Fates Collide

What Fates Collide is

Fates Collide is the tenth main expansion of the XY Series, released in English on May 2, 2016 under the set code FCO. It has 124 cards in the numbered set plus 1 secret rare, 125 in total, and comes from the Japanese Awakening Psychic King, the third expansion of the XY BREAK era, released on March 18, 2016 with 88 cards. The set is based on Pokémon X and Y and features the Psi Pokémon Alakazam and the Order Pokémon Zygarde in its three Formes, alongside Generation VI Pokémon, Pokémon-EX, M Pokémon-EX and Pokémon BREAK.

M Alakazam-EX is the mascot, joined by Zygarde-EX, Umbreon-EX, M Altaria-EX and Lugia BREAK. The set holds 13 Pokémon-EX, 5 Pokémon BREAK, 9 full art ultra rares from 116 to 124 covering eight Pokémon-EX and the Supporter Team Rocket's Handiwork, and a single secret rare, the Alakazam-EX at 125 that leads the market.

Four cards also exist in alternate art versions with an a suffix: Regirock-EX 43a, Zygarde-EX 54a, N 105a and Shauna 111a, which came from the Premium Trainer's XY Collection and the Mega Powers Collection rather than packs.

What makes Fates Collide different

• One secret rare Fates Collide has a single secret rare, the Alakazam-EX at 125, which sits above the full art ultra rares and is the most valuable card in the set by a clear margin.
• Zygarde in three Formes The Order Pokémon appears in all three of its Formes, with Zygarde-EX in the set and the Complete Forme on the booster pack art and the 9-Pocket Portfolio.
• The first Prerelease Kits Fates Collide introduced Prerelease Kits, replacing the old six pack format with four booster packs, a sealed 23 card Prerelease pack built around one of four stamped promos and a tip sheet. Prereleases ran on April 23 and 24 and April 30 and May 1, 2016.
• The a suffix alternate arts Regirock-EX 43a, Zygarde-EX 54a, N 105a and Shauna 111a are alternate art versions from the Premium Trainer's XY Collection and Mega Powers Collection, and the N and Shauna cards trade well above most of the set's pack pulled cards.
• Umbreon and Lugia The full art Umbreon-EX 119 is second only to the secret rare, and the Cracked Ice Holofoil Lugia 78 from the Sky Guardian Theme Deck is one of the most valuable Theme Deck exclusives of the XY era.

How Fates Collide arrived

Fates Collide released in English on May 2, 2016, ten weeks after the Generations special set on February 22, 2016 and three months before Steam Siege on August 3, 2016. In Japan, Awakening Psychic King released on March 18, 2016, following Rage of the Broken Heavens and preceding the Fever-Burst Fighter and Cruel Traitor pair that became Steam Siege.

The launch brought the Battle Ruler and Sky Guardian Theme Decks, Zygarde's Fighting and Grass deck and Lugia's Fire and Fairy deck, each with a Cracked Ice Holofoil print of its featured Pokémon. Single pack blisters carried Pansear or Gastly promos and three pack blisters Vivillon or Froakie. The Elite Trainer Box featured Mega Alakazam with eight packs, 65 sleeves and 45 basic Energy cards, and two portfolios used the four booster pack artworks.

The Prerelease Kits were the lasting change. Four Fates Collide packs, a 23 card Prerelease pack and one of four alternate art promos stamped with the set logo, Moltres, White Kyurem, Zygarde or Tyranitar, became the format every later prerelease used. Three card Mini Packs followed at Dollar Tree stores from mid June 2016.

Fates Collide products

Fates Collide was sold in booster packs, booster boxes, blisters, two Theme Decks, the Mega Alakazam Elite Trainer Box and the new Prerelease Kits. The sealed table above tracks the products still trading today.

Collecting and grading Fates Collide

The secret rare Alakazam-EX 125 leads the set, with the full art Umbreon-EX 119 behind it and the Cracked Ice Holofoil Lugia 78 from the Sky Guardian deck third. The alternate art N 105a, Regirock-EX 43a and Shauna 111a follow, then the regular Umbreon-EX 55 and the full art M Alakazam-EX 118, Alakazam-EX 117, Altaria-EX 123 and Glaceon-EX 116. The live chase list above ranks every tracked card by PSA 10 value.

XY era full arts and the textured secret rare show edge whitening and surface scratches easily, so PSA 10 copies of Alakazam-EX 125 and Umbreon-EX 119 carry a wide premium over PSA 9. The Theme Deck Lugia and the Cosmos Holofoil Tyranitar 56 and Lucario 63 from later collection boxes are low print variants that grade far above their raw prices.

Sealed Fates Collide is a mid priced XY era box, and the sealed table above tracks what boxes, packs, blisters, Elite Trainer Boxes and Prerelease Kits trade for today.