How do you get a chase action figure: singles or case packs?
By Britton Jewell · Last updated . Retailer examples checked .
Short answer: you can find a chase in a random order, buy one listed separately, or order a case that specifically includes it. Which route works depends on the figure and the listing. Some chases reach stores only through case assortments, but a store can then sell the chase on its own, sometimes for more than the regular figure. Buying several singles or a sealed case does not automatically guarantee a chase.
Who wrote this: Britton Jewell, a collectibles reseller who runs BuyHoldCollect. We sell sealed figures, including chases, and check case contents because the figure you want may come packed with regular versions. More about us.
What makes a figure a chase?
A chase is a less common release that the maker identifies as a chase. It may have different paint, clothing, a finish or an accessory. Check what actually changes before paying for one. Sometimes the difference is the packaging: Mattel's WWE Coliseum Collection Ted DiBiase and Ricky Steamboat two-pack offered black chase card versions in some orders. Mattel's product description.
The terms overlap. A variant is a different version; an exclusive is sold through a particular store or channel; a shortpack appears in smaller numbers than other figures in an assortment. Those labels alone do not make something a chase. An exclusive can also have a chase version, as Funko explains on its chance-of-chase page.
Three ways to buy a chase
| What you order | What the listing promises | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| A single with a chance of chase | You may receive the chase or the regular version | Whether you would still want the regular figure |
| A separately listed chase | The identified chase version | The description, photos, release and package condition |
| A case or bundle with stated chase contents | The listed assortment, subject to any stated changes | Exact quantities, which chase is included, and preorder qualifications |
Buying one identified chase may cost more per figure, but you only buy the figure you want. A case can include the chase plus several regular figures. Compare the whole order, including shipping, rather than just the price of one figure in the case.
A random single: the chase is a possibility
Mattel's WWE Elite Ricky Steamboat listing says orders are selected randomly and that its different-colorway chase cannot be requested or guaranteed. The product having a chase does not mean the order is for that chase. Mattel's listing.
This route makes sense if you want the regular version too and would enjoy getting the chase. If you only want the chase, check for a listing that identifies it as the item being sold.
A separately listed chase: you choose the version
BigBadToyStore lists some chases separately. On October 10, 2026, its Batman DC Multiverse Collector Edition Joker listings showed $34.99 for the regular figure and $49.99 for the chase. These are listed prices for those versions, before shipping and tax, with different availability. They show one retailer pricing an identified chase higher, not what every chase should cost.
Other stores do this too. Ringside Collectibles has a listing identifying the white-shirt chase of WWE Series 129 Roman Reigns, and ToyWiz lists a Captain Boomerang chase version. Check availability and the exact description when ordering.
A case pack: read the actual contents
A case pack is the assortment shipped to a store. A listing can name the chase and its quantity. On October 11, 2026, McFarlane's own store described its SportsPicks NFL Micah Parsons factory sealed case as including five regular figures and one Platinum Edition chase. That is a stated chase inclusion for that case. McFarlane's case listing.
The word "case" by itself does not tell you that. Nor does "six figures." Read the contents and any note that the assortment may change. A case for one character can still contain regular and chase versions of that character; it is not necessarily six chases.
How does Entertainment Earth handle chases?
Entertainment Earth says it does not cherry-pick chases or variants from assortments, and does not charge more if you receive a chase in the assortment you ordered. That describes how it handles the shipment; it does not promise that every assortment contains a chase. Entertainment Earth's chase FAQ.
It also says factory-sealed shipment is not guaranteed or something you can specifically request. Cases may be opened for inspection, and even a sealed Funko case does not guarantee a chase. Ordering six copies of a figure is therefore not the same as ordering a case with a stated chase inclusion. Its sealed-case FAQ.
For an in-stock assortment, Entertainment Earth says it sends the listed figures. For an assortment that is not in stock, it says the manufacturer can change the contents. Check that distinction before relying on a preorder breakdown. Its assortment FAQ.
What does a chase ratio tell you?
Funko's guide describes a usual one-in-six chance for its chase variants and notes that some older releases had different odds. That is not a ratio for every action-figure line. It also does not mean that buying six randomly selected singles guarantees one chase. Funko's variants guide.
Keep three things separate: how often a chase is produced or packed, how many copies were made, and what your particular order includes. "One of 5,000" describes a quantity, not automatically a one-in-5,000 chance of receiving it. For your order, an explicit contents list is more useful than an assumed ratio.
What should sellers check before ordering?
In our experience, some chases are available to stores through case packs rather than as a separately orderable figure. Once the case arrives, a store can split it and sell the chase individually. That is why a chase can be part of a case assortment and still have its own retail listing.
Check the ordering options for the exact release. Is it a separately identified chase, a single with a random chance, or an assortment that names the chase? If it is a case, count the regular figures too. Those are part of your order along with the chase.
Before selling a chase you received, verify the actual version and describe its packaging condition. Some chases share the regular figure's UPC in our experience, so the barcode alone may not identify the version. We already cover naming chases in listings and selling valuable singles on eBay in the sealed-collection selling guide.
Before paying extra for a chase
- Identify the difference. Check the maker's reference for the exact release. Is the change in the figure, its accessories or its packaging?
- Read what is being sold. "Chance of chase" and a listing for the chase itself are different offers.
- Check the photos and condition. When buying from an individual seller, ask for photos of the actual figure and box. Match the changed feature, not just a sticker or barcode.
- Check the whole order. For a case, review each included figure, the quantities and any possible assortment changes. Check shipping and return terms too.
- Compare the price. Use recent sold listings for that chase and condition. Decide whether you want the difference enough to pay for it.
A chase label does not guarantee a higher resale price. Demand still matters. See are sealed figures a good investment?.
Quick answers
Does buying six figures guarantee a chase?
No. Six randomly selected singles are not a promised chase assortment. Look for an explicit contents list. Entertainment Earth says even a sealed Funko case does not guarantee a chase. Its sealed-case FAQ.
Can I buy a chase separately?
Sometimes. BBTS, Ringside Collectibles and ToyWiz have separately identified chase listings. Whether you can buy the one you want depends on the release and availability. Read the listing to distinguish a specific chase from a random chance at one.
Are some chases only available in case packs?
Some reach stores through case assortments in our experience. A store can then sell the chase on its own. Check the ordering options for that release; a chase arriving in a case does not mean collectors must buy the whole case.
Does Entertainment Earth remove chases from assortments?
Its chase FAQ says it does not cherry-pick assortments for chases or variants. That does not guarantee a chase in every order. Check the listed contents and whether the assortment is in stock or subject to change. Entertainment Earth's chase FAQ.
Is a chase the same as an exclusive?
No. An exclusive describes where a product is sold. A chase identifies a less common release. A product can be both, and the chase difference can involve the packaging as well as the figure.
Are chase figures always worth more?
No. Check recent sold prices for the exact release and condition. A retailer charging extra for a separately listed chase shows its asking price, not a guaranteed resale value or future price increase.
Related: Collector and reseller glossary · How to sell a sealed collection · Will action figures be restocked or reprinted? · Why do some figures sell out and others peg-warm? · What does "exclusive" mean on a figure?
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Prices and store policies change. This page is general information, not financial advice. "In our experience" statements reflect one reseller's observations, not official retailer or manufacturer policy.