There are a lot of features missing in Pokémon TCG Pocket that were in the original card game. This is a good thing in a few different instances, but the extra common cards remain an issue for many players. And while the flair system allows players to upgrade their cards for battle, it does not add to their collection in a meaningful way. Additionally, while some changes are on the way, those changes are not likely to do much about the 20 extra Ponytas sitting in the collection.
The Broken Flair System Does Not Improve Your Collection
Currently, players only need about 2 copies of any given card to include in their deck. This means if they keep opening packs, they will eventually stack up a horde of common cards, sometimes on one particular Pokémon. Right now, the only way to get rid of these extra cards is through the flair system in Pokémon TCG Pocket, which is broken for several reasons.
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While the cost is overpriced, that is not the only issue. Players cannot even see their upgraded version in their collection. The only time it becomes relevant is mid-battle, and that is only if the card gets played. It’s a flex for sure, but it does not do anything else. Many players do not even bother obtaining the flair, finding it fairly useless.
Players must also have even more copies to upgrade their cards all the way through the flair system, which only works on a single card and not both of the remaining copies.
That’s not to say anything about extra cards of higher rarities. Players must have at least 5 copies of a card to obtain a flair, so 2 extra versions of an EX card will do nothing but sit in their collection, taking up space for a very long time. While trading might help the fate of the EX cards change, it is not likely to help cards of lower rarities.
Trading Is Unlikely To Solve This Problem For One Reason
Enforced Limitations On Trading Limits Potential
While trading is coming to Pokémon TCG Pocket, players are not likely to get anywhere fast with their common cards. While they might be able to get rid of some of them for cards they are missing, it is likely they will still have a stack of common cards they can’t get rid of. The exact nature of the trading system has yet to be revealed, but there are a couple of things that are likely to be true.
It is entirely possible that players will only be able to trade cards of equal rarities. In that case, once you have gained the common cards you need, the rest have no real value. Even if that is not the case, players are unlikely to want a full stack of commons for one higher rarity card, unless they are seeking to make a very shiny flair. Additionally, it has been revealed that not every card is eligible for trade, making the system already a little broken.
Upcycling Cards Would Be A Gamechanger
New Ways To Use Up Cards Would Allow Greater Freedom
While flairs are a way to upcycle a card, it does not impact the collection. Instead, there are a lot of better ways to upcycle cards that players would make full use of. The best, and simplest, solution would be an option to trade extra copies of a card for Pack Points. This is most like real life, in which players can sell cards to get new ones or bring some into a game store to get a good trade.
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Even if it was not that many points, it would still be a more worthwhile use of the extra cards than allowing them to sit in a stack. Alternatively, being able to do a 1-1 trade for cards that are in the same rarity would also make sense and would be closer to the real-life system as well. This would also allow free-to-play players a better chance to complete their collection.
Lastly, if players could swap say 3 copies of a lower evolution to get a single copy of the next stage card, it would be a real game-changer for many players as there is little reason to play the lower evolutions without the final stage unlocked. It would also help players fulfill their deck goals and play more competitively faster, allowing the game to thrive even more in Pokémon TCG Pocket.
Released October 30, 2024
Developer(s) DeNA , Creatures Inc.
Publisher(s) The Pokemon Company
English (US) ·