Summary
- Pokemon TCG Pocket introduces new rarity types, like shiny cards, with more potentially coming.
- Lapras Ex is the rarest card in the game, only obtainable from a past event, and unlikely to return.
- Future game sets should address the issue of limited promo cards like Lapras Ex.
With the game growing exponentially since its launch in October of last year, it's no surprise that additional rarity types are being added to Pokemon TCG Pocket with its shiny cards, and more rarities may follow in the future. There are many very rare cards that only a handful of players have, and with the current release schedule for the mobile game, considering that Pokemon TCG Pocket's Extradimensional Crisis set is dropping just a month after the previous one, those cards with low rates are likely to remain in the hands of just a few lucky players. Yet, there is one specific card that is currently the rarest in the entire game, and its status may never really change.
Pokemon TCG Pocket is still, by all means, a gacha game, even if it is relatively generous for free-to-play users across the board and has been since its launch. There are typically several free events in the game, and while the rewards may not always be the best or most valuable, they do help players grow their collection. However, promos have been a controversial topic for as long as they have existed, and one of them is not only unobtainable, but it may never reappear again.
Pokemon TCG Pocket's Next Extradimensional Crisis Meta Card is Already Clear
Pokemon TCG Pocket is about to launch the Extradimensional Crisis set focused on Ultra Beasts, and one of the new cards is likely to be OP.
Pokemon TCG Pocket's Lapras Ex is The Rarest Card in The Game
The concept of promo cards is not new, but they usually represent existing cards with different art or maybe a promotional stamp to make them special, rather than entirely new, unique cards. Still, this was precisely the case with Lapras Ex, which only existed as a promo and is no longer obtainable from its corresponding event, nor was it ever released as a standalone card in any given expansion. As such, Pokemon TCG Pocket's Lapras Ex only exists for those who got it from that event, and unless the event returns (which would defeat the purpose of promos and the FOMO they instill), it will remain a one-of-a-kind card.
The only other card that may be as rare or rarer than Lapras Ex is the shiny Mewtwo Ex obtainable for real money exclusively, but at least its Genetic Apex counterpart is identical, mechanically speaking.
It seems unlikely that cards made exclusively for their specific event will return as regular additions to a given set, and it's equally out of the realm of possibilities that the game will hold another Lapras Ex giveaway. This is for two main reasons:
- Players who do have Lapras Ex wouldn't be interested in repeating the event
- Adding the same events and rewards as before removes their timely and unique value, giving players a reason not to complete them
Even if this is not a good approach for the game, it's the most likely one. As such, Lapras Ex is bound to be one of the rarest cards in Pokemon TCG Pocket for the foreseeable future.
Why Pokemon TCG Pocket's Trade Plans Don't Change Promo Cards' Rarity
Things may change further down the line, although just in a small part. Pokemon TCG Pocket's trade changes scheduled for sometime toward the end of the year are a great first step in the right direction, and the developer did state its intention is to find a way to make promos tradeable. However, this wouldn't increase the pool of available copies of Lapras Ex in the game, and since it was an event from early in the game's lifespan, not many of them are around.
It's worth noting that the recent Rayquaza Ex event for Pokemon TCG Pocket also gave away a card that is not normally obtainable from booster packs, but players had the chance to get a full art version of this card for a whole month and regardless of event participation.
Being able to trade promos would still be a fantastic outcome for players, but it only partly addresses the issue of FOMO that is inherent to this type of time-limited card. One may not be able to play in a given week, for example, or they may simply have bad luck with the pulls and never get a single copy of a given card. Trading doesn't really make those rare cards more available, it just gives fans a tool to earn them in exchange for something. As such, Lapras Ex set a bad precedent for the mobile game, and Pokemon TCG Pocket's future sets should address it by making the card available with a different, non-promo art dedicated to it.
- Released
- October 30, 2024
- Developer(s)
- DeNA, Creatures Inc.
- Publisher(s)
- The Pokemon Company
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer
- Cross-Platform Play
- Yes
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- Digital Card Game
