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Home/Expansions/Scarlet & Violet Destined Rivals/Ethans Ho Oh ex
Ethans Ho Oh ex Basic
#230/182Illus. Atsushi Furusawa
Special Illustration Rare

Ethans Ho Oh ex

#230/182 · from Destined Rivals · released May 30, 2025
Track this card
Holofoil
85/ 100
A-Tier Chase

Cardrake Chase Score

A top chase card for this set.

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Quick take

  • Third most valuable card in Destined Rivals at approximately $157
  • Ethan is the canonical protagonist of Pokemon Gold and Silver
  • Ho-Oh is the mascot legendary of Pokemon Gold, Ethan's signature legendary
  • Johto is the most nostalgia-saturated region for the 25-35 age collector demographic

Collector's readWhat it means for your master set

Set position
3 of 409
One of the most valuable cards in the set (#3)
Demand vs rarity Est.
2.7×
Well above its rarity · others at this rarity sell for about $52.47
Cost to complete
≈9%
of the ~$1493 to finish Destined Rivals
Completion difficulty Est.
Very Hard
One of the hardest cards to complete
Where it sits in the price lifecycle
Release Hype
Post-Release Correction
Stable / Reprint Risk
End-of-Print Spike
Out-of-Print Maturation
Buy timingDestined Rivals is still in print, so prices can soften if it gets reprinted. No rush unless you spot a good deal.
Still in print · pricing trending down · estimated

Set landscapeWhere this card sits in Destined Rivals

fewermore cards
Common
85
85
Uncommon
58
3
1
62
Rare
17
1
18
Double Rare
3
13
1
17
Ultra Rare
1
17
3
1
22
Illustration Rare
11
8
4
23
Special Illustration Rare
1
4
4
2
11
Hyper Rare
3
2
1
6
all
163
18
30
15
11
5
2
244
0.5
1
5
15
50
150
150+
Columns = resale price up to $X (log) · shade = cards in cell (log) · right & bottom = totals · white ring = this card

VariantsCard variants

Holofoil 230/182 · $140.72 — the only variant this card was printed in (no reverse holo or special pattern), so a master set needs just this one copy.

Ethan's Ho-Oh ex pairs two of Gen 2's most iconic figures — the canonical protagonist of Gold and Silver with Johto's legendary mascot. At approximately $157, it sits third in the Destined Rivals hierarchy and represents the Johto nostalgia faction in a set that draws from champion and rival characters across multiple generations. The SIR artwork captures the rainbow phoenix in a format worthy of its legendary status. Ethan, known in many regions as Gold, is the protagonist whose story is intrinsically tied to Ho-Oh — the first legendary many Gold and Silver players encountered on Route 1 of the Johto region. That connection gives this card a narrative weight that goes beyond standard trainer-Pokemon pairing.

The storyJohto's Legendary Protagonist Pair

Ho-Oh flying over the Ecruteak City Bell Tower at the start of Pokemon Gold and Silver is one of the franchise's most memorable early moments. It was a legendary Pokemon you could see immediately but couldn't catch for most of the game. Ethan's journey through Johto culminates in eventually reaching that legendary. The card captures that arc.

“Third most valuable card in Destined Rivals at approximately $157”

Destined Rivals drew from champion and rival characters across Pokemon's history. Ethan as a protagonist-rival figure brings the Gen 2 collector base into the set's thematic scope. For players who started with Gold and Silver, this card represents their entry point into the franchise.

The combination of Johto nostalgia and Ho-Oh's visual spectacle — a giant fire-and-rainbow phoenix — gives this SIR immediate visual impact. It's a card that reads as important before you even check the price.

By the numbersMarket analysis

Price context

Third in the Destined Rivals hierarchy, below Cynthia's Garchomp ex and well below Team Rocket's Mewtwo ex, but still clearly in chase card territory at $157. The Johto collector base is large and vocal, which provides consistent demand.

Price trend

Pricing has stabilized after initial release. Ho-Oh's visual appeal and Johto nostalgia provide a reliable floor. The card is less volatile than the top two SIRs in the set because demand is steady rather than driven by singular nostalgia peaks.

Investment outlook

Johto nostalgia is durable. Gold and Silver are consistently ranked among the best Pokemon games. Ethan's Ho-Oh ex has a broad appeal base that doesn't rely on a single nostalgia peak to sustain value. Steady performer rather than speculative asset.

Demand drivers
Johto is the most nostalgically significant region for the 25-35 collector demographicHo-Oh is the mascot legendary of Pokemon GoldEthan as protagonist resonates strongly with Gen 2 startersHo-Oh's rainbow phoenix design photographs and films dramaticallyPokemon Gold and Silver recently celebrated their 25th anniversary, refreshing interestAnime connections — Ho-Oh appeared in the original anime's first episode
Graded premium

PSA 10 and CGC 10 copies sell for $200 to $250. The premium is proportional to what other Destined Rivals SIRs see — grading makes sense for clean copies with good centering.

Approx. pull rate

Approximately 1 in 36 packs for any SIR in Destined Rivals. Multiple SIRs in the set mean this specific card is not guaranteed from a single booster box.

Rarity context

Third in the Destined Rivals SIR hierarchy. The gap between Ethan's Ho-Oh ex and the Team Rocket SIRs below it reflects Johto legendary nostalgia commanding a premium over non-legendary Team Rocket Pokemon in the set.

ArtworkWhy the art matters

Card artwork
Artist · Ryota Murayama

Ryota Murayama brings a painterly quality to Pokemon TCG illustrations, with a focus on atmosphere and environmental storytelling. Previous work on legendary Pokemon cards has emphasized scale and otherworldliness.

The artwork

Ho-Oh dominates the frame with wings spread wide, rainbow tail feathers trailing behind. Ethan stands at the foreground, looking upward. The scale relationship between trainer and legendary conveys the enormity of the encounter. The Bell Tower or similar Johto architecture appears in the background. A warm gold and orange palette anchors the composition.

Technical details

Ho-Oh's plumage is particularly effective in the SIR holofoil format — the rainbow tail feathers shift color with the viewing angle. The warm color palette works well with the foil treatment, giving the card a luminous quality that matches Ho-Oh's legendary fire-type association.

What makes it special

The scale difference between Ethan and Ho-Oh is intentional. This isn't a Pokemon being commanded — it's an encounter between a trainer and something genuinely legendary. Collectors who remember the first time they saw Ho-Oh in the anime or games understand what the artwork is communicating about the nature of that relationship.

BackgroundAbout Ethans Ho Oh ex

Ho-Oh is the mascot legendary of Pokemon Gold (1999), the rainbow-feathered phoenix that presides over Johto. It famously appeared in the very first episode of the Pokemon anime — before Gold and Silver were even released in Western markets — creating anticipation for a mystery Pokemon that audiences wouldn't encounter in games for years. It also features in the origin story of the Legendary Beasts. Ho-Oh's connection to resurrection, fire, and rainbow light makes it one of the franchise's most mythologically resonant designs.

Why fans love it
  • ›Appeared in the first Pokemon anime episode before its games released in the West
  • ›Mascot legendary of Pokemon Gold, one of the most beloved games
  • ›Associated with the Legendary Beasts origin story — deep Johto lore
  • ›Rainbow fire phoenix is a distinctive, visually striking design
  • ›25 years of nostalgia from the Gold and Silver generation
Notable appearances
  • ›Pokemon Gold version box art and mascot
  • ›First Pokemon anime episode (EP001) cameo
  • ›Pokemon the Movie 2000 connection through Lugia counterpart status
  • ›Pokemon HeartGold and SoulSilver remakes (2009)
  • ›Pokemon GO as a rare legendary raid boss
Competitive relevance

Ho-Oh has seen competitive use in formats that allow legendary Pokemon. In the TCG, Ethan's Ho-Oh ex is primarily a collector's card.

Own it wellCollector guide

Condition notes

Ho-Oh's vibrant warm color palette makes surface defects moderately visible — not as bad as lighter background cards, but better than the very dark Mewtwo card for hiding minor imperfections. Check centering and edges. Some print runs have exhibited minor pixelation in the detailed feather areas.

Grading recommendation

Worth grading for clean copies. At $157 raw, a PSA 10 or CGC 10 provides meaningful premium and condition certainty. Verify centering before submitting. Read the grading guide →

Storage advice

Standard SIR storage: perfect-fit inner sleeve, outer sleeve, rigid holder. Long-term UV protection matters for the warm orange tones in Ho-Oh's artwork — color fading is more visible in warm palettes. See the storage guide →

Buying advice

Stable supply on TCGPlayer and eBay. Completed sales give accurate pricing. This card is less prone to price manipulation than the top-tier Mewtwo card because the market is broader and more stable. See the singles buying guide →

Protect your card

High Chase Score — protect and consider grading. · Amazon affiliate links · Storage guide
Inner sleeveVault X Exact Fit SleevesA snug perfect-fit inner layer — double-sleeve valuable cards with these before the matte sleeve goes on.View on Amazon →Outer sleeveDragon Shield Matte SleevesMatte, archival-safe outer sleeves — the everyday standard for keeping surfaces and edges clean.View on Amazon →Rigid holderCardboard Gold Top LoadersPSA-recommended acid-free top loaders — rigid protection against bends and scratches on raw high-value cards.View on Amazon →Premium binderDragon Shield Card Codex 360A 360-card side-loading portfolio with a padded cover for long-term, display-safe storage.View on Amazon →

Word on the streetCommunity sentiment

Reception

Johto collector communities responded strongly. The Ethan and Ho-Oh pairing was a widely requested combination, and the SIR format delivered. The card regularly appears alongside Cynthia's Garchomp ex as one of Destined Rivals' strongest character-Pokemon pairings.

Social buzz

Active presence in Johto nostalgia and Pokemon Gold/Silver anniversary discussions. Ho-Oh's anime history — being the original mystery Pokemon from episode one — brings in anime fan communities beyond the core card collector base.

Good to knowFrequently asked questions

Ethan is the canonical male protagonist of Pokemon Gold and Silver — the trainer the player controls in those games. He later appears in Pokemon HeartGold and SoulSilver and as a rival in Pokemon Gold (where he's called Red's counterpart). He's most associated with Johto's legendary Pokemon, particularly Ho-Oh and Lugia.
Ho-Oh is the mascot legendary of Pokemon Gold, the game where Ethan is the primary protagonist. In the game's story, reaching and eventually capturing Ho-Oh is part of the Johto journey. Their association is canonical in both the games and related media.
Third in the set's hierarchy at approximately $157. Below Cynthia's Garchomp ex ($208) and Team Rocket's Mewtwo ex ($517), but clearly above the Team Rocket Pokemon SIRs lower in the set. Johto legendary nostalgia places it in its own value tier.
It's a legal competitive card but primarily collected rather than played. Players who want to run Ho-Oh ex competitively use standard rarity versions to protect the SIR from play wear.
The scale relationship between Ethan and Ho-Oh is the key compositional choice. Ho-Oh fills the frame with wings spread wide while Ethan appears in the foreground, looking up. The SIR holofoil treatment gives Ho-Oh's rainbow plumage visible color-shifting depth. It's an encounter scene rather than a battle scene — which fits how collectors understand the Ethan-Ho-Oh relationship.

Keep collectingRelated cards

Cynthias Garchomp exSame set rival character SIRCynthias Garchomp exTeam Rockets Mewtwo exSet's most valuable SIRTeam Rockets Mewtwo ex
Game data
Type
Pokémon
Element
Fire
Stage
Basic
HP
230
Rarity
Special Illustration Rare
Artist
Atsushi Furusawa
AbilityGolden Flame
Once during your turn, you may attach up to 2 Basic Fire Energy cards from your hand to 1 of your Benched Ethan's Pokémon.
FFFFShining Feathers
160
Heal 50 damage from each of your Pokémon.
Weakness
WWaterx2
Resistance
None
Retreat
CC

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