Valiant Smashers Is a Solid Set to Cap Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG's 25th Anniversary

Valiant Smashers isn't the perfect end to 2023, but it's still a decent set.

By Tyler Fischer

The Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG 25th anniversary is coming to an end, and what a great year it's been. As you would expect from a milestone anniversary, it has been brimming with nostalgia thanks to reprints of classic childhood sets. It has been more than just a nostalgic trip down memory lane though. Konami also released some great new sets, complete with some great new archetypes. Any given year, this is all you can really ask for as a fan, but Konami completed the hattrick by finally releasing a TCG rarity collection, something TCG fans have been asking it do for years. Again, it's been a great year for the Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG, and Konami has capped this great year with the final set of the year, Valiant Smashers. 

Right now, you can buy a booster box of Valiant Smashers for just $54. Clearly, it's not very popular, but at that price it's a steal. While Collector's Rare sets are not everyone's favorite, there's plenty of value in Valiant Smashers. It's not the best set of 2023, but it's not the worst set of the year either, and we certainly had fun opening it. 

What's in the Box?

  • 24 Packs Per Box
  • 7 Cards Per $4.49 Pack -- Each pack contains one foil card and six Rares. 
  • 60 Cards -- 35 Rares, 15 Super Rares, and 10 Ultra Rares. 15 of these 60 cards are also available in Collector's Rares, while 3 cards in the set are available in Quarter Century Secret Rares. 
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A Solid Set to Open

The biggest thing working against Valiant Smashers is the timing of its release. It comes right after Rarity Collection, one of the best Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG releases arguably ever. Rarity Collection should have capped the year, with Valiant Smashers coming before it. If Konami had done this, many would probably view it differently, but after the foil extravaganza of Rarity Collection, the lack of foils in Valiant Smashers, the lack of excitement, is noticeable. 

In terms of value, Valiant Smashers doesn't pack a ton of value, but considering you can open 24 packs for $54, it doesn't have to for you to make some money back. The problem is most of this value -- which includes three cards over $100 -- are in the CR and Quarter Century Secret Rares rarity, which don't have forgiving pull rates. In fact, you're not guaranteed to pull any Collector's Rare or Quarter Century Secret Rare even when opening an entire box. Rather, it seems CRs are roughly pulled at a rate of one in every three boxes, while QCSRs are one in every four boxes. Making the matter worse, many of CRs aren't that great or desirable to begin with. What's nice though is that Konami balances this by adding QCSRs to the mix, an appreciable touch previous CR boxes could have used. Included in this is a QCSR printing of Archlord Kristya, which is a great pick by Konami. 

The highlight of the set are the new archtypes introduced: Centur-Ion, Memento, and Vaalmonica. How much these archetypes will establish themself in the meta, only time will tell, but Memento, in particular, is a very interesting new archtype. Its strategy involves destroying your own monsters, creating chains in the process, and filling up your own graveyard to make way for your most powerful cards. This isn't new or the interesting part. What's interesting about Memento is how it utilizes various reprints in the set and breathes new life into dead, forgotten classics. 

Who Is it For?

This is a deck building set. There are some good reprints, including some cards that will come in handy for many players, but the big appeal here are the new archtypes. As a result, this set is primarily going to interest active players of the game rather than collectors or passive, nostalgic fans. If you're looking for a trip down memory lane, there are better 2023 releases to scratch that itch. If you're chasing high rarities or building your collection, there are also better 2023 releases. However, Valiant Smashers is a solid set for active players, though the CR selection and pull rate makes it a little hard to justify buying a whole booster set. You're probably better off buying single packs, though at $54 you really can't go too wrong with a booster set either. 

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