Pokémon Scarlet and Violet TCG is ditching Rainbow Rares, swapping booster pack contents

The Pokémon Scarlet and Violet TCG is going to update a lot of elements about the popular product that have been in place for years, and The Pokémon Company has arguably just confirmed the biggest update yet: we now know the booster pack structure will be drastically changed.

Instead of just carrying over the same pack configuration from the last several years, PokéBeach has confirmed the new structure TPC and its partners are going to use starting with Scarlet and Violet’s debut set.

Starting with the titular packs of the new Pokémon TCG series, the series has cut two common cards in order to add a second reverse holo to pair with the previous reverse holo and holographic card. We already knew something like this would be happening when TPC confirmed it would increase pack pricing to $4.49 and include “three guaranteed foil cards” as a trade-off, but PokéBeach has the full breakdown now.

With each 10-card pack, players will get four Commons, three Uncommons, two Reverse Holos, one Holo, one Basic Energy, and one Code Card. The packs will also follow this order in their new structure, meaning the rarest card is technically in the back now—barring the always-present Energy and TCG Live code.

Overall, this makes opening the packs easier for casual fans, collectors, and creators since it naturally puts the rarer cards at the end without having to manually shuffle the cards.

PokéBeach also confirmed pulling Rare Holos, Pokémon ex, Full Art, and Gold cards will work as usual from that Holo slot. If you pull an Illustration or Special Illustration Rare they will replace the second Reverse Holo despite being Secret Rares. 

Another piece of news most fans will like hearing is here too, as Rainbow Rare cards have officially been removed. They could make a return in future sets, but for now, it is clear they won’t be a staple of every pack—which means they won’t be taking up Secret Rare slots. 

You can read a full breakdown of the rarity updates, including which symbols each card will have now, over on PokéBeach.