How Does Fuecoco Fit in the Fire Type Zodiac Theory?

For generations in the Pokemon franchise, it’s been believed by the community that all of the fire type starter Pokemon were following a specific real world trend. The Chinese Zodiac Lunar Calendar. This calendar assigns various animals to each year and all Fire type Pokemon have mostly fit into this Zodiac pattern until now. Does Fuecoco fit into the Zodiac Theory?

Fuecoco

Fuecoco is the newest Fire type starter Pokemon that was announced in the trailer for the upcoming game, Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. This is the 9th generation of Pokemon games and has created discussions about the future of Pokemon gameplay, since Pokemon Legends Arceus changed the game so much. Another largely debated topic is what will Fuecoco evolve into? An ox? A snake?

Zodiac Fire Type Theory

The chart below shows how each Fire type Pokemon fits into the Zodiac calendar. With this comparison, if this theory is correct, Fuecoco has three options for it’s final evolution.

  • Ox
  • Snake
  • Horse
  • Sheep
Image from u/PatIsLit on Reddit

Obviously out of the four options Ox or Snake are the most likely choices for a Fuecoco evolution. If I had to guess, it would be an Ox but other fans say this starter looks like a reptile and will evolve into a snake-like crocodile. Others say none of the above and they may be correct. If we take a closer look at this Pokemon Zodiac chart, we see that there are some starter Pokemon that don’t fit 100%. For example, Fennekin is more of a fox-like Pokemon than a dog. Charmander or Charizard isn’t technically dragon type. And is Cyndaquil really a rat? The problem is they do vaguely fit into this chart but it’s never been confirmed. Right now, all we can do is give it our best guess and say Fuecoco definitely has potential to fit into this theory, we’ll just have to see what the Pokemon’s designers decide to do. What do you think Fuecoco will evolve into?

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Is Grading Pokemon Cards Worth It?

Is It Worth Grading Pokemon Cards?

Grading Pokemon cards has become increasingly popular over the years. So much so that grading prices have more than doubled just over the past 2 years. But why does everyone keep grading their Pokemon cards and is it worth it? What Pokemon cards are worth getting graded? It mostly depends on the age of the card. Grading vintage Pokemon cards is very different from grading modern cards. Here’s why.

Old Pokemon Cards

Vintage Pokemon cards can be worth a lot of money, especially the rare ones. Even some common cards from 1999 are worth more than modern holographic cards. When you grade a card, you’re increasing the cards value because it’s authenticated and the condition has been assessed professionally. Not only do you know it’s real but it’s in good condition. 20 years ago most kids would play with these cards without thinking about the damage it’s doing. This is why old cards in good condition are so rare. Grading old cards can not only be profitable but a great way of preserving their condition.

New Pokemon Cards

The main difference between grading an old card and a new one is most modern cards are already in good condition. If you buy a Pokemon card from 2021, you’re expecting it to have no scratches or damage. When you buy a loose Pokemon card from 2001, you should expect some wear from the 20+ years of being moved around. But this doesn’t mean all modern cards are PSA 10. The main thing graders look for in new cards are manufacturing defects. Even a card in great condition with no damage can get a grade of 8/10 or lower if it’s not cut properly or off center. So a PSA 10 modern card is still rare but easier to come by than older cards. If you’re grading modern cards you should take a close look to see if any manufacturing errors or damage is present and keep your expectations low if you’re looking to make money.

Will There Be A New Type in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet?

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet New Type Theory

With the trailer of the upcoming Pokemon games, Scarlet & Violet, theories about what’s to come in Gen 9 are running wild. One of those fan theories include a new type of Pokemon! Light type, opposite of Dark type. This is something that has been speculated for a very long time in the Pokemon franchise but never came to be. Now we have information that could hint at a new type being introduced in Gen 9.

Light Type Theory

One of the major hints at a new type are stars. Stars have become a main focus in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet and even are being introduced in the Pokemon TCG lately. The new VSTAR card has been introduced suspiciously close to Gen 9’s release. We also see Star icons in logos for the new games. We’re not sure how a Light type Pokemon would fit into the balanced mix of other types but it would be the obvious counter to Dark type. There’s also information leading fans to believe this info hints toward other game mechanics outside of a new type.

No New Type Theory

An argument against this theory is Fairy Type. In Gen 6 a new type of Pokemon was added called Fairy Type that is used as a counter to Dark type and Dragon type. This means Fairy type can be seen as Light type already and there’s no use in adding another one. Unless they replace Fairy type completely because most new sets don’t recognize Fairy type anymore, we probably won’t see a Light type in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. It’s more likely that we see a new gimmick in the game that is related to light or stars. There have been several hints that point toward this conclusion.

https://pokepatch.wordpress.com/2022/03/09/fan-theories-about-new-stone-in-pokemon-scarlet-violet/

Where To Buy Astral Radiance New Pokemon TCG Set

Astral Radiance Release Date

The Astral Radiance Pokemon TCG expansion is set to release May 27th, 2022. On or around this date you should see it in retail stores and local card shops. You can, however, preorder packs online so you don’t have to go out and find stores out of stock on release day. Here’s where you can pre order Astral Radiance packs and products.

What’s In Astral Radiance?

Hisuian Typhlosion VStar card

This new Astral Radiance set of Pokemon cards is big for multiple reasons. For one, it’s the first English Pokemon TCG set to include Hisuian Pokemon cards in it. This will have Pokemon from the Hisui Region such as Wyrdeer, Sneasler, Hisuian starters, and many more! Not only will it feature Hisuian Pokemon but it introduces Radiant Pokemon. These will be Shiny Pokemon with powerful abilities used in the TCG.

Buy Astral Radiance Packs

The main product people look for when a new set comes out is the Elite Trainer Box. The Astral Radiant ETBs come in two different looks. The Pokemon Center ETB has a purple theme with the box and sleeves but it’s a little more expensive because it comes with 10 booster packs, instead of 8. The normal ETB is black and red and comes with 8 booster packs, as usual. The best place to get these products is GameStop. Not only will you be getting it from a reliable source at a good price, but PokePatch earns commission on qualifying purchases, so you’ll be helping our website stay up. Thank you!

Get on GameStop >
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Radiant Pokemon vs Radiant Collection Cards. What’s the Difference?

The Pokemon TCG is constantly adding new types of cards and new collections in each expansion. In the upcoming Astral Radiance set they’re introducing Radiant Pokemon. This sounds very similar to the Radiant Collection we’ve seen in previous sets but despite having similar names, they’re very different. Here’s the difference between the old Radiant Collections and the new Radiant Pokemon in Astral Radiance.

Radiant Collection

Radiant Collection card

Radiant Collection cards were introduced in the Black and White Legendary Treasures set and was also featured in the XY Generations set later. What made these collections of cards special was the art. The illustrations are known to be cute and sparkly. Not only does the art resemble alternate art cards, but the holographic print on each of these cards were unique! Some feature stars, hearts, energy symbols, and even Pokemon silhouettes. It’s some of the most unique art you’ll see in Pokemon cards.

Radiant Pokemon

Radiant Pokemon card

In the new Pokemon TCG set, Astral Radiance, we see Radiant Pokemon. Immediately you’ll notice that these Radiant Pokemon are shiny! For example, this Greninja is black instead of it’s normal blue color because it’s a shiny variant. The holographic print on the Radiant Pokemon cards we’ve seen so far are the same. The art may look cool but not cute. It doesn’t resemble what we’ve seen with previous radiant collections. But we don’t get shiny Pokemon cards too often so this new set will likely be very sought after by fans for a long time. And we still haven’t seen full art Radiant Pokemon. Get them while they’re still in stock!

Radiant Pokemon Mechanic

These Radiant Pokemon cards from Astral Radiance will also effect the Pokemon Trading Card Game and how it’s played. These cards have particularly powerful abilities and moves. Players may not have duplicate copies of these cards in their deck.

Preorder Astral Radiance

One of the best places to preorder or buy Astral Radiance booster packs or boxes is GameStop! Not only will you be getting it from a reliable source at a good price but PokePatch earns commission on qualifying purchases so you’ll be helping our website stay up. Thank you!

Buy on GameStop >

How To Prevent Scratches on Pokemon Cards

Scratches can make your Pokemon card’s value go from $500 to $50 depending on the severity. It’s best to do everything possible to prevent this from happening so you can show off your cards in the best condition possible. When you first pull a card, the obvious thing to do is to put the card in a sleeve immediately but some people don’t know that sleeving or handling a card certain ways can leave permanent marks and scratches! Here’s how to prevent that.

How to Prevent Damage

Deep Pocket Monster on YouTube made a great video showcasing how scratches and scuff marks can appear from normal handling of Pokemon cards. An important take away from the video is if you touch the holo part on a card, you’ll likely see fingerprints and possibly scuff marks where you put your finger. The more you touch the holographic part, the less shiny it becomes. This can devalue rare holo cards drastically and for this reason, it’s best you don’t touch the holo part of the card at all before it’s in a sleeve. Sleeve a card right when it’s pulled by holding it on the edges and contain your excitement so you don’t put a lot of pressure on the card! This PokeTuber also preforms a series of tests to see if other types of handling can cause scratches and marks, you can check that out here.

How To Clean Pokemon Cards

A common question when cleaning cards is can you fix scratches on Pokemon cards? You may be able to remove fingerprints and dirt from cards but scratches are permanent. There are some people that claim you can use certain chemicals or oils to remove scratches but this will only damage the card further. You do not want your cards to get wet as they will warp, bend, and be in worse condition after the fact. With older cards you might see dirt or black specks on them. To remove these specks you can take a dry Qtip and gently clean the card with it. You can also use this method to remove fingerprints from cards. If you decide to use a cloth instead of a Qtip, just make sure it’s very soft. Some cloths will cause scratches even with light pressure.

These Cheap Vintage Pokemon Packs Are Selling For $3

Vintage Pokemon cards and Pokemon products are a hot commodity and are only getting more rare as fans are opening old packs. Most old Pokemon packs that come from the 1990s or even early 2000s can go for hundreds or sometimes thousands of dollars. But there’s a specific Pokemon product that’s been popping up online and at LCS lately and it’s cheaper than a modern pack of Pokemon cards.

The Cheapest Vintage Pokemon Product

cheap vintage pokemon pack 1999 topps stickers

The cheapest vintage packs you’ll find are likely the 1999 Topps Merlin Sticker packs. These are selling for around $3 per pack. Even though these don’t contain Pokemon cards, they’re still more than 20 years old and a lot of fun to open. They contain 6 stickers of Pokemon and Trainers and if you get lucky, you’ll find holographic stickers. They’re very old but why are they so cheap? We haven’t been able to find specific information about why these are so cheap but it’s likely that these were over printed in the 90s and people were buying cards instead of stickers. Because of this, there’s still a large supply of sealed packs.

You can often find these packs online from third party sellers or at local card shops. As of now, they’re still pretty common but in the future, they may become more rare and more valuable.

When Will Pokemon Scarlet & Violet Game & TCG Come Out?

When is Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Coming Out

Recently, a trailer was released by Nintendo, announcing the next generation Pokemon game, Pokemon Scarlet and Violet! Fans are hyped about this upcoming game but are cautious because Pokemon Legends Arceus may have changed Pokemon games forever. We’ll have to wait and see what features they decide to keep from the recent Pokemon game and what they decide to toss. At the end of the announcement trailer we see “Late 2022” as a release date. But when is the actual release date?

When Will Scarlet & Violet Release? (Game)

When does Pokemon Scarlet and Violet come out? For the Switch titles, Pokemon Scarlet and Violet release date is November 18th. This is the usual timeframe when Pokemon games release as the last 6 Pokemon game, excluding Pokemon Legends Arceus, came out between November 15th and November 21st in North America as well.

Release Date of Scarlet & Violet Base Set (TCG)

For the Pokemon TCG, it’s a little different. Pokemon Scarlet and Violet marks the beginning of Gen 9 and the next generation of Pokemon games. This means the TCG will follow along and we’ll see a new generation of TCG sets soon, ending the era of Pokemon Sword and Shield. The past three Base Sets for Pokemon TCG expansions came out between Feburary 3rd and Feburary 7th. The TCG sets always come out after the games are released so fans have time to discover new Pokemon and gimmicks without spoilers but Japan usually sees these before they get printed in English. Just as a reminder, all of this is just a prediction based on information from previous Pokemon generations.

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New Update Allows You to get Arceus & Darkrai in Pokemon BDSP

The Brillant Diamond & Shining Pearl Version 1.3 patch just released with some exciting Mythical Pokemon joining the game. Arceus and Darkrai will soon be availble to players after they meet certain conditions. Some players aren’t happy with the fact they have to play other Pokemon games to meet these conditions while others see it as a reward. The bottom line is it’s just promotional material to get players interested in playing other Pokemon related games but there are a lot of things you’ll need to do to get these Pokemon. Here’s how to get Arceus and Darkrai in Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl.

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How to get Arceus in BDSP

To catch Arceus in BDSP, first you’ll need a save file in Pokemon Legends Arceus and have the main story of Legends Arceus complete. Secondly, you’ll need to enter the Hall of Fame and obtain the National Pokedex in BDSP. After these conditions are met, you should qualify to get Arceus. All you need left is the Azure Flute to call Arceus. Where’s the Azure Flute? You’ll find this item in your bedroom in BSDP. Once you have the Azure Flute, head to Spear Pillar at the top of Mount Coronet. Here you’ll encounter and be able to catch Arceus after a battle.

How to get Darkrai in BDSP

To catch Darkrai in BDSP, you’ll also need to enter the Hall of Fame and obtain the National Pokedex. Lastly, you’ll need a Member Card. It’s said that these Member Cards will be available via Mystery Gift “between the new moons” which would be between April 1st and April 30th, 2022. After obtaining this Member Card, travel to Newmoon Island. This is where you’ll find Darkrai.

Is Pokemon TCG XY Evolutions Set Getting Reprinted or Restocked?

Brilliant Stars, the most recent Pokemon TCG set that introduces a new type of card is still at its peak. Fans all over are going to stores to get their hands on this new set but some are finding more than what they’re expecting. It has been reported that people are finding XY Evolutions ETBs at multiple Walmart in the US. The XY Evolutions set was released in 2016, so how are we seeing them on shelves now? Are they getting reprinted or restocked?

XY Evolutions Restock or Reprint?

A reprint of XY Evolutions is not very likely. There have been rumors that some XY sets such as Steam Siege will be reprinted this year but with how old these sets are its hard to believe the Pokemon Company would go back to them instead of focusing on what’s current. What’s more likely is that stores found old stock that was lost and are just now distributing and restocking these Elite Trainer Boxes. I wouldn’t get my hopes up for a reprint of a 5+ year old set but it’s definitely possible to still find them in stores if you’re lucky!

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Where to Find XY Evolutions ETBs

Pokemon card collectors are always looking for good deals on old Pokemon cards. Naturally when people heard that others were finding XY Evolutions ETBs at Walmart, many were rushing to multiple stores to see if they could find some as well and some did. We know these tweets are likely real because we see XY ETBs sitting on shelves next to Brilliant Stars ETBs, meaning they’re not old pictures. We haven’t seen anyone reporting seeing them at other stores but we’ll be keeping a eye out for these products for a while.

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