Obsidian Flames: Top 5 Chase Cards
Obsidian Flames is the Charizard set of the Scarlet & Violet era. Here are the five most valuable chase cards from the August 2023 release, led by the iconic black Tera Charizard ex.
Obsidian Flames: Top 5 Chase Cards
Released in August 2023, Obsidian Flames has a simple headline: it's the Charizard set. The star of this release is a type-changed, Tera-form Charizard in dramatic obsidian black — a visual departure that immediately made it one of the most wanted Charizard cards in years. As always with Charizard, the market responded accordingly.
Here are the five cards collectors are chasing in Obsidian Flames.
1. Charizard ex — Special Illustration Rare (~$127)
The unquestioned centrepiece of Obsidian Flames. The Charizard ex SIR depicts the Kanto starter in its Tera form — transformed from its classic orange-red into a striking matte black, bursting through cracked obsidian with wings spread. The dark colour scheme is a radical departure from every previous Charizard card, and it became an instant collector icon.
Charizard cards reliably command a premium that no other Pokemon can match, and this SIR sits firmly at the top of the set's value hierarchy. If you pull this from a pack, you've got the hit of the set.
2. Charizard ex — Hyper Rare (~$26)
Where Charizard goes, collectors follow — and that includes the gold treatment. The Charizard ex Hyper Rare features the same dark Tera-form Charizard in an all-gold card design, and it's the natural complement to the SIR for collectors building out their Charizard collections. Many collectors won't consider a set "done" without both versions of key cards.
3. Ninetales — Illustration Rare (~$26)
The Ninetales Illustration Rare is one of the quieter gems of Obsidian Flames. The artwork depicts Ninetales moving through an autumnal golden forest in soft, warm light — a peaceful scene that contrasts beautifully with the set's dark, volcanic theme. Ninetales has a dedicated collector following and consistently performs well in Illustration Rare form.
4. Cleffa — Illustration Rare (~$17)
The Cleffa IR is a charming artwork of the baby Pokemon under a moonlit, starry sky reflected in still water below — a soft, dreamy composition that earned it a strong cult following among collectors who gravitate towards the more peaceful end of the SV artwork spectrum. Baby Pokemon with quality artwork often outperform expectations.
5. Pidgeot ex — Special Illustration Rare (~$13)
Pidgeot ex earned its place in the top 5 through a combination of factors: it was a genuinely useful competitive card (featured in search-engine style engine decks through 2023–2024) and its SIR artwork is dynamic and striking. Competitive demand rarely hurts a chase card's price, and Pidgeot ex benefited from both sides.
The Charizard Effect
Obsidian Flames is a case study in how Charizard's presence shapes a set's entire value profile. The gap between the Charizard ex SIR (~$127) and the third-place card (~$26) is enormous — and it's not because the rest of the set is weak, but because Charizard pulls the ceiling so much higher than almost any other Pokemon can.
For collectors building toward the full set, it's worth noting that the SIR and Hyper Rare are two distinct cards — both featuring Charizard ex, but with different treatments. Most serious Charizard collectors will want both.
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