A new era began with the launch of Pokémon TCG Live on June 8, featuring Premium and Premium+ Battle Battle passes stacked with rewards like booster packs Pokémon ex, Crystals, and Credits.
Alongside these changes, the servers for Pokémon Trading Card Game Online were shut down on June 5. Then, on June 8, Pokémon TCG Live launched. New players were presented with a short but solid tutorial of basic gameplay and the currency system. By the end of the tutorial, players will have unlocked the Chien-Pao ex deck, courtesy of the free-to-play Basic Battle Pass within Pokémon TCG Live.
Pokémon TCG Live Battle Passes, explained
Coinciding with the Basic version is the Premium Pokémon TCG Live Battle Pass. Each Battle Pass features 50 tiers of rewards, earning players with the Premium version a possible 100 tier rewards within an approximate nine-week time period. And within each tier reward are multiple items, from booster packs and credits to Ultra Rare cards like Wo-Chien ex.
Related: The complete Pokémon TCG Paldea Evolved set card list
Currency Pokémon TCG Live
There are three primary forms of currency within the Pokémon digital card game: Coins, Crystals, and Credits.
- Coins: Obtained by completing quests, unlocking Battle Pass tiers, exchanging Crystals for Coins, and leveling up. Players use Coins to purchase items like an Avatar, deck boxes, and card sleeves.
- Credits: Obtained by unlocking Battle Pass tiers, receiving more than four copies of a card, leveling up, and 59 basic energy cards. Players use Credits to unlock individual cards in the Deck Editor.
- Crystals: Obtained through the completion of quests, unlocking Battle Pass tiers, and leveling up.
Quests and purchasing Battle Pass
Playing regularly and completing daily quests earns players XP and Crystals, which are needed to purchase either a Premium or Premium+ Pokémon TCG Live Battle Pass. Ranking up tiers through the Basic Battle Pass will also reward players with Crystals.
Is the Pokémon TCG Live Battle Pass worth it
New and casual players who don’t have Credits must first earn them through gameplay. Both the Casual and Ranked modes apply toward completing daily quests, allowing players to upgrade to a Premium Battle Pass upon obtaining 600 Credits. It costs 1,800 Credits for the Plus version, which unlocks 15 tiers upon purchase.
As a new player to Pokémon I was slightly frustrated I couldn’t purchase the Premium+ Battle Pass right away, like players can do in Magic: The Gathering Arena or Legends of Runeterra. The Battle Pass Premium version is worth purchasing upon having enough Credits, but the Plus version will likely loose a lot of its value, in my eyes at least, unless I need those 15 tiers unlocked before the Battle Pass expires.
Free-to-play players can jump into Pokémon TCG Live now while earning XP, Coins, and Credits. The next Battle Pass is slated to drop approximately nine weeks from June 8.
