Cynthia’s Roselia and Roserade are the next variants in the evolution line that will be coming to the TCG in the Pokémon Scarlet & Violet: Destined Rivals set, with three new cards being released. Roselia will have two new variants coming in the forms of the Normal and Reverse Holofoil versions of Cynthia’s Roselia. Roserade will have three new variants coming to the TCG in the forms of a Normal, Reverse Holofoil, and an Illustration Rare version of Cynthia’s Roserade.
Let’s take a look at my thoughts on the artwork for these three cards:
Cynthia’s Roserade – 184/182 (IR)
Cynthia’s Roserade Illustration Rare is the first Ultra Rare card we are going to have of Roserade since the Lost Origin set in the Trainer Gallery. That card, however, did not feature Cynthia. The last Roserade card that featured Cynthia was in the Pokémon Platinum: Supreme Victors set.
The artwork of this Illustration Rare features Roserade seemingly on the side of a cliff with a blue, frozen land below. Roserade stands by its leader, Cynthia, as they both possess a powerful stance. It is a bit hard to make out exactly what is going on, and it appears that there is some sort of blurred city far in the background.
Because of the difficulty in fully capturing the detail in the card, I am not a huge fan of the artwork, and I think it is on par aesthetically with the Trainer Gallery version from Lost Origin.
SMS Cardz Rating: 4.8/10
Cynthia’s Roserade – 008/182
Cynthia’s Roserade also has a Stage 1 Rare version coming out in Destined Rivals. It has not been long since we last saw Roserade featured in a set, with its last appearance being in the SV: Temporal Forces set back in March 2024. This will also make for the 30th–32nd variants released for Roserade since its release in Diamond and Pearl.
This card, in my opinion, is unspectacular. Cynthia’s Roserade is posed in front of what appears to be a decorated marble/concrete wall and is seemingly twirling with a green swirl surrounding it. The swirls around it look like they may be leaves, but it is unclear exactly.
This card has more of an action emphasis compared to its previous releases, where many had a stronger focus on roses in the artwork. Roserade’s most expensive card currently comes from Dragons Exalted and features the Pokémon standing over a towering city, an artwork with elegant detail.
This card comes out just average to me, with nothing aesthetically appealing or necessarily bad.
SMS Cardz Rating: 4.6/10
Cynthia’s Roselia – 007/182
Cynthia’s Roselia is the third card in the evolution line being released in the Destined Rivals set. Again, this is the first time we have seen Roselia since the Temporal Forces set. This set will comprise the 32nd–33rd variants of Roselia being released in the Pokémon TCG and will be the first time seeing Roselia featured with a Trainer in the game.
The artwork on the card, while not spectacular, is quite good in my opinion. Cynthia’s Roselia stands smugly in an icy field. Roselia also has what looks like a sandstone temple/structure behind it that is being overtaken by the large root system of a tree. The icy setting is reminiscent of Roselia’s past release in Secret Wonders, where it was set in an icy forest.
I like the way that the small details allow Roselia to shine, and I think a Roselia collector will be happy to add this card and the Reverse Holo to their collection.
SMS Cardz Rating: 7.1/10
*Please note that the ratings given in this article are for entertainment purposes only. They are highly dependent on my current mood and taste while writing the specific article and ratings will very likely contradict one another.
*This post is not sponsored or endorsed by The Pokémon Company, Nintendo, Game Freak, or any affiliated entities. All opinions expressed are my own and are based on personal analysis and experience. The SMS Cardz Ratings are subjective and intended for entertainment and informational purposes only.
