled Hop's Snorlax as my promo, which is an excellent card, boosting all of Hop's Pokémon attacks by 30 damage.
The four packs I opened didn't disappoint, yielding a Mamoswine ex and Swinub Illustration Rare, which fit perfectly with my deck's theme. While you won't get as many rare pulls as with a Booster Box, Build & Battle Boxes are the fastest way to start playing with the new set. With four different promo cards available, I'm already tempted to pick up another box to see which one I get next. Check out my Journey Together preview pulls below to see some of the best cards we got from all our openings.
Our Pokémon TCG: Journey Together Pulls
After opening 49 booster packs across all our products, I ended up with 18 rare cards. Some were exactly what I was hoping for, while others were delightful surprises. Trainers will definitely pull more rare cards than with Prismatic Evolutions. Here’s what I pulled:
Hop's Snorlax (Promo 184)
A sturdy Basic Pokémon with 150 HP that boosts all of Hop's Pokémon attacks by 30 extra damage. This card is great for any Trainer-themed deck. Dynamic Press hits hard, though the 80 recoil damage is a downside. Still, the ability alone makes it a valuable addition to any Hop-based strategy.
N's Zorua (Promo 189)
A cute but unremarkable card that serves as a stepping stone to evolve into something better. With 70 HP and 20 damage from Scratch, it won't turn any heads, but if Zoroark ex proves strong in this set, Zorua will have its moment.
Spiky Energy Hyper Rare (190/159)
An instant staple in my decks, dealing 20 damage every time the Pokémon it's attached to gets hit. It's both offensive and defensive, and provides Colorless Energy too. A definite winner.
Iono's Bellibolt ex-Secret Rare (172/159)
A 280 HP Lightning-type powerhouse with Energy acceleration capabilities. Its Electric Streamer ability lets you attach unlimited Lightning Energy to Iono's Pokémon, making it an engine for Lightning decks. Thunderous Bolt's 230 damage is impressive, even with the turn skip. This card is sure to see play.
Iris's Fighting Spirit Full Art (180/159)
A risk-reward draw Supporter that lets you discard one card and draw until you have six. Great for refreshing your hand, especially in decks that benefit from discarding Energy or Pokémon. Being a full art makes it even more appealing.
Iono's Kilowattrel Illustration Rare (163/159)
A Lightning-type support Pokémon that refills your hand with its Flashing Draw ability. You need to discard a Lightning Energy first, but it's worth it. Mach Bolt's 70 damage is average, but this bird is all about hand advantage.
N's Reshiram Illustration Rare (167/159)
A 130 HP Dragon-type that gets more dangerous as it takes damage. Powerful Rage can rack up serious numbers, and Virtuous Flame's 170 damage is solid but Energy-intensive. Ideal for high-risk, high-reward strategies.
Articuno Illustration Rare (161/159)
A Water-type setup Pokémon that can accelerate two Basic Water Energy onto itself with Frigid Fluttering. Ice Blast's 110 damage is respectable, making it a great starting piece for any Water deck.
Swinub Illustration Rare (165/159)
This adorable little guy is useful early-game. Call for Family lets you search your deck for two Basic Pokémon, which is huge for setup. Lunge Out's 10 damage is minimal, but Swinub is more about setting up than attacking.
Salamence ex Secret Rare (177/159)
A 320 HP Dragon-type monster that excels at spreading damage and hitting hard. Wide Blast deals 50 damage to every Benched Pokémon, and Dragon Impact slams for 300 damage, requiring you to discard two Energy. An absolute beast.
Hop's Zacian ex (111/159)
A Steel-type legendary with a brutal 240-damage attack. The downside is that Brave Slash can't be used twice in a row, necessitating a switching strategy. Insta-Strike does some spread damage, but Zacian is all about knocking out opponents in one hit.
Alcremie ex (075/159)
A support-heavy Psychic Pokémon that heals 30 damage every turn with its Confectionary Gift ability. Whipped Shot's 160 damage is solid, but this card shines as a sustain option in control decks.
Mimikyu ex (069/159)
A tricky Pokémon that loves spreading damage. Mischievous Hands puts three damage counters on two of your opponent's Pokémon, setting up knockouts later. Ghostly Trip deals 120 damage and Confuses the Active Pokémon, disrupting their plays.
Veluza ex (043/159)
A Water-type glass cannon that can hit for 240 damage if you're willing to discard your whole hand. Purging Strike is high-risk, high-reward, while Razor Fin's 30 damage is barely noteworthy. This card is all about going all-in.
Lillie's Clefairy ex (056/159)
A Psychic-type that punishes Dragon decks with its Fairy Zone ability, making all Dragon Pokémon weak to Psychic. Full Moon Rondo scales its damage based on both players' Bench size, making it a potential late-game sweeper.
Volcanion ex (031/159)
A Fire-type bruiser that burns the opponent's Active Pokémon just by being in play, thanks to its Scalding Steam ability. Scorching Cyclone's 160 damage is great, and moving an Energy to a Benched Pokémon makes it even better.
Mamoswine ex (079/159)
An absolute tank at 340 HP that can search your deck for any Pokémon once per turn with Mammoth Hauler. Rumbling March starts at 180 damage but scales up with more Stage 2 Pokémon on your Bench, making it terrifying in evolution-heavy decks.
Salamence ex (114/159)
This is the second Salamence ex I pulled, and I'm not complaining. It has the same brutal power with Wide Blast for spreading damage and Dragon Impact for a massive 300 damage hit. If you like big, hard-hitting Pokémon, this is the one.
Should You Buy Pokémon TCG: Journey Together?
Journey Together is shaping up to be one of the most exciting Pokémon TCG expansions in years. The return of Trainer's Pokémon, a nostalgic feature absent for years, adds depth and personality to battles. Whether you're collecting for stunning artwork, competitive value, or sheer nostalgia, this set has something for everyone.
Pokemon Trading Card Game: Scarlet and Violet Journey Together Booster Sleeves
9 $4.99 save 5% $4.74 at GameStop $4.49 at Best Buy
Pokemon Trading Card Game: Scarlet and Violet Journey Together Build and Battle Box
8 $21.99 save 5% $20.89 at GameStop
Pokemon Trading Card Game: Scarlet and Violet Journey Together Booster Bundle
7 $29.99 save 5% $28.49 at GameStop
Pokemon Trading Card Game: Scarlet and Violet Journey Together Booster Box 36 Count
8 $160.99 at Best Buy See it at GameStop
Pokemon Trading Card Game: Scarlet and Violet Journey Together Elite Trainer Box
9 See it at GameStop
Pokemon Trading Card Game: Scarlet and Violet Journey Together Three Booster Blister
3 $14.99 save 5% $14.24 at GameStop
With the release date of March 28 just around the corner, now's the time to plan which cards you want to chase. Whether it's N's Reshiram, Iono's Bellibolt ex, or the elusive Hyper Rare Spiky Energy, there's no shortage of incredible pulls waiting to be discovered.
