This simple Pokemon TCG Pocket mistake can ruin your account

James Busby
Pikachu crying

Obtaining new cards in Pokemon TCG Pocket can take a long time, so make sure you don’t make this one mistake that will destroy your progress. 

Like most trading card games, Pokemon TCG Pocket allows players to craft specific cards using in-game currency (Pack Points). A total of five Pack Points are rewarded for every booster pack a player opens, and with only one free booster a day (unless you have the Premium Pass), obtaining this currency can take a long time. 

To make matters worse, the best Pokemon TCG Pocket decks require powerful ex cards like Mewtwo ex and Pikachu ex. These OP cards cost 500 Pack Points each, and unless you’ve managed to snipe them via Wonder Picks or in boosters, you’ll need to purchase them. 

When you combine this with every meta deck needing Trainer cards like Misty, Sabrina, and Giovanni – you’ll need a hell of a lot of Pack Points. So, as you can imagine, saving your Pack Points is incredibly important, especially for those looking to build the best decks for online battles. 

Pack Points screen in Pokemon TCG Pocket
The Pack Points Exchange screen allows you to craft cards.

It’s important to note, that Pokemon TCG Pocket doesn’t allow you to sell any of your duplicate cards. When the game says “Exchange” or “Can exchange” under the Pack Points menu, this means you’ll be able to purchase this card – not sell it. 

Unfortunately, this confusion has led to some players using all their Pack Points to purchase useless cards – under the guise that they’re selling duplicates. 

“I thought I was selling 10 Dubwools but I bought 10 Dubwools,” wrote one distraught player on the Pokemon TCG Pocket Reddit page. “RIP to the last two weeks of hoarding pack points. Should have done my research.”

Another player had a similar experience and ended up purchasing 10 Rattatas, which makes it even worse, given how common this card is. 

So, before you go eying up your card collection thinking you’re about to strike it rich in Pack Points, remember that you can not sell cards. Fortunately, all your unwanted cards and duplicates will be useful when trading gets added to the game, which you can read about in our handy guide