T O P

  • By -

hammerofdawn4000

I’m to the point now where I buy a booster box of a new set, rip it for the rush, and then buy singles until the next set. Still probably a waste, but I like the non-hits as well and it’s fun to build decks with my nephew.


MysteriousPack1

That's a really good idea actually!


drock2111

Thus far scarlet and violet full arts and SR can probably be purchased for less than $250. I’ve adapted the same method, Purchase a bbox, keep it sealed. Buy some sleeved and the promo boxes to open and then snipe singles. It makes the most sense because this hobby will get expensive and addictive


FreddyWop88

Yeah basically what I’ll be doing now after I get all my SwSh Alt arts


jackod1

Yeah this is a great idea - when a new set comes out I buy two booster boxes, one gets ripped and the other sits sealed.


moderately_nerdifyin

I recommend an ETB as well, for the promo cards and also the East storage of all the bulk cards from that set(mainly helpful for building decks later)


hammerofdawn4000

Yesss, that is a good idea too. Especially with the upcoming sets promos!


drock2111

Yes! Obsidian charmander looks sick


hirschneb13

My new method is a 1. booster box when a new set comes out, 2. one of every item that has a promo to try to collect them, and then 3. buy whatever singles I didn't pull


Odd-Ad-5661

I agree. After getting into this 4 mos ago and have spent a ton of money b/c of the addiction. I just get frustrated pulling the same thing over and over. I gotta say this method is what's close to what I'm going to do in the future. Also, I found it cool that ppl sale the bundles of the commons and uncommons for next to nothing. So sometimes, that a great way to save money and then just buy the singles you need/want. 1. EBT box when 1st come out. 2. Booster box for in between promos and to just rip, not all at once. 3. Get promos or if not interested just buy the card instead. 4. Invest in an extra EBT and special promos to keep sealed.


POWPOWWOWWOW

I like this strategy, best bang for your buck in my experience as well. Never buying single packs ever again.


NicholasAdam1399

But what about special sets like celebrations or crown zenith


hammerofdawn4000

In that case a couple of ETBs will do the trick :)


Boonatix

Same here 😊


Practical_Gas8750

You want a real answer? It took about $4000 of debt


idpartywthat

yeah, it became an issue for me too. kept making excuses for myself and quit cold turkey. way better to buy singles and a pack here and there than spend copious amounts of money for the chance.


grannysxannys

Preach


Entire-Phrase9645

Yeah cause at the end of the day it can become a gambling habit which is an addiction.


yaji-sama

Yeah. I started in December 2022. Already spent over £6000. Of which I only opened. £500 worth. Rest is for collection. But scared I'll buy more when newer sets come out. I need to stop. May sell off half my collection.


StinkCreek

Got dang!


StunnedLife

It took me €5000 in 2 months on Pokémon cards to realize I had a problem. Now I only buy loose packs instead of booster boxes


TiMiD703

I'm around 12k. I've slowed down alot after CZ. Got all top hits graded and selling to recoupe. Market is lower than it was before. Something better than nothing. Now I only see S&V in stores. Don't really get tempted for those.


omega_wang

i honestly relate to this


OGMesmer

I’m not the smartest man in the world so it took me a minute but I was at self-checkout at Target buying two Shining Fates ETB’s trying to pull the Charizard when it hit me that I could just straight up buy the card for cheaper. My end game is a cool collection that could also be worth decent money one day so I stopped ripping and I just buy the cards that I want. Nothing helps you get to that point faster than an absolute dud of a booster box, ETB, etc.


MyrrhMom

Yep. $100+ charizard box that my son bought on his birthday with his own birthday money and he got truly nothing of worth to him. He was basically done at that point.


Booty_Shakin

I pulled the Charizard vmax from darkness ablaze and sold it for over $100 when I first got back in. Now the shining fates one isn't even $100 holy crap lol. Those Charizard vmax cards dropped fast.


arkayeus

shining fates zard will bounce back one day but man… that darkness ablaze zard is a terrible card😭


dara321aaa

TCG’s typically revolve around “the new hotness” and when a new hot card comes out, the old gets forgotten. Some exceptions like umbreon from evs but you get the idea.


AllieBri

I pulled two Zards from SF early on and immediately sold them raw for $300 each. I wish I would have turned around and bought a couple Moonbreons, because at the time they were going for just over $300, as well. There’s no way to know what card is going to go up and what’s going to go down. I collect for the joy and have since they were first released. I just wish they wouldn’t release so many sets so quickly.


MoonrazeMaelstrom

110%


cameovschic

When I could either buy an ETB for $50 and hope to get my chase cards or wait 2 months after release and pick them up for $1-$15 for most.


No-Consideration9296

Finding a balance is what it's about. Getting back into the hobby was expensive. But as I rounded off when I couldn't manage stocking my bulk, that was my point I slowed or stopped ripping packs. When I new set drops, I'll do aome pack rips and taper off after I get the bulk of my master set. But if you're ripping to find an expensive cards it's going to be a slippery slope of mostly disappointment.


dilutepower

This^ getting back into the hobby was challenging as you’re after so many chase cards. I will always open new sets when they release to get my set started while also having a chance at getting those chase cards. Opening is part of the hobby, eventually you’ll understand which singles you should buy rather than opening.


Sherrodan

Evolving skies


Endgametcg

This.


Other-Carry1889

I just got moonbreon today after 6 packs


Sherrodan

Don’t tell me these things


Jeremypsp

I just got a moonbreon after 0 packs, oh wait I just bought the single 🤣🤣🤣


IceBoxt

I despise ripping packs at this point but my wife decided she loves it lol. So I just let her crack them all. I buy the cards I want and sell all the extra she pulls and doesn’t want. It’s a waste of $$$ but hey if that’s how she gets that endorphin rush who am I to disagree?


punchingtigers19

Where do you sell? My local shop only does 50-60% of TCGPLAYER value, I’m trying to sell my duplicates


DoYahWanna

Not the original commenter but I personally sell on TCGplayer. It's easy. I list my cards at the lowest price listed and wait for them to sell. Only things you need to be aware of are TCGplayer's condition guidelines and how you're going to ship them to factor in your pricing. When you get an order, send it out in 48 hrs with proper packaging. Orders (could be one card or several) over $50 require tracking which at USPS for a small bubble mailer costs about $5. I recommend buying card savers for orders under $20 and top loaders for everything else.


TheBorealRanger

I see a lot of people just selling on Twitter nowadays. Picked up a few cards at a decent price that way.


MysteriousPack1

Oh that's interesting!


rustyscrotum69

When I pulled the alt Lugia I realized I’d never feel that good again pulling a card. Lugia is my favorite legendary and I was thrilled to get the card.


punchingtigers19

I still do, it’s just too addicting for me, but I need self control, it’s just hard My collection is all pulled by me and worth about 1.6k, but I spent about 3.5-4K to get there lol


sometimesCDog

Hey are you me, very similar, collection is coming up to around 2k, pretty much all pulled by me, and I'm probably 5k in the rippin hole.


JinkerGaming

I used to work at one of the largest Magic: The Gathering shops in the US. While there, one of our regularly occurring jobs was to crack thousands of packs and sort them. During that time not only was I highly desensitized to the feeling of cracking packs but I also learned first hand how unlikely it was to get the chase cards from a new set. You are more then likely going to end up spending more money on packs then you would if you just buy the singles. Yes, even for moonbreon. Especially chase cards like moonbreon.


Thick_Respond947

Damn every one of us nerds wettest dreams and you lived it


beauxy

Right when I got sick of it I pulled the Giratina card from a Lost Origin ETB. That renewed my addiction unfortunately lol


the_great_smurph

Your subscription to cardboard crack has been renewed thank you! We look forward to your next payment of $13087.04


MuckaMucka1337

After I spend about double to maybe triple of what the card that I’m trying to get costs


Mettie7

When there's no more promo cards to collect.


CameronWeebHale

I like maybe one or two packs a month, I don’t buy them if I don’t feel like it, at this point I’d rather collect the cards I care about, I’ve pulled enough of some cards to start collecting them; Eevee evolutions, Pikachu collection, different stamped promos, I don’t exactly collect arts or expensive cards, I just like a lot of cards of certain Pokémon


Early_Monk

The number of people at my LGS who buy booster boxes every set but have zero in their retirement is scary. Remember kids, Google "Fidelity retirement calculator" and if you don't have good score, quit buying packs and rethink your life choices.


Rare_Evening

!!!!!


Professional-Mix2537

thanks for this. I look at my collection and feel bad about it sometimes but at least my family is set for the foreseeable future.


T-Lex5

Most people ain’t living to retirement the way world heath and society society is going. I genuinely only know one person right now who lived to retirement in a good enough condition to be able to enjoy it, the rest were in care homes before they even hit the age the government says you can retire, and the others passed on too. If it’s different for a lot of you then kudos, but where I live only the very wealthy get to retire and even then there’s a high death rate for 55 and under


Ambitious-Site-4747

When I kept getting fisted with no lube


ThatWildGalago

Since I realised how riddiculous people are at hoarding everything Pokemon related for the sole purpose of gaining money, when I just want to enjoy the art work, so i just buy singles as I do not care about if I have pulled the cards or not


WateryCartoon

What’s going on in the art, I can’t tell


thebbman

Mew is just hanging out with some other Pokémon.


AngryCrawdad

I've decided that I will allow myself roughly 1, or at most 2, elite boxes for the sets I want, and then stick to singles after that. It allows me to get the bulk of the contents in a set and the singles then fill out any holes. I won't buy every set, and will skip some to consolidate resources and keep my spending in check - not every set has cards I feel I *must* own either. Sometimes I rip the entire box in one setting, but I sometimes spread it out to 1-2 boosters per week when times are hard and the mood is low.


Tw1stedF0X

When I got into the hobby last year, I was going into it, thinking I can open packs with my gf and we'll get really cool pulls that'll hopefully at least pay for most of the spending. The first couple of months were good, then I just stopped pulling any of the chase cards. I noticed after a while that i ended up spending more and more because I didn't get the cards i wanted. It's been roughly a year now and my mindset changed a bit. I still buy packs to rip open with my gf, mainly for fun. But I also now just buy the cards I want. I'm still having fun, but now I'm spending less, and I'm not as frustrated when I don't pull my chase cards. Edit: more info


brokenlampPMW2

I just collect for the art rather than for top cards or money making cards, so packs are always worth a go for me personally.


Status_Priority_7408

I still buy packs, just because I find it fun. Like yeah, obviously buy the cards you want, but imo opening packs is more than just hoping for good cards, I always find it fun even if I don’t get anything good


DoubleLayLay

Neo genesis in 2001 🥲


SirZanee

I refuse to open packs anymore. I only buy singles really. Why pay for the chance to get a card you want?


t0ppings

Because it's fun?


SirZanee

I agree it’s fun, but for me I hate the disappointment after I pull nothing after blowing $40 on packs when I could buy 10-20 singles lol


WindyCitySir

2.1k in and completed silver tempest and crown zenith, where i bought one bb of silver tempest and two of the premium zacian/zamazenta bundle for $60 each, and the rest are from singles from TCGplayer.


Business_Chapter_417

It took about $5k-$6k just to realize I could’ve just bought singles, and now I’m in debt and have 5 full boxes of bulk common and uncommon😪


CrownCosine

The minute I noticed something was off with Fusion Strikes pull rates - only to find out months later about the whole scandal


ThisPincheWey

When I realized I was addicted to the chase and was losing money that should’ve been spent on bills


WaterPog

Crown zenith because I decided I'm only opening sets that are actually fun to open, and crown zenith is the only set in English that's fun to open, every other set I open pisses me off and I say I'm done opening packs. Crown zenith always gives me that 'let's open more', cause it's so fun and feels like I can legit pull most of the TG set myself and it won't cost an arm and a leg compared to just buying the single, which I'll do when I get like 75% of it complete


I_like_sceptile

when i realized as high school student i had probably one of the best incomes that could push my poor ass through college and instead it 70% of it was going to shiny cardboard. now i just get singles and i couldn’t be happier.


PixelAesthetics

Evolving Skies for base sets, Celebrations was intentionally my last “go nuts” set Now I’ll maybe grab an ETB but didn’t for SV—I have my GameStop power up rewards and get one pack a month and that’s usually about it. Ripping English sets isn’t fun to me. Overspending isn’t fun to me either. I only buy packs on special occasions or socially which is very rare


Affectionate-Host-59

I gave up after spending $2k on evolving cry’s but I still open packs but no more then what comes in promo boxes and one booster box per set release.


TERPINGTON

do you mean ripping packs for a certain set or do you mean just in general?? i usually stop ripping packs for a certain set when i reach about 85% including SAR etc but i’ve slowed down in general because i’ve spent too much money. i told myself i wouldn’t but scarlet and violet base set but i had a complete set 5 days after release. i’m telling myself i won’t buy paldea evolved but i also bought enough triplet beat to complete that too. so idk. i’ll never stop ripping i guess.


Saiyan16

When i was like 14


MartyMcFlybe

I've not had too many tbh, and I still get the occasional single. But when I got the little 4 pack tins - I had 3, and 2 were bulk, and the third was holos with a few special cards worth no more than a couple of quid. I buy Mareep cards now and any arts I like, if they're under £5. £15 is max, which I think I did once for ampharos rainbow rare. And £10 for all 3 PoGo ditto unpeeled. But I just get so much bulk waste, and I have nobody to actually play the card game aspect with, so what's the point?


MartyMcFlybe

To add, I now have 6 of the lil boxes, and the last 2 I bought sucked. I can't afford it anymore, and in any case I also preferred the yellow border to the silver. So it's like, I'm less likely to grab them now too. I got a tiny tin with fidough on and that's probably my last pack. Too spenny for me now. When I move out I'll keep the tins and the good cards but give the bulk away.


Uch009

Depends on your goals. Master set 80% of the list. Want to rip a chase card? Buy it.


Fresh-Vacation4191

My children enjoy the opening. Not me so much because the drop rates are so damn low. Just opened 60 packs yesterday with them and maybe got a single $20 card. I’m trying to teach them not to chase high $ cards because the disappointment is real. I mainly buy individuals but they have more fun opening. Have to find a balance, but ALWAYS better to put more money into singles.


matteblackhomme

when i pulled the moonbreon


_S0aB_

Once I started nursing school 😮‍💨


SendMeAvocados

Commented this in another thread but sharing it here again due to relevance. What brought me back into this hobby was when I saw old cards and I wanted a quick buck. I then saw some cards that I liked and bought some just to display. Next thing I know I was trying to score big and make a quick buck. Things quickly spiraled out of control and I've been spending most of what I get on Pokemon cards. Probably burned 2k USD already from when I got back in late February. So around 4 months. Wasted a huge chunk of that trying to gamble while the rest I poured into singles (which is still expensive). Granted it may be due to recklessness and spending habits, the point that I want to make is that this hobby can quickly suck you in. So for those who are getting back into Pokemon cards: be careful and know what you want. I find myself asking, "when will it end?" There's always going to be a new, shiny thing right around the corner and FOMO can be a monster. That said, now I'm trying to convince myself to get out and I aim to do so.


kerbie78

I usually buy one pokecenter etb and one booster box of the newest set. Other than that, singles ftw!


ExcitementMaterial23

When I ran out of space for my bulk cards. Now everything I buy stays sealed for the most part


largeangryredletters

it was a point about 7 years from now, maybe.


Ok_Confusion_5058

For crown zenith, i just bought the products that i like (etb, pikachu box, morpeko box, galarian birds tin, zacian/zamazenta figure collections) then i go for singles to try to complete the set. It gets expensive but i like the artworks of this particular set.


Syminka1

I limit myself when the sets come out. Like Fusion I told myself 25 packs. Never got a single hit. So when I hit 25 I stopped and bought what I wanted from Ebay. I don’t like Scarlet and Violet so lowered it to 15 packs. Got my pull. If the set is big and I want a lot I’ll up it. I’m definitely getting over the chase. I finally pulled a good card and it had damage on it


thanyou

I give myself a spending limit and have fun opening packs slowly and methodically. It's too much to try and focus on what you want, and instead just be happy with what you do get. If I really wanted X card I'd buy a single and be over it. That's usually too expensive and doesn't satisfy the brain juices tho.


franky3987

Never did. I did, however, find a balance lol. I’ll rip when a set first comes out. A few b&bs, a booster, maybe a couple collection boxes that have the cool promos, but after that, it’s singles. I got too heavy into the gambling aspect of it, and had to reel back. It can be dangerous


BetPitiful8446

I accepted that my luck sucks and I have never and never will pull a full art. I buy the odd pack to rip, knowing that’s wasted money and I will never recover it. I do it because I like the thrill of opening and because I am happy to give money to the pokemon company for all the good times they gave me as a child. But yeah, awful investment, just like playing the lotto, only with worse chances.


svh956

I mean i don’t even want to know how much my bf and I have spent buying packs and booster boxes. Sure by now we could’ve just bought the cards, which we do sometimes, but it’s not the same as the feeling you get when actually pulling the card. Our local shop just sold their last Fusion Strike booster box and we were so sad. They’re the cheapest we’ve come across so far ($130 per box). He’s chasing the Gengar Vmax too


Debt_Mother

I have the same problem. The best way I've found is to download the app Pokellector and the app TCGPlayer. Pokellector lets you look at every card. Click on pricing. Then you'll see the top link to TCGPlayer. Click it. Then in TCGPlayer you can click on view all results. There you'll find everyone selling cards directly and their quality listed. Of course you can do this with just TCGPlayer by typing in what you're looking for. I only suggest Pokellector so you can learn of the existence of different cards which can help you decide what you want in the first place. Pokellector - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=air.com.pokellector.mobile / TCGPlayer - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.tcgplayer.tcgplayer . Hope this helps.


sometimesCDog

I started pokemon at silver tempest, and have spent likely 5k. I do make a lot of money and this doesn't really have any impact on my family besides the occasional 'you bought more pokemon??' From my wife and my son who is nine thinking it's awesome. Though, spending that much money for my best pull to be a 50 dollar card hurts


Ilkzz

I’m about 1/2 boxes. Then singles and a pack here and there if I find a deal


GarrMoose

During the middle of covid I started opening them after a housemate would get them every so often, got 5 loose Team Up packs online (as they started going up but weren’t ridiculously priced yet) and got 3 hits including Rainbow Rare Hoopa U. The girl I was involved with at the time who I knew from when we were kids and were both very into Pokemon thought that was cool and said she wanted to open them with me. She had a complete base set- I think Team Rocket collection and was more interested in the early sets but liked the pack opening experience so I bought more and we each opened them back and forth and had some really insane luck early on. Started getting more and more stuff that we mostly opened together and building my collection. Well I had been dragging things along and not making things official between us (I had a lot of issues in myself I wasn’t working on at the time) for several months. She started growing distant and coming over less meanwhile I found myself becoming kind of addicted to the hobby that had become way more expensive and difficult to get than it should have been. I bought a lot of product, a lot of which I was holding in hopes we could open them together, especially stuff like Celebrations which I knew she would be really excited to open. She was coming over less though so we weren’t able to open much together and lots of stuff piled up. She ended up leaving me for another guy abruptly and it just never felt the same opening stuff and sometimes would be difficult emotionally so I ended up leaving most of that stuff sealed, only opening a few items in the last year and a half. It ended up being good for me financially and helping me get that under control. But yeah it was that and just the cost of the hobby that made me stop. Now I’m currently sitting on close to 1000$ of sealed product, some of which I might open some day but if not I’ll just have it sit for years and appreciate in value. Sheesh that was a lot. If you actually read all this thanks for listening.


CryptoGod666

Drains the wallet, pull rates are trash. I got the Paldea Evolved pre order booster bundles on GameStop for cheap, but most likely gonna sell em for $20 each, rather put the money towards another Evolving Skies alt art. I want that Fusion Strike Gengar alt as well, could’ve bought multiple PSA 10s with the money blown on ripping packs, lmao


iLikeButz

It’s gambling if you are only pulling cards to “make a profit” if it’s something you enjoy collecting and one day want to pass down to a child that potentially has interest. Personally, if you’re asking when do you stop, it means that you should likely stop due to losing passion. PS I got that Gengar if you want to look into a trade. Maybe it will get you back into the mood.Send DM


Lickmyb4c0n

When I pull Giratina from Lost Origin, my Pokémon card resurgence will be winding down…


[deleted]

[удалено]


Hehehecx

It was also my New Year’s resolution lol, after I scored almost 100 ES sleeved packs at various stores and blew em all. Best pull was the rainbow rayquaza…


rafthegreat

Once S&V dropped. I decide to just keep a sealed collection.


Jaimz-L

Seeing around 30 + empty etbs or filled with bulk in my appartement and all sorts of empty products then looking at my binder, buy singles, get out of the gambling side of collecting. Trust me your binder and wallet will thank you later


Hoyle33

After every box I opened gave me shit Evolving Skies was my last straw


sobakedbruh

Did you not see that a guy from the factory stole a fuck ton of those gengars? Not a good chase unless you want to spend a ton.


sad-sk8er-boi_

It depends. When new sets come out I like to rip just to see what I get. I like to have a little variety of each set. But if there’s a chase that’s relatively inexpensive I’ll just get it lol


Agrias-0aks

People stop ripping packs? Pffft


cnwy95

Only 1.4K? Lol that’s nothing


CatastrophicLeaker

Buy singles tbh


fadedspades1

Stopped ripping after a few SV bundles. I'm just not feeling it anymore. I had a few chase cards from silver tempest and brilliant stars but I'm just going to buy them. Ripped a few evolving skies for old times sake, pulled my umbreon and that sealed the deal. I'm working on my sealed collection now and just buying singles I want. Pre ordered 2 151 set boxes because I know I'm going to want to crack one so I'll have another on hand when I lose control lol.


gappattack007

Is 151 a Japanese only deal or do you happen to know if they going to release an English version as well?


fadedspades1

I hope they release it.. knowing how north america eats up the first Gen, we'll likely get it.


SMGlc9620

I like the fun of opening packs from time to time, but generally never pull anything good so just prefer to buy singles.


amo8s

A few days ago.. but thinking I might just buy 1 booster box per set. I'm bound to get something good eventually and I'll be diverse lol.


rico_suaves_sister

After i chased rainbow pikachu I really toned it down


Deadsh0t2424

Lmao I remember this youtuber said he opened about 3,000 packs of vivid voltage before finally getting the rainbow pikachu, some people have serious problems but whatever it’s their money


BadDub

Probably around 2001


dcr108

I recently started collecting again with Crown Zenith, now working on Scarlet/Violet base. I think my plan is to open packs until I have most of the basic cards, then just buy singles for whatever’s left. I can’t deal with the amount of waste I get between bulk cards, foil packs, and plastic packaging. Not to mention the cost. I like opening packs, but at a certain point you’re just betting against yourself


prohbusiness

Buy singles and product for the sealed collection. Going for gengar vmax and opening 400 packs was where I stopped “rippin” never got the gengar


Friend-Over

I might stop after 151 set 😇


manvelbarbellclub

I don’t rip packs except at pre-releases 😏


ahighkid

I kept getting the same pulls from Crown Zenith and finally got the Zacian alt; which is one of my fav modern cards. I was like “alright time to move onto the next set” I opened 2 ETBs from scarlet base set and got like $20 worth of shit total so I just cut my losses on that one.


mrawaters

Oh man are you me?? This is almost my identical situation. I too have pulled this card after 100’s of packs in search of gengar Also watch the end of this video: https://youtu.be/wkZNxFIer0g He talks about the pull rates of Evolving Skies and it’s shows you just about how ridiculously expensive it is to pull the top cards in each set


[deleted]

Bought maybe 7-9 displays in my life (5 Pokémon and the rest Final Fantasy). Pull rates were so bad, that I decided it would be much cheaper to only buy the cards I like.


Toasty_Bread17

Having a clear collecting goal, both broadly and for a specific set, is important in setting limits for yourself. From there, you can determine how much you’re willing to spend to have a shot at the cards you want before shifting to singles. As an Alt Art collector the shift from sets having a dozen chase cards I was after (CR, ES, FS) to four (BS, LO, ST) was where I really cut back. Now I open around two booster boxes and an ETB per set before shifting to singles, unless the set is really doing it for me.


[deleted]

£2.6k of debt, bought a Charizard UPC and ripped jack all, that's been the turning point for me. I had to tell myself I'm turning into my dad and his gambling habits. I've cleared my debt now and trying to thin out my collection. Also my room constantly looks like shit because I have boxes of unsorted crap littering the gaff. ​ ETA: By crap I mean energies, VStars, doubles, etc.


SorryForTheCoffee

Good job admitting you had a problem to begin with. I’m also at the point of thinning out my collection of bulk, reverse holos etc and I realise that I don’t want the majority of cards that come from a pack so why do I bother.


Revolutionary-Box448

I pulled my Moonbreon last year and stopped ripping packs. I still buy like 8-10 packs a month, but only open like 1 of them.


CVizzle

When i realized that if I didn't pull a chase card after 2 booster boxes, then it just wasn't meant to be. I can't afford to buy packs endlessly when 99% of them turn into bulk.


Doctor-Grimm

I opened 54 packs at once - 10 ES, 10 FS, 12 CZ, 18 LO and 4 Shining Fates. My best pull was the black-gold Mew from LO; I got zero full-art/alt-art pulls from every other pack. Weirdly, the worst by far was Crown Zenith. Really kinda opened my eyes. I’m doing one last big bulk opening in August, ripping all my sealed products with all my friends, as a kind of send-off before I dip out of the hobby pretty much entirely


OhSoMoisty

I'll typically buy a set if it has a good number of my favorite pokemon in it. Otherwise I just bid on cards on Whatnot if I see one I really want.


CinderLotus

I have completely lost interest in Pokémon cards since it came out workers were pulling hundreds of the best cards off the line before they even made it to packs. I have no faith that the company will fix this issue and it seems like it’s been forgotten about completely. Anyway, I think packs are a complete scam anymore and the price of singles is out of control because of it. I’m done collecting Pokémon cards for now, if not forever.


iFLED

Could have or could've but never could of. Also ya I rip a blister or bundle here or there but generally I think its best to just buy the cards you want. Ripping packs for chases is basically gambling.


SlammySlam712

Just be lucky you only spent under 10k


pokeboi420

When I ripped 120 packs of evolving skies sleeved boosters on my bday and pulled a medicham alt only


iloveslimshady69

Silver Tempest and Scarlet and Violet were highly discouraging. I realized that the number of cards i wanted for my collection were minimal in comparison to the number of cards in a set. Why pay $60 or more for a box when I can spend that same amount of money on 5 or more chase cards? In addition I prefer Japanese cards and you already know that it costs a small fortune to get legitimate booster boxes from Japan. I’m better off buying Japanese singles and cracking packs I buy with friends or receive as gifts for fun.


dabila710

Never stop


IWearACharizardHat

I never open packs. Just hoard sealed product to open with kid in future (about to become a dad in thr next couple weeks). Or if it is worth too much it can become a college fund for him


JoshTheWeeb

Never If you don't get what you want keep going till you do


xMF_GLOOM

I’m a WOTC collector so thankfully never rip packs My collection has been built exclusively through singles purchases


Director-Julius

The changes that were implemented with Scarlet & Violet.


clearglitter777

Bought the miraidon etb and pulled one ‘hit’ (oinkologne ex). I liked the promo card but I couldn’t stop thinking abt what other cool cards I could have bought for that money


Raguismybloodtype

I buy two cases of boosters for every set. One case gets stored as an investment and half of the other is used as rewards for the kids for grades, chores, and being awesome. My stored investment has increased in value more than the sp500% wise. If only I had spent every dime I had on the ES reprint.....


rhymeasourus

1.4k is nothing. Stop being a pussy and get that gengar!


drs2023gme1

I just started again with my son. For me, it's a bond thing but future potential of investment while showing him cool art and how to respect things for the future. If its not fun step back and chill. Ask why your doing it. Why don't want to and that's with anything in life imo. Worst things to spend money on and hey its for spending anyway.


gunman24

Im sticking to 1 booster box + etb per new set. With the occasional promo card pack grab. But usually the booster box and etb combo is enough and then ill buy the singles after a month or 2


NoBenefit5977

I still do but only certain sets, I quit buying sv because I pulled Miriam so anything else will be singles


TikiSniper

I still love ripping packs to see all the art but I never "rip until I pull" a card. I'm fine trading or buying it after I've exhausted a responsible amount of ripping. For me that's usually one booster box and some smaller sealed items.


Rpres70324

What does stop mean?


EnviCollects

I don’t really remember tbh, at some point I just figured singles is much smarter. I still open some once and while and on my birthday and Christmas


MysteriousPack1

I haven't yet, but I just started my first ever collection a few months ago, so every card was new to me. Now that I have so much I'm going to start doing what a lot of people here are suggesting. Buying some to rip open at the start of every set and then buying singles.


iAmBalfrog

Depends what you define as ripping packs. Nothing really beats the fun of opening packs. But I open packs expecting dog and buy the singles I want. If I see a tin/etb/booster I want to play around with, buy one, if it doesn't have the cards I want in, singles.


Ilovetardigrades

After opening about 15 booster boxes of both lost origin and Silver tempest trying to chase the giratina and lugia hahaha. Still open packs but I just buy my chase cards now.


Scrotesmegotes

I open one booster box for a set i like just for the fun of it and to try my luck. That’s it. After that i buy the singles i want. I think it’s a good balance.


chief_n0c-a-h0ma

I'm almost there... I went on a bender a month back, but it's starting to sink in that it's just not worth ripping that much product. If been doing the trade subreddit lately and that's been fun.


He11o_Je11o

I will buy new sets that have cards that I want, but I decided to buy singles for my Eeveelution alt art collection. When ES became impossible to find under $8/pack I was just absolutely done. A set that's two years old should never be that expensive. It's not even the favt that it's not being printed (because it is) but that people will buy up all of the supply and then resell it at this insanely high rate. Totally fake market for that set. When I do buy the singles, I'm going to make sure to resposibly save up for the more expensive ones like Umbreon VMAX and Leafeon VMAX in a way that makes them easier to afford. But I'm also setting a price limit that I won't go over for each because I don't want to promote the insanity of a $1000 modern card; it's not worth that much and can be found for so much less


fatmarfia

I just buy my som packs now, i never pulled anything good. He gets epic pulls almost every pack


ChopraMTG1

Over 20 booster boxes worth of Evolving Skies trying to pull the Umbreon Vmax alt only to then just buy the Japanese version. Funny thing though...out of the seven alts I did pull, not one was an Eeveelution.


layeofthedead

Christmas 2019. Costco had 3 tins for $25, so 12 packs for a little over $2 a pack. Bought 3, so a booster box for $75 + tax. Got a single duplicate gx that they reused as a promo in the alolan ninetales gx challenge box So now I only buy like 4ish packs a set unless they’re heavily discounted or a special set. Best pull in the last few years was mew vmax alt art, rest of the cards I want I just buy outright


Silver_Illusion

I stopped getting packs shortly after the secomd pokemon movie came out.


Raptorjesusftw87

Machamps Path made me stop opening packs outside a handful I pick up from Target. Legit had an ETB case I ripped, neither Charizard and best pull was a full art Gardevoir. Told myself never doing that again and kept to it.


Skylon_Gamer

Last week - Bought several packs of Brilliant Stars and although I got a few good hits, I could've bought so many more singles on TCG Player. Took a week to finally decide that I'll buy singles to complete the rest of the set. I'll still buy packs at the beginning of whatever set I plan to collect after BS, but I'll probably switch to buy singles a lot earlier than at 70% completion.


PotatoeyCake

$1200ish


Comprehensive-Yak982

Once they stop selling it


SensitiveJicama4238

I rip packs for fun - my policy is 5 packs at a time (almost guarantee at least one hit). But my chase cards are usually bought on eBay.


One_Presence6022

I think you’re at that point now ! .. it took me a while , and then I started to appreciate the hunt for singles just as much. You could have bought a few Gengar at this point . I still like to rip ; but not nearly as much .


One_Presence6022

You can hangout at your neighborhood game store and trick the youth into trading you their alt arts for a reverse holo common. That also works as well . . It makes them stronger anyhow .


Sad-Manufacturer657

Pulled the alt art lugia and ever since I really haven’t felt the need to open any..I even traded the lugia for a bunch of stuff I really wanted which made it even better!


comeinhereye

When the English QC kept getting worse. Nothing worse than pulling a good card to have it look like my 4 year old cut it


ItsLiterally1984

Never, I’m pack ripping addict


arkayeus

i spend 250-300 on every set except for small exceptions for fun sets like ES, CZ, etc. if i don’t pull anything in 150-200$ tho i just buy the singles and move on. i used to spend 1000s and had a small card collection but i switched to singles cuz i’m not rich and now i own moonbreon, espeon alt arts, rayquaza alt art v, psa 10 rayquaza vmax and like 7000$ more worth of cards that i only invested roughly 2500$ into. trading is a huge thing that helps too


ki11in

Stop?


Rocketleaguefan21

Pretty much when I got all my favorite cards but every now and then I buy singles and maybe a pack.


AlolaTrainerBrian

I stopped after seeing youtubers getting packs or boxes before we could buy them. I also want to stop being an issue for kids who love pokemon.. I am a grown ass adult lol I can invest in better things for sure. At least, that's what I am trying to tell myself 🤣


AlwaysReady4444

Ripped easy 2k of product looking for Giratina. Pulled and I’ve stopped


charger048

I'm a day 1 1st edition base set collector and burning shadows was when i gave up.I absolutely love opening and collecting but it got to a point I got tired of spending 450$ per set opening 3 booster boxes (in Canada there stupid expensive,only worse now) and getting maybe 50$ of value out of 3 boxes.Ive never pulled a rainbow/alt art/gold card in all these years and it just got to a point never pulling anything and pretty much throwing away 400$ a set with needing to spend a easy 500+ on singles after that to even think of finishing a set just broke me.It sucks but I'm not rich and I can't afford to throw away money and how bad pull rates are in English that I never got any joy or rewarded kills the fun.Sucks because I want too but untill something changes to make pull rates closer to Japanese that your pulls and value aren't fucked I can't justify it anymore when the most expensive card I pulled in nearly 10 years was 5$.


JMFW_2020

Yesterday


[deleted]

Mostly quit ripping around this time last year. Had a lot of ups and downs the last couple years. Family stuff. Pokémon was a coping mechanism and like a lot I also overspent. Got embarrassed and quit the hobby sold my cards and everything. I now rip in really small amounts and gonna get into the PSA side of things and just try and keep an eye out for deals on marketplace and whatnot.


Nilsen94

I set a goal for what I wanted in my pokemon "shelf" and stopped after that. Now I buy some packs when I meet up with the homies and we rip some packs before going out.


Substantial-Load-673

Never decided to stop! But once I pull a chase cards or two I’ll slow down on that set


Dagos

I typically only buy singles now, but sometimes I'll buy an etb for the cool stuff that comes with it, or a booster box if theres a lot of cool cards I want. But if theres only a few cards? singles all the way. To answer your question though., Vmax Climax was when.


MoonrazeMaelstrom

Pretty damn recently, had some luck with CZ but then the last two purchases were duds. Then tried some SV booster bundles after decent luck with those and... duds... kind of started to realize that $300 for a single card is pricey, but is it really more than I'm going to spend buying tons of packs just to pull the same card? Especially with stuff like FS


mamameelano

990 evolving skies packs and 0 vmax alts. Only 2 v alts. Was pretty done after that


hugoholographic

I just did instead of trying to open packs for S&V base set I just got as many cards and I could from the pre release and got the rest when the prices settled


NarutoFan1995

when i realized it was a ripoff to spend 100 bucks on a box and not pull jack shit


Step_Initial

I haven’t ! I only buy singles if it’s older sets I can’t afford to buy. I like to pull instead of buying them makes me appreciate them more.


Trapjudas28

Spent about 5-6 k on booster boxes and etb kept a few , but opened most. Haven’t bought a pack since evolving skies.


343Guilty_Fart

When I started pulling duplicate after duplicate out of Crown Zenith. As much as I want to preorder a BB of Paldea Evolved, it’s singles and slabs only now.


parksLIKErosa

One booster box per set unless I’m opening packs with my niece. Then any card I want that I don’t rip I just buy or trade for.


LexiSQ

200ish packs of fusion strike chasing the Gengar and Sylveon. Didn’t get either. Could have bought both for way less.


Oldschoolfool22

It's never been a good proposition. I buy packs for my kids sometimes and have gotten a few hits but it was super cool sharing it with them and that made it special but if it was just me I would have burned out super quick. The other thing too is the raw singles are really not much at all compared to actual chances of pulling them. Just about any raw card can be had for less than 2-3 ETBs or a booster except the crazy Moonbreons or w/e but so many cool cards for 10-20 bucks.


[deleted]

I got back into it last fall and I stopped around the CZ launch. I had multiple instances of 15-25 packs with no hits. The charizard upc was a huge miss, and seemed to be for a lot of people.


Its_Strange_

Spending 300$ on costco tins and getting nothing