Gem Pack Vol. 4 - Set information

Set Overview

The Set That Got It Right

Gem Pack Vol. 4 is the fourth and most recent release in the Simplified Chinese exclusive Gem Pack series, arriving in February 2026 themed around the Year of the Horse. It doesn't announce its improvements — there's no marketing language about what changed. But once you understand the structural problems that Vol. 3 left unresolved, Vol. 4 reads as a deliberate, considered response to every one of them. This is the set where the Gem Pack format clicks into place.

At 196 cards across 18 packs per box, it's the largest set in the series to date. The 18-pack format first introduced in Vol. 3 carries forward here — a step up from the 15 packs per box that Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 shipped with. The all-holographic format and symbol-based rarity system remain unchanged. What's different is what happens at the top of the rarity ladder — and that difference is significant enough to reshape how the entire set feels to open and collect.

What Changed

Two Fixes That Matter

The first fix is the 07 slot. In Vol. 3, the top position of each Pokémon's foil ladder could be either a standard EX or a full art — it varied by line, and some lines simply peaked lower than others. Vol. 4 standardises this entirely: every 07 card is a full art. No inconsistency, no lines that top out at a lesser treatment. The result is a ★★★ tier built exclusively around character and Pokémon full arts — 28 of them across the set. That's a deep, focused premium pool where every triple-star pull is a genuine payoff card.

The second fix addresses the Energy dilution problem. Vol. 3 placed Energy variants in the ★★★ tier, meaning some of the highest-rarity pulls weren't Pokémon at all. Vol. 4 removes them entirely from triple-star. Every ★★★ card is now a full art illustration — no Energies diluting the pool, no filler occupying the slots collectors care about most. Taken together, these two changes transform the top-end collecting experience from something structurally uneven into something tight, rewarding, and clean.

Standout Artwork

The Deerling and Sawsbuck Diptych

Vol. 4's most distinctive design choice is the paired full art artwork of Deerling (1707) and Sawsbuck (1807). These two cards are illustrated as matching pieces — designed to sit side by side as a single continuous scene. Displayed together, they form one of the most striking presentation moments the Gem Pack series has produced. It's a deliberate aesthetic decision that signals something about where the series is heading: not just individual chase cards, but cards designed to exist in relationship to each other. For collectors who display their pulls, the diptych is a genuine centrepiece.

The set also includes one exclusive card not found elsewhere: a Ponyta Art Rare (0107) illustrated by MINAMINAMI Take. It's a quiet inclusion — there's no fanfare around it — but for completionists tracking the Gem Pack series, it's a card that only exists in this set.

What Collectors Should Know

Where Vol. 4 Sits in the Series

The Gem Pack series has followed a clear arc across four volumes. Vol. 1 introduced the format with 15 packs per box and a new rarity system. Vol. 2 experimented with V/VMAX mechanics and an overcrowded rarity structure, still at 15 packs. Vol. 3 expanded to 18 packs per box, tightened the aesthetic with its nocturnal theme, and introduced EX cards — but left the 07 slot inconsistent and the ★★★ tier diluted with Energies. Vol. 4 keeps the 18-pack format, fixes both structural issues, and delivers the most focused premium pool in the series. If you're entering the Gem Pack series for the first time, this is the cleanest starting point. If you've been collecting since Vol. 1, this is the set that validates the format's trajectory.

Vol. 4 is the most deliberate set in the Gem Pack series to date. Standardised full arts at ★★★, no Energy dilution, the paired Deerling and Sawsbuck artwork, and a concentrated premium pool of 28 full arts — it's a release where every design decision feels intentional. For a series that started as an interesting regional curiosity, that's a meaningful place to have arrived.