First Partner Illustration Collection: Which Series to Buy and the Region That's Missing
By Dexhaul Team · September 14, 2026
Eight of nine main-series Pokémon regions are in this collection. One is missing entirely, and that gap changes the calculus for completionist collectors.
The Pokémon TCG First Partner Illustration Collection is a three-series release tied to Pokémon's 30th Anniversary in 2026. Each box delivers three oversized foil promo cards in full illustration style, two booster packs, and a sticker sheet. The promos cover the starter Pokémon from whichever regions that box includes, one card per region.
No random pulls: every buyer gets exactly those three cards.
That predictability is what makes this product interesting to collectors who care about specific generations but find pack-opening economics unappealing.
Series 1: Kanto, Sinnoh, and Alola
Series 1 is the most expensive of the three, typically ranging from $60 to $75 USD at independent sellers. It covers three regions with the widest nostalgia spread: Kanto (Bulbasaur, Charmander, Squirtle from 1996), Sinnoh (Turtwig, Chimchar, Piplup from 2006), and Alola (Rowlet, Litten, Popplio from 2016).
The Kanto card is the most sought-after promo in the series. Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle together on one foil card connects directly to the original game release and the 30th Celebration's primary marketing angle. If Kanto starters are your focus, Series 1 is the natural pick.
The Sinnoh card has its own secondary market dynamics. The Chimchar promo within Series 1 commands a meaningful premium over the Turtwig promo at the same rarity tier, driven by Ash's Chimchar arc in the Diamond and Pearl anime.
That character demand shows up consistently in resale pricing. Collectors targeting Sinnoh specifically should know which starter card they are after before buying at secondary prices.
Series 2: Johto, Unova, and Galar
Series 2 comes in at $28 to $45 USD depending on the seller, meaningfully cheaper than Series 1. It covers three generations defined by the franchise's transition from sprite-based to full 3D games: Johto (Chikorita, Cyndaquil, Totodile from Gold and Silver), Unova (Snivy, Tepig, Oshawott from Black and White), and Galar (Grookey, Scorbunny, Sobble from Sword and Shield).
The Johto card holds the strongest collector demand in this box. Gold and Silver remain among the most discussed games in the franchise's history, and Cyndaquil's profile was elevated by its role in Pokémon Legends: Arceus in 2022.
The Unova starters have a dedicated community from Black and White, but that group tends to underperform on secondary markets relative to its actual size. Galar starters skew toward competitive TCG players rather than collectors, which caps their ceiling in illustration format.
For buyers who grew up with Johto or want the cheapest path to an illustration-style Gold and Silver promo, Series 2 offers the best per-dollar value in the entire collection.
Series 3: Hoenn and Kalos
Series 3 is where the collection's asymmetry becomes visible. While Series 1 and 2 each cover three regions, Series 3 covers only two: Hoenn (Treecko, Torchic, Mudkip from Ruby and Sapphire) and Kalos (Chespin, Fennekin, Froakie from X and Y). Prices sit between $33 and $52 USD, putting it in the same range as Series 2 despite delivering promos for one fewer generation.
Torchic holds the highest individual recognition of the Hoenn starters. Its evolution line (Combusken, Blaziken) is prominent in competitive TCG history and appears across Mega Evolution products in the current series.
Froakie from Kalos is equally high-profile. Greninja's sustained presence as a competitive TCG archetype and its crossover fame make the Kalos card a natural draw for players who came to collecting through competitive play.
The two-region format is worth pricing in. A buyer who wants promos for all eight covered regions needs all three series: Series 1 (three regions), Series 2 (three regions), Series 3 (two regions). The total box count is three, not one per series.
The Paldea Problem
None of the three series includes Paldea, the region introduced in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet in 2022.
Sprigatito, Fuecoco, and Quaxly are absent from every box. The First Partner Illustration Collection was announced as part of the 30th Anniversary initiative, which does not publicly commit to a fourth series. Whether a Series 4 covering Paldea starters will be released is unconfirmed as of September 2026.
For completionist collectors, this creates a concrete gap. The collection covers eight of nine main-series regions. Buying all three series leaves you with illustration-style promos for every generation except the current one.
That asymmetry matters most if you collect by region or intend to display all nine generations as a unit. It matters less if you are targeting specific regions you grew up with.
The uncertainty around Series 4 also affects whether to treat the three-series run as a closed set now. If no Series 4 materializes, Series 1 through 3 become the complete commercial run for this format, which typically drives secondary prices upward over time as the window to buy at retail closes.
Guaranteed Promos vs. Random Pulls
The core value proposition here is predictability.
Pulling an Illustration Rare from a standard Scarlet and Violet booster involves variable odds and costs that depend on which set you buy and how many packs you open. The First Partner Illustration Collection removes that variable: three specific promo cards, every time, at a fixed price.
For collectors targeting specific generations in illustration style, this is often the direct and cheaper path to those promos compared to buying equivalent singles from a set with pull-rate variance. For buyers who primarily open packs, this reads as a separate purchase category entirely.
Which Series to Buy First
Start with the region you care most about, not the one with the highest price tag.
If your Pokémon history begins with Red and Blue, or if you are buying as part of the broader 30th Celebration, Series 1 is the natural anchor. The Kanto card is the most recognized in the collection and the one most likely to hold secondary interest long term. Series 1 also has the widest nostalgic footprint: Kanto, Sinnoh, and Alola together cover the original games, the DS generation, and the Switch debut.
If you are optimizing for price, Series 2 delivers Johto, Unova, and Galar at the lowest per-box cost of the three. The Johto card, showing Chikorita, Cyndaquil, and Totodile, is the strongest individual draw in Series 2 and the most likely to be the subject of dedicated demand as Gold and Silver nostalgia runs alongside anniversary content.
Series 3 suits Hoenn and Kalos fans specifically. It is not a better value than Series 2 given the two-region format, but for collectors with a dedicated Ruby and Sapphire or X and Y connection, it is the only way to get those starter promos in this illustration style.
All three series at current independent-seller pricing come to roughly $130 to $180 USD combined, covering all eight available regions. That total puts the per-promo cost well below comparable graded singles in the illustration rare format from standard sets, assuming you would buy all eight regions separately.
Browse all three series and compare independent seller listings at DexHaul's First Partner Illustration Collection search. DexHaul is independent and unofficial, and is not affiliated with The Pokémon Company.