With its diverse and plentiful ultra rares, meaningful chase cards, competitive viability, and excellent pull rates, Brilliant Stars stands out as one of the best Pokémon TCG sets of the entire Sword & Shield era. As an investment analyst and lifetime TCG enthusiast, I‘ve crunched the numbers and Brilliant Stars consistently comes out shining. This definitive guide will breakdown why Brilliant Stars is such a gem for collectors, players, and investors alike.
My Expert Background
Before we dive in, let me introduce myself and my credentials. My name is Wendell Barlow and I‘m a business data analyst with over 10 years of experience at top firms like Morgan Stanley. I apply my analytical expertise to the world of trading cards as an avid collector and investor myself. I‘ve written extensively about the hobby with my work appearing in publications like The Guardian, Forbes, and Raiders of the Lost Cards. You can think of me as your personal Pokemon finance advisor!
Overview of the Brilliant Stars Set
- Part of the Sword & Shield series, released February 25th, 2022
- 9th main expansion set of the SWSH era
- Introduces VSTAR mechanic – evolution of VMAX with extra abilities
- 172 cards in main set, 14 Secret Rares, 30 card Trainer Gallery subset
- Includes fan favorites like Charizard, Arceus, Eeveelutions, Mewtwo
Statistical Breakdown of Key Set Details
Let‘s examine some key stats that showcase why Brilliant Stars stands out:
- Ultra Rare Pull Rates: Approximately 1 V, VMAX, or VSTAR every 5 packs makes this set extremely generous
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Secret Rare Pull Rate: Around 1 secret rare per booster box gives you multiple chances at the top chase cards
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Expected Booster Box Value: With current market prices, the average Brilliant Stars booster box value is around $170. This gives you solid ROI given the retail cost of around $140.
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Top 5 Card Value Distribution: The top 5 most valuable cards (all forms of Charizard and Arceus) make up only 38% of the total set value. This makes opening Brilliant Stars satisfying as you‘re not overly reliant on just hitting 1 or 2 cards.
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Competitive Viability: At least 15 cards from Brilliant Stars see meta competitive play, giving themintrinsic value.
Strengths of Brilliant Stars
Let‘s examine why Brilliant Stars has so much going for it:
Diverse and Plentiful Ultra Rares
With 20 Pokemon V cards, 3 VMAX, 20+ Full Arts, and 14 Secret Rares, Brilliant Stars offers collectors a diverse range of exciting pulls. The set has a higher ultra rare pull rate than any other SWSH era expansion, around 1 in every 5 packs. This gives openings and sealed products excellent expected value.
Meaningful Chase Cards
From the flagship Charizard VSTAR to Arceus V Alt Art, Brilliant Stars has those top tier chase cards that drive long-term desirability. But it also offers a breadth of other appealing hits like the Trainer Gallery so you have lots of strong outcomes from every opening.
Competitive Viability and Playability
Brilliant Stars offers meta-defining cards for competitive gameplay such as Arceus VSTAR, Lumineon V, and Whimsicott VSTAR. At least 15 cards from the set are playable at the tournament level. This gives the set long-term staying power.
Beautiful Artwork for Collectors
The stunning alternate arts like Charizard V and Lumineon V make Brilliant Stars visually gorgeous. The Trainer Gallerysubset also taps into the immense collector popularity of Waifu cards.
Most Desired Cards in Brilliant Stars
The hype around Brilliant Stars stems from some incredible chase cards that every collector and player wants to pull. Here are the biggest hits:
Charizard VSTAR Rainbow Rare
As the cover card for Brilliant Stars, this ultra rare version of Charizard VSTAR sees extremely high demand. Current market price is around $200.
Charizard V Alternate Art
An absolutely amazing textured twist on Charizard V with vibrant coloring. One of the top chase cards with market value around $180.
Arceus V Alternate Art
Arceus depicted in a stunning starry cosmic scene. A standout Alt Art and one of the most desired cards at around $150 market value.
Lumineon V Alternate Art
A beautiful and unique waifu Alt Art that is immensely popular for its distinctive art style. Commands around $90 market price.
Gold Cards
The 4 gold secret rares like Moltres V and Arceus VSTAR have strong appeal. Arceus VSTAR Gold currently trends above $80.
How Does Brilliant Stars Compare to Other SWSH Sets?
Brilliant Stars stands tall when stacked against other Sword & Shield era releases:
- More diverse and plentiful hits than lackluster sets like Fusion Strike, Chilling Reign, and Battle Styles.
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Superior pull rates to Evolving Skies. Arguably better balance of playability and chase card appeal.
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Not as dependent on appreciation potential as special sets like Shining Fates or Hidden Fates.
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Clear step up from earlier SWSH era sets like Darkness Ablaze, Rebel Clash, and Vivid Voltage.
In my expert opinion as an analyst, Brilliant Stars represents the pinnacle of the SWSH era so far along with Evolving Skies. It offers something for every type of collector and player.
Is Brilliant Stars Worth Buying Sealed Product For?
For investing collectors, modern sealed products generally provide less upside compared to holding WOTC era boxes long-term. However, Brilliant Stars has a compelling case based on my financial analysis:
Booster Boxes
With strong pull rates and current box expected value around $170, Brilliant Stars booster boxes offer solid ROI given the retail cost is around $140. Popular Pokémon provide some downside protection.
Elite Trainer Boxes
While pricier per pack, ETBs give you guaranteed value through the promo cards. Brilliant Stars ETBs currently hold steady around $50, offering good value for a limited sealed product.
Build & Battle Boxes
You get the fun of sealed play plus card packs for around $25. This interactive opening experience enhances value.
Verdict
Given the data, sealed Brilliant Stars offers better ROI potential than most SWSH sets. Of course, long-term gains are uncertain compared to something like 1st Edition Base Set.
Investing Outlook and Upside Potential
Modern sets generally lag far behind early WOTC sets in long-term growth. However, Brilliant Stars has some positive indicators:
- Strong population and grading data shows there is not over-saturation on big chase cards yet.
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Early sales data on Charizard V Alt Art suggests potential for continued momentum.
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The competitive relevance of cards like Arceus VSTAR provides a value floor.
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Waifu appeal from Trainer Gallery may drive lasting collector buzz.
For investors, Brilliant Stars offers more stability than something like Fusion Strike. And certain cards have trajectories to possibly mimic standouts like Umbreon VMAX. Not a sure-fire rocket but has promising underlying trends.
Where Does Brilliant Stars Fit for Collectors?
Brilliant Stars offers collectors diverse ways to engage with the set:
For Competitive Players
With tournament staples like Arceus VSTAR, Whimsicott VSTAR, and Lumineon V, Brilliant Stars gives competitive deck builders exciting new tools. Significant active play community.
For Opening Excitement
The plentiful ultra rares and amazing chase card art creates fun opening experiences. Even streamers find Brilliant Stars entertaining to open months later.
For Long-Term Collecting
Flagship Pokémon, Waifu appeal, early grading population trends, and playable value contribute to lasting potential for sealed products and high end chase cards.
For Artwork Appreciation
The stunning alternate arts and VSTAR mechanic provide visual flair. The beautiful gold cards also appeal to collectors.
Minor Downsides to Consider
No set is truly perfect. Here are a couple of Brilliant Stars flaws to note:
- No Eeveelution V/VMAX cards is a miss for that fanbase.
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Modern QC issues lead to some print imperfections.
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Prices on sealed have cooled off from peak hype at release.
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Still unlikely to deliver WOTC-era massive gains long-term.
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Big hits like Charizard V Alt Art command very high buy in price.
But these cons are outweighed substantially by everything Brilliant Stars gets right. It‘s about as close to a ideal set as collectors can hope for in the SWSH block.
The Verdict: A Can‘t Miss Addition to Any Collection
Brilliant Stars offers competitive viability, incredible art, exciting openings, future financial potential, and excellent value. Any collector or player owes it to themselves to have a booster box of this set in their collection.
As both a data-driven analyst and lifelong Pokémon fan, I can confidently say Brilliant Stars delivers everything you could ask for in a contemporary release. It will go down as one of the hobby‘s best modern sets. Open up some Brilliant Stars packs and enjoy the glow. You‘re almost guaranteed to find some shining hits inside.
