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Astral Radiance Error Cards from New Pokemon TCG Set

Pokepatch Pokemon TCG Astral Radiance error cards

The newest set in the Pokemon TCG, Astral Radiance, is out now and error cards are finally surfacing as more people open packs. Something we’ve seen a lot is pull rates have been so good for some collectors, that they think they have an error booster box because they’re pulling so many chase cards, when its actually just good luck mixed with good odds. Here are some actual error packs and error cards from Astral Radiance.

Peeling Holo Damage

Hisuian Liligant V damaged card via Reddit

There have been multiple fans reporting that they’ve pulled cards that have some of the holo peeled off the card. This is not a result of people trying to find the new peelable Ditto cards, but it looks to be a manufacturing error. It’s usually on the bottom of the card. When you pull an alt art card, this is probably the last thing you want to see because it’s more just damage than a collectable error card.

Pokemon GO Cards in Astral Radiance Packs

The biggest error we’ve seen in Astral Radiance is Pokemon GO cards. Many fans have claimed to have pulled unreleased Pokemon GO cards from Astral Radiance packs. This isn’t something we normally see with other sets, so it makes you wonder how these cards got into packs and onto shelves. Maybe it’s on purpose to promote the upcoming set, an employee sneaking these in, or a complete accident. We may never know.

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Miscut Cards

Off center and miscut cards are the most common type of error card you’ll come across in the Pokemon TCG. We’ve seen quite a few miscut cards from Astral Radiance, but my favorite is grass energy that looks like it wasn’t just off center but also rotated 45 degrees before it was cut. When the miscut is this extreme, it’s actually pretty rare and can be worth money to some collectors.

What’s Included in Pokemon Prerelease Boxes

If you’ve been collecting Pokemon cards and buying booster packs for a while, you may have noticed Pokemon Prerelease boxes on shelves at your local card shops. These boxes usually come out before the set release date to give players a taste of what’s to come. But what is a Pokemon Prerelease box and what does it come with?

What’s in a Prerelease Box?

Inside you’ll find a competitive deck of Pokemon cards from the newest set so you can play the TCG with these new cards. It also comes with 3 booster packs of the same set. This is good especially for players of the Pokemon TCG but not so great for collectors. Here’s why.

Are Prerelease Boxes Worth It?

If you want to open packs early, before the new set comes out then this is an option for you but keep in mind it might not be worth it. At $20, you’re paying about $6.50 per booster pack. For the price, it might be better to wait until the set releases to open booster packs because on release, you can get them for under $4 per pack. For competitive players this could be a good option to get ahead of the competition. With this new deck, you can test out different new cards and practice before the set releases.

What do think about prerelease boxes? Let us know in the comments below!

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How Big is the Map in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet?

Pokepatch Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Map Size

In recent years GameFreak has constantly outdone themselves by making maps larger and larger with each game. Pokemon Sword and Shield had a very large map compared to other Pokemon games and the previous most recent mainline game, Pokemon Legends Arceus, had the biggest map we’ve seen in any Pokemon game. Will Pokemon Scarlet and Pokemon Violet follow this pattern with the new Paldea region? How big is the Paldea map?

The Paldea Region map from Pokemon Scarlet and Violet

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Map

There’s still no official map released for this upcoming Pokemon game just yet, but we’ve seen plenty of gameplay and environments in screenshots and trailers. By looking at the content we’ve seen, we can determine there are several different environments we’ll get to explore. From deserts and grass plain beaches to snowy mountains, there will be plenty of variety. But how big will these locations be?

This screenshot shows a vast landscape with mountains in the background. Legends Arceus was split up into locations that you had to fast travel between. If the rumors are true and Scarlet and Violet are completely open world, we should be able to free roam and travel to every place we see in these screenshots. With this in mind, it’s safe to say the map will be as big, if not bigger than the Hisui region in PLA.

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Region

As seen in the first trailer, the Paldea region will be based on Spain. Knowing this, we expect the shape of this region will be similar to real world Spain. We haven’t got the name of the region in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet yet.

PokePatch Pokemon Scarlet and Violet spain map trailer

Preorder Pokemon Scarlet and Violet

If you’re hyped about the upcoming Pokemon Scarlet and Violet games, now is the time to preorder. Pick Scarlet or Violet based on which Legendary you like more. Preordering from GameStop is reliable and PokePatch makes commission on qualifying purchases, so you’ll also be helping keep our website up. Thank you!

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How To Get Pokemon Cards Graded

How To PSA Pokemon Cards

If you’re into collecting Pokemon cards, you may have noticed some collectors have their cards in a plastic slab or case with a red and white label at the top. This label contains the card information and what condition the card is in. Most of the time, cards that are graded 10 are the most expensive ones out there because they’re in such good condition. Here’s how you can get your cards condition graded and slabbed as well!

1. Choosing Which Service

Choosing a grading service is the first step to get a Pokemon card graded. You’ll need to send it to a company that will inspect, authenticate, and grade the card. PSA is one of the most popular grading services for Pokemon cards and considered the standard to many people. That doesn’t mean it’s the best service for you as there are many options out there. Above everything, you just want to make sure to send your cards into a trusted grading service. The top 3 card grading services are PSA, CGC, and BGS.

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2. Preparing Your Cards

Before sending in your cards, there are some things you want to consider. Is your card in the best condition possible? Any scratches, scuffs, or errors will affect the grade that you get so make sure it’s spotless when you submit it. This involves inspecting the card yourself and cleaning it up as much as you can. Here are some tips you can follow to make sure you get the highest grade possible.

3. Sending Cards in For Grading

Now that your cards are ready to be graded after choosing where to send it and preparing, you’ll need to ship your cards physically. It’s important to make sure you follow specific guidelines to submit your card. Each service has its own process, so be sure to follow the right one. Also be sure to package your cards very safety to avoid getting damaged during the shipping process. Below we’ll link the guides to sending in your cards to the top three grading services. These guides will help you with packaging tips as well.

Card Grading Guides

PSA Submission Guide: https://www.psacard.com/submissions
CGC Submission Guide: https://www.cgccomics.com/submit/how-to-submit/
BGS Submission Guide: https://www.beckett.com/grading/submit

Gorochu Could be in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet

Pokepatch Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Gorochu

Everyone’s hyped for the upcoming Pokemon game that comes out November 18th, 2022, Scarlet and Violet. A trailer was just released showcasing some of the new game mechanics and new Pokemon! This has sparked even more hype and conversations about what the new game will be like and what other Pokemon we’ll see in the future. One of those in question is possibly Gorochu!

What is Gorochu?

Many new and longtime Pokemon fans may have never heard of the Pokemon Gorochu. This is because it doesn’t exist or at least never officially released. Among many others, Gorochu is a Pokemon that was created as a prototype and was supposed to be the final evolution of Pikachu and Raichu but the concept was scrapped. We never got to see Gorochu officially, but some fans are hopeful that we could see this Pokemon in the future.

So guys, this has to be a thing. Statick electricity plus a lot of fur it has to ignite at some point right? Gorochu's reborn as Pawmi evolution #PokemonScarletViolet #Pokemon #Pawmi pic.twitter.com/XaOUGcfh1J
— Arnau (@arnau555) June 2, 2022

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Will Gorochu be in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet?

This theory comes from @arnau555 on Twitter. They point out that the new Pokemon shown in the Scarlet and Violet trailer, Pawmi, shows some glaring similarities to the Gorochu prototype. This could mean that Gorochu will not be a Pikachu evolution but a new Pokemon altogether as the evolution of Pawmi. The fan draws some concept are for the Pawmi evolution, nicknamed Goromi, seen above.

Do you think Gorochu or Goromi will be in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet? Let us know in the comments below!

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Multiplayer Features Revealed

Pokepatch Pokemon Scarlet and Violet multiplayer reveal

A new trailer just released of the upcoming Pokemon Scarlet and Violet games! Luckily this trailer shows us more information than we were expecting but there’s still a lot unknown about this new game. One thing we do know is Pokemon Scarlet and Violet will have multiplayer and its different than what we’ve seen in past games. Here’s what we know so far about Multiplayer in Scarlet and Violet.

Will Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Be Multiplayer?

In recent previous mainline Pokemon games, multiplayer features have been primarily limited to raid battles and trading. This time around GameFreak is working on something a little more cooperative. We can clearly see in the trailer that there are multiple players roaming around together and even split paths at one point as all players run around different environments in the same world. This suggests we can explore an open world environment with our friends. This online multiplayer feature seems to be limited to 4 player co-op, so you can play with 4 people at a time. There may even be missions you can do with your friends and other players but it’s not yet clear. The trailer also shows players trading with Friends which is an important feature as well.

What multiplayer features are you excited to see come to Scarlet and Violet? Let us know in the comments below!

Preorder Pokemon Scarlet & Violet

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Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Legendaries Revealed in New Trailer

Pokepatch Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Legendary reveal

Pokemon SV Legendaries

A new Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Trailer just came out and gave us more information about this upcoming game than we were expecting. In the trailer we can see new gameplay features and new Pokemon. Among these new Pokemon that were revealed were the 2 main box Legendaries. When it comes to choosing between Scarlet vs Violet, the box Legendary Pokemon that you get in these games is one of the main reasons people choose one over the other. For example if you get Pokemon Sword, you’ll get Zacian and if you buy Pokemon Shield, you’ll receive Zamazenta. The case is the same with Pokemon Scarlet and Pokemon Violet. You’ll get the Legendary Pokemon respective to which game you choose. Here are the new Legendaries and what we know about them so far.

Pokemon Scarlet Legendary

Koraidon is the Legendary Pokemon available to those who play Pokemon Scarlet. This Pokemon looks like a dragon or dinosaur with feathers instead of scales.

Pokemon Violet Legendary

Miraidon is the Legendary Pokemon available to those who play Pokemon Violet. It also looks like a dragon but a different type of dragon. This Pokemon looks more like a flying serpent with jet pack thrusters than a dragon that flies with wings.

Pokemon SV Legendary Theories

A lot of fans have noticed certain parts of these new Legendary Pokemon have similarities to modern cars and planes. For example, Koraidon looks like they have a motorcycle tire attached to them and Miraidon has jet engines. These characteristic features have sparked some conversation on why they’re there. A common theory is that we will have ridable Legendary Pokemon in Scarlet and Violet. You’ll be able to mount them, similar to Wyrdeer and other Hisuian Pokemon in Legends Arceus. This hasn’t been confirmed but is a solid theory so far.

Which new Legendary Pokemon do you like best? Let us know in the comments below!

Preorder Pokemon Scarlet & Violet

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You Can Now Catch Pokemon in Pokemon Unite! What Are Catch Em Battles?

Pokepatch Pokemon Unite catch em battles

Catching Pokemon in Pokemon Unite

Pokemon Unite is known for intense Pokemon battles and team cooperation. Until now, catching Pokemon wasn’t a feature in the game at all and no one expected it to be. With a new update, not only can you catch Pokemon, but you can play as wild Pokemon and even Legendary Pokemon such as Zapdos, Articuno, Regigigas, and more! This new game mode will be available to play from now until June 26, 2022. We’re not sure if this game mode will be available in the future but if players seem to enjoy this mode, developers will surely consider adding it again later. Here’s what we know about Catch Em Battles so far.

How To Play Catch ‘Em Battles

To catch a Pokemon in Pokemon Unite, start a Catch Em Battle and look for wild Pokemon that appear throughout the arena. Defeat one of these wild Pokemon on the map and you will automatically catch it! Once you’ve caught a Pokemon it will replace your item. Upon activating this, you’ll be able to play as the Pokemon you’ve caught! While playing as other Pokemon you’ll have access to powerful attacks and abilities. During this time, you won’t be able to score or teleport back to your base, so support your team as much as you can! Once you get knocked out, you’ll revert back to the Pokemon you were originally playing as. For full details on this new game mode visit the official Pokemon website here.

What do you think of the new Catch ‘Em Battles? Let us know in the comments below!

What to do with Pokemon Card Bulk

What is Bulk?

Bulk cards are the cards you don’t want. They might be duplicates or extra cards you don’t have a use for. When opening 10 card packs, you usually have the chance of pulling chase cards in the Holo and Reverse Holo slots. This means at least 8 cards in each booster pack are common and considered bulk. After opening several packs, you’ll notice your pile of bulk cards will quickly increase. Before you know it, you might have hundreds or thousands of common Pokemon cards that you’re not using. So, what should you do with bulk Pokemon cards?

Selling Bulk Pokemon Cards

Your first and easiest option is to just sell your bulk as a lot. This means you put 500 cards together, or however many you want, and put it up for sale as random bulk. This can be sold on websites like TCGPlayer, eBay, or anywhere else. To get an estimate on how much your bulk lot is worth, look at similar listings and determine a price off of them. If you decide to do this, keep in mind you won’t be getting a lot for your cards. Common cards aren’t very valuable in the first place and the buyer won’t know if they’re getting anything that’s worth it.

Your second option is to sort through the bulk and sell cards individually on websites such as TCGPlayer. This can be very time consuming and may not be worth it if you’re not looking to maximize profits. Look up the value of each card using TCG Player and list them as you go. A lot of cards will be worth less than $0.25 and might take a while to sell, so this is a long-term commitment. Keep in mind there are fees and shipping costs once the cards sell. On the surface this might not seem worth it but can be very profitable if done right. For example, if you sell 1,000 cards for 25 cents each, that’s $250 of revenue.

Get Creative

Another option is to do something fun with your cards. You can build weird decks and play the Pokemon TCG, cut up common cards and make some art, or give them away to other fans in the community! The options are endless and the fact that these cards are so cheap means you don’t have to worry about losing too much value. Let us know some of your ideas in the comments below!

Is Unite Club Membership Worth It? Pokemon Unite’s New Subscription

If you’ve played Pokemon Unite, you may have noticed a decent amount of microtransactions. This is normal for free to play games and most microtransactions are purely cosmetic, so it doesn’t affect your competitive gameplay experience. If you’re someone that participates in buying Gems or other in game items, there is a new subscription just for you called Unite Club that costs $9.99 a month. What is Unite Club? Here’s a summary of what you’ll get with this new membership.

What You Get

The main thing you’ll get with the Unite Club membership is Aoes Gems. You’ll receive 40 Aoes Gems per day, which adds up to a total of ~1200 Aoes Gems per month. This many Aoes Gems would normally cost you about $20, which is double the cost of a Unite Club subscription. Here’s the full list of stuff you can get as a Unite Club Member.

40 Aoes Gems per day (1200/month)
Green-tier Holowear every month
Trial Holowear every month
Members only Portrait Frames
Custom Chat Speech Bubbles
10% discount on new items

Is It Worth It?

If you’re someone that spends a lot of time playing Pokemon Unite then this is something you might want to consider, especially if you’re into cosmetic items and Holowear, which you can buy with your new Aoes Gems. If you often find yourself buying Aoes Gems, this new subscription is a no brainer as you’ll get double the amount of Aoes Gems you’d usually get along with other benefits. Overall, it’s not necessary to get Unite Club because you can still play the full game without restrictions regardless. But It’s a good option for players who want to customize their Pokemon and Trainer more.

What do you think of the new Unite Club? Let us know in the comments below!