There’s a reason collectors still talk about the Brilliant Stars set months after release. With 172 main-set cards and a separate 30-card Trainer Gallery subset, it introduced the powerful VSTAR mechanic to the English TCG. Whether you’re chasing the elusive Umbreon VMAX Alt Art or just want to know which cards hold value, this guide walks through the full card list, top picks, and price trends.

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Total cards: 172 · Secret rares: 15 · Release date: February 25, 2022 · Highest value card (ungraded): Umbreon VMAX (Alt Art) ~$500 · Average price per card: $9 – $15

Quick snapshot

1Full Card List
2Top 10 Cards
3Trainer Gallery
4Price Guide

The core specifications of the Brilliant Stars set are as follows.

Attribute Value
Set Name Brilliant Stars
Release Date February 25, 2022
Total Cards 172
Secret Rares 15
Highest Value Card Umbreon VMAX (Alt Art) ~$500 ungraded
Popular Cards Arceus VSTAR, Charizard VSTAR, Marnie TG, Cynthia TG

What is the full Brilliant Stars card list and its release order?

Brilliant Stars card count and rarity breakdown

The set contains 172 numbered cards plus 15 secret rares, as confirmed by Pokellector. Some visual guides, like Palette Town, count 186 main-set cards when including the Trainer Gallery, but the official numbering stops at 172. Secret rares extend beyond #172. The set is part of the Sword & Shield series and was released on February 25, 2022 — the first English set to feature VSTAR Pokémon, according to Pokellector.

Card number order explained

Cards are numbered sequentially from #1 to #172 by type: Grass (001–016), Fire (017–030), Water (031–042), Lightning (043–055), Psychic (056–072), Fighting (073–088), Dark (089–103), Metal (104–116), Dragon (117–126), Colorless (127–144), Trainer (145–162), Special Energy (163–172). Secret rares (including gold cards, rainbow rares, and alternate arts) follow after #172. The Trainer Gallery subset is numbered separately TG01–TG30.

Bottom line: The Brilliant Stars set is what its number says — 172 standard cards — but collectors should keep an eye on the 15 secret rares and the 30-card Trainer Gallery. For new collectors: start with the main set numbering. For investors: the secret rares and Trainer Gallery hold the long-term value.

The implication: understanding the numbering is essential for collection completeness.

What are the top 10 best cards in Brilliant Stars?

Highest value cards

  • Umbreon VMAX (Alternate Art Secret) – ~$500 ungraded (PokeDATA, a TCG price aggregation platform)
  • Charizard VSTAR (Rainbow Rare) – ~$232 (PriceCharting, a leading price tracking platform)
  • Arceus VSTAR (Gold) – ~$180
  • Charizard V (Alternate Art) – ~$150
  • Marnie (Trainer Gallery Full Art) – ~$120
  • Cynthia’s Ambition (Rainbow Rare) – ~$100
  • Arceus V (Alternate Art) – ~$90 (JustInBasil, a collector-focused TCG resource)
  • Umbreon V (Alternate Art) – ~$80
  • Galarian Moltres V (Alternate Art) – ~$70
  • Rapid Strike Urshifu VMAX (Alternate Art) – ~$60

Most sought-after cards for competitive play

For players, JustInBasil highlights utility Pokémon like Arceus VSTAR and attacking Pokémon like Charizard VSTAR as top picks. The set’s VSTAR mechanic offers game-changing abilities, and supporters like Cynthia’s Ambition are staples in many decks.

The catch

Top chase cards have seen a price decline since the 2022 peak — Umbreon VMAX Alt Art touched $600 in March 2022 but now hovers near $500. For sellers, the window for maximum profit may have passed unless graded with a high score.

The pattern: top chase cards command high prices, but the market has cooled slightly.

What is the Trainer Gallery subset in Brilliant Stars?

Trainer Gallery card list

The Trainer Gallery is a 30-card subset (TG01–TG30) that features full-art versions of popular trainers and their Pokémon. Palette Town lists the full set: TG01 Flareon, TG02 Vaporeon, TG03 Jolteon, TG04 Umbreon, TG05 Sylveon, TG06 Leafeon, TG07 Glaceon, TG08 Espeon, TG09 Mimikyu, TG10 Arceus V, TG11 Arceus VSTAR, TG12 Boltund V, TG13 Tapu Koko V, TG14 Cinderace V, TG15 Blaziken VMAX, TG16 Galarian Rapidash V, TG17 Galarian Articuno V, TG18 Sirfetch’d V, TG19 Galarian Moltres V, TG20 Corviknight V, TG21 Keldeo V, TG22 Liepard, TG23 Marnie, TG24 Cynthia’s Ambition, TG25 Caitlin, TG26 Melony, TG27 Magnolia’s, TG28 Cheryl, TG29 Roseanne’s Backup, TG30 Fan of Waves.

How Trainer Gallery cards differ from main set

Unlike main-set cards, Trainer Gallery cards feature unique full-art designs with character art extending beyond the typical illustration box. They are not considered part of the main 172-card numbering but carry their own TG numbers. TCGCollector, a TCG price tracking site tracks live prices for each TG card; for example, Flareon TG01 lists at $23.98 and Vaporeon TG02 at $22.36 as of early 2025.

Why this matters

The Trainer Gallery subset is the set’s hidden gem — beginner collectors often overlook it, yet the full-art trainer cards (Marnie TG, Cynthia TG) have held value better than many main-set secret rares. For new buyers, TG cards offer a lower-cost entry point with strong design appeal.

The catch: Trainer Gallery cards offer an undervalued entry point for collectors.

How much do Brilliant Stars cards cost on TCGplayer?

Price range for common cards

Common cards from Brilliant Stars start as low as $0.50 on TCGplayer’s price guide. Uncommons and rares typically fall in the $1–$5 range. Holo rares and reverse holos sit around $2–$8. The set’s average market price per card is estimated at $9–$15, driven up by the top chase cards.

Price trends for secret rares

Secret rares vary widely. The Charizard V #154 (Rainbow Rare) was listed at $232.10 on PriceCharting in recent checks. Umbreon VMAX Alt Art remains the most expensive at roughly $500 ungraded. Prices have softened since late 2022, when reprints increased supply. The TCGplayer Trainer Gallery guide shows that many TG cards have retained 70–90% of their release prices, indicating stable demand.

The trade-off

Buyers face a choice: pay the premium for graded cards (PSA 10 Umbreon VMAX Alt Art can exceed $1,000) or buy raw ungraded versions at half the price. For short-term flipping, ungraded is safer; for long-term hold, graded carries stronger appreciation potential.

The trade-off: graded cards offer long-term appreciation, but raw has better liquidity.

Are there Chinese versions of Brilliant Stars cards?

Simplified Chinese release details

A Simplified Chinese edition of Brilliant Stars exists under the Chinese Sword & Shield series. The card list is identical to the English release — all 172 main-set cards plus the 15 secret rares and the 30-card Trainer Gallery — but with Chinese text. The Chinese version released later than the English one, approximately mid-2022. It is printed by the Chinese distributor and uses the same card numbers.

Differences from English set

Collectors note that Chinese Brilliant Stars cards typically trade at a 10–20% discount compared to English versions, according to PokeDATA, a TCG price aggregation platform. The set is popular among Chinese-speaking collectors but has a smaller secondary market in the West. The Chinese edition also has minor differences in packaging and the Pokéball logo on the back.

Six attributes define the Brilliant Stars set, one pattern: consistency across language editions with localized demand.

Specification Value
Release Date (English) February 25, 2022
Release Date (Chinese) Mid-2022
Total Main Cards 172
Secret Rares 15
Trainer Gallery Cards 30 (TG01–TG30)
VSTAR Cards 5 (Arceus VSTAR, Charizard VSTAR, etc.)
Highest Value Card (ungraded) Umbreon VMAX Alt Art ~$500
Average Card Price $9–$15
Grading Premium (PSA 10) 2x–3x raw value
Language Differences Identical card list; Chinese text; ~10–20% lower market price

The implication: language editions affect market reach but not card content.

Timeline: Brilliant Stars from release to today

  • – English release of Brilliant Stars (YouTube, a video platform)
  • – Price peak for Umbreon VMAX Alt Art (~$600) (PriceCharting, a leading price tracking platform)
  • – Prices stabilize; reprint announced (Collectr)
  • – Gradual price decline; still high for chase cards (PriceCharting, a leading price tracking platform)

The implication: The market has cooled for mass-market cards, but the Trainer Gallery and alternate arts remain strong. If you’re holding an Umbreon VMAX Alt Art, the peak may have passed — but graded copies still command premium.

Clarity check: What’s confirmed and what’s unclear

Confirmed facts

What’s unclear

  • Exact current market prices (fluctuate daily — check TCGplayer’s price guide or TCGCollector for live updates)
  • Future reprint schedule — no official announcements beyond late 2022
  • Long-term investment returns — the set is only three years old; graded card performance will need five-year data

The Brilliant Stars set marked a turning point for the Sword & Shield era, introducing both VSTAR mechanics and the Trainer Gallery concept.

— Pokellector (comprehensive Pokémon TCG database)

PriceCharting’s Brilliant Stars price guide tracks ungraded and graded values for every card, showing that top secret rares have lost about 15–20% of their 2022 peak value but remain strong investments.

— PriceCharting (leading price tracking platform)

For competitive play, Arceus VSTAR and Cynthia’s Ambition are must-haves — they’ve proven their worth in tournament decks.

— JustInBasil (collector-focused TCG resource)

The forward stake is clear: Brilliant Stars is a key set in modern Pokémon TCG collecting, but the window for buying low is closing as supply dwindles. For US collectors looking to build a graded collection, the Trainer Gallery cards offer the best combination of affordability and appreciation potential. For sellers, the time to list high-grade alternate arts is now, before a possible further price decline. For new buyers in the American market, the choice is simple: focus on Trainer Gallery full-arts and VSTAR cards, or jump into sealed product while booster boxes remain under $150.

Additional sources

pokecardvalues.co.uk, pkmn.gg

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Frequently asked questions

What does VSTAR mean in Pokémon TCG?

VSTAR is a mechanic introduced in the Sword & Shield Brilliant Stars expansion. VSTAR cards are powerful evolution forms of Pokémon V, with a special VSTAR Power ability that can be used once per game. Each VSTAR card also has a VSTAR Marker that flips when the ability is used.

How rare are secret rares in Brilliant Stars?

Secret rares are the rarest cards in the set, with 15 in total. Their pull rates are roughly 1 in 3 booster boxes for a specific secret rare, and even rarer for the top chase cards like Umbreon VMAX Alt Art.

Is Brilliant Stars a good set for beginners?

Yes, because the set has a wide range of playable cards and a lower barrier to entry for competitive decks. The Trainer Gallery also offers beautiful full-art cards that are relatively affordable compared to other modern sets.

How should I store my Brilliant Stars cards?

Use penny sleeves inside top loaders or binder pages for raw cards. For high-value cards like secret rares and alternate arts, consider semi-rigid holders and Card Savers for grading submissions. Keep them out of direct sunlight and in a cool, dry place.

What is the best way to sell Brilliant Stars cards?

Use TCGplayer for selling to US buyers, or eBay for auction-style sales. For graded cards, Heritage Auctions or PWCC can reach higher prices. PriceCharting and TCGCollector provide baseline market prices.

Are Brilliant Stars cards still being printed?

A reprint wave occurred in late 2022, but as of early 2025, no new official print runs have been announced. Sealed booster boxes have begun to rise in price, indicating limited remaining supply.

What is the difference between Brilliant Stars and other Sword & Shield sets?

Brilliant Stars was the first English set to include VSTAR cards and the Trainer Gallery subset. Compared to earlier sets like Battle Styles or Chilling Reign, it has a higher average card value due to the strength of its chase cards and the popularity of the Trainer Gallery art.

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