Temporal Forces vs Shrouded Fable ETB: Which to Buy (2026)
By Dexhaul Team · October 15, 2026 · 5 min read
Buy Temporal Forces ETB for the larger card pool and the Ancient/Future Pokémon lineup. Buy Shrouded Fable ETB if Pecharunt, Munkidori, Fezandipiti, and Okidogi are the cards you actually want.
Both are Scarlet & Violet era Elite Trainer Boxes with nine booster packs and the same standard accessory bundle. The real difference is set size: Temporal Forces (SV05) is a full main set, while Shrouded Fable is a special mini-set roughly half the size. Same packs, very different pool.
That distinction matters more than it sounds, and most comparison articles skip over it entirely.
On this page 5 sections
At a glance
| Temporal Forces ETB | Shrouded Fable ETB | |
|---|---|---|
| Set | Scarlet & Violet Temporal Forces (SV05) | Scarlet & Violet Shrouded Fable (SFA) |
| Set type | Full main series set | Special mini-set |
| US release | March 22, 2024 | August 23, 2024 |
| Base set size | 162 cards + SIR and promo variants | 99 cards + SIR and promo variants |
| Packs per ETB | 9 booster packs | 9 booster packs |
| Accessories | 65 sleeves, 45 energy, 6 dice, coin, 2 reference cards, guide | 65 sleeves, 45 energy, 6 dice, coin, 2 reference cards, guide |
| MSRP at launch | $49.99 (pokemon.com) | $49.99 (pokemon.com) |
| Observed price | From $145.00 (October 15, 2026) | From $130.00 (October 15, 2026) |
| ETB box art variants | Two: Walking Wake ex, Iron Leaves ex | One standard (Pokémon Center exclusive differs) |
Both ETBs are secondary market only at this point, well above original MSRP. For a breakdown of what every SV era ETB includes, see the Pokémon TCG Elite Trainer Box guide.
Where Temporal Forces wins
A wider card pool per pack
Nine packs from a 162-card set pull from a substantially deeper pool than nine packs from a 99-card mini-set. Open a second Temporal Forces ETB and you will see new cards more often than a second Shrouded Fable ETB, simply because there are 63 more base-set targets to hit. This compounds if you are buying multiple boxes to complete a set: SFA is faster to complete but also faster to duplicate.
More ex and SIR targets across Ancient and Future Pokémon
SV05 introduced a full cast of Ancient Pokémon (Gouging Fire, Raging Bolt, Sandy Shocks) and Future Pokémon (Iron Crown, Iron Boulder, Iron Thorns). The anchor cards for the two standard ETB variants are Walking Wake ex and Iron Leaves ex, each a different Paradox Pokémon variant. SIR targets include all of those plus standard SV-era double-rare and ultra-rare options, making Temporal Forces one of the denser SIR hunting sets in the Scarlet & Violet series.
Two ETB box art variants
Temporal Forces is the only SV-era main set with two distinct standard ETBs at the same MSRP. The Walking Wake ex and Iron Leaves ex boxes differ in sleeve art and foil ETB card art. Collectors who want the pair can buy both; there is no equivalent two-variant setup in Shrouded Fable.
Where Shrouded Fable wins
Focused pulls for the Loyal Three and Pecharunt
Shrouded Fable's 99-card pool centers on Pecharunt, the 1025th Pokémon, and the Loyal Three: Munkidori, Fezandipiti, and Okidogi. Nine packs from a smaller set naturally concentrate your hits toward those specific targets. If you are building a Pecharunt or Loyal Three deck or completing the SFA set, fewer packs get you further than the same count in a 162-card pool.
Lower entry price on the secondary market
Standard Shrouded Fable ETBs start from $130.00 versus Temporal Forces from $145.00, both observed October 15, 2026. The $15 gap matters when buying multiple boxes. Note that the Pokémon Center exclusive Shrouded Fable ETB trades for $169 to $200 on the current market, so the gap flips if you are specifically after the PC version.
A distinct art direction unlike any other SV set
Shrouded Fable leaned into a shadow-and-secrecy aesthetic tied to Team Rainbow Rocket and the Loyal Three's antagonist backstory. The card art across the 99-card set is visually cohesive in a way that full main sets rarely achieve. If you collect for the look of a complete set display, SFA makes a tighter visual statement on a shelf.
The deciding question
Three buyer profiles, three different answers.
Playing competitively: Temporal Forces. SV05 has a deeper roster for deck-building, more ex types across the Ancient and Future archetypes, and a larger card-legal pool for Standard format construction.
Completing a set: Shrouded Fable is faster to complete with fewer boxes. At 99 base cards versus 162, you will need fewer packs to finish every number in the set. Temporal Forces demands more packs and more SIR hunting to complete the full run.
Buying as a gift: Temporal Forces, for two reasons. The box art variants give the recipient a choice of mascot they prefer, and the wider card pool makes duplicate pulls less likely across multiple ETBs if the gift is part of a larger collecting run. See how Temporal Forces compares to the preceding Paradox Rift ETB if you want to understand how SV05 fits into the broader era.
FAQ
How many packs are in the Temporal Forces ETB?
Nine booster packs. The standard accessories are 65 sleeves, 45 basic energy cards, 6 damage-counter dice, 1 competition-legal coin die, 2 large-format reference cards, and a player's guide.
How many packs are in the Shrouded Fable ETB?
Also nine booster packs with the same accessory bundle. The Pokémon Center exclusive Shrouded Fable ETB added extra promo cards not found in the standard retail version.
Is Shrouded Fable a full set or a mini-set?
Shrouded Fable is a special mini-set of 99 base cards. Temporal Forces is a full main-series set at 162 base cards, making SV05 substantially larger. Both are independent, numbered Scarlet & Violet sets.
Which ETB gives better card variety across multiple boxes?
Temporal Forces, because its 162-card pool is 63 cards deeper than Shrouded Fable. Nine packs drawn from the larger pool will produce fewer duplicates if you buy more than one box. Shrouded Fable is more efficient if your only target is completing its specific 99-card set.
Are these ETBs still available at MSRP?
Both sets moved to secondary market pricing after their retail runs. Original MSRP was $49.99 for both standard ETBs at launch. Current aftermarket prices are above that for all listings observed on DexHaul, an independent, unofficial Pokémon search engine not affiliated with The Pokémon Company.
Browse current ETB listings for both sets, compare sellers, and find in-stock options at the DexHaul elite trainer box collection. For more SV-era ETB comparisons, see Temporal Forces vs Twilight Masquerade and Paldean Fates ETB vs Temporal Forces.
Catch 'em all
More Temporal Forces and Shrouded Fable products from independent shops.