Paldean Fates: Ultimate Guide to 10 Amazing Shiny Chase Cards
Paldean Fates is the shiny Pokémon set of the Scarlet and Violet era. Released on 26 January 2024, it followed the tradition of Hidden Fates and Shining Fates with a huge Shiny Vault full of alternate-colour Pokémon, from tiny baby shinies to full-art shiny Pokémon ex. It also produced one of the most famous modern cards: the Mew ex Special Illustration Rare known as Bubble Mew. This guide explains how Paldean Fates is put together, which cards collectors chase and which products to buy in Australia.
Paldean Fates arrived between Paradox Rift and Temporal Forces. Like Pokémon 151 and Prismatic Evolutions, it is a special set, so it was sold through Elite Trainer Boxes, bundles and collections rather than booster displays.
Table of Contents
Paldean Fates at a glance
- Release date: 26 January 2024
- Set code: SV4.5, set symbol PAF
- Total cards: 245, made up of 91 main set cards and 154 secret rares
- Japanese source: Shiny Treasure ex
- Theme: Shiny Pokémon, with more than 130 baby shiny cards and a run of shiny Pokémon ex
- Headline cards: Mew ex, Charizard ex and Gardevoir ex Special Illustration Rares
Shiny Pokémon have always been special to fans. In the video games they are rare colour variants that players spend hours hunting for, and that sense of rarity carries over to the card game. Sets built around shinies tend to be among the most popular releases of any era, and this one is no exception.
What the Shiny Vault is
The main set is only 91 cards. Everything after that belongs to the Shiny Vault, a huge secret range of shiny Pokémon. Most of them are baby shinies: small, cute artworks of shiny Pokémon in a simple style, each marked as a Shiny Rare. Higher up the list come Shiny Ultra Rares, which are full-art shiny Pokémon ex, followed by Supporters, Special Illustration Rares and gold Hyper Rares.
Because the vault is so large, almost every pack contains at least one shiny card. That makes opening Paldean Fates especially fun, even if you never pull a top chase card.
The baby shiny artwork uses a deliberately simple style: a single Pokémon on a plain, shimmering background. It looks fantastic in a binder when you place a full page together, because the bright shiny colours stand out against the silver foil.
How the Paldean Fates card list is numbered
- 001 to 091: the main set, including Pokémon ex and Trainers
- 092 to around 211: baby shiny Pokémon, marked as Shiny Rares
- 212 to 223: shiny Pokémon ex as Shiny Ultra Rares, including Mew ex, Gardevoir ex, Alakazam ex and Pidgeot ex
- 224 to 231: full-art Supporters such as Nemona and Paldean Student
- 232 to 239: 8 Special Illustration Rares of Mew ex, Gardevoir ex, Charizard ex, Arven, Clive, Iono, Nemona and Penny
- 240 to 245: 6 gold Hyper Rares of the Treasures of Ruin, Miraidon ex and Koraidon ex
The baby shiny range is where most of the set’s cards live. Collectors who want something achievable often aim to complete just this run, which is affordable and fills a binder with colour.
When sorting a big opening, keep three piles: main set cards, baby shinies and everything numbered above 211. The last pile holds every Shiny Ultra Rare, Supporter, Special Illustration Rare and Hyper Rare, so it is the one to check carefully before anything goes into storage.
Top 10 Paldean Fates chase cards
Values change constantly, so treat this as a ranking based on sales through 2025 and 2026 rather than a price list.
- Mew ex, Special Illustration Rare 232/091
- Charizard ex, Special Illustration Rare 234/091
- Gardevoir ex, Special Illustration Rare 233/091
- Pikachu, Shiny Rare 131/091
- Iono, Special Illustration Rare 237/091
- Penny, Special Illustration Rare 239/091
- Mew ex, Shiny Ultra Rare 216/091
- Ditto, Shiny Rare 201/091
- Mimikyu, Shiny Rare 160/091
- Clive, Special Illustration Rare 236/091
Bubble Mew
The Mew ex Special Illustration Rare shows Mew asleep inside a floating bubble. Its simple, dreamy artwork made it an instant favourite, and it has become one of the most valuable cards of the whole Scarlet and Violet era. Most collectors buy it as a single, because its pull rate is estimated at several hundred packs.
Shiny Charizard ex
The Charizard ex Special Illustration Rare shows a shiny, dark-crystal Tera Charizard. It was the top card at launch and remains a premium chase. Pair it with the dark Charizard ex from Obsidian Flames for a striking display.
Baby shinies worth keeping
Not every chase card is a Special Illustration Rare. The baby shiny Pikachu, Ditto and Mimikyu all sell well above typical Shiny Rare prices, so check each one before you file it away.
Pull rates are never officially published, so online figures are community estimates. Baby shinies appear in most packs, Shiny Ultra Rares are much less common, and each specific Special Illustration Rare is thought to need several hundred packs on average. That is why most collectors open a few products for fun and buy the top cards as singles.
Paldean Fates for players
The set reprinted several useful Pokémon ex and Trainers, giving players shiny versions of cards they already used. Iono, Arven and Nemona were all popular Supporters, and Charizard ex and Gardevoir ex were key attackers at the time. Players can use any version, so the main set and shiny printings are the affordable ones to collect.
Handle shiny cards carefully. The silver foil on baby shinies shows fingerprints and light scratches easily, so sleeve them as soon as they leave the pack. Keep your best cards in toploaders or magnetic cases and store binders upright in a cool, dry room away from direct sunlight.
If you are considering grading, look closely at the centring and surface first. Shiny Rares can have print lines that are hard to see until you tilt the card under a bright light.
How to collect Paldean Fates
- Complete the 91-card main set
- Work through the baby shinies, the most affordable part of the vault
- Add the Shiny Ultra Rares of your favourite Pokémon ex
- Collect the Supporter Special Illustration Rares
- Buy Bubble Mew and the Charizard ex Special Illustration Rare as singles
A master set with reverse holos runs to more than 450 cards, so most collectors pick a narrower goal, such as every baby shiny or every Special Illustration Rare.
Shiny collectors often link this set to the older Fates releases. Hidden Fates and Shining Fates introduced the Shiny Vault idea in earlier eras, and many collectors keep a shiny binder that spans all three. Adding the newest shinies to that binder is a satisfying way to see how the style has changed over the years.
A themed goal like this also keeps spending in check, because you know exactly which cards you are looking for.
The Japanese set behind Paldean Fates
Paldean Fates is based on the Japanese Shiny Treasure ex high class pack. Japanese collectors can explore the Shiny Treasure ex booster box, which shares much of the same shiny artwork.
Sealed product from early 2024 is getting harder to find, so store any boxes you own flat and out of the sun, with the shrink wrap untouched. Elite Trainer Boxes are especially popular for display because of their bright shiny artwork.
For gifts, a single booster bundle is a great choice. With a shiny in almost every pack, even a small opening feels rewarding, which makes it perfect for younger fans or anyone returning to the hobby.
Best Paldean Fates products to buy
- Paldean Fates Elite Trainer Box: 9 packs, sleeves, energy, dice and storage
- Paldean Fates booster bundle: 6 packs and an easy gift
- Paldean Fates bundle display: multiple bundles for bigger openings
- Paldean Fates Elite Trainer Box case: for sealed collectors
- Paldean Fates master case: for stores and long-term collectors
Browse everything in stock on our Paldean Fates product page.
Paldean Fates FAQ
How many cards are in Paldean Fates?
There are 245 cards: 91 in the main set and 154 secret rares in the Shiny Vault and beyond.
What is Bubble Mew?
Bubble Mew is the nickname for the Mew ex Special Illustration Rare 232/091, which shows Mew sleeping inside a bubble. It is the most valuable card in the set.
Is there a Paldean Fates booster box?
No. As a special set, it was released through Elite Trainer Boxes, bundles and collections instead.
Where can I see the full checklist?
The Bulbapedia Paldean Fates page lists all 245 cards with numbers and rarities.
More Scarlet and Violet guides
Keep exploring with Temporal Forces, Twilight Masquerade, Obsidian Flames, Paldea Evolved and Pokémon 151, or visit the Obsidia Collectables trading card blog.
Paldean Fates is pure fun to open. With a shiny in almost every pack and one of the best chase cards of the era, it is a set that collectors keep coming back to.