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Release date, card count, chase cards, value and how it compares with the Sword & Shield era.
S8b: VMAX Climax was released December 3, 2021.
S8b: VMAX Climax has 293 cards.
S8b: VMAX Climax is part of the Sword & Shield era.
Rayquaza VMAX, at $109.66, as of October 26, 2026.
Rayquaza VMAX and Pikachu VMAX set the tone for S8b: VMAX Climax, a Japanese Pokémon TCG expansion from the Sword & Shield era. It released on December 3, 2021 under set code S8b and catalogs 293 printings. Rather than introducing a new theme, it gathers VMAX Pokémon, with Duraludon VMAX, Ice Rider Calyrex VMAX, Pikachu VMAX, Rapid Strike Urshifu VMAX and Rayquaza VMAX each printed in three versions. That structure makes the card list a showcase for the era's biggest Pokémon, and the set is known mainly for how many of them appear at high rarity.
VMAX Climax is built almost entirely from chase-tier cards, 145 of them, spread across Character Super Rare, Character Rare, Double Rare, Super Rare, Triple Rare and Ultra Rare. The most valuable cards are Rayquaza VMAX and Pikachu VMAX at Character Super Rare, followed by Pikachu V, then Rayquaza VMAX again at Ultra Rare and Umbreon VMAX. Value is spread more evenly than in many sets, since the top five cards hold 28 percent of the set's total card value, so the chase runs deeper than a few headline pulls.
As of October 2026, S8b: VMAX Climax holds the 3rd highest total card value of the 30 comparable Sword & Shield sets, about 3.9 times the era median, and 25th across the 189 sets in the Japanese Pokémon TCG. Its single most valuable card ranks only 13th in the era, which shows the strength comes from depth, and it has the 2nd highest trading volume among its era peers. It followed S8a: 25th Anniversary Collection, which holds less total value, and came before S9: Star Birth, which also holds less.
Written from market data as of October 23, 2026; the tables update live.
| Measure | This setS8b: VMAX Climax | Median of 30 setsSword & Shield median | Previous setS8a: 25th Anniversary Collection | Next setS9: Star Birth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Release date | Dec 3, 2021 | — | Oct 22, 2021 | Jan 14, 2022 |
| Cards | 293 | 95 | 38 | 127 |
| Master set value | $1,489.96 | $384.56 | ≥ $269.63 | ≥ $509.34 |
| Most valuable card price | $109.66 | $102.50 | $158.94 | $204.44 |
| Priced cards | 293 of 293 | 93 | 37 of 38 | 126 of 127 |
A complete run of S8b means 293 printings, and all 293 are priced. Because the top five cards carry only 28 percent of the set's total value, the cost of finishing it is spread across many Character Super Rare and VMAX cards instead of resting on a few chases. The sealed line is small, a booster box and booster packs, so the set's cards come mostly through that single product family.