Sword & Shield – Astral Radiance introduces a new kind of Pokémon card, namely Radiant Pokémon. Radiant Pokémon have their Shiny colors and they are Basic Pokémon, so you don't need to evolve them first. You can only have one Radiant Pokémon in your deck.

This set also introduces the new variant Pokémon from Pokémon Legends: Arceus. For example, there are cards of Hisuian Decidueye, Hisuian Typhlosion, Hisuian Samurott, Origin Forme Dialga and Origin Forme Palkia.

Also, Sword & Shield – Astral Radiance includes a Trainer Gallery subset of 30 cards. It celebrates popular Trainers from the series and their signature Pokémon.

The set contains in total:

• 3 Radiant Pokemon
• 8 Pokemon VSTAR
• 2 Pokemon VMAX
• 21 Pokemon V
• 20+ new Trainer cards