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What Comes in a Pokemon Elite Trainer Box? Full Contents List
A Pokemon Elite Trainer Box holds 9 booster packs, 65 sleeves, 45 Energy cards, dice, a promo card and a storage box. Here is the full list and who it suits.
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At a glance
- Booster packs
- 9 (Scarlet & Violet era)
- Card sleeves
- 65
- Energy cards
- 45
- Pokemon Center version
- 11 packs and 2 promo cards
A Pokemon Elite Trainer Box, or ETB, is a starter kit built around one expansion. In Scarlet & Violet era sets it holds 9 booster packs, a full-art foil promo card, 65 card sleeves, 45 Energy cards, a player’s guide, 6 damage-counter dice, a coin-flip die, 2 condition markers and a storage box with 4 dividers.
The list below comes from the official product page for the Journey Together Elite Trainer Box. Other Scarlet & Violet era ETBs follow the same pattern, with the promo card and sleeve art changing by set.
The full contents list
| Item | Count | What it is for |
|---|---|---|
| Booster packs | 9 | Cards from the featured expansion |
| Full-art foil promo card | 1 | A card shown on the box, different by set |
| Card sleeves | 65 | Enough for one 60-card deck plus spares |
| Pokemon TCG Energy cards | 45 | Basic Energy for building decks |
| Player’s guide | 1 | A guide to the expansion |
| Damage-counter dice | 6 | Tracking damage during a game |
| Coin-flip die | 1 | Competition-legal, for coin-flip effects |
| Condition markers | 2 | Plastic markers for special conditions |
| Collector’s box with 4 dividers | 1 | Storage for the cards and accessories |
| Pokemon TCG Live code card | 1 | For the official online game |
The sleeves are the reason the box suits a new player. Pokemon’s deckbuilding guide says a deck must contain exactly 60 cards, so the 65 sleeves cover a full deck with five spares.
Sealed Pokemon Elite Trainer Boxes
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Are the packs any different?
No. Pokemon Support says the packs in an Elite Trainer Box are the same packs that can be bought on their own and “do not contain a special rate of cards or a higher chance of obtaining specific cards.” What you pay extra for is the kit around the packs, not better odds.
Each pack follows the usual pattern for its set. In Scarlet & Violet era packs that means 10 game cards (4 commons, 3 uncommons and 3 foils, at least one rare or higher) plus a Basic Energy.
The Pokemon Center Elite Trainer Box
Some sets also get a Pokemon Center Elite Trainer Box, sold through the Pokemon Center. For Journey Together, the official expansion page lists:
- 11 booster packs instead of 9.
- Two copies of the full-art promo card, one with a Pokemon Center logo.
- The same 65 sleeves, 45 Energy cards, dice, markers, player’s guide and storage box.
If you mainly want packs, the two extra packs are the difference. If you want the accessories, both versions give you the same set.
Good to know
The storage box outlives the packs. Its 4 dividers keep a sleeved deck, its Energy cards and the dice apart in one box after the packs are opened.
Who an Elite Trainer Box suits
An ETB works best for a player who is starting a deck, or as a gift for someone who plays. Everything needed to sleeve and track a game is in one box. A collector who only wants packs gets more of them per box with a Pokemon booster box, which holds 36. Our comparison of booster boxes and Elite Trainer Boxes sets the two side by side.
Sealed ETBs are copied by counterfeiters like any popular product. Buy from a seller with a strong feedback record, check the shrink wrap in clear photos, and read how to tell if Pokemon cards are fake before you open anything that looks wrong. When the sleeves run out, our guide to card sleeve sizes explains which size fits Pokemon cards.
Frequently asked questions
How many packs are in a Pokemon Elite Trainer Box?
Nine in Scarlet & Violet era sets, according to the official product pages. The Pokemon Center Elite Trainer Box for the same set holds 11 packs and an extra promo card.
Are Elite Trainer Box packs better than regular packs?
No. Pokemon Support says the packs in an Elite Trainer Box are the same packs sold on their own and do not contain a special rate of cards or a higher chance of specific cards.
Are the 65 sleeves enough for a deck?
Yes. A Pokemon TCG deck must contain exactly 60 cards, so 65 sleeves cover a full deck with a few spares.
What is the difference between an Elite Trainer Box and a Pokemon Center Elite Trainer Box?
The Pokemon Center version adds two packs (11 instead of 9) and a second copy of the promo card with a Pokemon Center logo. The sleeves, Energy cards, dice and box are the same.
Sources
- Pokemon TCG: Scarlet & Violet, Journey Together Elite Trainer BoxPokemon.com
- Expansion Overview: Pokemon TCG Scarlet & Violet, Journey TogetherThe Pokemon Company International
- What types of Trading Card Game products are available?Pokemon Support
- An Introduction to DeckbuildingPokemon.com
Filed under Pokemon
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