Getting back into TCG - COST?

Nengeni

Aspiring Trainer
Member
I played the TCG form RR - CoL, and did reasonably well. I won a battle roads, and came 5th at nats. Although this doesn't actually matter.

I haven't obtained a single card since CoL came out, and I'm wondering what the approximate cost would be if I wanted to re-enter. I understand that I can trade / sell my old cards, but I'm still wondering what an approximate cost would be.

I know the rotation is going to change after world this summer (Is this true?), are there any rough guesses as to what the new rotation will be? What is the current rotation?

Please let me know if there is something that isn't clear.

Thanks,
Nengeni.
 

Glace

Top 8, Worlds 2013
Advanced Member
Member
38056561.jpg


True story.
 

Puff-Sun

Gogoats
Member
Current Rotation is Black and White - Plasma Freeze. Our rotation post-worlds isn't nailed down yet, but no rotation, Next Destinies-On, Dark Explorers-On, and Dragons Exalted-On are all possibilities

As for entering the game with no legal cards, assuming you're playing the cheapest decent deck at the moment, which is Darkrai:
3 Darkrais should set you back about $30
Sableyes total around $5
a Keldeo you can get for about $10
A set of Catcher will cost about $60
Lasers/Hammers/etc. will set you back about $20
Supporters cost about $30
and your ACE SPEC averages around $10

So in total, that's about $165. Keep in mind that my estimates are mostly rounded up to make math easier, so they're not the most conservative things in the world.

EDIT: Ninja'd.
 

Bo$$_89

Two Posts a Day Kept the Trolls Away
Member
ONE MILLION DOLLARS

Just kidding. But if you cut corners, you can make a somewhat competitive deck for around 100. For example, use Escape Rope instead of Catcher. Also, Keldeo is only around five, not 10
 

bagoly14

Collecting is expensive -_-
Member
I'd say count on at least 200$, but by the end of the season you'll be closer to 400-500$

Nobody plays the same deck the whole season and adding all the staples in order to stay competitive/restructure your deck is costly.

If I had played the whole season I would have started with mewtwo/terrakion which would have been 200$. Then Keldeo would have set you back another 100$. Then big basics/plasma will set you back another 125$.

Hence why I stopped playing.
 

ashtavakra

Overlord
Member
Nengeni said:
I played the TCG form RR - CoL, and did reasonably well. I won a battle roads, and came 5th at nats. Although this doesn't actually matter.

I haven't obtained a single card since CoL came out, and I'm wondering what the approximate cost would be if I wanted to re-enter. I understand that I can trade / sell my old cards, but I'm still wondering what an approximate cost would be.

I know the rotation is going to change after world this summer (Is this true?), are there any rough guesses as to what the new rotation will be? What is the current rotation?

Please let me know if there is something that isn't clear.

Thanks,
Nengeni.

The way I play, I like to have 2 good decks, will all the cards I need in it (no proxies).
So I would say to play the way I play at least $350-400 in cards alone. To have a decent collection of exs/trainers&supporters and all that jazz. If I was coming back into the game, I could only imagine that I could easily drop $600 in a couple weeks on a collection to jump me right back in. Now I have a fairly decent income so I have the ability to do those things. It really depends what type of collection you want. If you want to be able to have multiple complete decks or 1 good deck and proxy the rest for playtesting.
 

Binx345

Verified Seller
Member
Uh ,wow never really thought about much it would cost to get competivie, but then again I usually buy 1-2 boxes worth of each set if you include all packs, tins, box sets, prereleases, etc I get. An idea I would give, would to be do like maybe 4 of the next prerelease tournies, and then you can trade extras for older stuff OR try to get some various booster boxes (1 should give you plenty of all trainers in that set minus ace specs). P freeze, p storm, boundaries crossed, emerging powers maybe just for catchers, next destinies, dark explorers, dragons exalted, soo many good stuff imo. I would say maybe skip BW, NV and maybe ND and D exp because they may be rotated. if you get 1-3 boxes , you can trade/sell extras. Then again, I just love playing/collecting/trading so much anyways.... LOL

I have 5 legal good decks right now, and 2 legal decks for my lil cousin. I guess it would cost over $1,000 to straight up buy the cards for those decks. The only thing I don't have is tropical beach (which is now a $100-200 card!). And I do have like just 8 catchers spread over all my decks.
 

PokePhD

PokéBeach Verified Seller
Member
Shop around and see if you can buy from Verified Sellers here on PB.

You shouldn't have much problem getting cheap Trainers at the least.
 

Nengeni

Aspiring Trainer
Member
ECHOxLegend said:
don't support that catcher crap and save $80 bucks, win half the time. its a win win for everybody.

Winning half the time is not a win. Forgoing an important item to save money is stupid.
 

exdarkrai01

Aspiring Trainer
Member
If you want to have your options open, i would say 1000 should cover it (2-3 beaches, deoxys, and all the other expensive stuff). I personally dont see the point in being competitive if the best stuff is unaccesible due to cost. You gotta pay to play.
 
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