Pokémon TCG
Radiant Pokémon
A Radiant Pokémon is a shiny Basic Pokémon with a one-per-deck limit, and it gives up only one Prize card. Here is how the rule works, every Radiant Pokémon printed, and the formats where you can still play one.
The short answer
Radiant Pokémon are Basic Pokémon from the Sword & Shield era, drawn in their shiny colors with a sparkling, textured finish across the card. Each one has a strong attack or Ability, and each carries the same rule at the bottom of the card: "Radiant Pokémon Rule: You can't have more than 1 Radiant Pokémon in your deck."
The Radiant rule
The limit covers the category, the same way ACE SPEC does: one Radiant Pokémon in the whole deck, whatever its name. A deck with Radiant Greninja cannot also play Radiant Charizard, and it cannot play a second Radiant Greninja either. The two limits are separate, so one Radiant Pokémon and one ACE SPEC card can share a deck. How ACE SPEC works →
What makes them worth the slot is the Prize count. A Radiant Pokémon gives up 1 Prize card when Knocked Out, the same as any regular Pokémon, while the Pokémon V of the same era gave up 2. A deck could add a strong Basic attacker or engine without handing the opponent an easy two Prize cards.
Because the rule is printed in a Rule Box, cards that affect Pokémon with a Rule Box affect Radiant Pokémon too, even though they give up only 1 Prize card. The TurnZero HQ deck builder counts Radiant Pokémon across the whole list and flags a second one.
Every Radiant Pokémon
Fifteen Radiant Pokémon were printed in five sets, three in each, all with the Radiant Rare rarity. A Radiant Eevee was also released as a Sword & Shield Black Star Promo (SWSH230).
Radiant Charizard appears twice, in Pokémon GO and Crown Zenith, with the same attack and Ability, so the two count as the same card. No Radiant Pokémon has been printed since Crown Zenith. Scarlet & Violet brought back ACE SPEC as its one-per-deck card instead.
Where Radiant Pokémon are legal
Every Radiant Pokémon carries regulation mark F, which left Standard in the 2024 rotation. Since April 10, 2026, Standard allows H, I and J, so Radiant Pokémon are out of Standard and will not return unless one is reprinted with a legal mark. They remain legal in Expanded, which allows cards from the Black & White series on, and in Unlimited. How format legality works →
Out of Standard does not mean out of the collection. TurnZero HQ tracks each Radiant Pokémon as its own card with daily TCGplayer prices, and checks an Expanded deck that plays one.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Radiant Pokémon?
A Basic Pokémon drawn in its shiny coloring with a sparkling frame, printed in the Sword & Shield sets of 2022 and early 2023. It carries the Radiant Pokémon Rule: you can't have more than 1 Radiant Pokémon in your deck.
How many Radiant Pokémon can you have in a deck?
One, in total. The limit counts every Radiant Pokémon together, so a deck with Radiant Greninja cannot also play Radiant Charizard.
How many Prize cards does a Radiant Pokémon give up?
One, like a regular Pokémon. That is the main reason Radiant Pokémon were played: a strong Basic Pokémon that does not give up extra Prize cards the way a Pokémon V or ex does.
Are Radiant Pokémon legal in Standard?
No. Every Radiant Pokémon carries regulation mark F, which left Standard in 2024. Standard uses H, I and J since April 10, 2026. Radiant Pokémon are legal in Expanded and Unlimited.
Can I play a Radiant Pokémon and an ACE SPEC in the same deck?
Yes. The two limits are separate. A deck may hold one Radiant Pokémon and one ACE SPEC card at the same time.
Keep your Radiant Pokémon with the rest of your cards.
TurnZero HQ tracks your Pokémon collection with daily prices and checks your decks for Standard and Expanded. Free to start.
Create Free AccountPokémon and Pokémon character names are trademarks of Nintendo. ©Pokémon. ©Nintendo/Creatures Inc./GAME FREAK inc. TurnZero HQ is not affiliated with, sponsored, or endorsed by Nintendo, The Pokémon Company, Creatures Inc., or GAME FREAK inc. Card data comes from the open PokemonTCG dataset, and prices from TCGplayer.