Pokémon TCG: Sword and Shield—Brilliant Stars

Nintendo's BIG R&S Switcheroo Snafoo!

Status
Not open for further replies.
S

SteveP

Active Member
Currently, there's a discussion in the news forum about Nintendo's new R&S EX Pokemon collation (http://www.pokegym.net/showthread.php?t=264). FYI, a number of sources have confirmed that EX Pokemon are now just as rare as normal holos. So, on average, every 3rd booster, you'll pull either a rare Holo OR a rare Holo EX. That's a HUGE switch from the original printings where EX Pokemon were considered to be the same rarity as non-holo rares. According to the numbers, here's what has happened (for the worst):

1. With 13 non-holo (NH) rares and 34 uncommons in R&S, the odds of pulling a particular NH rare are 1/13 boosters. The odds of pulling a partiular uncommon are 1/17 boosters. Uncommons are NOW more rare than NH rares!

2. In the original R&S booster boxes, on average you'd get 12 Holo Rares and 12 or more EX Rares. NOW, you'll only get a TOTAL of 12 (in any combination) of these Rares. Holo Rares and EX Rares have increased in rarity by 100 percent or more! You could probably now say that R&S has created an Ultra-rarity-level category! (Can you say YUGIOH!)

So, I for one am going to voice my concerns to Nintendo about the ABSURD switcheroo! It's just the kind of move that could sour my efforts to support Nintendo OP.

How do the rest of you feel about this change in R&S Rarities?
 
Last edited:
in my 2 boxes, i have more EX pokemon then rares, and have 2 completed sets of holos...I think the EX pokemon are more of a super rare, and are more common then holos...
 
Last edited:
Well, that's probably how it should be. EXs were way too common in the first place. There may be some inequites now, but I'd take extra NHs over excess EXs. But, that's just me.
 
For me, this is the more interest aspect of the changes in distribution:

36 packs per box.

2/3rd chance in a box to get 13 Rares...which in theory means you will get around 3 of each Rare.

1/3 chance to get 22 Holos, equating to a minumum two boxes needed.

Out of which, if you got two boxes, you'd have a theoretical complete set of Holos and nearly 6 of each Rare. I hope the Rares are worth it.

Feel free to correct my math, since I'm calculating things off the top of my head.
 
Last edited:
This is a great thing for kids. All the kids at our league just love getting the EX Pokemon. They get so excited its nice to see that excitement again with Pokemon. I think EX is one of the best sets in a loooong time. :clap:
 
Well, I'm a bit perturbed that the upcoming expansions (Sandstorm, et. al.) won't have the same generous distribution of EX-holos as the first :(
 
Last edited:
JohnnyBlaze said:
This is a great thing for kids. All the kids at our league just love getting the EX Pokemon. They get so excited its nice to see that excitement again with Pokemon. I think EX is one of the best sets in a loooong time. :clap:
Click to expand...

That goes to show that some of us really have differet views on how the cards are distributed. For kids, it is the excitement of getting new out of pokemon and at the same time play it with basic or intense strategy (don't tell me you never lost to some kids :D ). For some ahem... adults and experienced players we want the new ones help our decks more powerful and at the same time, we want to get them out of the least effort and money possible.

For me, I trade my extra rares especially to the comeback players and newbies for collection and deckplay with some juicy cards that I have a hard time to get (since unlimited is still predominant here in Manila in my case) :) .

Still it is not yet September and many changes, improvements or mishaps that can happen. Sandstorm is coming and I still believe it is a good (and as of this time, a mysterious) set.

Well, all of this keep my eyes rolling. :rolleyes:
 
I don't like the ex's. Of course though, I got my box earlier, so I have a pile of ex's, instead of getting more useful cards. I personally think they should make the ex's even MORE rare than the level of a normal holo.


Also, starting with Expedition, when packs were cut to 9 cards, Uncommons have been getting harder and harder to get. Whatever happened to the days where you could get enough of each of the Uncommons to be able to use them in a deck? Now, you only get like 1 or 2, *maybe* 3 of each Uncommon. Yes, they're making the reverse holos, but that still doesn't justify the pack setups.

Is now angry in the fact I got so many ex's when if I'd have gotten a newer box, I'd have gotten more useful things... Yes, ex's are cool to look at, but aside from that,... =\

Back to the Uncommons... I liked the LC setup. In EX, as with the E-series, we have 9 cards in a pack: 5 Common, 2 Uncommon, 1 Rare, 1 Rev Holo. (And if I'm right, if you'd get a true Holo, a Common would be replaced.) With LC, you got 5 or 6 Commons, 3 Uncommon, 1 Rare, 1 Rev. Holo, and 0 or 1 true Holo. The true holo would take a common's place. THERE, you would get a wide spread. Here, with 2 Uncommons a pack, you need a LOT of packs to get ANYWHERE. Personally, I don't like the combination of Rev Holos and the 9 cards a pack, because now you get LESS of the cards you need. I'd LIKE them to keep the bonus rare if you get a holo, but just NOT have the Rev Holo, and just make it an Uncommon. I would *like* it if you would get 5 Commons, 3 Uncommon, and 1 Rare, and IF you get a true holo, THEN replace an Uncommon with a bonus Rare...
*waits for criticism on my Rev Holo concept*

Sorry for getting off-track, but how the pack setups are now are getting too off-balanced, I felt I should say something...
 
Last edited:
To be honest, I wouldn't care less if it had been like that the whole time, but switching the rarity COMPLETELY is like, not on.. Lol.

A box from the first print run is worth QUITE a bit more foils than a box now...

SO I guess the message is... Whatever the rarity is, keep it the same.
 
i brought a box of R/S and heres what i pulled for EX pokemon

3x ex mewtwo
3x ex sneasl
3x ex electabuzz
2x ex sytcher
2x ex hitmonchan
2x ex lapras
2x ex magmar
1x ex chansey

i also pulled
2 blazkien holo
1 beautifly
1 aggron
2 camerrupt
1 greadvior
2 hariyama
1 swampert

and than a [edited: let's keep it clean, please..] load of RH. all in all i think this was a wonderful investment and plan on buying another one.

*on a side note my was not a seald box brought a box that had 4 packs left in it from another box but its still bascily the same thing.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Monkey_Without_Wings said:
i brought a box of R/S and heres what i pulled for EX pokemon

3x ex mewtwo
3x ex sneasl
3x ex electabuzz
2x ex sytcher
2x ex hitmonchan
2x ex lapras
2x ex magmar
1x ex chansey

i also pulled
2 blazkien holo
1 beautifly
1 aggron
2 camerrupt
1 greadvior
2 hariyama
1 swampert

and than a buttload of RH. all in all i think this was a wonderful investment and plan on buying another one.

*on a side note my was not a seald box brought a box that had 4 packs left in it from another box but its still bascily the same thing.
Click to expand...

That was from the first print run...
 
You know, I agree that the EX pokemon were perhaps a bit too common in the original printing. I'm sure Nintendo could have figured a better way to make them more rare, but this way (replacing Holo-rares) is ABSURD. If anything, EX rarity should NOT adversly effect other rarities like it has with the NH-rare vs Uncommon rarity I talked about in my original post.
 
are there any markings on the outside of the booster display box to distinguish if it is from the frist print run?
 
This could impact the R&S Challenge as before if you pulled a Mewtwo ex, you might not play it as someone else'll probably pulled one (or 2 someone's probably) from the same box. Now if you pull one, you're golden as chances are another one was not pulled from the same box as yours. Nor from a second box.
 
So does this mean that if I get another box now, I won't get quite so many Ex pokemon? I hope so because I got about 15 in my first box. I didn't mind so much because a friend was looking for a set of the Ex pokemon only, so that got rid of some of them. I guess I'm like a lot of people in that I can't see myself getting another box for some of the cards I need, when I'm going to get 15x the cards I don't need. Anyone have any Delcatty holo for trade? LOL.
 
They are still "working the bugs" out...

From what I have seen and heard about the "EX" expansion, it SEEMS to be a decent set. Given the fact, that I have yet to open my box that I had purchased better than two months ago, I cannot offer any personal feelings about the set, either good, bad or indifferent.

What I feel I CAN say, is that Nintendo is MUCH more receptive to the concerns of the consumers, than the last company who handled this game was.

So, going on that alone, makes me feel good that changes, to "Streamline" this game and/or rarity distribution will be most likely addressed in future sets.

Remember, this is Nintendo's first crack at this sort of thing, it isn't going to be perfect right out the gate. I must say though, as far as OP goes, they are most certainly moving in the right direction.

My two cents,

Skywolf1
 
WELCOME SKYWOLF!!!

Missed you @ ComicCon & GenCon =(

I must slightly differ on opinion BUT ALL is good. :p
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top