Evolving Skies was released on 27 August 2021, in the Sword & Shield series.
Evolving Skies release date
Evolving Skies launched on 27 August 2021 as a Sword & Shield-series expansion. It carries 203 main-set cards, or 237 counting its 34 secret rares — the #3 largest set Nomekop tracks by printed count, with 0 Illustration and Special Illustration Rares in the pool and marquee Pokémon like Umbreon, Rayquaza, Dragonite, Leafeon and Sylveon.
What the 2021 set brought
The standout cards that arrived with Evolving Skies:
- Umbreon VMAX (#215) — Rare Rainbow (~$2,270.18)
- Rayquaza VMAX (#218) — Rare Rainbow (~$1,047.06)
- Dragonite V (#192) — Rare Ultra (~$506.45)
- Rayquaza V (#194) — Rare Ultra (~$447.29)
- Leafeon VMAX (#205) — Rare Rainbow (~$393.63)
Its top card on the secondary market is Umbreon VMAX (#215), around $2,270.18.
Star Pokémon from the Evolving Skies release
The marquee Pokémon that debuted (or returned) in Evolving Skies, with their prints:
- Umbreon — Umbreon V (#188), Umbreon V (#189), Umbreon VMAX (#214), Umbreon VMAX (#215)
- Rayquaza — Rayquaza V (#193), Rayquaza V (#194), Rayquaza VMAX (#217), Rayquaza VMAX (#218)
- Dragonite — Dragonite V (#191), Dragonite V (#192)
- Leafeon — Leafeon V (#166), Leafeon V (#167), Leafeon VMAX (#204), Leafeon VMAX (#205)
- Sylveon — Sylveon V (#183), Sylveon V (#184), Sylveon VMAX (#211), Sylveon VMAX (#212)
Where Evolving Skies sits in the lineup
Among the sets Nomekop tracks, Evolving Skies is the #3 largest set Nomekop tracks. A full master set of it runs to 369 cards including 132 reverse holos, so the 27 August 2021 release still gives collectors plenty to chase well after launch day — whether you're after the 203-card base set or every print.
Figures from the pokemontcg.io dataset, as of June 2026.