Preview: Pokémon TCG Journey Together - A Return to Form for Fans of Trainer's Pokémon
Pokémon TCG: Scarlet & Violet — Journey Together drops on March 28, 2025, bringing back a mechanic we haven’t seen since 2004. Trainer’s Pokémon are making a comeback, just like the classics from EX Team Magma vs. Team Aqua, and I couldn’t be more excited to preview this set.
This set focuses on four iconic Trainers: N, Iono, Lillie, and Hop, each getting Pokémon ex that showcase the strong bonds they share with their teams. If you’ve ever wanted a deck where N’s Zoroark ex, Lillie’s Clefairy ex, or Iono’s Bellibolt ex take center stage, now’s your chance.
My Journey Together Product Openings
With over 180 cards, there’s plenty to chase. The set includes 40+ Trainer’s Pokémon, 16 Pokémon ex, 11 Illustration Rares, six Special Illustration Rares, and three Hyper Rare gold cards. Box Toppers are also making a return, with Enhanced Booster Display Boxes featuring a stamped N’s Reshiram Illustration Rare.
Journey Together Standard Booster Box
Opening a Booster Box is pure chaos in the best way. With 36 packs, the sheer volume makes every pull really exciting. My highlights include N’s Reshiram Illustration Rare, Iono’s Bellibolt ex Secret Rare, and a Hyper Rare Spiky Energy. Those were some seriously exciting moments, but even outside of the big hits, I pulled tons of solid ex cards that are going straight into my decks.
The one card I wanted most, Hop’s Zacian ex, didn’t show up. Lillie’s Clefairy ex Special Art Rare? Also missing, but that’s just how Booster Boxes go. You get a ton of chances, but nothing is guaranteed. That said, this was still the best way to experience the set. If you love opening packs or just want a massive injection of cards into your collection, a Booster Box is always a good time. Check out all the rare pulls further down. This box was absolutely worth it for me.
Journey Together Elite Trainer Box
Elite Trainer Boxes always feel more premium than just grabbing loose packs. Right away, the N’s Zorua promo caught my eye, and the box itself is perfect for storing cards. The sleeves, dice, and condition markers are great for anyone who plays the game, and with nine booster packs, there’s still plenty of room for some good pulls.
I wasn’t expecting anything too crazy with only nine packs, but I still walked away with Iono’s Kilowattrel Illustration Rare, Articuno Illustration Rare, and a Veluza ex. Some really fun cards that made the opening feel totally worth it. ETBs don’t have the sheer number of hits that a Booster Box does, but there’s something nice about having a structured, all-in-one product like this. If you want a mix of pack-opening fun and collectible extras, this is a great way to experience Journey Together. Check out the full list of rare cards from our preview further down. We ended up with some serious gems.
Journey Together Build & Battle Box
Build & Battle Boxes are a totally different experience compared to a Booster Box or Elite Trainer Box, but they have their own kind of excitement. The big draw here is the prebuilt 40-card deck, which lets you jump straight into a game without spending time sorting through stacks of cards. I pulled Hop’s Snorlax as my promo, which is actually a pretty great card. Its ability gives all of Hop’s Pokémon a 30-damage boost, making it almost essential to any deck running his lineup.
Those four packs didn’t disappoint. I pulled Mamoswine ex and Swinub Illustration Rare, which couldn’t have fit my deck’s theme better. The limited number of packs means you won’t get as many rare pulls as a Booster Box (unsurprisingly), but if you’re looking for a fast way to start playing with the new set, this is easily the best option. With four different promo cards available, I already want to pick up another box to see which one I get next. Check out my Journey Together preview pulls below to see some of the best cards we got from across all our openings.
Our Pokémon TCG: Journey Together Pulls
I cracked open 49 booster packs across all our products and ended up with 18 rare cards. Some were exactly what I was hoping for, and others were total surprises. One thing is for sure, trainers will be pulling a lot more rare cards than Prismatic Evolutions. Here’s what I pulled:
Hop’s Snorlax (Promo 184)
A bulky Basic Pokémon with 150 HP that boosts all of Hop’s Pokémon attacks by 30 extra damage. This is a great card for any Trainer-themed deck, and while Dynamic Press hits hard, that 80 recoil damage stings. Still, the ability alone makes it a worthwhile addition to any Hop-based strategy.
N’s Zorua (Promo 189)
A cute but unremarkable card that exists to evolve into something better. 70 HP and 20 damage from Scratch won’t turn any heads, but if Zoroark ex is strong in this set, Zorua will have its moment.
Spiky Energy Hyper Rare (190/159)
An instant staple in my decks. It deals 20 damage every time the Pokémon it’s attached to gets hit, making it both offensive and defensive at the same time. Oh, and it provides Colorless Energy too. Absolute win.
Iono’s Bellibolt ex-Secret Rare (172/159)
A 280 HP Lightning-type beast with Energy acceleration for days. Its Electric Streamer ability lets you attach unlimited Lightning Energy to Iono’s Pokémon, making it an instant engine for Lightning decks. Thunderous Bolt’s 230 damage is great, even if it does mean skipping a turn. This one’s going to see play.
Iris’s Fighting Spirit Full Art (180/159)
A risk-reward draw Supporter that lets you discard one card and draw until you have six. This is a great way to refresh your hand, especially in decks that benefit from discarding Energy or Pokémon. It’s a full art, too, which makes it even sweeter.
Iono’s Kilowattrel Illustration Rare (163/159)
A Lightning-type support Pokémon that lets you refill your hand with its Flashing Draw ability. The catch? You have to discard a Lightning Energy first. Mach Bolt’s 70 damage is average, but this bird is more about hand advantage than brute force.
N’s Reshiram Illustration Rare (167/159)
A 130 HP Dragon-type that becomes more dangerous the more damage it takes. Powerful Rage can rack up serious numbers, while Virtuous Flame’s 170 damage is solid but a little Energy-intensive. If you like high-risk, high-reward plays, this one’s for you.
Articuno Illustration Rare (161/159)
A Water-type setup Pokémon that can accelerate two Basic Water Energy onto itself with Frigid Fluttering. That’s useful for getting it battle-ready fast, and Ice Blast’s 110 damage is respectable. This is a great starting piece for any Water deck.
Swinub Illustration Rare (165/159)
This adorable little guy is actually really useful early-game. Call for Family lets you search your deck for two Basic Pokémon, which is huge for setup. Lunge Out’s 10 damage is laughable, but let’s be real, Swinub isn’t here to attack.
Salamence ex Secret Rare (177/159)
This 320 HP Dragon-type monster does two things really well — spread damage and hit like a truck. Wide Blast deals 50 damage to every Benched Pokémon, and Dragon Impact slams for 300 damage, but you have to discard two Energy. Absolute beast.
Hop’s Zacian ex (111/159)
A Steel-type legendary with a brutal 240-damage attack. The downside? Brave Slash can’t be used twice in a row, which means you need a switching strategy. Insta-Strike does a little spread damage, but Zacian is here to knock things out in one hit.
Alcremie ex (075/159)
A support-heavy Psychic Pokémon that heals 30 damage every turn thanks to its Confectionary Gift ability. Whipped Shot’s 160 damage is solid, but this card is best used as a sustain option in control decks.
Mimikyu ex (069/159)
A tricky Pokémon that loves spreading damage. Mischievous Hands puts three damage counters on two of your opponent’s Pokémon, setting up knockouts later. Ghostly Trip deals 120 damage and Confuses the Active Pokémon, which is a great way to disrupt their plays.
Veluza ex (043/159)
A Water-type glass cannon that can hit for 240 damage — if you’re willing to discard your whole hand. Purging Strike is high-risk, high-reward, and Razor Fin’s 30 damage is barely worth mentioning. This card is all-in or nothing.
Lillie’s Clefairy ex (056/159)
A Psychic-type that punishes Dragon decks with its Fairy Zone ability, which makes all Dragon Pokémon weak to Psychic. Full Moon Rondo scales its damage based on both players’ Bench size, making it a potential late-game sweeper.
Volcanion ex (031/159)
A Fire-type bruiser that burns the opponent’s Active Pokémon just by being in play, thanks to its Scalding Steam ability.Scorching Cyclone’s 160 damage is great, and moving an Energy to a Benched Pokémon makes it even better.
Mamoswine ex (079/159)
An absolute tank at 340 HP that can search your deck for any Pokémon once per turn with Mammoth Hauler. Rumbling March starts at 180 damage but scales up if you have more Stage 2 Pokémon on your Bench, which makes it terrifying in evolution-heavy decks.
Salamence ex (114/159)
This is the second Salamence ex I pulled, and I’m not complaining. Same brutal power as the other one with Wide Blast for spreading damage and Dragon Impact for a massive 300 damage hit. If you like big, hard-hitting Pokémon, this is the one.
Should You Buy Pokémon TCG: Journey Together?
Journey Together is shaping up to be one of the most exciting Pokémon TCG expansions in years. The return of Trainer’s Pokémon, a nostalgic feature that hasn’t been seen in years, adds an extra layer of personality to battles. If you’re collecting cards for their stunning artwork, competitive value, or just sheer nostalgia, this set has something for everyone.
With its March 28 release date just around the corner, now’s the time to start planning which cards you want to chase. Whether it’s N’s Reshiram, Iono’s Bellibolt ex, or the elusive Hyper Rare Spiky Energy, there’s no shortage of incredible pulls waiting to be found.
Christian Wait is a contributing freelancer for IGN covering everything collectable and deals. Christian has over 7 years of experience in the Gaming and Tech industry with bylines at Mashable and Pocket-Tactics. Christian also makes hand-painted collectibles for Saber Miniatures. Christian is also the author of “Pokemon Ultimate Unofficial Gaming Guide by GamesWarrior”. Find Christian on X @ChrisReggieWait.
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