Pokemon TCG Pocket is not friendly to my perfectionist pathology

I've been collecting Pokemon cards my whole life, but it wasn't until the Sword & Shield era that I really started investing in them intensively. I have the complete master set of the Sword & Shield Base Set. This is a binder that contains one of every card, including every V, Full Art, Rainbow Rare, and Gold Secret Rare. With 216 cards (30 of which are ultra rare and higher), this was a huge task, and considering that the Pokemon TCG releases six new sets a year, I never dreamed of keeping up with them all.

Since then I have switched to the Disney Lorcana which is much more manageable as a collector. Each set contains 204 cards and 12 Enchanted (expensive and extremely rare cards that can only be found once in every six boxes). I've never had any trouble collecting a full playset of 4 of each card from the first 5 sets, and I struggle to understand that 12 Enchanted cards costing $80-800 each are out of reach. The amount I collect from each set is sustainable, but it's still a shame that my collection will never be complete.

I fully realize that a full playset of 816 cards for each Lorcana set would be unnecessary and excessive. This is a cardboard collection so it shouldn't be rational.

Pokemon TCG Pocket is a Pokemon card game for collectors

On paper, Pokemon TCG Pocket is exactly what I was looking for. Leaving aside the 'game' part of trading card games, the focus is almost entirely on collecting, which I find most important. Naively, I imagined a world where I could actually collect an entire set of cards, revel in the joys of a complete collection, then move on to the next set and do it all again. I dreamed that Pocket could be a game for nervous collectors like me who believed that if you couldn't collect everything, there was no reason to collect anything.

I didn't think it would be easy. I got to test Pocket at a preview event this summer, and even with unlimited Poke Gold (I tore through 10 packs at a time over the course of a few hours, which was truly glorious), I didn't even come close to completing the full Master set. In an interview, I asked DeNA's developers if it was possible to collect the entire set without spending money, and although it seemed painful to mention monetization, the answer was no. Get the entire collection.

As a collector of physical TCGs, the investment didn't seem unreasonable at all. Some estimates put the entire collection in the range of $3200 (or 1,843 days of continuous play), but I found a few flaws in the math that didn't take into account Wonder Picks, crafting, and future trading systems. We don't yet know how that system will work). One Reddit user claims the actual cost to complete the set (excluding the Gold Crown card) is $410. This is less than a Lorcana card case, and the case doesn't get you anywhere near a complete set.

I'm an active Pocket player who runs events for resources and is strategic about Wonder Picks and crafting. There are 31 cards left in the full set of Diamond rarity cards, with the secret card being 21/60. I believe that if I take my time and splurge on Poke Gold every now and then, I'll be able to finish this set in time for the next one. But I've been a Pokemon fan my whole life, so I should have known better.

Pokemon TCG Pocket Set Is Coming Soon

According to data miners, the next set is coming much sooner than you think. Mini-sets (60-80 new cards) will be released in December, and additional sets of 250+ cards will be released in January. This means that, just like the real Pokemon TCG, there will be at least six new sets coming out every year. As a collector, I'm going to have the same problems I've always had with Pokemon cards. There isn't enough time or money to complete the collection before the next one comes out.

For players, this is good news. Trading card games need a constant influx of new cards to keep them fresh and interesting. People are already complaining about the imbalance in Pocket combat, and a new set of cards will shake up the meta in a big way. I don't mind the combat in Pocket, but if you're looking for high-level Pokémon TCG gameplay, there's already a game for that. I like Pocket because it caters to collectors. So the new set is good for the meta, but terrible for completionists like me.

You'll need to open about 100 packs to get enough pack points to craft one ex card.

Knowing that I will never be able to complete the Master Set of Pokemon TCG Pocket Set without fully completing it makes me a lot less interested in the game. These digital-only cards have no value outside of the app. I can't trade or sell it. You may not display it on your wall or ask the artist for an autograph. They exist to fill virtual binders and satisfy my collecting instinct, but a satisfying collection requires a conclusion. I'm not sure what it means if I end up with a gap in my card list because a new set always comes before I finish the previous one.

Yes. It's exciting to pull something shiny out of your bag. If you're a completely free-to-play player who likes the dopamine hit you get from opening a pack twice a day, you'll see the value. But spending money on this game feels like a waste if you don't spend it. every The money that goes into this game. Maybe you don't like seeing a lot of empty space in your collection, but it bothers me a lot.