Pokemon card collectors dismiss Shrouded Fable as new chase card emerges

Pokemon’s Shrouded Fable special set might go down as the strangest of the Scarlet & Violet era. And that’s not just because of the dark, eerie vibe emanating from the artwork.

Two months after an August 2 release, for starters, TCGplayer’s market price charts show a dramatic dip by Shrouded Fable’s original chase. Special Illustration Rare Cassiopeia now ranks as the set’s third-most valuable card at a hair over $51 having initially traded well above $100.

Sharp drops are also typical once the FOMO factor of a new set wears off. But Cassiopeia plummeted 70% before settling near its current value in mid-September.

Collectors just might be turning their collective noses up at Shrouded Fable given Cassiopeia is hardly an outlier.

Shrouded Fable consists of only 99 cards — 64 in the main set and 35 secret rares. So of course these cards never figured to carry huge values, even though sealed products were limited to Elite Trainer Boxes, the Greninja/Kingdra/Kingambit collections, booster bundles and three-pack blisters.

In Cassiopeia’s place, two more playable cards have risen to hold the top spots. When’s the last time a star of the Trading Card Game took precedent over something sought after by collectors?

Hyper Rare Earthen Vessel is Shrouded Fable’s top chase at the moment with a $63 market value. Earthen Vessel allows players to, “Search your deck for up to 2 Basic Energy cards, reveal them, and put them into your hand. Then, shuffle your deck.”

SIR Fezandipiti, $58, is next in line. Players can’t get enough of this bird, which doesn’t require a specific type of energy to deliver a strong attack and carries special ability Flip the Script: “Once during your turn, if any of your Pokemon were Knocked Out during your opponent’s last turn, you may draw 3 cards. You can’t use more than 1 Flip the Script Ability each turn.”

There’s no Charizard or Pikachu or even something on the level of a Gardevoir to anchor Shrouded Fable. But even a flashy Illustration Rare card that figured to perform well is taking part in this set’s downward trend.

Persian, distinctly drawn looking down on a twinkling city, was a $39 card on release. It now trades for about $24.

Shrouded Fable appears to be getting a pass from collectors who might normally rip packs — at least after they pick up the popular Greninja and Kingdra promos.

As for Shrouded Fable’s longterm outlook, that mentality occasionally plays right into investors’ hands. This set won’t print long, and it will become rare. But once the top chases cycle out of the Trading Card Game, will anyone be left to want Shrouded Fable?