Is Rare Candy About to Break Pokemon TCG Pocket’s Meta?

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Summary

  • Pokemon TCG Pocket’s card collection is expanding fast, with rumors of a new set in April.
  • Rare Candy could pose balance issues in the game by bypassing Stage 1 critters.
  • Adding Rare Candy may be a blessing and a curse, potentially breaking the meta in Pokemon TCG Pocket.

Even though Pokemon TCG Pocket has only been available for four months, its collection of cards is already substantial and is expected to expand significantly in the upcoming months, with set A3 rumored to be launched at the end of April. There are numerous potential cards that could enhance Pokemon TCG Pocket, such as enhanced versions of the Poke Ball like Mega Ball or Ultra Ball, concepts that the physical game already offers. However, due to the unique deckbuilding rules and criteria in Pokemon TCG Pocket, it’s uncertain if cards from the physical version will be included, especially a specific existing card.

In contrast to the traditional Pokemon game, where each Pokemon card varies significantly from its physical counterpart due to differences in attacks, HP, and costs, being balanced independently, the Trading Card Game (TCG) often faces challenges when making Stage 2 creatures viable in competitive decks. This is because collecting all the Pokemon required for this evolutionary line can be challenging at best, and unreliable at worst. If the game were to introduce a Rare Candy card from the TCG, it might face difficulties ensuring its balance.

Why Pokemon TCG Pocket May Struggle to Balance Rare Candy

In its current form, Rare Candy lets gamers instantly advance a Pokemon card from the basic stage to a Stage 2, bypassing any Stage 1 creatures and their related cards. However, this action can’t be performed on the first turn or on the same turn the selected basic Pokemon is played. If this feature were implemented in the Pokémon TCG Pocket version, it might significantly disrupt the game’s core mechanics. Potential issues could arise such as:

  • Remove the need for Stage 1 Pokemon in favor of Rare Candy, as having two copies of both these cards would take a lot of space in the deck
  • Make certain combos possible much earlier, such as Moltres Ex using Inferno Dance on the first turn players have one available Energy, and potentially attack with Charizard Ex on the following turn with some luck

The inclusion of Rare Candy in Pokemon TCG Pocket has some solid arguments, as it currently faces challenges with Stage 2 cards. Yet, introducing Rare Candy as is might not solve these issues, but rather shift them, altering the game dynamics instead.

In simpler terms, using Rare Candy as it stands now doesn’t truly solve the issue of drawing all cards from a specific evolutionary line because it either swaps out basic Pokemon or makes decks excessively large, making the card almost useless in numerous situations. However, with favorable card draws, one could potentially disrupt the rules of the Pokémon TCG Pocket by having Stage 2 Pokémon ready to attack as early as turn 3 (turn 2 for the player). This means that adding this card can bring both advantages and disadvantages without any middle ground.

How Rare Candy Could Work in Pokemon TCG Pocket

If Rare Candy enters the game, maintaining a balance could prove challenging, especially considering potential enhancements for the Poke Ball card in Pokemon TCG Pocket. An intriguing solution to prevent significant impact on the meta would be transforming Rare Candy into a Pokemon Tool card within Pokemon TCG Pocket. This could mimic the video game function, where a Rare Candy causes a selected Pokemon to level up once, resulting in a +10 HP and damage boost for the associated creature. However, the developers’ approach towards Rare Candy remains uncertain, and it’s undetermined whether this card will even be integrated into the game initially.

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2025-03-12 01:56