The Pokémon TCG has never been more fun to collect than it is right now. While vintage cards remain hot commodities, the modern advent of full-art cards means the colorful, beautiful artwork found on Pokémon cards has more room to breathe, and it allows for more creative expression from the world-renowned artists that populate the cards’ illustrations.
Despite a plethora of full-art Illustration Rares printed over the past decade or so, representing well over 60 percent of the entire Pokédex, there remain a number of ‘mon that have never been granted a full-art spotlight all their own. Let’s take a look at the 10 Pokémon that need Illustration Rares next, with each one’s most valuable printing also listed.
These Pokémon deserve to get the Illustration Rare treatment next
- First TCG Appearance: Base Set
- Unique Printings: 28
- Most Valuable Printing: Legendary Collection 84/110, Reverse Holo
- Market Price: $115.00
If you’ve been with the Pokémon franchise since the beginning, you’re likely intimately familiar with the Rock Snake Pokémon, Onix. Not only was Onix the main companion of Pewter City Gym Leader Brock, one of the main protagonists from the Pokémon: Indigo League anime, but the high-defense rock-type ‘mon was also found in the very first Pokémon TCG set: Base Set.
Onix has the highest number of unique printings in the game without a full-art card at a whopping 28, so long as you’re not counting the Onix GX from Hidden Fates (we’re not). It’s high time this notable ‘mon gets its due with an Illustration Rare very soon.
- First TCG Appearance: Base Set
- Unique Printings: 17
- Most Valuable Printing: Base Set 7/102, 1st Edition Holo
- Market Price: $302.17
- First TCG Appearance: Fossil
- Unique Printings: 12
- Most Valuable Printing: Legendary Collection 13/110, Reverse Holo
- Market Price: $196.97
A beloved duo from Generation One, these dueling fighting-types have been featured on nearly 30 unique cards between them, with nary an Illustration Rare in sight.
Hitmonchan, in particular, was the anchor of one of the TCG's strongest early decks, Haymaker. Both Pokémon are crying out for some kind of interconnected artwork on two distinct full-art cards, similar to Perrin and Hisuian Growlithe from Twilight Masquerade, among others.
Beyond that, if Tag Team cards ever return to the TCG, a Hitmonchan-plus-Hitmonlee team-up sounds like a slam-dunk idea for a dope Illustration Rare. Sigh; a genwunner can dream.
- First TCG Appearance: Fossil
- Unique Printings: 12
- Most Valuable Printing: Expedition 15/165, Holo
- Market Price: $52.72
A notable theme on this list is that myriad Generation One ‘mon have not gotten their due with full-art cards of any stripe across the Pokémon TCG’s 30-plus years. Another Gen One ‘mon in that category is Krabby’s evolution, Kingler. It’s shocking to learn that Magic: The Gathering produced multiple cards featuring Mr. Krabs from SpongeBob SquarePants before Pokémon printed a full-art Kingler. To quote that money-grubbing mogul from the Krusty Krab: "What the devil fish is going on out here?"
- First TCG Appearance: Mysterious Treasures
- Unique Printings: 9
- Most Valuable Printing: Azelf LV. X, Legends Awakened 140/146, Holo
- Market Price: $101.26
Almost all notable Legendary Pokémon have received some sort of full-art treatment over the years, except for one of the best competitive ‘mon of its era in the video games: the Lake Trio’s Azelf, which debuted way back in Generation Four. Admittedly, its fellow Lake Guardian Mesprit got an Illustration Rare in 2024’s Surging Sparks, but both Uxie and Azelf remain IR-less… for now.
- First TCG Appearance: Hidden Legends
- Unique Printings: 12
- Most Valuable Printing: Crystal Guardians 92/100, Holo
- Market Price: $55.98
Exploud, an underserved normal-type that specializes in sound-based attacks, has seen a number of notable Pokémon TCG cards printed over the years since it debuted way back in 2004’s Hidden Legends.
In particular, its first printing made Exploud one of an extremely minuscule number of cards with four total attacks. Notably, another Exploud card, this time from 2005’s Emerald expansion, is another. Why not give the Loud Noise Pokémon some love, The Pokémon Company?
- First TCG Appearance: Fossil
- Unique Printings: 24
- Most Valuable Printing: Legendary Collection 43/110, Reverse Holo
- Market Price: $99.95
Another severely underserved Generation One water-type ‘mon, Golduck’s neglect in the TCG stands in stark contrast to its pre-evolution Psyduck, which has received a number of notable full-arts and Illustration Rares over the years, including two that released within a few months of each other: Misty’s Psyduck (#193) from Journey Together and the REND-illustrated IR Psyduck from Ascended Heroes (#226). Zilch for Golduck, however, who is arguably the cooler ‘mon overall (subjective, I know).
- First TCG Appearance: Neo Discovery
- Unique Printings: 15
- Most Valuable Printing: Neo Discovery 15/75, 1st Edition Holo
- Market Price: $70.94
The original final evolution of one of the cutest Pokémon ever, Teddiursa, has been supplanted in recent years by the terrifyingly powerful Ursaluna, both in terms of in-game competitive viability and number of Illustration Rares.
In particular, the Bloodmoon Ursaluna variant has received two striking IRs from Twilight Masquerade and Prismatic Evolutions, while Ursaring has to settle for vintage holos, which are admittedly pretty sweet, especially its debut card from Neo Discovery.
- First TCG Appearance: XY
- Unique Printings: 10
- Most Valuable Printing: Perfect Order 65/095, Reverse Holo
- Market Price: $1.37
Diggersby may have fewer unique cards than most of the old-timers on this list, but Bunnelby’s evolution still feels weirdly overdue for an Illustration Rare. Since debuting in XY, the Digging Pokémon has reached 10 unique printings without ever receiving a true spotlight card, with its most valuable card appearing to be the Perfect Order Reverse Holo, which is not exactly sending anyone to early retirement.
And come on, Diggersby is practically built for this treatment. It has giant construction-worker ears, peak “regional route Pokémon that quietly rules” energy, and enough lovable dirtbag charm to carry a full-art scene by itself with ease. Give us Diggersby tearing up a Lumiose street, blocking traffic, or looking like it just finished a 12-hour shift underground and still has to fight a teenager’s Greninja, thank you very much.
- First TCG Appearance: Fossil
- Unique Printings: 14
- Most Valuable Printing: Aquapolis H26/H32, Holo
- Market Price: $121.13
Yet another Gen One water-type that has been underserved despite over 30 years’ worth of cards, Tentacruel has still yet to receive an Illustration Rare despite being one of the premier special defense sponges across Pokémon video game history. Also, the fact that the reskinned Toedscruel from Generation Nine received an IR in Paradox Rift (#185) before the OG Tentacruel is a slap in the face to old-school Pokémon heads like myself. The current most valuable version does hail from one of the most valuable Pokémon TCG sets of all time.
New IRs and SIRs, Yes Sir!
Some Pokémon are overdue for an Illustration Rare because they are beloved, while others deserve full-art focus because they are strange, stubborn, historically important, or have simply been populating cards in the TCG for decades without anyone handing them a proper spotlight. That is the beauty of the IR era. It can make a star out of a legend, a route-one nuisance, a forgotten middle evolution, or a freakish rabbit with demolition-site ears. The Pokémon TCG has the canvas. Now it just needs to use it a little more recklessly.
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