Paldean Fates isn't a normal Pokémon set. Honestly, it’s a bit of a monster. While the official "main" set only runs up to 91 cards, the secret rare section—everything from the Shiny Vault to the Special Illustration Rares—is actually much bigger than the set itself. You’ve got 154 secret cards piled on top of the base 91.
That basically makes the Paldean Fates card list a massive scavenger hunt for 245 total cards.
If you’re looking at the card list and wondering why your pulls feel weird, it’s because this set uses a dual-track system. You’ve got your standard commons and uncommons, but then you have the Shiny Vault cards that take over the reverse holo slots. It’s chaotic. It’s expensive. And if you’re chasing that "Bubble Mew," it can be downright brutal on your wallet.
The Secret Scale of the Paldean Fates Card List
Most people look at the back of an Elite Trainer Box and see 91 cards. They think, "Oh, I can finish this in a few weeks."
Wrong.
The bulk of the value and the real meat of the set lives in the secret rares. Specifically, we're talking about the 121 Shiny Rare cards (the "Baby Shinies") and the 11 Shiny Ultra Rares.
Because these cards occupy the reverse holo slots, you can actually pull a "hit" without losing your Rare slot at the back of the pack. You could pull a Baby Shiny Pikachu and then still find a Special Illustration Rare Charizard ex right behind it. It's that "double hit" potential that kept people ripping these packs well into 2025 and 2026.
Breaking Down the Rarity Tiers
The pull rates for this set are a roller coaster. If you're hunting for specific cards on the Paldean Fates card list, here is how the math usually shakes out based on community data and massive pack openings from sites like TCGPlayer:
- Shiny Rare (Baby Shinies): You’ll find these in about 1 in 4 packs. They are common enough to be fun but there are so many of them (121!) that pulling a specific one like Charmander or Mimikyu is actually harder than pulling some of the bigger ex cards.
- Shiny Ultra Rare: These show up roughly every 13 packs. Think of these as the full-art shiny Pokémon like Mew ex or Gardevoir ex.
- Illustration Rare: About 1 in 14 packs. These are the beautiful, full-scene art cards like the Wugtrio or Palafin.
- Special Illustration Rare (SIR): The big ones. You're looking at 1 in 58 packs. These are the "chase" cards everyone wants.
- Hyper Rare (Gold): Surprisingly rare at 1 in 62 packs, though often less valuable than the SIRs because, let’s be real, the gold aesthetic isn't for everyone anymore.
The "Big Three" and Why They Matter
If you look at the market prices in early 2026, the Paldean Fates card list is dominated by three specific cards. Everything else is sort of just noise for the high-end collectors.
1. Mew ex #232 (The Bubble Mew)
This is the undisputed king of the set. Collectors call it "Bubble Mew" because of the whimsical, soft-shaded art style showing Mew floating among bubbles and other Kanto favorites. Even as the market fluctuated through 2025, this card held its ground. It’s a Special Illustration Rare, and pulling it feels like winning a small lottery. As of January 2026, a raw copy still floats around the $480–$500 range, while PSA 10s are astronomical.
2. Charizard ex #234
It’s Charizard. You knew it would be here. This is a Shiny Tera Charizard ex, featuring the dark, "black" Charizard look with a sparkling crystal crown. While it started as the most expensive card at launch, it eventually settled into the number two spot behind Mew. It’s still the card that defines the set for most casual fans.
3. Gardevoir ex #233
This card is just beautiful. It shows a shiny Gardevoir in a forest clearing, surrounded by Pachirisu. It’s a favorite for both collectors who love the art and players who actually use Gardevoir ex in the competitive meta. It usually holds steady around $100–$115.
The Baby Shiny Trap
There is a weird psychological thing that happens with the Paldean Fates card list. Because you pull a Shiny Rare (the Baby Shinies) every four packs or so, the set feels "rewarding." You get that hit of dopamine.
But here’s the reality: most of those 121 Baby Shinies are worth about $2.
You’ll pull a lot of Abomasnow, Capsakid, and Luxray. If you're trying to complete a "Master Set" (every single card), these are your biggest nightmare. Buying them as singles is the only way to keep your sanity. Trying to pull all 121 yourself would take thousands of packs.
Some Baby Shinies do hold value, though. Pikachu (#131), Charmander (#109), and Mimikyu (#160) are the standouts. Pikachu alone can still fetch over $30 because, well, it's Pikachu.
Competitive Play: Which Cards Actually Work?
I've talked a lot about the money, but some of these cards are actually staples in the 2026 Standard format.
- Iono (#237): This is one of the best Supporter cards ever printed. It’s a hand-disruption card that scales with prize cards. The Special Illustration Rare version is a top-tier chase card because players want to "max rare" their decks.
- Mimikyu (#160): The "Safeguard" ability on Mimikyu makes it immune to damage from Pokémon ex and Pokémon V. It's a wall. It’s annoying. It wins games.
- Gardevoir ex: Even with newer sets coming out, the "Psychic Embrace" energy acceleration remains a core engine for psychic-type decks.
How to Collect Paldean Fates Without Going Broke
If you are just starting to look at the Paldean Fates card list now, don't buy loose packs. Seriously.
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The "weighted pack" paranoia is real, and since this is a special "holiday" set, there are no 36-pack booster boxes. You have to get them from Elite Trainer Boxes (ETBs), Tech Sticker Collections, or Mini Tins.
The best value is usually the Booster Bundles (6 packs) or the Premium Collections. But by now, in 2026, the secondary market is your best friend.
Actionable Insights for Collectors:
- Check the "First Slot" hits: Remember that in Paldean Fates, the first reverse holo slot is where the Baby Shinies live. If you see something shiny there, don't stop looking—the card behind it could still be a massive hit.
- Focus on the SIRs: If you aren't a completionist, ignore the 121 Baby Shinies. Buy the ones you like as singles for $2–$5 and spend your "luck" chasing the 8 Special Illustration Rares.
- Watch the Iono price: Iono’s value fluctuates based on the competitive meta. If a new Supporter comes out that's even better, the price of the SIR Iono might finally drop, making it the perfect time to grab it for your collection.
- Grade the Mew: If you are lucky enough to pull the #232 Mew and it looks centered with no whitening on the edges, get it graded. The price jump between a raw copy and a PSA 10 is one of the largest in the modern era.
This set is a marathon, not a sprint. The sheer size of the secret card list means you’re going to get a lot of duplicates before you see the big hits. Stay patient, watch the market trends, and maybe just buy the single of that one shiny Pokémon you actually care about.
To get started, you should download a digital checklist app like DragonShield or TCGCollector. This allows you to mark off the 91 base cards first so you can clearly see which of the 154 secret rares you’re actually missing, preventing you from buying duplicate "hits" you already have. Once your list is organized, check the current market prices on TCGPlayer before trading your duplicate Baby Shinies, as some "niche" favorites can occasionally spike in value.