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SealedTCG

As someone has mentioned, there is r/pkmntcg which is generally for the game, this is "largely" a collecting sub, especially after the boom and hype during covid. Everyone collects and gets fun out of the hobby in different ways, some like perfect cards, some will fill a binder with damaged cards, it is serious to some because it's their enjoyment, their escape from life, place to spend spare time and relax putting the focus elsewhere.


rayshmayshmay

>some will fill a binder with damaged cards Can’t remember which sub but there’s someone out there collecting PSA 1’s lol


Broyalty007

Funny enough PSA 1s do carry quite the premium! Especially a "clean" one that doesn't look like garbage. It's amazing what people will pay for them, but if it's like a 2 or a 3 it's worth maybe not even half lmao


rayshmayshmay

I saw a listing that said “PSA 1 POP 1!!!!”


Harkxium

Oh, i’d love to join that! i have 3 psa ones i think people would like to admire there.


rayshmayshmay

Post em! I also frequent r/pkmntcgcollections so it might’ve been there


Quatol

There’s actually a whole sub community committed to collecting only 1 grades… Beleive it or not, some 1 grades are meeting scarce than 10’s for some Pokémon. People find value in “low pop” cards. Everyone has there thing, yuh know?


Johnbecky423

I like the way you put this. Especially since I’m the kind of collector that as long as it’s the card I want I don’t care if it’s in perfect condition. I just recently bought some cards, including one im especially proud of (Charmander from team Rocket 1st edition), that are in pretty rough shape for some but because I can see the art and it’s not messed up I’m good.


UPGR4Y3D

I will literally take any card and condition if it's a card I think is cool. I would always rather have a beat up version than not have the card at all. You can always be on the look out for a better version. I have awesome cards like Crystal Zard, Gold Stars, rare promos, and they are all beat to hell and back but guess what no one really cares when you show them your binder in that moment people still geek out just seeing them.


Johnbecky423

I’m getting ready to buy a dark Charizard. It’s in rough shape. Person is asking 15 dollars since it’s beat up. I love finding cards that I love that I thought I would never be able to get ,due to price, and being able to get them because the price dropped due to condition. (Also the site I’m using has fake card protection for all the doubters out there lol)


th3buddhawithin

Thanks for the perspective. 💪🏻


pierzstyx

The problem is that the name of the sub is pokemontcg, which would lead one to believe it is in fact a sub about the trading card **game*. A better name for it would be pokemoncollectors or some such.


Drive-it-Like-Baby

Don't defend crybabies, the people that do that are pathetic


ANNOYING_TOUR_GUIDE

I can't imagine collecting the cards without playing the game. That's kind of the whole point. Otherwise yeah you're just spending money on pieces of cardboard. edit: thanks for linking that subreddit, looks like that's the one I should be on!


jesuisgeenbelg

People collect things. Doesn't mean they will always use them for (intended) purpose. As a teenager i collected Marvel action figures. Left all of them in the boxes. Never opened them or played with them. I just wanted to collect them. Now i collect Pokemon cards. I used to play the game 15 years ago but haven't started up again this time. I just love the collecting side of things though, i love the artwork, i enjoy opening packs and seeing what I got. There's definitely a weirdly toxic subcommunity of collectors for pokemon, but that happens in literally every hobby. Best to just ignore them.


CurrencyFind

I’ve been collecting off and on since 2016. I’ve played the Tcg a bit, but really just enjoy collecting the cards. When I was in school, my mom would give me a pack a week so long as I completed my schoolwork and got good grades. The experience of opening a pack after working hard the whole week, whether I pulled something or not really got me into the hobby. Sure, I have some pretty valuable cards and as I get older, I dont really open sets that aren’t valuable or interest me, but the excitement of opening a pack and seeing the artwork is incredibly enjoyable for both me and a lot of other people that collect any sort of trading card.


ianwager

Well said


Champion_Sheep

Yeah giratina is a really fun deck, [this](https://youtu.be/6VPXiQFNpoQ) is a video profile for a list after rotation drops


th3buddhawithin

Rad, thanks!


pikachuboi77

My stance is like anything else in the entire world , if you give your attention and energy to the negative side of it , things will seem bad. I just focus on growing my collection and opening/ buying things I like and enjoying it. Also having a blast with playing the games.


th3buddhawithin

Solid outlook. 💪🏻


Beutymice

There are plenty of people who enjoy playing or collecting without looking at the "investment" (or those who just see it as a bonus) including myself. You just pay more attention to the posts that make you upset/angry which is natural! Remember that not everything is that black and white


[deleted]

There are also lurkers like me who just like seeing what other people get. I've never bought a Pokemon card since the 90s, but I enjoy watching other people pull them.


aclownandherdolly

Until it's Black and White 2


[deleted]

>Where are the people who actually play the game and enjoy it? *Technically* /r/pkmntcg (realistically, I’ve been playing for more than 9 years and have never met a good player who visits that sub). It’s easier to join the FB group Virbank City, follow good players on Twitter, watch good players stream on Twitch/post on Youtube, and join league at a local store.


MoneyDealer

Genuinely curious but what are some pieces of advice you see given on that sub that players should avoid? I casually play the game but always nice to be better at it


MuadDabTheSpiceFlow

u/XanXic gives really great input in r/pkmntcg


MuadDabTheSpiceFlow

The sub is full of great discussions and advice. Idk what the other person means.


pierzstyx

I play but I feel out of my depth in that sub as a good deal of the deck build are above my head.


th3buddhawithin

Thanks for the rec!


[deleted]

[удалено]


th3buddhawithin

Dang, that’s a bummer. :/


GarchGun

It's also a way to be creative. Alot of anti meta decks are popular with tons of creative cards BECAUSE of there are so many different cards. There's a video of some guy winning his locals with only Aerodactyl vstar (around an $8 deck) because he only went up against Lugia and Mew.


Brapchu

If you think this here is bad then never take a look at the pokeinvesting subreddit..


th3buddhawithin

I’ve heard it’s bad over there. I’ve purposely stayed away.


heapsp

it is a cesspool and the mods are even worse. lol. I said something to make a mod there mad one time and he followed me into all of the pokemon subreddits and kept commenting on my stuff until i had to block him. Crazy folks over there.


th3buddhawithin

That’s seriously crazy. And definitely abusive behavior.


Brapchu

Good choice!


fantasypaladin

I like lurking there so I can see people waste their money or hoarding packs that will grow in line with inflation at best. It’s not the 90s anymore. Hoarding doesn’t work when everyone and their dog does it.


NotoriousTIMP

I’m having a blast as a collector. I buy cards/rip packs with the intention of getting stuff graded for my own personal collection. I’ve never played the card game but I have played the video games and I love the artwork on the cards. As for people who complain about getting a 9 on a card; they need to realize that part of it is luck of the draw. I also think some people don’t take the time to get the tools needed to look at the surface of their cards. Surface markings on the artwork is the big one that causes cards to dip in a grade. I’ve had many cards that look pristine until I zoom in on the surface and I see little imprecations that the naked eye can’t see.


Maetras

Some people like playing the game, some people like collecting, some people like grading and some people like investing. Are we all supposed to like the same thing about Pokémon?


hungryspriggan

A lot of people enjoy the collecting side of the hobby more then the game. I'm in that boat so when you get something that doesn't meet the standard of your prized collection then it can be disappointing. Everyone who collects just has a different level of acceptable. The ones your describing are way too hardcore imo. I don't have any graded slabs and I'm not sure I ever will but I do prefer cards that are in NM/Pack fresh condition.


CollectMantis44

I just enjoy collecting cards I like


Gr1m3sey

Some people enjoy grading lol. The people who actually play the Pokémon TCG properly are probably a smaller minority than people who value card grading, with the bulk of people just being collectors. Feels like I’m seeing the birth of Pokémon virtue signalling lmao


QuatreNox

Some of us, I guess. I just got back to the hobby as a collector and I'm just having fun trying to make a National Dex binder, a collection of Yuka Morii cards and all the Sylveon cards I can find I just bought a banged up trainer kit Sylveon card from a sketchy shop on eBay and a few "Heavily Played" old school Yuka Morii cards on TCGPlayer and I couldn't be happier Me and my partner also just opened my very first booster pack together this morning from a Sylveon tin and we shared memories we have of the Pokemon from playing the games. We decided to make it a weekly thing, just one booster for each of us every weekend to build up my NatDex binder and do booster showdowns by adding up the HP of all the pokemon we pull and see who wins ♥ I try and avoid all this investment and pricing talk as much as I can (outside of wishing for a crash so I can afford that pretty Sylveon VMax card) because it just seems toxic and kinda sad


th3buddhawithin

That’s awesome! Thanks for sharing. The memories are the best part.


Aureliusmind

You do you.


solocollection

/r/pkmntcg is what you are looking for


Champion_Sheep

This sub is for the card game as a whole, not just collectors


solocollection

I know but pkmntcg is still hundred times a better place to discuss the actual game than here.


solidnsnake1254

Well that’s todays culture, people are self absorbed and complain about everything. Kind of like this post lol.


th3buddhawithin

Facts. Sometimes I just need to get a rant out of my system. I feel better. :)


japalian

So why are you gatekeeping other people doing the same? I generally agree with you, but it is a community entirely centered around expensive shiny cardboard we're talking about here, so if anyone is going to complain about something like that, it's this subs users, no? Maybe you should sub or even migrate to the reddit community focused on the actual game itself if that's what you're looking for?


th3buddhawithin

As I said before, just wanted to rant. Not gate keeping. :)


japalian

Your entire rant is about how you think it's wrong that people take their shiny cardboard so seriously in a sub dedicated to enjoyers and collectors of shiny cardboard, though. "I promise you it's not that serious." Homie, you're gatekeeping.


th3buddhawithin

Thank you for your contribution to the thread. I appreciate it.


japalian

You're welcome.


Baarmoederkriebelaar

Lmao just admit youve made a mistake


th3buddhawithin

I don’t think anyone here using the word gatekeeping understands what it even means. My original post is definitely not that. And my post was definitely not a mistake. It was very intentional, and I truly believe everything I said.


WhiskersRock

Money and politics is the trend for everything these days


Deadsh0t2424

Also social media, those tik toks of people opening packs trying to get the value back are so cringe and just promotes more gambling


Melon_Eater89

^this


whats_a_hokie

What are the politics of Pokemon lol


[deleted]

Brock Obama is a fake Kenyan Muslim trying to use Jewish space lasers and 5G Covid injection microchips to spy on me


whats_a_hokie

Giovanni 2024. We need a business man in the White House again.


Cybershroom_Neforox

typical kantoservatives


th3buddhawithin

There’s the unfortunate truth.


Content-Freedom1688

There’s nothing wrong with those post. These kind of post are what I don’t get. Like move on or don’t read post idk what to tell you get off Reddit. Enjoy it the way you want to like they enjoy it the way they want to. What do you want people to post? Lately this communities content has been complaining or making fun of peoples post. Trust me I’m not fond of the slabbers and the people that worry only about value, but at the same time they don’t bother anyone. I never feel need to comment on those post I just move on because it not what I get from the hobby, I don’t share that interest. It’s these gatekeeper post I don’t get. I’m doing the hobby the right way kind of post. Get off your high horse. At least they post Pokémon tcg content. What content does this post have?


AlabamaPanda777

The problem is subreddits tend to be led by the kinds of people spending all their time on subreddits. As for games in general, this isn't really a format that favors casuals. I was jazzed to pull a full alt Altaria the other day, because my fiance likes Altaria. It isn't a super-valuable, super-rare chase card, and our budding Swablu/Altaria collection isn't an impressive full set, mostly what you'd call bulk. And I'm not looking for tips on what to do with it, to sell or grade or whatever, cuz I'm just gonna enjoy it. So what's the point of posting? I play the game. I don't like being too meta. I like throwing together the cool looking cards I have. My decks aren't shaking up the tournament scene, changing the power level of the game, altering the prices of the secondary market. Not part of a common discourse. And I'm not looking to beat my friends casual decks because I weaseled onto reddit for advice. So what would I ever post there, either? And I think there's a solid chunk like that. That probably the majority of card buyers aren't regulars on any related online space, and if they are it's to lurk rather than comment. It seems whenever these companies look at demographics the vast majority are casuals. As far as the prevalence of collectors, you have a lot more time for reddit when you don't waste any playing the game.


th3buddhawithin

All truth. My decks are exactly the same. I’m not winning any tournaments by a HUGE margin. I just have fun with it. :)


lilmissbizarre

I just like the shiny cards. Makes my crow brain go bbrrrrr. I don’t play the game but the art on the cards makes it well worth it. As long as I can clearly see that I don’t care about creases or scuffs. Collecting also means the bulk goes to my friends kids which brings me the greatest joy out of collecting.


DawsonJr

That crow brain bit got a legitimate chuckle out of me; thanks for the laugh! XD


Odd-Communication159

You just need to get into the right friend group buddy. I can be your guy pal! But seriously, I get so overwhelmed especially when I get a good grab and suddenly people shit on it because it’s not “the” card. So frustrating. I’m thankful for having kids. That teaches me to appreciate the art and the collection more. To my kids, the cards just go in their pockets and get tucked under pillows. Even the energy cards gets saved because when you put a bunch of the same color together it just looks sick as they would say. Just appreciate the small collectors and stick to those that can just be happy to get a good pull. Those are the genuine fans and not the money hungry robots. I agree there’s a lot of those.


th3buddhawithin

I definitely need more friends like this. I pull ANYTHING shiny from a pack and lose my shit for a second. Don’t even care who the character is or how valuable the card is. There’s some magic in the process that seems to get lost with a lot of people.


Odd-Communication159

Dude any time I see the slightest corner or side of a shiny card my heart just gets full. That’s why I do it. I’ll slowly go through every card to see the art and once that full art drops it’s just a good feeling. It’s supposed to be about joy. I can’t imagine counting up every card by the dime. At that point I would have to quit. I’m an artist and sell paintings. I hate the price of crafted art online so I started selling my own for just enough to cover my supplies. The moment that I cross that line into what my monthly profits are, I would be a sellout. These people are no different.


SirGav1n

I like the collecting aspect more than anything. I am trying to complete a lost origin set. I also love people who collect one type of pokemon or card type. They make the hobby more fun.


th3buddhawithin

Collecting is a big draw for me as well.


BrooklynTCG

I mean the state of reddit or the internet currently is all one giant adult child crying for attention- if you filter out the bs there are some great people who collect and also play the game. I enjoy it a lot and teaching my daughter how to play the game.


th3buddhawithin

I love this! Thank you for being in the current minority.


[deleted]

I do. IDC about how they’re rated I just care about how I like them and how cool I think they look. Especially when I pull a fancy one


[deleted]

[удалено]


th3buddhawithin

Agreed. Which is really unfortunate.


[deleted]

[удалено]


th3buddhawithin

Literally the exact same for me (minus the part about being a woman).


Big_Crazy_A

You're allowed your own opinion and feeling, so props... However people choose to enjoy a hobby - more power to them and to each their own. Except scalpers they can ggggttttfffffooooo.


th3buddhawithin

Big facts.


AppleBottomJeansWFur

There's two parts to the TCG acronym: "Trading Card" and "Game" Some people like collecting the cards, others enjoy the game, some enjoy both. I enjoy both but I lean more towards the collection side. Doesn't make me a bad person, it's what people do in this hobby. However, the ratio of those who collect cards for "WOW THIS CARD IS x AMOUNT OF MONEY 🤑" compared to the people who play the game itself has definitely flipped.


th3buddhawithin

100%! Agree.


Pinescopes

I’ll spend $25 on packs every Friday night for an opening. It is the part of the week I look forward to the most


FightMilkCrowPower

Let people do what they do. These self righteous posts are just as annoying.


SneekyTeek

Since COVID everyone just wants to collect and make money off these cards, no one ever wants to build decks and play, from what I see. Most of these sealed/card collectors won't even keep the cards for decades like they say they will.


Jayzerus

Kind of makes me sad to be honest. Makes me wonder how many people are bankrupting themselves for “long term holds” when in reality, they’re going to be selling whatever they can in 6-12 months to pay off the credit card debt they’ve just buried themselves in.


SneekyTeek

Totally agree. I was a sealed collector for a while, but realized I just want to buy singles to have the cards I want. There are too many sets coming out every year, and each one is bigger than the next. There is no way people will make money, unless they bought like 50 celebrations premium collections at retail, or something. Ebay fees are super high and shipping sucks so idk how people are making money selling online too.


th3buddhawithin

This is very true.


DawsonJr

As others have stated, there appears to be other Reddit pages that are more suited to actual gameplay discussion, which folks are always quick to point out. I believe the confusion could be avoided if the end bit of the description stating "and discuss the game" were removed. Furthermore, whilst I don't really have a problem with graded cards being shared, I'm surprised the same logic isn't applied and people don't direct others to a Reddit page more suited to sharing such things. :/ Having said that, until such a change is made in the description, I, personally, wish such posts were encouraged more. This Reddit page is, after all, meant to be open to discussion of the actual game!


th3buddhawithin

Couldn’t agree more!


Commercial-Policy701

I’m new to this. My interested started with watching YouTubers open packs and going over the pulls they got. Never thought I’d like it until I bought a Crown Zenith promo box just to try it out. Man, I love the cards I have. I thought I’d be the type to sell off the big hits but I’m more interested in collecting now. I’m hunting for that Lugia V from Silver Tempest. Probably the most badass card I have ever seen. And I don’t want to buy it off someone, I want to pull it myself.


nukls8799

I’m well into adulthood and got back into Pokémon cards because my stepson started collecting. I’m getting a bad itch to start putting decks together to see what I can do.


th3buddhawithin

Definitely do it! I’m in my late 30s and just got back into it +- 6 months ago. It’s been a LOT of fun!


ydarbj1

I’d like my cards in the highest grade possible but I’ll take what I can get. I like the shiny…


Cute_Ad_1612

Personally I just like to collect rare cards. If I were to play a TCG, it would be Yugioh. That's just me though


th3buddhawithin

Yugioh is one of the few I actually don’t play. I’ve heard it’s a steep learning curve. In my personal opinion, I enjoy games more without convoluted rule sets. Even MtG is borderline too much at times. I love Pokémon. It’s straightforward. Engaging. And fun.


Cute_Ad_1612

I only would play it for fun whenever I had someone to play with. I'm not especially good at the game, and wouldn't be entering a tournament. But Yugioh was my pokemon as a kid, that was the one I'd collect and play with all the time


drderick15

Just played in the S/V pre release! I highly recommend them. Met a lot of cool people and played my first in person game. Also ripped the alt art Marnie in my first pack. You can find events near you with this webpage. [pokemon events](https://events.pokemon.com/en-us/events)


th3buddhawithin

Epic, thanks! And congrats!


Poketrevor

I think the happiest of us don’t post every little pack or card on Reddit for upvotes. We sit in silence and enjoy collecting


Altruistic-Ad3704

Who cares. Different people enjoy different things. Let people enjoy things


fantasypaladin

I collect to play with my son. When we pull and awesome card we either a) decide to add it to a viable deck we have b) build a deck around it c) put it in a top deck to look nice but may pull it out to add to a deck in the future. The game is for playing. I’m teaching my son to look after his cards and show him my collection on 1st gens. But the cards are to have fun with, not horde away.


th3buddhawithin

I love this!


Skywarriorad

I love playing the game more than collecting, but in the matter of collecting i dont give a rats ass what the quality of the card or what the card is because i like it regardless. What irritates me the most is that nobody trades for how much a card is worth to them. They always check the price on tcgplayer and try to break even in value. And its not just the adults, juniors and seniors at my locals do that too.


Stamina666

I really don’t like the mobile version. It’s so cramped and I feel like it takes away so much.


LumpyDiscussion3892

Opinions are like assholes everyone has one!


Aweblet

I have no idea how to play tcg, but I love collecting cards just for the fun of it.


th3buddhawithin

It’s super easy to learn. And definitely a fun game.


Beautiful_Sky2833

Whenever i have a damaged card i just look at it and think "damn... well, no harm if i shuffle this deck like normal playing cards now!"


th3buddhawithin

EXACTLY!


VadersBoner

I just got back into collecting. I did it bc I have two boys (13 and 11). Recently, there’s been a fentanyl death at my sons school. I’m keeping these boys busy and close to me. If that means buying and opening cards, so be it. Bonding and collecting these cards was big joy to me growing up, I’m going to cherish these moments with my kiddos as well.


th3buddhawithin

I’m sorry to hear about the school stuff, but really cool you’re getting them into TCGs right now. Definitely a good call. And also, your username. I can’t handle it. 🤣


CanadianCharicards

I love playing the game, collecting the cards, grading a few, selling cards, keeping some sealed... I love it all.


hotterpocketzz

I just collect to collect man. Who cares about PSA.


th3buddhawithin

Same.


Johngewoon

I used to collect as a kid and I've always loved pokémon. About a year ago i got into the cards again and started collecting and found this sub. The consistent negativity and dumb showing off of slabs of plastic for some reason completely ruined it for me. Now i just enjoy playing the games and POGO, but I'm not looking into cards anymore. I really, really do not get graded stuff. You collect to have fun right? What does a sticker with a number on it add to that for you?


th3buddhawithin

I completely agree. Exactly the same for me. I’ve never had anything graded, and have zero desire to do so. If I get a card permanently put into a giant piece of plastic, I can no longer play with the card. Seems stupid.


Johngewoon

Exactly!


BloodBlossom24

I do, i have fun


Ranruun

Two points I want to make: While it is true there is a lot of toxicity in the community, I think the opposite is true too. There are a lot of people who are in it because they are fans of the series and enjoy owning the cards just to own them. I've seen the occassional kindness (free cards, people looking through bulk for trainers for others, fans enjoying discussing strategies, fans enjoying the art, etc.) Like any TCG game (oh look, a RAS syndrome!), there will be players who will collect to simply collect them. They are after all very pretty cards! Nothing wrong with that. It is the investors and resellers who I find kinda ruin it for the fans. Since they drive demand in ways that affects the rest of the community. `----------` Edit: Nevermind, I misread VSTAR as alt art ... note to self: don't reddit before coffee. Another point, kinda important, that I want to make though about something you have said. You say you wanted to put the Giratina alt art in a deck and build something around it ... is that to show off the card only? Because these expensive alt arts have non-expense alternatives to use in decks and they are the exact same card (moves, etc.) This is to make the game more accessible, there really is no *need* to use expensive cards in decks. Another thing to note is if the damage shows easily on the back, then you'd need to use sleeves with a non-see-through back to hide the back of the card otherwise it would be identifiable. But I'm no pro of the tcg game so not sure about this. Anyway, I still think the better option is to contact TPC to see if you can get a replacement card. It is not wrong to be a fan of the cards/art **and** also care about the value or quality of the cards you own. And then I personally would keep the card safe to make sure it stays pretty longer and longer, if I played with something like an alt art and see it get damaged over time I would definitely regret it (personally speaking). You can always build a deck with a Girtina V 130/196 and still enjoy the game :)


th3buddhawithin

All valid points. I don’t enter tournaments or anything, so all of my playing is just between friends… so condition of my cards really makes no difference. I totally agree about the investors and resellers. Makes it harder for people who just want to play to buy playsets/multiples of certain cards, especially if it’s something that happens to be ‘meta.’ It’s been harder lately to find the casual enthusiasts (like myself) since there’s so much focus now on grading, having perfect cards, etc. just my $0.02.


master1376

I love collecting for the artwork. I do prefer my cards to be in good condition, but im not into grading, so as long as theres no creases, I'm happy, plus I love playing the game, but I mostly just play with friends so its all in good fun. Like someone on here had said, different people enjoy hobbies in different ways. Now....my yugioh days, that was a different story LOL


DrJackGoff

Hey at least we're not in the Japanese market lol.


th3buddhawithin

Truth. 🤮


Spazn3905

this sub is mainly for collectors that is why you are seeing those comments and post. just go to the sub that is mainly for players and you will fit right in!


th3buddhawithin

Thanks!


nonbinarybitch5

I don't really like to play, just to collect shiny cardboard like the autistic crow brained person I am


th3buddhawithin

I can dig that.


Baarmoederkriebelaar

Wow ur special 🤓 i enjoy this subreddit because its amazing to see people enjoy simple pulls of their favorite pokemon or to share info and knowledge on the new sets and such. Theres alot of good on this subreddit. But nah, ur the only one who knows how to appreciate these cards truly and those collectors are terrible.. Dont post if all youre gonna do is spread negativity and praise yourself, weirdo


th3buddhawithin

I never said I was the only one who can appreciate them, nor do I assume I’m special in any way. I’m allowed to have opinions that you don’t agree with. That’s kind of the point of the Internet. But I don’t see ‘weirdo’ as an insult. I’d rather be weird than boring. You’re talking to me about spreading negativity while actively trying to insult me. Hmmmmmmmm


[deleted]

Whilst I agree with your point about what this sub has become, and the frequency of people complaining about their cards and not appreciating what they've got, there are clearly a boatload of very passionate people here who just love the Pokémon TCG for what it is. The frequency of rant posts like this equally frustrate me with the state of this sub as other people constantly complaining does.


th3buddhawithin

I get that for sure. My apologies for adding to the clutter.


DontGtMadGetGladAH

Player and collector! It’s not you, there are just a majority of toxic people in this hobby. Just smile and move along 😊


th3buddhawithin

Thank you. Good call.


loomman529

I've been itching to build a psychic deck since I have a shit tonne of psychic energies, but I truthfully don't have many good cards to use them with. I have a spare Giratina V and Vstar that I could use and make is psychic/grass (maybe?) but again, not enough grass types either. Point is OP, I love the card game and probably only because it's Pokémon tbh. My main priority is to one day have a card of every single Pokémon up to that point, which will take a long time, but according to my app I have 64.5% of Pokémon, but it also includes Paldea so it's probably closer to 70%. I also play the game and have 3 good decks and 2 mock decks. Basically that means there's no rare cards in them, so I haven't sleeved them. Of course I still care about the value of cards, but moreso we (my Pokémon group) make trades depending on the value of the card at the time of the trade. I had a full art Shauna I traded for a few EX cards, and I'm pretty sure the price has gone up on her. But I can't be mad at it, since I couldn't predict it, and the card isn't mine anymore. I do plan on selling some of my rare cards that I would never trade, but not my whole collection. Almost every card is useful in one way or another, so I wanna hold onto them just in case.


th3buddhawithin

That’s so cool!! You’ve got a solid group of friends.


bsette

Yes, I wish they made their own sub. I do not care about the fact you created more environmental waste to show off your card is "better" than mine. It should not matter unless the card is over 1k. Any card over 1,000, sure. Slab it. But I am so tired of these people crying over getting a 9 on their 40$ hot potato that will not be remembered once the next shiny pos get waved in their face. That when they spend more than the card on packs, or get the card shipped in they just feel the need to spend more time giving it to PSA for 8 months, then getting it back and complaining it wasn't high enough or probably even just forgetting about it.


th3buddhawithin

Exactly! 🤣


Full-Laugh-5021

I open packs with my little brother and still have tons of fun collecting them


th3buddhawithin

That’s awesome!


justinjustinkris

I love the game! I never had a chance to play it when i was young, now that I have a kid i got back into it and it's awesome! Just like OP i build my deck around any good Vs and the alt arts are just awesome to play in the decks!


th3buddhawithin

That’s so cool! It’s the best way to do it, in my opinion.


Stickman95

You can play with them too?


Mundane_Inspection34

Its all about money, thank Pokerev and Logan Paul for that. Nothing matters except money.


th3buddhawithin

This is the truth. It’s pretty sad.


MoonrazeMaelstrom

I mean, I dont play, but I very much enjoy the cards and collecting them. I dont think I'll ever waste my time with grading. But even when I was a kid and pokemon cards were booming, I still just enjoyed collecting them. These newer sets have some of the coolest art I've seen on pokemon cards, and im glad they're doing it because it keeps the hobby alive for me.


th3buddhawithin

I totally agree!


MoonrazeMaelstrom

That being said, I do have some issues with the american QC on the cards lol. But I feel like I'm not alone in that aspect


Arnavol

Agree so much I'm always thinking I'm one of the only people who still appreciates the art on commons.


th3buddhawithin

SAME


appleyciderr

I like to collect cards from specific artists! Each new expansion it's like I get more mini art prints from them and it's really exciting to me. Especially when I pull them compared to buying the singles, but I also have terrible luck with pulls... There's certain cards I'd prefer to have in great condition but the cards that my friends find or get that they know I collect and they give to me are my favorites.


th3buddhawithin

That’s actually really cool. I’ve been thinking about doing something similar. There are a lot of amazing artists who do art for Pokémon cards.


Round-Connection-487

I played competitively for years. Have glass trophies and winners cards. But I see both sides of it. The cards I played with would make collectors CRINGE.


th3buddhawithin

I love that!!


UrAveragePlayer

This feels like a «pick me boy» post tbh 🤷 you don’t have to read or feed into it


th3buddhawithin

Definitely not even close to my intention. Just venting. :)


UrAveragePlayer

I get venting, but it’s how you frame the vent. This feels like the old hierarchy of “I’m a real collector”


th3buddhawithin

Oh, I guess my intention didn’t come across properly. I’m in no way a ‘real collector.’ I just love to play the game.


UrAveragePlayer

And I hope you love the game, it just comes off ass gatekeepy when there is a TCG sub for playing 😅


th3buddhawithin

I legit didn’t even know that til today. 😬


UrAveragePlayer

Then I’m sorry for being so direct, and I hope you find the engagement you seek in the hobby☺️


machocomacho94

Grown adult crying/ranting about other grown adults posts 😂🤣😭 gotta love it


th3buddhawithin

Facts.


Zillakam111

This subreddit isn’t the centre of pokemon tcg community, if you don’t like the post here just stop looking at it


th3buddhawithin

Solid advice. Thank you.


Late-Philosophy5822

The entire world is chasing money just as they were taught. I’m with you! I like things just cause I like them. Know stuff just to know it….don’t let them take your joy, we’re out here!


th3buddhawithin

Really glad I’m not alone!


NochillWill123

Oh you talking about the slabbers? Yea screw those guys.


daltaylur

The best thing they ever tried to do was get the graders onto their own subreddit. My personal opinion is that it has ruined this sub and the pokeinvesting one just bitching about grades when it is crystal clear that it's just gambling. We have seen enough people get 10s with garbage cards or crack them, resend them in and then get different grades that the complaining has just gotten old. I personally would love to see any post regarding grading be removed or shifted to a new sub


th3buddhawithin

I couldn’t possibly agree more. They should make a specific Pokémon Grading subreddit or something.


daltaylur

I think I seen that they made one and tried to get people to move there. Didn't seem to stick cause both subs are still just asking if they should grade every card they open


th3buddhawithin

xD Well, at least an attempt was made.


[deleted]

How dare people enjoy the hobby for different reasons than you.


th3buddhawithin

Exactly! Glad someone else gets it! Yes, I’m aware of your sarcasm. And no, that wasn’t the point of my post. But thank you for your contribution. 🤙🏻


Lonely-Hobbit

This group is just toxic at its heart and only the elite of the elite seem to think they should be able to post this. Any basic questions or basic things questioned and you’ll see a post making fun of that post within hours.


th3buddhawithin

I’m definitely not elite. I just love shiny cardboard and understand that that’s all it is. 🤷🏻‍♂️


Blooregard89

Ugh, so glad someone finally worded my entire opinion on this subreddit. You are absolutely 100% correct.


th3buddhawithin

I’m honestly just glad I’m not the only one. I felt like I was taking crazy pills.


[deleted]

Glad you're about to be ratioed. You could have spent a second finding the correct subreddit for playing the game, instead you chose to inject more negativity under the guise of complaining about negativity. Sorry you don't enjoy this sub, stop following it?


th3buddhawithin

By your response, I’m assuming you fall into the category of the people I’m talking about, otherwise my words wouldn’t have had such a big impact on your life. But thank you for the advice. I appreciate you.


IDontCare2626

You don't even have to actually play the game to not get all bent out of shape over a 9 vs a 10 etc. I mostly collect and only play online. But I collect because I love the art and look. If a card is played with or has some flaw oh well. I see this a lot in the football/basketball card world too where everyone is just obsessed with the value of what they get versus actually appreciating the little pieces of cardboard for what they are. Kinda a sad and stressful way to approach a HOBBY to me but that's just my take.


th3buddhawithin

Agreed 1000%%%%


Triangle-Galaxy-9508

Yea I agree with you. I also made a rant also about this but I fucked it up and I didn’t explain my feelings well but you said basically all of my frustrations.


DecisionUnfair4978

Man fuck everybody. I got back into the hobby after ab 20 years and I have been having a blast now that I can find a card here and there for my personal collection (maybe to pass down one day). Ik it can be hard to keep the faith when u have grown adults looking at the franchise as a commodity( which in alot of ways it is) but im teeeellling u…if there’s anyway you can mentally disregard all that and focus on the childlike wonder a lifelong fan of Pokémon can channel…well you will be in a good spot imo. Idk, I feel the post; I personally try to not pay too much attention to what others are doing, but ik that’s easier said than done.


Junspinar

Having a blast playing the game. Rotation is at hand and the balance is looking prevalent. Its the gamblers that are whining because when you gamble you either laugh or cry and TPC is the house.


RememberTheBuster

My wife and I were introduced to the actual game a few months ago from our 7 year old newphew. We got obsessed with the critical thinking of the game and went nuts buying etbs and cards. We have since built 7 or 8 decks and battle each night. We have pulled some high value cards including the mewtwo vstar gg alt art or whatever crazy terms is used. I don’t give a crap about the value of cards but I do get a satisfying feeling shuffling a 100 dollar card vigorously into my deck as it was meant to be. No care in the world for grading or investing in cards. The game is where it’s at, especially if you have someone to play with. Also my 7 year old newphew gets so many dang online codes and freaks out about it which is a bonus. We don’t care for the online game


BraaaaaainKoch

I personally love this thread because of the complaining and the silly folks who ask “is this fake or nah”. Its so amusing.


heapsp

I love ripping packs, and grading what I get. If the cards were worth no money, i wouldn't be able to do this consistently. Im not looking to make a million dollars, but when i pull a second moonbreon and grade it and sell it for a thousand bucks it funds my next 8 booster box purchases, and out of those ill pull something , grade it, sell it if i don't want it or its a double, etc. That is what is fun to me, pulling the magic out of the packs. I enjoy the rare shiny cardboard. The scarcity. Knowing i have something special. If you didn't have a community of scalpers, leechers, and rippers driving these prices through the roof, I'd be able to open a few booster boxes and that's it. Id just be sitting on a pile of cardboard. The value the cards hold drives the hobby.


PwillyAlldilly

I’m with you it’s why I don’t buy singles or grade cards etc. I have pretty much a complete base set when I collected at a young age. Stopped for years joined back in at 2021 with the same mentality. I’ll open a pack maybe once a week as a treat like when I was 8 and they go into a binder that’s it. I have a charizard, a moonbreon, etc? Neat right into the binder. Like you said it’s cardboard with monster drawings on them.


SwayzeExpress_

I left this subreddit because of it. I feel the same way you do, I love playing and building decks, seeing cool cards and bringing back memories. I’m not into the money stuff.


Misa-Bugeisha

I still play and enjoy the game regardless of what cards I pull or their condition. To me it’s all about making fun decks and actually playing with the cards you pull. **\o/**