Gardevoir ex
Quick take
- One of the most chased Special Illustration Rares in Paldean Fates
- Demand comes from both master set builders and Gardevoir's broader fanbase
- Kuroimori's debut card in the English Pokemon TCG
- A card you plan around early in a master set build, since waiting usually costs more
Collector's readWhat it means for your master set
Set landscapeWhere this card sits in Paldean Fates
VariantsCard variants
Holofoil 233/91 · $165.23 — the only variant this card was printed in (no reverse holo or special pattern), so a master set needs just this one copy.
The storyA fan-favorite Gardevoir SIR that anchors the Paldean Fates chase list
Paldean Fates is a Special Set, a shiny-heavy follow-up in the vein of Shining Fates and Hidden Fates. Its master set is large, and a handful of cards do the heavy lifting on demand. Gardevoir ex at 233/091 is one of them. It sits in the Special Illustration Rare tier, the borderless full-art slot that collectors care most about.
“One of the most chased Special Illustration Rares in Paldean Fates”
Gardevoir already has a fanbase that reaches well beyond the card game. Pair that with a strong illustration and you get a card people buy on looks alone. For master set builders, this is one of the cards you plan around early, because waiting tends to cost you.
Kuroimori illustrated it. Paldean Fates was Kuroimori's debut in the English TCG, and this Gardevoir is the card that introduced a lot of collectors to that style. That origin-story angle adds a little extra to its standing in the set.
By the numbersMarket analysis
Raw copies sit in solid three-figure territory, which puts Gardevoir among the pricier Special Illustration Rares in Paldean Fates without being the outright set king. It trades well above the set's Double Rares and most Illustration Rares.
Demand has held steady since release rather than spiking and crashing. The card pulls from two crowds at once. TCG collectors finishing the master set buy it, and Gardevoir fans buy it on the character alone. That gives it a wider buyer base than a single-fandom card.
This reads more like a blue-chip modern SIR than a lottery ticket. The character demand is durable, and Special Set print runs eventually dry up as packs get opened or sealed away. Do not expect overnight moves. It has the kind of broad appeal that tends to hold up better than set-specific cards.
Clean graded gem-mint copies carry a clear premium over raw, and that gap widens as the supply of pack-fresh cards shrinks. Centering and edge wear on the dark borderless frame are the usual gating factors for the top grade.
In Scarlet & Violet sets the broad rarity odds run roughly 1 in 5 packs for any Double Rare, about 1 in 12 for any Illustration Rare, around 1 in 15 for any Ultra Rare, and roughly 1 in 90 for any Special Illustration Rare. Hyper Rares are rarer still, somewhere in the 1 in 300 to 700 range. Those numbers are the odds of hitting any card of that rarity. Pulling this specific Gardevoir is much longer, since each set carries many cards at each tier, so a single named SIR often runs into the hundreds of packs. For most master set builders, buying the single is far cheaper and more reliable than chasing it from packs.
It is meaningfully harder to pull than the set's Illustration Rares and Ultra Rares, and it sits in the same tier as the other marquee SIRs in Paldean Fates. Among those, Gardevoir is one of the names collectors prioritize.
ArtworkWhy the art matters
Kuroimori made their English Pokemon TCG debut with Paldean Fates and works in a storybook style, delicate linework paired with soft, atmospheric color. The output is small and curated rather than prolific, which has made Kuroimori cards something collectors seek out by name.
Gardevoir stands in a quiet, moonlit forest rendered in soft swirling blues, greens and whites. The mood is calm and dreamlike rather than action-packed, which suits Gardevoir's elegant design. The borderless full-art treatment lets the scene run edge to edge.
Special Illustration Rare, so it gets the borderless full-art layout with a holographic, textured finish. The number runs past the named set total, 233 out of 091, which is the standard way Scarlet & Violet tucks the chase rarities in above the main set count.
The art does most of the work here. It stays restrained where a lot of SIRs go loud, and that quieter composition has aged well. Being Kuroimori's first English card gives it a bit of debut significance on top of the visual appeal.
BackgroundAbout Gardevoir ex
Gardevoir debuted in Generation III as the final evolution of Ralts, through Kirlia. It has stayed one of the most popular Psychic-types across games, anime and merchandise for two decades, helped by a striking design and its Mega Evolution. That staying power is a big part of why its cards tend to hold value.
- ›One of the most recognizable and beloved Gen III Pokemon
- ›Elegant character design that translates well to full-art cards
- ›Recurring competitive relevance in the TCG over multiple eras
- ›Broad cross-media presence keeps non-TCG fans buying the cards
- ›Featured across multiple TCG eras with several sought-after full-art and special-rarity cards
- ›A competitively played archetype piece in various Standard formats
Gardevoir ex lines have been a real presence in Standard play during the Scarlet & Violet era, which adds demand from players on top of the collector crowd. The SIR itself is a collector card, but the Pokemon's playability keeps general interest high.
Own it wellCollector guide
The dark borderless frame shows whitening on edges and corners easily, and the textured surface can pick up print lines and light scratches. Inspect the corners and the front-to-back edge under good light before paying a premium.
A strong grading candidate given its value and demand. Check centering first, both front and back, since off-center copies cap out below gem mint. If you pulled it clean and want to maximize value, grading makes sense here. Read the grading guide →
Sleeve and toploader it straight away, or use a one-touch if you plan to display it. Keep it out of direct light to protect the holo and away from humidity. At this value, treat it like a grading candidate even if you are not sending it in immediately. See the storage guide →
Buy the single rather than ripping packs if you just want the card for a master set. The math favors it heavily. For raw copies, ask for sharp photos of all four corners and the edges. For anything at the higher end, a reputable graded copy removes the centering and authenticity guesswork. See the singles buying guide →
This is a modern card, so counterfeits are less of a vintage-style problem, but fakes do exist for popular SIRs. Check the texture and holo pattern against a known-genuine copy, confirm the 233/091 number and the Kuroimori credit, and look at print sharpness on the small text. Buying graded from a trusted source is the safest route for higher spends.
Protect your card
High Chase Score — protect and consider grading. · Amazon affiliate links · Storage guideWord on the streetCommunity sentiment
Collectors rate this as one of the standout cards of Paldean Fates. The art gets called out for its calmer, more atmospheric take, and Gardevoir's fanbase reliably pushes demand. It shows up often on want lists for the set.
Gardevoir SIRs draw plenty of attention in collecting communities, and this one rides both the character's popularity and interest in Kuroimori's debut English work. Display-case and extended-art products for it are common, a decent signal of how many people want it on a shelf.
Good to knowFrequently asked questions
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