Walking Wake ex
Quick take
- A top chase of Temporal Forces
- Suicune lore plus Paradox novelty
- Required slot for a master set
Collector's readWhat it means for your master set
Set landscapeWhere this card sits in Temporal Forces
VariantsCard variants
Holofoil 205/162 · $38.91 — the only variant this card was printed in (no reverse holo or special pattern), so a master set needs just this one copy.
The storyWhy this card matters
This is one of the prints that defines Temporal Forces for collectors. The Suicune lineage and the Area Zero setting give it reach beyond set completionists.
“A top chase of Temporal Forces”
It sits high on the chase list, so it lands on most want lists for the set, whether someone is building a master set or cherry-picking the best art.
By the numbersMarket analysis
This is one of the more valuable cards in Temporal Forces and a top line on the set's master set checklist. As Special Illustration Rares go, it is a solid mid-tier card, well clear of bulk but not in the range of the era's biggest Charizard or Pikachu SIRs.
It has held up well for a mid-cycle Scarlet & Violet card. Graded copies in particular have firmed as Suicune demand stays steady. Expect the usual SIR pattern: a soft stretch after release, then a gradual climb once packs stop opening.
A reasonable hold. It is a defining card of a mainline set, which usually ages better than a one-off promo. Buy the best condition you can afford and it should track Suicune demand over time. Do not expect Charizard-tier moves.
PSA 10 copies carry a clear premium over raw near mint, while PSA 9 sits much closer to raw. The gap between a 9 and a 10 is wide enough that grading only makes sense on genuinely clean copies.
In Scarlet & Violet sets the broad odds run about 1 in 5 packs for any Double Rare, 1 in 12 for any Illustration Rare, 1 in 15 for any Ultra Rare, roughly 1 in 90 for any Special Illustration Rare, and 1 in 300 to 700 for any Hyper Rare. Those numbers are the odds of hitting that rarity at all. The odds for this specific SIR run much longer, because each set carries many SIRs competing for the slot, so pulling Walking Wake in particular can stretch into the hundreds of packs. For a set master, buying the single is far cheaper and more certain than chasing it from packs.
Among Temporal Forces SIRs this is one of the headliners, sitting alongside several other strong illustration rares in the set. It is rarer to pull than the numbered base cards and the Double Rare version of Walking Wake, which is the budget alternative if you want the Pokemon but not the SIR slot.
ArtworkWhy the art matters
Teeziro is a Pokemon TCG illustrator known for moody, atmospheric full-art work across the Scarlet & Violet era. The style leans on strong color washes and a sense of place over busy detail, which suits the Ancient Pokemon line.
The card shows Walking Wake on a large branch in Area Zero, both tails stretched out behind it. The palette runs cool, deep blues against violet, so the creature reads as part of the landscape rather than dropped on top of it. The full-art frame lets the whole body sit in view without the usual ex card clutter.
Special Illustration Rare, full-art layout with holo foil across the printed scene. Numbered 205/162, which puts it in the secret-rare range above the 162-card numbered base set.
The Pokemon and the setting feel like one scene here. Area Zero lore, a fan-favorite Paradox form, and an artist who paints mood well. That is why collectors chase this print over the cheaper Double Rare.
BackgroundAbout Walking Wake ex
Walking Wake is the Ancient Paradox counterpart of Suicune, introduced in the Scarlet & Violet Area Zero storyline. Suicune itself is one of the Johto legendary beasts and has been a collector staple since the Neo and Crystal era, so the Paradox redesign landed with an audience already in place.
- ›Suicune's long-running popularity as a legendary beast
- ›Novelty of the Paradox and Ancient redesign
- ›Area Zero lore that ran through the SV era
- ›Competitive play as a Water-type attacker
- ›Clean, display-friendly SIR artwork
- ›A headline ex card of Scarlet & Violet Temporal Forces
- ›Saw competitive Standard play as a Water-type attacker during its run
Own it wellCollector guide
Full-art SIRs show edge whitening fast because of the dark borders, and the holo surface picks up print lines and scratches under good light. Check the corners and the front surface at an angle before buying.
Grade only clean copies. The PSA 10 premium here is real, but a 9 sits close to raw, so a card with visible edge wear or surface marks is usually better left raw or sold as is. Inspect centering on the full-art frame before sending. Read the grading guide →
Sleeve and toploader at minimum, plus a card saver and team bag if you plan to grade. Keep it out of direct light to protect the holo, and store upright rather than stacked under weight. See the storage guide →
For a master set, the single is the smart buy over packs. Decide up front whether you want a clean raw copy or a slab. If you want a graded card, an already-graded PSA 10 often costs less than buying raw, grading, and gambling on the result. See the singles buying guide →
Modern SIRs are faked less often than vintage, but counterfeits exist. Check foil pattern consistency, sharp text, and a crisp set symbol, and confirm the card stock feels right by weight and flex. For graded copies, verify the cert number against the grader's database.
Protect your card
High Chase Score — protect and consider grading. · Amazon affiliate links · Storage guideWord on the streetCommunity sentiment
Widely treated as a standout card of Temporal Forces. The Suicune connection and the Area Zero scene get most of the praise, and it is one of the first cards people name when the set comes up.
Strong and steady rather than hype-driven. Suicune fans and Paradox collectors both want it, and it shows up regularly in Temporal Forces chase-card roundups.
Good to knowFrequently asked questions
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Plan your Scarlet & Violet Temporal Forces master set
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