The set has been out for a while now, and I think I can confidently say that this is one of the best sets ever made. Since there are so many great artworks, I decided to make a tier list! Turns out someone already made the template for it (includes all secret rares, radiants are excluded). So props to whoever made the template! Here’s the link to make your own tier list: https://tiermaker.com/create/vstar-universe-tier-list---secret-rares-1555478
This is my personal tier list (I excluded trainers and energies). I ordered S rank from my favorite to least favorite S-tier art. I also decided to rate the 9-card Saitou set as a group.
Unsurprisingly, my tier list ended up being very top-heavy. I am very curious to see what you all think are the best cards, so please show us your tier lists!
Also extremely top heavy, not really a big fan of the Saitou set. Art seems one of the more plain out of all of things in the set. Ordered mine as I put it in, so no real order within the tiers.
Too many amazing Trainers in this set. Basically anything in S and A I would be super hyped to get. Personally my top pull out of the whole sets would be Cynthia SAR, Giratina UR, Zoroark VSTAR SAR, and Gardenia SAR. To put some context on what my top favs actually are.
I think my spiciest take is probably putting Darkrai in D, I’v seen a lot of people saying they love it but he’s just…standing there…menacingly! But seriously, I don’t know what it is about Darkrai cards, but they never seem to be able to put it in any interesting poses or really anything dynamic. I like Darkrai as a Pokemon, but no cards have really ever spoken to me aside from the Umbreon Tag-Team.
I excluded the trainers and the energies. Very few stinkers in the set, I honestly don’t know where the TCG will go after a set like this. I think late SWSH will be remembered as a golden age for card art down the road.
I like your s-tier title. I’m not usually one for Jumbo cards, but I bought a few of those Jumbo boxes and just got them
yesterday. Beautiful detail larger size and I’m definitely going to be framing and hanging the jumbos.
Felt it challenging to try and compare stuff like an AR to a SAR to a Supporter, so I grouped the types of cards and then ordered within each group.yes i know there are SAR and SR supporters, but I grouped them together for my convenience and because I generally like Supporters less than Pokemon
The “Among the Best of Their Kind Ever” tier elaboration…
-Suicune, Glaceon, Leafeon, and Darkrai are some of my favorite special art Vs ever. Darkrai in particular is one you have to see in person to really grasp the whole mood of the art. Almost reminds me of the Gym Gengar over the grave in level of spookiness.
-Zeraora is one of my favorite SA or CSR VMAXs ever. (these should be separate from Vs IMO because of the nature of a giant pokemon and the unique illustrations that come from this concept)
-Kricketune and Articuno are some of my favorite of any special art/character art/whatever. The level of feel they invoke makes them instant hall-of-famers imo
-Saitou’s Pikachu is one of my favorite Pikachus ever. Might be cheating because it has the full card for the illustration, but as far as a pika goes, its up there.
-Elesa is possibly my favorite FA Supporter artwork ever, and Iridia and Adaman both feel almost too good for card artwork.
Also, I ranked the energies together in relativity to the tiers based on how I feel about them compared to other energies. (Spoiler, I really like them)
It’s a Thievul doing a wall jump an a dark alley under a street light. I think the card would be a lot better if the it would be a simple light cone and not that wild as it’s a bit overwhelming a drains a lot of detail from the art. Objectively I think the card isn’t S Tier but I had an art assignment back in highschool similar to this art where we could only use three colors which I remember being a lot of fun.
Super delayed on this, but wanted to let it sink in. That said, I could probably change my mind on half of these in 5 minutes. Unpopular opinion: I don’t really like the gold cards. Are they 1000x better than the previous gold cards? Yes! But still not my thing.
Unpopular opinion: I don’t really like the gold cards. Are they 1000x better than the previous gold cards? Yes! But still not my thing.