Even if you're an experienced Pokemon Trading Card player, Pokemon TCG Pocket's rarity system might be confusing at first. DeNA simplified the card rarity mechanics to make the game more accessible to casual players, so many aspects differ from the original game
When Is Trading Coming to Pokemon TCG Pocket?
The highly anticipated trading feature is coming to Pokemon TCG Pocket, and the release date is sooner than you might think.
As a result, both veterans and newcomers may wonder how card rarities work and what the new symbols and categories mean. If that sounds like you, don't worry; this guide covers everything you need to know about Pokemon TCG Pocket's rarity system and explains the changes from the physical card game.
Updated on October 31, 2025, by Mohsen Baqery: The Shining Revelry update in March 2025 introduced two new rarities: "Shiny One" and "Shiny Two." These cards previously appeared in the fourth and fifth slots of booster packs and could also be found in god packs. However, with the release of the Mega Rising expansions, the drop rates and distribution of Shiny One and Shiny Two were changed. To keep players informed, this guide has been updated with the most recent and accurate information about these two rarities.
How to Identify Card Rarities in Pokemon TCG Pocket
Pokemon TCG Pocket has ten rarity tiers: One-Diamond, Two-Diamond, Three-Diamond, Four-Diamond, One-Star, Two-Star, Three-Star, Crown, Shiny One, and Shiny Two. Each tier has a smaller card pool and is progressively rarer, with immersive (Three-Star), Shiny Two, and Crown rarities being the most elusive.
Rarity in Pokemon TCG Pocket is indicated by four symbols: Diamond, Star, Crow, and Rainbow Star (octagon). These symbols are displayed under the illustrator's name in the bottom-left corner. Different art styles and borders, such as full art, immersive art, and rainbow borders, also distinguish rarity.
Here's what each rarity in Pokemon TCG Pocket means:
- One-Diamond: Basic Pokemon
- Two-Diamond: Basic or Stage One Pokemon
- Three-Diamond: Stage One or Stage Two Pokemon
- Four-Diamond: Pokemon EX
- One-Star: A full-art variant of a Basic, Stage One, or Stage Two Pokemon
- Two-Star: A full-art variant of a Pokemon EX
- Three-star: A special immersive edition of a Pokemon EX
- Crown: A golden edition of rare Pokemon EX
- Shiny One: A sparkling variant of a Diamond-rarity card
- Shiny Two: A sparkling full-art variant.
Pokemon TCG Pocket's Shiny Cards Explained
On March 27, 2025, Pokemon TCG Pocket released the Shining Revelry set, introducing the first batch of Shiny cards. These variants feature sparkling artwork of the depicted Pokemon and come in two rarity levels: Shiny One (regular) and Shiny Ultra Rare, or, as the game calls them, Shiny Two. The standard Shinies showcase the Pokemon with sparkles in a non-full-art design, while Shiny Two cards feature a full-art shimmering illustration.
The rarity of Shiny Pokemon is marked by a rainbow-colored octagram-like symbol in the bottom-left corner. A single rainbow star indicates a regular Shiny, while two signify a Shiny Two (Ultra Rare). Naturally, the latter holds greater value.
List of All Shiny Cards in the Shining Revelry Set
|
One-Star Shiny |
Two Star Shiny |
|---|---|
|
|
Pokemon TCG Pocket has expanded the roster of Shiny cards with each new expansion, and the game will likely continue adding more Pokemon in this category with every set.
Shiny Drop Rate Changes in B1 Explained
With the release of Pokemon TCG Pocket's Mega Rising expansion (B1), Shiny cards were moved to the sixth slot of the "Regular Pack + 1" boosters. This means Shiny One and Shiny Two Pokemon no longer appear in god packs. Their drop rates have also decreased, as six-card packs in Pokemon TCG Pocket have only an 8% chance of appearing in each pull.
DeNA likely adjusted this drop rate because many players were frustrated that Shinies could take up slots needed for other important cards. Specifically, players were upset that this rarity reduced their chances of getting Four-Diamond (Pokemon EX) cards, which are crucial for building competitive decks.
How Pokemon TCG Pocket Rarities Compare to Pokemon TCG
Since the Scarlet & Violet revamp in 2023, the physical Pokemon TCG uses three primary symbols to indicate card rarities: Circle, Diamond, and Star. Higher rarities, such as Hyper Rare, are marked with variants of these symbols. (For example, a three-star stamp at the bottom for Hyper Rare.)
Pokemon TCG Pocket simplifies this system further by removing the Circle symbol. While most of Pocket's card rarities have counterparts in the physical game, not all physical rarities are directly included.
The following table shows Pocket rarities' counterparts in Pokemon TCG.
|
Pokemon TCG Pocket Rarity |
Pokemon TCG Rarity |
|---|---|
|
One-Diamond |
Common |
|
Two-Diamond |
Uncommon |
|
Three-Diamond |
Rare |
|
Four-Diamond |
Double Rare or Ultra Rare |
|
One-Star |
Illustration Rare (Full-Art) |
|
Two-Star |
Special Illustration Rare |
|
Three-Star |
N/A |
|
Crown |
Hyper Rare |
|
Shiny One |
Shiny Rare |
|
Shiny Two |
Shiny Ultra Rare |
Pokemon TCG Pocket Pack Rarities Explained
Each booster pack in Pokemon TCG Pocket can be either Regular or Rare. Regular packs contain five to six cards of any type, with a very small chance of including Three-Star, Crown, or Shiny cards. Rare packs, on the other hand, are guaranteed to contain One-Star variants or rarer cards except for Shiny One and Shiny Two, but the chance of obtaining a Rare pack is only 0.050%.
- Regular Booster Pack Drop Rate: 99.950%
- Rare (God) Pack Drop Rate: 0.050%
Rare packs are also known as god packs in Pokemon TCG Pocket.
Card Price Estimation Based on Rarity
Pokemon TCG Pocket allows players to purchase cards of all rarities, provided they have enough Pack Points. These points are earned by opening booster packs, meaning players who open the most packs—referred to as whales—have a guaranteed way to acquire rare cards.
The following table shows how many packs you need to open and how much real-life money you should spend to purchase a card from each rarity.
|
Rarity |
Pack Point |
Price |
F2P |
|---|---|---|---|
|
One-Diamond |
35 (7 packs) |
~ $5 |
4 days |
|
Two-Diamond |
70 (14 packs) |
~ $15 |
7 days |
|
Three-Diamond |
150 (30 packs) |
~ $25 |
15 days |
|
Four-Diamond |
500 (100 packs) |
~ $90 |
50 days |
|
One-Star |
400 (80 packs) |
~ $80 |
40 days |
|
Two-Star |
1,250 (250 packs) |
~ $200 |
125 days |
|
Three-Star |
1,500 (300 packs) |
~ $300 |
150 days |
|
Crown |
2,500 (500 packs) |
~ $500 |
250 days |
|
Shiny One |
1,000 (200 packs) |
~ $180 |
100 days |
|
Shiny Two |
1,350 (266 packs) |
~ $210 |
133 days |
Every time you open a booster pack in Pokemon TCG Pocket, you earn 5 Pack Points. It is also worth noting that the estimated price and time for Shiny One and Two cards may no longer be accurate since they've been pushed to the sixth slot of booster packs.
Card Drop Rates Based on Rarity
Booster packs in Pokemon TCG Pocket contain five to six cards, with each slot having different drop rates for various rarities. The cards in the back of the pack, slots four and five, have the highest chance of containing rare and EX cards. In contrast, the front slots, one to three, almost always contain common Pokemon. Additionally, the sixth slot is known to contain either baby Pokemon or Shiny One and Two cards.
|
Rarity/Slot |
Slot #1 to #3 |
Slot #4 |
Slot #5 |
Slot #6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
One-Diamond |
100% |
0% |
0% |
- |
|
Two-Diamond |
0% |
90% |
60% |
- |
|
Three-Diamond |
0% |
5% |
20% |
- |
|
Four-Diamond |
0% |
1.6% |
6.66% |
- |
|
One-Star |
0% |
2.572% |
10.288% |
- |
|
Two-Star |
0% |
0.5% |
2% |
- |
|
Three-Star |
0% |
0.222% |
0.888% |
- |
|
Crown |
0% |
0.040% |
0.16% |
- |
|
Shiny One |
0% |
0% |
0% |
68.180% |
|
Shiny Two |
0% |
0% |
0% |
31.820% |
FAQs About Card Rarity in Pokemon TCG Pocket
Here are the most frequently asked questions about card rarities in Pokemon TCG Pocket:
What's the Rarest Card in Pokemon TCG Pocket?
The rarest cards in Pokemon TCG Pocket are immersive and Crown cards, such as the Golden Pikachu EX, Golden Charizard EX, and Golden Mewtwo EX. While these cards are ultra-rare in packs, you can purchase them from Pokemon TCG Pocket's Pack Point shop for 1,500 points each for immersive cards, and 2,500 points each for golden edition Crown cards.
Are Promo Cards a Rarity in Pokemon TCG Pocket?
Promo cards are not considered a rarity tier in Pokemon TCG Pocket. You can earn them by opening exclusive one-card packs, typically awarded during limited-time events.
Are There Secret Rare Cards in Pokemon TCG Pocket?
Unlike the physical Pokemon TCG, Pocket does not include cards numbered higher than the total count of their expansion, though this could change in the future. As of now, the only secret rare in Pokemon TCG Pocket is Mew
Do Rarities Affect Card Power in Pokemon TCG Pocket?
Illustration variants do not affect stats; they are simply alternative art versions of regular Pokemon cards. In other words, rarities like Shiny, One-Star, Two-Star, Three-Star, and Crown usually affect the card's art style rather than its stats. However, there can be a significant power difference between cards in the One-Diamond to Four-Diamond category, with higher Diamond cards generally being stronger.
- Released
- October 30, 2024
- Developer(s)
- DeNA, Creatures Inc.
- Publisher(s)
- The Pokemon Company
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer
- Cross-Platform Play
- Yes
