Pokémon card rarities explained
The Pokémon TCG has accumulated a lot of rarities over the decades — from the simple Common/Uncommon/Rare split of the original 1999 Base Set to the double-digit list of modern Scarlet & Violet pulls. This guide covers all of them, organised by era and mechanic.
How PokéGacha drops rarities
Each pack uses ten slots: four Commons, three Uncommons, one wildcard, one foil-guaranteed slot, and one rare-or-better slot. Higher-tier rarities have lower drop weights — you will see a Common 100x more often than a Hyper Rare. The pity system guarantees a chase-tier card every 15 packs from the same set.
Classic rarities
- Common — The bulk of every pack. No holo treatment, low market value, and the base of any collection. Four Commons drop per pack.
- Uncommon — A step up from Common — usually evolved Pokémon or trainer support. Three Uncommons drop per pack.
- Rare — Standard rare cards — fully evolved Pokémon, premium trainers, special energy. Every pack guarantees at least one Rare slot, sometimes upgraded to a higher tier.
Holographic rares
- Rare Holo — The classic shiny rare — the same card as a regular Rare but with holographic foil on the artwork. The chase card of the Wizards-era TCG.
- Rare Holo EX / GX / V / VMAX / VSTAR — Era-specific premium Pokémon mechanics: EX (2003-2007, then 2014-2017), GX (2017-2019), V (2019-2022), VMAX (2020-2022), VSTAR (2022). Each had its own art style and competitive role.
- Rare BREAK — A short-lived 2015-2016 mechanic where the card was printed sideways and broke through a parent card. Visually distinct gold-bordered horizontal layout.
- Rare Holo LV.X — A 2007-2010 mechanic representing a Pokémon at a powered-up evolution stage. Recognisable by the LV.X badge and unique art.
Ultra and secret rares
- Rare Ultra — Premium pull tier — full-art Pokémon, full-art trainers and similar. Lower drop rates than Holo, much higher value.
- Rare Secret — Numbered above the total for the set, for example 159/158. Gold-bordered, rainbow-bordered or special-art variants. Iconic chase cards.
- Rare Rainbow — A secret rare with full rainbow holographic treatment across the entire card. Highly prized by collectors for the look alone.
- Rare Shiny / Rare Shiny GX — Shiny-colour variants of existing Pokémon — alternative palettes such as gold Charizard or blue Rayquaza. Pulled at very low rates.
- Rare Radiant — Etched-foil shiny Pokémon introduced in Sword & Shield: Astral Radiance. One per deck maximum, distinctive embossed silver foil.
- Amazing Rare — A Sword & Shield mechanic with watercolour-style art and cosmos-holo treatment. Instantly recognisable.
- Trainer Gallery Rare Holo — Cards numbered TGxx, featuring Pokémon alongside human trainers such as Cynthia, Marnie and N. Released in the late Sword & Shield era.
Scarlet and Violet era
- Double Rare — The new lowercase-ex Pokémon in Scarlet & Violet. Two-prize Pokémon with strong attacks.
- Ultra Rare — Full-art version of ex Pokémon and trainers — the full-art tier in modern sets.
- Illustration Rare — Numbered above the set total; art-focused cards with extended scenery. Highly collectable for the artwork alone.
- Special Illustration Rare — The top art-focused tier — usually a trainer with their Pokémon, or a heroic full-bleed scene. Very rare and very expensive.
- Hyper Rare — Gold-foil version of an ex Pokémon — the modern equivalent of gold secret rares. Extremely low pull rate.
- ACE SPEC Rare — Powerful one-per-deck trainer cards reintroduced in Paldea Evolved. Distinctive double-bordered art.
- Shiny Rare / Shiny Ultra Rare — Shiny-palette variants of regular and full-art ex Pokémon, reintroduced in Paldean Fates and later shiny-themed sets.
Other rarities
- Promo — Promotional cards from events, promo boxes and tournament prizes. Star-shaped Promo stamp.
- LEGEND — A 2010 HeartGold/SoulSilver mechanic — two cards combined to form a single Pokémon. Gold-bordered design.
- Classic Collection — Foil-treated reprints of WOTC-era cards in Celebrations and similar anniversary sets.
- Rare ACE / Rare Prism Star — One-per-deck specialty rarities. ACE cards are powerful trainers; Prism Stars are unique Pokémon and items.