One of the most notable designs of the Sun & Moon era of thePokemon TCGis the Rainbow Secret Rare, a polychromatic re-color of a card that adds a rainbow shimmer. While some ofthe best cards from the Sun & Moon eraare Rainbow Secret Rares, the style is an aggressive overhaul that can alter the feel of a card.
While you’ll find some high-end Rainbow Secret Rares littered throughoutthe best Sun & Moon sets, Forbidden Light leans heavily into this polarizing design with a collection of expensive Secret Rares. Enjoy a collection of characters from Alola, Sinnoh, and Kalos in Forbidden Light.
Cards are ordered according to theirTCGPlayermarket prices, which are subject to change.
10Yveltal GX (Secret Rare) – $18.76
The Start Of A Legendary Battle
Yveltal begins the parade of legendary Pokemon who receive Rainbow Secret Rare recolors in Forbidden Light, as this legendary Pokemon from Kalos comes searching for Xerneas, its eternal rival. While the color-swap redesign divides opinions, Pokemon with simple color schemes typically fit the recolor much better.
Regardless of which side of the Rainbow Secret Rare fence you’re on, thisYveltal continues to climb the price charts,soaring up from lows of about $15 to push the $18 barrier as it makes its way back up toward the 20s where the other top cards in Forbidden Light sit.
9Greninja GX (Full Art) – $22.61
A Beautiful Burst Of Blue
The Greninja GX full-art feels like it comes from a completely different set, as the blue background and standard color palette contrast the constant barrage of rainbows shimmering across the surface. Greninja’s features feel vibrant and distinct despite the blue-on-blue.
Greninja’s rise is unprecedented, as it continues its journey up the charts,jumping from about a $17 card to its current value, approaching $23.It has plenty of momentum to take it back up to its highs and beyond, putting plenty of pressure on the parade of legendary Pokemon to come.
8Palkia GX (Secret Rare) – $23.66
Roaring Up The Charts
Palkia is the next legendary Rainbow Secret Rare to rear its intimidating head up at the competition. This Water and Dragon-type legendary Pokemon from Sinnoh puts up a good fight against some Alolan powerhouses but comes up a bit short in the head-to-head value battles.
While it has fallen off from its $28 high, Palkia still sits at a relatively respectable value, clutching to its current spot, as competition comes knocking on the door. Palkia needs to see a rebound from its downward slide, as the margins get slimmer.
7Ultra Necrozma GX (Secret Rare) – $27.61
An Unexpected Ultra Beast
Ultra Necrozma is one of the few characters who are native to Alola, among the most expensive cards in Forbidden Light, as this Ultra Beast boasts a unique stamp and GX background color.
Ultra Necrozma is much more difficult to find in pristine condition, with fewer listings and sales than many of the other Forbidden Light cards. It continues to displaya strong base at $20, as it bounced up into the high 20simmediately after flirting with its former floor.
6Xerneas GX (Secret Rare) – $29.50
A Fitting Rainbow Secret Rare
If there’s one Pokemon in Forbidden Light who not only deserves but needs a rainbow recolor, it’sXerneas, as the Life Pokemon already boasts rainbow coloring on its antlers.
As a fitting choice for the design, Xerneas GX has seen more attention over time, as it continues to grow from itsprevious value of $18, now approaching the $30 markas it aims to double in value soon. While the future may have other ideas for this card, Xerneas shows signs of support at this price range.
5Dialga GX (Secret Rare) – $31.05
The Legendary Leader
Dialga GX breaks barriers as the first Pokemon to eclipse the $30 mark thus far in Forbidden Light, although it’s no stranger to the $30+ range. Dialga has fallen off a bit from itsprevious high of about $33,but the slight dip doesn’t seem to be hitting this legendary Pokemon as hard as others.
Dialga’s primarily blue color palette still shines through the rainbow shimmer, giving it excellent eye appeal to complement the striking pose. While it settles for a fifth-place finish, Dialga claims the crown forthe most valuable legendary Pokemon in Forbidden Light.
4Diantha (Full Art) – $35.04
Elegance Personified
Only the second full-art to break into Forbidden Light’s most expensive cards, this Diantha is an example ofa valuable full-art Trainer cardthat boasts enough popularity to hang with some incredible Pokemon. As the only Trainer to make her mark, Diantha stands out from the Rainbow Secret Rare bonanza,breaking things up with her pink and white palette.
Diantha continues to cling toa solid value of around $35,though her current price point is noticeably lower than herrecent $41 high.Diantha deserves the attention she gets in Forbidden Light and might make a run at the top spots, given she’s carrying the Trainer crown to possibly increase her price.
3Energy Recycler (Secret Rare) – $45.69
A Break From The Rainbow
While full-art Trainer cards like Diantha’s have ruled overvaluable Sun & Moon sets like Ultra Prism, it’s time to give this Trainer Item card our full attention. The Energy Recycler Gold Secret Rare bucks the trends in Forbidden Light, making a name for itself asthe sole Gold Secret Rare among an ocean of rainbowversions.
The art includes all energy types, which gives this card an unusually broad appeal, explaining its high price tag.
While its collapse from the $80 plateau is a significant drop-off in its value, Energy Recycler remains among the most valuable cards in Forbidden Light.
2Greninja GX (Secret Rare) – $51.05
Real GXs Move In Silence
While this Greninja can’t compare to the cost ofthe Twilight Masquerade Greninja ex from the Scarlet & Violet era, this Rainbow Secret Rare commands a respectable value. Greninja’s usual blue (or black when shiny) color palette is fairly muted, perfect for a stealthy frog, but this rainbow recolor ruins any chance of a quiet entrance for this ninja.
Despite some factors that you might suspect would hurt its value, this Greninja GX exceeds all other versions of this card by a wide margin and boasts an impressiveupward trend that began around the $45 mark.
1Lucario GX (Secret Rare) – $51.63
The Champ Is Here
Lucario leads the pack of Rainbow Secret Rare Pokemon, including an impressive group of legendaries, asthe most valuable Forbidden Light card.This Fighting-type favorite fends off a huge challenge fromGreninja, who would have claimed the top spotif it retained its previous high of $55.
While you may not expect a Pokemon that debuted in Sinnoh to capture the crown of a set that celebrates Alola, some of thebest sets in this era, like Burning Shadows, feature Rainbow Secret Rare Pokemon from other generations.
However, despite displaying a negative downward trend that opposes Greninja’s upward swing, Lucario still clings to the top, even after falling from its previous $77 high.
