Battle Styles Elite Trainer Box: Contents and MSRP (2021)
By Dexhaul Team · October 12, 2026 · 4 min read
The Battle Styles Elite Trainer Box contains 8 Sword and Shield Battle Styles booster packs, 65 card sleeves, 45 Basic Energy cards, six damage-counter dice, one competition-legal coin die, two quick-start guides, and a VMAX marker. It launched March 19, 2021, as part of the Sword and Shield series' fifth expansion (SWSH05, Bulbapedia). Two versions exist, each featuring a different form of Urshifu on the box and sleeves.
Contents at a glance
| Item | Single Strike (red box) | Rapid Strike (blue box) |
|---|---|---|
| Booster packs | 8 × Battle Styles | 8 × Battle Styles |
| Card sleeves | 65 · Single Strike Urshifu VMAX art | 65 · Rapid Strike Urshifu VMAX art |
| Basic Energy | 45 cards (mixed types) | 45 cards (mixed types) |
| Damage-counter dice | 6 | 6 |
| Competition-legal die | 1 | 1 |
| Quick-start guides | 2 (one per player) | 2 (one per player) |
| VMAX marker | 1 | 1 |
| Set guide booklet | 1 | 1 |
| Original MSRP (USD) | $49.99 | $49.99 |
The two boxes are identical in contents except for the sleeve artwork. Both include the same 45-card Basic Energy mix and the same accessories. The VMAX marker is a small cardboard token used to track when a Pokémon V has Gigantamaxed into its VMAX form during a match.
On this page 5 sections
Single Strike and Rapid Strike: what the two versions mean
Battle Styles is the first Sword and Shield set to split its flagship Pokémon across two simultaneously released ETBs. Every other SWSH ETB shipped in a single version; Battle Styles gave Urshifu's two forms their own boxes and their own sleeve designs.
Single Strike Urshifu fights with focused, single powerful blows. Its card carries the red Single Strike symbol. Rapid Strike Urshifu chains multiple hits in one turn; its card carries the blue Rapid Strike symbol. This isn't just flavor, it's a mechanic: Single Strike Energy and Rapid Strike Energy are special Energy cards in the set that provide bonus effects only to their matching style.
Both ETBs draw from the same 183-card set. You can pull any card from either box; the style mechanic does not restrict pulls. Collectors who want both sleeve designs, or players who want the extra packs, often buy one of each.
Some sellers label the boxes "Single Strike," "Rapid Strike," "Red," or "Blue." All of these refer to the same two versions. The box spine text and the Urshifu illustration on the front are the quickest ways to tell them apart when the listing photo shows the front of the box.
Notable Pokémon in the Battle Styles set
Battle Styles introduced Urshifu Single Strike VMAX and Urshifu Rapid Strike VMAX as the headline cards, each in both standard and Secret Rare full-art versions. The set has 183 cards in the numbered list according to Serebii's Battle Styles card database.
Other notable Pokémon V and VMAX cards in the set include Tyranitar V, Empoleon V, and Mimikyu V. The Secret Rare tier includes Mimikyu VMAX and additional full-art Trainer and Energy cards. Houndoom is a recurring hit for Single Strike players, since it provides Single Strike draw support.
Rapid Strike Urshifu VMAX gained a strong competitive footprint after release, appearing regularly in Top 8 lists at major tournaments throughout 2021. It remains one of the most recognizable cards from the Sword and Shield era.
MSRP and current prices
The Battle Styles ETB launched at $49.99 USD per box at retail. Battle Styles is no longer in print; independent shops currently list sealed copies in the $124.99 to $164+ USD range, with pricing varying by version and condition.
Pokémon TCG Sword & Shield Battle Styles Elite Trainer Box: Rapid Strike
$130.00 USD
The standard four-year premium on discontinued SWSH ETBs is driven by secondary pack prices: sealed Battle Styles packs consistently trade above original MSRP because of demand for the Urshifu VMAX cards and the set's relatively short print run compared to later SV-era sets.
Prices shown are from independent sellers in October 2026. See the current listings at DexHaul's Elite Trainer Box collection for the most recent prices across shops.
Frequently asked questions
- How many packs are in the Battle Styles ETB?
- Each Battle Styles Elite Trainer Box contains 8 Sword and Shield Battle Styles booster packs. Booster boxes for this set contain 36 packs and are a separate product from the ETB.
- What is the difference between the Single Strike and Rapid Strike Battle Styles ETB?
- The only difference is the 65-card sleeve design. Single Strike boxes ship with Single Strike Urshifu VMAX sleeves (red); Rapid Strike boxes ship with Rapid Strike Urshifu VMAX sleeves (blue). Both include the same 8 packs from the same set, the same accessories, and the same MSRP.
- What is the VMAX marker in the Battle Styles ETB?
- The VMAX marker is a cardboard token used to track VMAX status during a game. When a Pokémon V uses its VMAX Evolution, you place the marker on the card to indicate it has Gigantamaxed. It has no card-game function beyond tracking; it is not a card.
- Was the Battle Styles ETB a Pokémon Center exclusive?
- No. The standard Battle Styles ETB was a wide-release retail product available at mass market and hobby stores. A Pokémon Center exclusive ETB was not released for this set; the only special channel product was the Pokémon Center-exclusive booster bundle. The ETBs shown here are the standard retail versions.
Browse sealed Battle Styles ETBs from independent shops at DexHaul's Elite Trainer Box collection. DexHaul is an independent search engine, not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by The Pokémon Company International.
Catch 'em all
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