double battling with Runerigus, Shuckle, and Ninjask make a terrifying trio, and to add insult to injury then switch out Ninjask for Garchomp
3 Likes
EXPLANATION: Runerigus has the ability Wandering Spirit, for those of you who don’t know it; ‘If the pokemon is hit by a physical move the target and user switch ability’ that’s what Wandering spirit does. So step 1: hit Runerigus with a physical move. 2: switch Runerigus with Ninjask. 3: have Ninjask hit Shuckle. bounus: switch Ninjask with Garchomp
3 Likes
Probably not a particularly unpopular opinion…
I find myself drawn more and more toward the uncommon/common set cards, and most recently toward a lot of non-holo artwork in general, particularly Japanese.
But especially with a set like Base, though I do get “the Charizard,” and, of course, I do love all the holo cards—but cards, in my opinion, like Rattata, Abra, Magikarp, Charmeleon, Charmander, Squirtle, Bulbasaur, Pikachu, just to mention a pocketful, I think cards like these simply dazzle the eye and are an absolute pleasure to look at consistently. I think the minute details thereof allow for a deeper and more intimate appreciation of the card, so I can lose myself in them and in the surroundings of the featured Pokémon and in the world of the card more comfortably and for a lot longer than any holo, they are in a way more welcoming than the standard shining foil of most holos, more stimulating.
I also really love the Jungle set, and I think cards like Cubone, Persian, Marowak, Lickitung are exquisite, and being able to own 1st Edition cards like these, and even most Base Set commons included, so cheaply in a PSA 10 I think is great.
And Japanese stuff like from the Vending series, especially the Rattata, Abra, Golduck, Slowbro, and from the 2002 McDonald’s Promos, the Umbreon, the Mew, the Donphan, the Marill, the Mareep, and the Phanpy, and, of course, there is Himeno’s Natta Wake Mankey, lunging bravely toward two bowls of apples placed on a table, as its Mankey buddies hiding watch in awe from behind a doorway. Just fantastic, and still available at earthly prices. But just imagine how, if these cards were to be holo, they would be ruined…
*I guess what I’m saying is, I think holo cards may be a little overrated, maybe.
11 Likes
I don’t think holo cards are overrated, more that non-holos are absolutely under-appreciated.
Vending has some of the best artwork (imo) but doesn’t get talked about enough. I love the references to in-game locations and the early work from Arita, Nishida, Kusube etc.
11 Likes
Yeah, that’s fair. They are absolutely under-appreciated.
2 Likes
Not sure if this is what you mean, but for me, I hear crickets in the non-holo because it’s so peaceful and clear, and with the holo, I can almost hear the stars. This card is a very unusual “total ends of the spectrum” kinda thing. Like they’re practically different cards. Usually, either holo or non highlights the card art better, yeah?
7 Likes
Completely different cards, but both bangers! @mogrin
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The price of psa 10 1st ed neo gen pichu and lugia are where they are because one guy has been shilling new auctions/his own cards.
Related opinion - prices of those cards should be half the current value.
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Ponchos are immensely overpriced for what they are, umbreon vmax alt Art is about to do the same thing
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Charizard is underrated because people want to be quirky and hate on it since it’s the number 1 chase pokemon no matter how they feel.
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Creatures/TPC are actually dropping the ball on maximizing set collectability by having close to zero set cohesiveness every set.
I cannot be the only one who looks forward to amongst other potential sets:
- Completing Gym Leader/E4/Champion/Rival/Protagonist sets
- Completing same artist illustration lines
- Seeing game locations and Pokemon within them featured there
- Completing different configurations of legendaries/starters/mythicals
But every set it’s just one Pokemon matching the title, then randomized with personal favourite bias from the execs sprinkled in.
6 Likes
I’ve already accepted last year that TPC is just not obsessed with set cohesion or catering to very specific collecting goals, other than 151 which was easy to do. They are more focused on increasing tcg engagement and being openminded with new artists for fresh takes on Pokémon illustration
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Which set convinced you?
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SV3 Ruler of the Black Flame, it was the start of sets moving on from SV base with half the AR/SAR cards being Kanto and Johto Pokémon
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Not sure what the consensus is on this but I was adding some new cards into my Neo Discovery set and I realised that I REALLY don’t like the Tyranitar card. The art strikes me as so derpy, almost like a Sesame Street or Barney character, or a Mcdonalds mascot even. For Tyranitar’s rookie card…it sucks!
And I don’t even have the holo version yet so I will have the “pleasure” of paying out a decent wedge of money for NM just because T-tar comes with some popularity tax.
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I wish they would have just soften them a bit like in the ex era.
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my pokedex binders ended w/ crown zenith for this reason RIP
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The two neo cards, shining aside, both have bad art. It’s the arms on the dark type card and the finger/claw position, and the fat folds over the knees on the fighting type card. When the tyranitar poll was going on I struggled to find decent depictions
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