The further we venture into the Pokémon TCG sets from Paldea and Scarlet and Violet, the more feverous excitement there seems to be. And 2025 is going to continue that trend with Prismatic Evolutions. We are heading on an upward trajectory.
There's a good reason for this. Set to release on the 17th of January, Prismatic Evolutions is an Eeveelutions-focused special set containing six ACE SPEC Trainer cards, 10 Pokémon ex and 15 Tera Pokémon ex, 12 ultra rare Supporter cards, 32 special illustration rare Pokémon ex and Supporter cards.
Not only that, but the Prismatic Evolution cards will include two sets of reverse holo cards: Pokémon with either a Poké Ball or Master Ball etched in the card background. The latter, a concept previously used for the Japanese 151 set, is only fuelling excitement more.
Combined, this means the set contains fan-favourite Pokémon, such as Umbreon ex, the introduction of unique prints, and a litany of chase cards designed by some of Pokémon’s iconic artists.
From the set, these will be the 10 most valuable Prismatic Evolutions cards:
Table of Contents
- 1. Umbreon Master Ball reverse holo
- 2. Umbreon ex special illustration rare
- 3. Sylveon ex special illustration rare
- 4. Sylveon Master Ball reverse holo
- 5. Espeon ex special illustration rare
- 6. Espeon Master Ball reverse holo
- 7. Eevee ex special illustration rare
- 8. Leafeon ex special illustration rare
- 9. Pikachu ex gold ultra rare
- 10. Glaceon ex special illustration rare
- What else should you watch out for?
1. Umbreon Master Ball reverse holo
It’s not often that an Umbreon special illustration card is usurped at the top of a most-expensive cards list. And when it is, it’ll only be topped by another Umbreon – this time, that’s the Umbreon Master Ball reverse holo.
One of the reasons this card tops the list is the clamour for these unique Master Ball shimmering cards. There’s reportedly less than one Master Ball in a box, but over 100 cards can take the slot, so each Master Ball card is rarer than the set’s secret rares. The odds are what make it a truly prized pull.
The other reason is that this will be the first time Master Ball reverse holo cards will be printed in the English Pokémon TCG since they created a storm with the in-demand Japanese 151, seeing overall set value absolutely skyrocket. We are looking at that Japanese reverse holo Master Ball Gengar from 151 to see what a frenzy the cards can whip up.
Then there’s the allure of Umbreon cards in the TCG. From the POP series 5 Gold Star Umbreon to the Evolving Skies secret rare alternate art Moonbreon, this Masterball Reverse holo is just another huge hit to add to the list.
Combine these factors together, and you have a bona fide budget-breaking Pokémon card.
2. Umbreon ex special illustration rare
Next up is another Umbreon print – the Umbreon ex special illustration rare. Now being dubbed Sunbreon, Umbreon ex is seen as the follow-up to the illustrious Moonbreon card from Evolving Skies, which has a consistent track record of selling for four figures. Naturally, there is hope that Prismatic Evolutions’ Umbreon ex will pick up where Moonbreon left – and go to the Moon, value-wise.
Already, the card has a lot going for it. The sparkling artwork, illustrated by Yashiro Nanako, gives true testament to this generation’s terastalization mechanic with Umbreon adorning that famous multi-colour crown, perched in front of a glowing harvest moon (and no, the Sunbreon name doesn’t really make sense, does it?). It’s ready-made to become a figurehead of the Scarlet and Violet era.
Then there’s the fact this card could genuinely be competitively viable. Its attack, Onyx, is unlike anything we’ve really seen before and lets you discard all Energy attached to Umbreon ex to straight up take an opponent’s Prize card. While this specific print might not see huge amounts of deck play because of its value, it definitely adds to its appeal.
And finally, because Terastal Festival has already been released in Japan – essentially the Japanese like-for-like of Prismatic Evolutions – we have an idea of how the card is performing in the market. The Japanese prints have been selling for well north of £200, so if that’s anything to go off, then Sunbreon ex will be one to watch.
3. Sylveon ex special illustration rare
Jumping ahead of Umbreon’s counterpart Eeveelution on this list is the Sylveon ex special illustration rare. Illustrated by Cona Nitanda, the fairy-type variant marries the crystalline effects of terastal mechanic with the sweeping curvatures of Sylveon’s many ribbons. Popping pink colours perfectly encapsulate the character of the card and helps Sylveon ex to stand out in its own right.
Just like Umbreon ex, Sylveon ex is blessed with a quirky, competitive moveset. Angelite, its secondary attack, lets you choose two of your opponent’s benched Pokémon and shuffle them, along with all attached cards, back into their deck. This kind of disruptive play harks back to Sylveon GX from Guardians Rising, which could use its Plea GX to enact similar retribution. This means the new print has a bit of legacy behind it, too.
The Japanese print of Sylveon ex from Terastal Festival is already performing well, with market values reaching triple figures. The English release should no doubt live up as well.
4. Sylveon Master Ball reverse holo
Following directly after its special illustration rare is the Sylveon Master Ball reverse holo print.
Like the other Eeveelutions in Prismatic Evolutions, this card will draw attention and value because of the expected pull rates and difficulty of finding one specific variant among the 175 different cards.
Here, Susumu Maeya has masterminded another beautiful portrayal of Sylveon, which has already had collectors purring online. Against a backdrop of cherry blossom-style petals, Sylveon stands so peacefully that it appears to not even break the water's surface tension. It is a nice nod to the fact that the Intertwining Pokémon doesn’t always need to be facing down dragon types.
Again, in Japan, this card sits among the leading packs for the most pricey pulls from Terastal Festival. Expect much the same from our own Prismatic Evolutions.
5. Espeon ex special illustration rare
I bet you were wondering where Umbreon’s other half was going to place. Well, we’ve finally got to it. The Espeon ex special illustration rare is another example of artwork that has left fans thinking, ‘Pokémon went too hard with this set.’
Looking to the skies while leaping forward from a background swept with hues of violet purple, Espeon ex is elegance embodied. The mix of rocky crops and Lupin-like flowers is also very on-point for the story of Paldea.
In spite of these looks, the card is the most devastating of the set if used in the right competitive conditions. Espeon ex’s attacks, Psych Out and Amazez equip you with the ammunition needed to pull your opponent’s strategy and set-up apart. It’s certainly not one to sleep on, and expect to see Espeon ex in Eevee toolbox decks.
But all that matters here is that the Japanese market tells us that Espeon ex will be something big once the English prints release. We now await this with bated breath.
6. Espeon Master Ball reverse holo
There’s a bit of a trend here as we see the card styles pairing up on the list, which is why the Espeon Master Ball reverse holo is likely to be the next most expensive card released as part of Prismatic Evolutions.
While it’s unlikely for it to have any significant impact in competitive TCG play, the Espeon card does boast some stellar artwork, with the psychic type Eeveelution taking a more sedentary pose and lounging in more comfortable settings.
While the price of the Japanese print is still stabilising, PSA 10 versions are going for over £200. This alone is enough to tell us that collectors will be in hot pursuit of a polished version of the English Espeon Master Ball reverse holo. It’s definitely not going to be cheap.
7. Eevee ex special illustration rare
Back to basics. And by that, we mean we are moving swiftly on to the pre-evolution of Umbreon, Sylveon and Sylveon. That is, of course, Eevee ex, which has been one of the cards teased as part of early launch artwork.
There are a number of iterations of Eevee ex in this set, though here we are putting the card number 224/187 per Terastal Festival under the lens as it looks set to edge out the other versions. Shown atop a multi-coloured gemstone, it is a brilliant way to pay homage to the fact Eevee ex has multiple evolution avenues, as well as giving a nod to the terastal mechanic.
Beyond the artwork, this Eevee ex will likely see some competitive play thanks to its ability, Rainbow DNA. This lets Eeeve ex evolve into one of its Eeveelutions despite already being an ex Pokémon. It’s a bit of a trendsetter with its ability. Will it be a trendsetter in the market?
8. Leafeon ex special illustration rare
The penultimate Eeveelution on the list is the Leafeon ex special illustration rare. Designed by Jiro Sasumo, the card does absolutely everything you’d want from a Leafeon ex card.
It draws you into its jungle-like setting, making you feel as if you'd truly stumbled across a wild Leafeon in the moment. The background helps the Pokémon to feel as if it is camouflaging itself from the world among flora and fauna while also popping out to the trainer as a potent tera-type attacker.
Early indications from the Japanese release suggest that Leafeon ex will more than hold its own with the other Eeveelutions in terms of value. And upon seeing the artwork, it is quite easy to understand why.
9. Pikachu ex gold ultra rare
If you haven’t already heard, Pikachu ex really popped off in Surging Sparks. Things all got a bit nuts, with the face of the franchise sending arrows on pricing charts toward the sky. And just as things were about to begin to calm down, Pokémon has gone on to give us yet another Pikachu ex. This time, we have the Pikachu ex gold ultra rare.
The card is essentially a like-for-like reprint of the Pikachu ex 219/191 from Surging Sparks, only this time, we get it head-to-toe in gold. As always, Pikachu will be one of those cards that commands a certain price. And in this special print, things are going to be the same.
The Pikachu hype will pick up where we left off in 2024. Let’s see if the new card is quite worth its weight in gold.
10. Glaceon ex special illustration rare
Following the lead of the other Eeveelutions and Pikachu ex will likely be Glaceon ex – one of the more glorious, grand cards of the set. The ice-type variant sports a very on-theme winter background, with snowflake pattern halos making the design feel like an artwork that would be equally at home in an art gallery as a binder. Up front, Glaceon ex, showing off its terastal crown, blends at home into the shuddering theme.
Those looking to pull this card outright may be left shivering at both the prospect of pulling and the cost of potentially buying outright.
What else should you watch out for?
While there are other valuable Eeveelutions to watch out for – such as the Jolteon Master Ball reverse holo, the Leafeon ex special illustration rare, and the Vaporeon ex special illustration rare – there is much more to Prismatic Evolutions than this line of Pokémon. In fact, the artwork on some of the other options is truly incredible.
Take the Dragapult ex special illustration rare, for example. The stained glass interpretation of the powerful dragon-type Pokémon created by the illustrator Jerky is one of several truly unique pulls that will snatch trainers' attention– and likely demand this from the market, too.
Roaring Moon ex is another such example. Illustrated by Shinji Kanda, the Ancient Pokémon is painted like something out of a years-old Japanese book detailing the lore of these creatures that once existed. It feels more like something you’d find on a tapestry rather than in a card in your deck box.
Back to the future, we end with Iron Hands ex. The electric-type, ‘Amp You Very Much’ attacker will no doubt create a buzz with a unique representation of an extremely viable card. Its price will no doubt be boosted by its usability.
In short, you could go on all day about the potential of the cards in Prismatic Evolutions. But what will you be trying to pull? Are there cards that you think will grow in value as time goes on? Are you ready for the Eeveelutions to storm the TCG?
Shop the Prismatic Evolutions release here. Browse our full collection of Pokémon TCG including booster boxes, elite trainer boxes and battle decks here at Gathering Games.
