Pokemon TCG Pocket’s Deluxe Pack EX offers guaranteed rare cards and new artwork for the game’s first anniversary. Here’s whether it’s worth your pulls.
The Anniversary Celebration That’s Dividing Pokemon TCG Pocket Players
Pokemon TCG Pocket just dropped its most controversial pack yet. The Deluxe Pack EX promises guaranteed rare cards, exclusive artwork, and a nostalgic trip through the game’s first year – but it’s also stirring up serious debate in the community about whether it’s actually worth your precious pack points.
As someone who’s been playing since launch, let me break down what this anniversary celebration actually offers and whether you should care about it beyond the FOMO marketing.
What Exactly Is the Deluxe Pack EX?
Think of this as Pokemon TCG Pocket’s “greatest hits” album, but with a twist. Every five-card pull guarantees at least one four-diamond rarity card or higher – that’s a significantly better rate than standard packs offer.
The key details you need to know:
- Limited availability: September 29 – October 29 only (30 days total)
- Guaranteed rares: Four-diamond minimum per pack
- No new cards: Same effects, new artwork and foiling
- Retrospective content: Cards from all sets since launch
- Collector focus: This isn’t about competitive viability
The Good: What Actually Makes This Pack Special
Guaranteed Value: That four-diamond minimum isn’t just marketing speak. In regular packs, you can go multiple pulls without seeing anything rare. Here, every pack delivers something worthwhile from a collection standpoint.
Artwork Upgrades: The “parallel foil” treatment isn’t just a lazy reskin. These cards feature legitimately impressive visual effects that make familiar cards feel fresh. If you’re someone who appreciates the aesthetic side of collecting, this hits different.
Catch-Up Opportunity: Been chasing specific cards since launch without luck? This pack pools the entire year’s worth of content, giving you another shot at those white whales that have been avoiding your regular pulls.
The Bad: Why Some Players Are Skeptical
No Competitive Impact: If you’re focused on building battle decks, these cards offer zero new strategic options. Same effects means same meta, just with prettier art.
Resource Management Concerns: With regular set releases every month, spending pack points on cosmetic upgrades might leave you short for actually new content coming in future sets.
FOMO Manipulation: The 30-day limit feels artificial. There’s no gameplay reason this content couldn’t be permanent – it’s pure pressure tactics to drive immediate spending.
Breaking Down the Value Proposition
Here’s the honest math on whether this pack makes sense for your playstyle:
Collectors (Strong Recommend):
- Guaranteed rares mean consistent progress toward completion
- Exclusive artwork won’t be available elsewhere
- Anniversary timing makes these genuinely limited items
Competitive Players (Probably Skip):
- Zero impact on deck building or meta strategies
- Better to save resources for next month’s new release
- Focus should be on functional cards, not cosmetic upgrades
Casual Players (Your Call):
- If you enjoy the visual collecting aspect, go for it
- If you’re struggling to complete basic sets, prioritize those first
- Don’t feel pressured by the limited timeline
What the Community Is Saying
The Pokemon TCG Pocket subreddit and Discord channels are deeply divided on this release. Here’s what the major camps are arguing:
Pro-Deluxe Camp: “Finally, a way to catch up on rare cards I missed” and “The artwork is genuinely gorgeous”
Anti-Deluxe Camp: “Pure FOMO cash grab” and “Should be focusing resources on new content”
The pragmatists: “Good for whales and collectors, skip if you’re F2P”
Strategic Advice Based on Your Spending Level
Free-to-Play Players: Stick to your regular pack opening schedule. The guaranteed rares are nice, but you need to prioritize building complete playable decks over cosmetic upgrades.
Light Spenders ($5-20/month): Consider a few pulls if there are specific cards you’ve been hunting. Don’t go all-in, but a targeted approach might pay off.
Heavy Spenders: This is designed for you. The guaranteed rare rate makes this the most efficient way to fill collection gaps, assuming you’re not missing basic cards from regular sets.
The Bigger Picture: What This Means for Pokemon TCG Pocket
This anniversary pack reveals something important about the game’s direction: Creatures Inc. and DeNA are doubling down on the collecting aspect over pure competitive play.
Why this matters:
- Future limited packs are almost certainly coming
- The game is positioning itself as much about digital collecting as battling
- Monetization is shifting toward cosmetic/premium content
- Anniversary events will likely become annual traditions
Timing Considerations That Actually Matter
Start of Pack (Now – Early October): Best time to pull if you’re planning to. Full month to strategize around what you get.
Mid-Month (October 10-20): Sweet spot for impatient players. You’ll know what you’re missing but still have time to adjust.
End of Pack (Late October): Only recommended if you’re specifically targeting cards you failed to get earlier. FOMO pressure peaks here.
The Cards You Should Actually Care About
While every card gets the deluxe treatment, some are genuinely more valuable targets:
Priority Pulls:
- Meta-defining cards you missed from launch sets
- Popular Pokemon with significant artwork upgrades
- Cards that rarely appear in regular rotation
- Anything needed to complete specific deck archetypes
Lower Priority:
- Cards easily available in current standard packs
- Pokemon you don’t use competitively or personally enjoy
- Commons with minimal visual upgrades
Should You Pull or Wait?
Pull if:
- You’re missing key cards from early sets
- Collecting is your primary enjoyment from the game
- You have excess pack points and aren’t worried about future releases
- The artwork genuinely appeals to you personally
Wait if:
- You’re focused on competitive play over collecting
- Your current collection still has major gaps in standard sets
- You’re saving resources for rumored upcoming expansions
- You don’t care about cosmetic upgrades
The Bottom Line
Pokemon TCG Pocket’s Deluxe Pack EX is exactly what it claims to be: a premium collecting experience that offers guaranteed value for players who prioritize completion and aesthetics over competitive innovation.
It’s not a scam, but it’s also not essential for most players. The guaranteed four-diamond rate is legitimately generous, and the artwork upgrades are genuinely impressive. But if you’re still building basic competitive decks or prefer spending resources on entirely new content, this can safely be skipped.
My recommendation: Try a few pulls if you’re curious, but don’t feel pressured to go all-in unless you’re specifically chasing collection completion. The FOMO marketing is real, but the content will likely return in some form for future anniversaries.
The game’s first anniversary deserves celebration – just make sure you’re celebrating in a way that actually enhances your personal enjoyment rather than just responding to artificial scarcity.
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