Pokémon TCG 30th First Partner Illustration Promos: Full List

To celebrate 30 years of the Pokémon Trading Card Game, The Pokémon Company is giving all 27 starter Pokémon their own brand-new Illustration Rare promo cards — the First Partner Illustration Collections. They're some of the most nostalgia-loaded cards of the entire anniversary, and they're rolling out across three waves through 2026.

Here's everything you need to know, every starter included, and when to grab them.

What are the First Partner Illustration Collections?

Each series is a small box, and inside you get:

• A promo pack with 3 of the 9 Illustration Rare promo cards for that series — chosen at random across all three of the series' regions (you don't pick which you get)
• Two Pokémon TCG booster packs from recent Scarlet & Violet expansions
• A sticker sheet featuring the first partner Pokémon

The MSRP is around $14.99 per box. Because the three promos in each box are random, completing all nine cards in a series takes roughly four to five boxes (or trading your duplicates). They're sold separately from, but themed to match, the main 30th Celebration set.

The Kanto trio that started it all

The headline promos are the original three. Bulbasaur (37), Charmander (38), and Squirtle (39) don't just share a theme — their artwork connects into a single panoramic scene when you line all three up. It's a love letter to Red and Blue, and it's the chase of the whole First Partner lineup.

Demand has matched the hype: the Kanto starters have been changing hands on the secondary market for more than the price of an entire box — each — making them the most sought-after promos of the set so far.

Sinnoh and Alola complete Series 1

Series 1 doesn't stop at Kanto. The same wave brings the Sinnoh trio — Turtwig, Chimchar, and Piplup — and the Alola trio — Rowlet, Litten, and Popplio — each with its own brand-new illustration packed with region-specific nods (Professor Rowan's briefcase makes an appearance behind the Sinnoh starters).

Series 2: Johto, Unova & Galar (June 19)

The second wave covers Generations II, V, and VIII — Chikorita, Cyndaquil, and Totodile, the Snivy, Tepig, and Oshawott trio, and Galar's Grookey, Scorbunny, and Sobble.

Series 3: Hoenn, Kalos & Paldea (August 7)

The final wave rounds out the collection with Generations III, VI, and IX — Hoenn's Treecko, Torchic, and Mudkip, Kalos's Chespin, Fennekin, and Froakie, and Paldea's Sprigatito, Fuecoco, and Quaxly.

Every First Partner promo and release date

All 27 starters are split into three series of nine (three regions each):

That's every main-series starter from Generation I through Generation IX — a complete, nine-region First Partner run.

Why collectors care

These hit a sweet spot that the wider 30th Celebration set doesn't always reach. Where the new Futuristic Rares split opinion with their bold, modern look, the First Partner promos lean all the way into classic, warm illustration art of the Pokémon collectors grew up choosing first. For a lot of people, your "first partner" is the most personal Pokémon there is — and a card that celebrates it is an easy yes.

The packaging helps too: bundling two booster packs and a sticker sheet with the promos makes each box feel like a complete little gift, which is exactly why they've moved fast at retail.

Should you buy them?

If a specific starter is your starter, a box is a fun pickup at $14.99 — just go in knowing the three promos are random. If you're buying to flip, the Kanto trio is where the money has been, but remember that promo values often cool off as supply catches up, so don't overpay in the launch-week frenzy.

A few tips:

1. The promos are random — you can't pick. Each box gives 3 of the series' 9 cards at random, so completing a full series takes around four to five boxes (or trading duplicates).
2. Chasing one specific card? Buy the single. Once a series has been out a while, the individual card you want is often cheaper than ripping boxes hoping to pull it.
3. Watch secondary prices before paying a premium, especially in launch week when sealed boxes spike.
4. Funding your anniversary haul? If you've got older cards to move, our guide to selling Pokémon cards walks through how to get the most for them.

For the full picture of the anniversary, see our breakdown of the main set in Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration: release date, cards & new rarity. We'll keep this page updated as Series 2 and 3 hit shelves and secondary-market prices settle.