The Most Valuable Obsidian Flames Cards In The Pokemon TCG

The Pokemon Trading Card Game (TCG) has provided us with some stunning-looking cards, with iconic cards like the base set Charizard, to full art trainers that leave you breathless. The Scarlet & Violet expansion Obsidian Flames is no different. The set introduces a remarkable selection of Pokemon cards that will leave you in love with the various designs.

Adding to the already intriguing displays of artwork are the Pokemon in their Tera form, showcasing a crystal-like appearance, making each one collectible. The best part is that the set is inexpensive compared to the value of previous expansions, meaning it’s great if you’re on a budget.

Updated December 29, 2024, by Andrew Scariati: Obsidian Flames’ chase cards have undergone some major price shifts, opening the door for more of Obsidian Flames’ best cards to make their names. We’ve added a handful of new entries to Obsidian Flames’ top cards and updated the pricing of the set’s top chase cards.

The prices in this article are taken from TCGPlayer.com and are subject to change over time.

14

Houndour (Illustration Rare) – $3.58

Release The Hounds

Houndour makes the cut as one of Obsidian Flames’ best cards thanks to this adorable scene featuring an entire litter of Houndour. While the scene offers a somewhat sad depiction of these Dark-type dogs living on the streets, their sweet poses – including some Houndour sleeping soundly – are hard not to dote on.

2024 was very kind to Houndour, as this underrated Illustration Rare made major strides, from the $1.50 range to over double that, settling at its current market price.

13

Pidgeot ex (Double Rare) – $3.66

A Surprisingly Solid Value

Not everyone enjoys the special versions of cards and that’s why the Pokemon TCG still prints cards like the double rare Pidgeot ex. Double rare cards are some of the most common rarities in Obsidian Flames, but that doesn’t make them any less special.

Double rare cards are, more or less, the same level of rarity as the Pokemon V, VSTAR, and VMAX cards that you may remember from the Pokemon TCG Sword & Shield sets. Your odds of opening one of these cards is around 1 in 7 packs, which is pretty good.

12

Tyranitar ex (Ultra Rare) – $3.71

A Quiet Roar

While Tyranitar is typically regarded as one of the most ferocious Pokemon in the games and one of the more valuable Pokemon to collect in the TCG, this card is relatively cheap. Compared to some of Tyranitar’s most valuable cards, this ultra rare seems like a bargain, trading in a tight range.

While it’s only seen a minor bump in value over the past year or so, Tyranitar is a Pokemon that commands significant attention, so this card might not dwell so low on the list of Obsidian Flames’ best cards in the future.

11

Pidgeot ex (Ultra Rare) – $3.75

Longing For The Sky

Another ultra rare, but this time we’re looking at the Colorless Pidgeot ex. This fantastic card ensures consistency on an incredible level, making it a natural fit into any deck featuring Charizard ex, and really, any deck that can benefit from the free card each turn.

With Quick Search, you can search your deck once per turn to grab any card of your choice and add it to your hand. While you are limited to just doing it once per turn, so if you have multiple Pidgeot ex in play, you can only activate one of these abilities a turn, you have access to every card in your deck.

10

Basic Fire Energy (Hyper Rare) – $3.91

Bringing The Heat

Though energy cards can reach surprising prices at their peak, this Fire Energy is one of the most affordable Obsidian Flames chase cards in the set. Hyper Rare cards aren’t typically valued highly, though Obsidian Flames’ relatively low card values make space for this unusual inclusion.

Perhaps the biggest surprise with this card is that it continues to bounce up and down in value, from as low as three dollars to as high as roughly $5.50. While it’s nearly guaranteed to rise in price when Obsidian Flames goes out of print, this card won’t be a likely candidate for the top spots anytime soon.

9

Pidgey (Illustration Rare) – $7.04

Flocking To Value

Pidgey may be known for being a Pokemon you run into far too often on Pokemon Go, but its Illustration Rare variant in Obsidian Flames is a surprisingly vibrant collection of hand-drawn Pokemon, all showcasing different personality styles.

It cannot be overstated how collectible this card is. Normally, in the Pokemon TCG, different rarities are exclusive to final evolutions or powerful cards, so it’s a pleasant surprise to see something like a Pidgey getting some love with some artistic flair.

8

Scizor (Illustration Rare) – $7.10

An Underdog Emerges

Scizor slides into our list as one of the best Obsidian Flames cards thanks to a shockingly epic depiction of this Pokemon set on a matching red background. Though the red makes it difficult to distinguish all of Scizor’s features from afar, this scene is stunning up close.

While Scizor began 2024 around the three-dollar mark, it picked up steam by the end of the year, surging to its current market price. It’s likely to continue its meteoric rise into uncharted territory once the set becomes harder to find. For now – stock up on this hidden gem while you can.

7

Gloom (Illustration Rare) – $8.50

Vibrant And Verdant

Gloom experienced major gains in 2024, boasting an upward price trajectory that’s remarkably similar to Scizor’s. Gloom began at around the two-dollar plateau, and sustained an impressive run past every major milestone until it left the eight-dollar mark in the dust.

One glance at this card makes it clear how it got to its current price – on the back of one of the most beautiful scenes in the set. While it may not be Obsidian Flames’ most valuable chase card, Gloom is a massive winner that has surpassed all expectations.

6

Charizard ex (Ultra Rare) – $10.12

One Of Many

The ultra rare version of Charizard ex is a special variant of the powerful Terastallized Pokemon. Ultra rare isn’t the most uncommon type of special rarity you can find of Charizard.

Breaking down pull rates for Obsidian Flame packs puts you at around a 1 in 15 chance of your pack containing an ultra rare, though there’s no way to ensure that you’ll get a Charizard ex out of it.

Charizard has quite a few different printings in Obsidian Flames, and there’s something special about the ultra rare one. The stark contrast of the red on Charizard against the white background makes him pop off the card.

5

Cleffa (Illustration Rare) – $12.53

Soaring Into The Sky

First introduced in Generation Two, Cleffa is an adorable pre-evolved form of Clefairy. This Illustration Rare variant showcases the Pokemon’s affiliation with its astronomical background and lore.

However, where this card in particular excels is its Grasping Draw move. This allows you to draw until you have seven cards in your hand, which is exceptionally helpful when you’re in desperate need of energy cards to power up your Pokemon, or for something a lot more specific. The only downside to this Cleffa card is it’s 30HP, meaning it is very unlikely that it’ll last very long in battle.

4

Pidgeot Ex (Special Illustration Rare) – $13.23

Flying Into The Upper Tier

The Special Illustration Rare Pidgeot is a beautiful piece of art, as we see it flying past the cityscape behind it. While again offering no advantages and possessing the same stats as its other variants, this valuable Pidgeot card stands out thanks to its visually stunning scene.

Pidgeot’s ability, Quick Search, allows you to search your deck for one card of your choosing. It would be fine if it were once per game. However, they can do this every turn, meaning you can endlessly search for the specific cards you require to easily win the match.

3

Ninetales (Illustration Rare) – $19.18

A Beautiful Moment In Nature

Ninetales is a Generation One Pokemon and is the final evolution of Vulpix. The Illustration Rare variant of Ninetales uses gorgeous earthy tones and shows the Fire type taking in nature with a stroll through a warm forest setting. This is beautiful, relatively low-cost card that would look amazing in any collection.

Overall, the usability of the card is not great within the TCG. While the chance to inflict 90 damage using its Nine-Tailed Dance attack can be coupled with its low retreat cost, 90 damage is not at all enough for the cost it takes to bring Ninetales out.

2

Charizard ex (Hyper Rare) – $22.76

Charizard Hype Lives On

The telltale golden frame and design of the hyper rare cards returned in Obsidian Flames and Charizard ex leads the pack in value. The hyper rare version of the Flame Pokemon is posed in the same stance as the ultra rare version of the card, but there are many more dazzling details.

Pulling a hyper rare is much harder than most other rarities, giving you only a 1 in 52 chance of opening one of these rarities in any given Obsidian Flames pack. There are two other hyper rare cards in the set, so you’re not guaranteed to get a Charizard either, making this card exceptionally hard to find.

1

Charizard ex (Special Illustration Rare) – $59.18

A Mighty Mosaic

Unsurprisingly, the most expensive card in Obsidian Flames is a Charizard card. In this Special Illustration Rare variant, Charizard offers a mighty stance and the entirety of the card art is impressively hand-drawn to capture the fierce essence of the fan-favorite Pokemon.

This card will continue to be sought after for many years due to its rarity and Charizard’s incredible popularity.

The fact that Charizard is an extremely popular Pokemon to collect only increases the possibility of its success. In battle, its high HP and its energy acceleration cement it as a powerful Pokemon to build a deck around, which will further add to its value.