One feature inPokémon TCG Pocketstill has not been fixed that would vastly improve the experience. After 2 months of the game being in trainers' hands, the lackluster value of this one feature brings the question if it is even worth using. With the issue involving one major element that most players will run into, players are expecting a reworking of what to do with the results.

There are plenty of features thatPokémon TCG Pocketgets right, but there are still some additions players want to see to improve the game.Trading is the big one, and it is part of the joys of trading card games in general. ​WithTCG Pocketbeing a newer game, it is unsurprising that something like this is currently left out of its early stages. But as trading is a promised feature by the developers, it still may not fix everything frustrating about the game.

Same cards but new versions from Pokémon TCG Pocket

Pokémon TCG Pocket Doesn’t Have A Good System For Duplicate Cards

How Duplicate Cards Are Used In TCG Pocket Is Not Worth It

Running into collecting duplicate cards is bound to happen when playingTCG Pocket, as it is for any trading card game. With all the duplicate cards accumulated by players from the variouspacks ofGenetic Apex, special promo cards, and the newMythical Islandset, there should be a better way to make use of these duplicates. Currently,duplicate cards can be used to create Flair, which is a graphic effectyou can apply to cards that shows up in battles. There is currently no other use for duplicate cards as trading is still unavailable.

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Another thingneeded forcreating Flair for cardsis Shinedust, which is obtained in various ways while playing. You will accumulate Shinedust by getting duplicates of cards, solo battle missions, achievements, purchasing cards they already own with Pack Points, or from the shop during limited-time events.

Pokemon Trading Card Game TCG Pocket logo

Those who have been playing probably already have a good amount of Shinedust to spend, but depending on the amount of duplicate cards available, it may be a bit disappointing in how Flair works. Exchanging duplicate cards for a cosmetic effect only seen in battle is underwhelming.

Why Flair Is So Disappointing

Flair Is Too Expensive And Uses Up Too Many Resources, With Little Payoff

All the effort that needs to be put into a small animation effect during battle is disappointing, to a point where there should be a different feature to use duplicate cards for. The cost of Shinedust and the duplicate cards it takes to exchange forFlair is too expensive, especially for cards that have a high rarity. Cards with lower rarity will require more copies of the card but less Shinedust, but cards with higher rarity require a lot more Shinedust.It often feels like Flair is overly complicatedand a waste of resources.

It keeps getting more expensive from there. If players redeem the cards and Shineddust needed to get Flair,it can only be applied to one copy. If someone were to want more than one copy of that card to have Flair, they have to pay the cost more than once for that card. There is an array of effects available for each card as well, and the cost of card copies and Shinedust is needed to obtain each one. They are also unlocked one at a time for most cards, being a tedious task with too many elements overall.

Pokémon TCG Pocket cards with Staryu art behind them

Trading Is A Solution, But TCG Pocket Needs More

There Should Be a New Way To Use Duplicate Cards In TCG Pocket

With the amount of duplicate cards players can, and have, accumulated over the course of the game’s availability, there needs to be a better way to use them. The introduction of trading could be a great solution while also offering an easier way for trainers to get the cards they are missing from their collection or need for a new deck. However, it is not a complete solution to the duplicate problem,as players will continue to collect more copies of existing cards during playand as new sets are introduced in the future.

Pokémon TCG Pocket Needs More Reasons To Play, & Here’s Why

To keep Pokémon TCG Pocket engaging, changes need to be made in regards to rewards and daily missions.

One alternate idea is that duplicate cards could be exchanged for Pack Points, taking priority away from the Flair feature. Depending on the card rarity, it could provide more pack points if the card exchanged has a higher rarity. With this way of spending duplicate cards, it would be easier to collect all the more rare cards in each set. If this was put into practice, the exchange rate for card copies for points may not be high as the developers may still want to keep the super rare cards harder to obtain.

Three Pokémon cards and two Rewards fromPokémon TCG Pocket.

It would overall be worth it if the way players use their duplicate cards were reconsidered. The Flair feature inPokémon TCG Pocketis an expensive and time-consuming way to get a small animation only seen in battles. The implementation of the highly anticipated trading feature could work to solve the duplicate problem by allowing players to get cards they want more easily. The game should also consider something new with the accumulation of duplicate cards as it is something every player is bound to run into while playing.

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