Booster box suggestions

[wcucarter]

My son, 8, has been collecting Pokemon cards for the last year or so. He probably has a few hundred cards now. He's expressed interest in actually learning how to play the game, and I'd like to get him a booster box to potentially have more complete/compatible sets.

So, the question is: Is there a certain booster box I should or should not buy as an absolute beginner?

Any other related insight you'd like to give is greatly appreciated! Thanks so much for the help folks. It's truly appreciated!

 

[donavannj]

My son, 8, has been collecting Pokemon cards for the last year or so. He probably has a few hundred cards now. He's expressed interest in actually learning how to play the game, and I'd like to get him a booster box to potentially have more complete/compatible sets.

So, the question is: Is there a certain booster box I should or should not buy as an absolute beginner?

Any other related insight you'd like to give is greatly appreciated! Thanks so much for the help folks. It's truly appreciated!

As absolute beginners, your best bet is buying one of the theme decks that exist, like the Let's Play! Pikachu and Let's Play! Eevee ones, at least as far as learning to play goes. Those should be fairly easy decks to learn how to play with.

If you plan on attending leagues, buy a booster box of Unbroken Bonds, and then buy cards for your league decks going forward as singles. Sets are very large now (over 200 cards in each) so it's a lot harder to pull what you need for a deck in a booster pack now, so unless you're attached to the feeling you get from opening booster packs, you're financially better off buying singles to play. You may also want to consider buying the box of 450 energy cards, as you will need energy to run decks, and that's one of the more cost effective ways to get energy, since you only get 1 energy card per booster pack.

 

[wcucarter]

Thanks!

 

[Hands]

Thanks!

Its probably best to get him on the Trading Card Game Online app so he can learn the ropes without any investment in physical product that would likely not be very usable beyond teaching him early on.

 

[Mythic Cards]

I would also check out elite boxes as well. They are good starter decks.

 

[Hands]

I would also check out elite boxes as well. They are good starter decks.

What? ETBs have 8 packs and some dice, that is not a good starter deck.

 

[Mythic Cards]

I thought it would be good for the energies as well. As for playing the game thought it could be a good base to get started. Though I am new.

 

[donavannj]

The problem is, Elite Trainer Boxes aren't decks. They're just a storage box with 8 boosters, 40 energy cards, themed card sleeves, and themed counters and tokens. You can't build a functional deck from 8 booster packs as the cards will be too random and haphazard and you'll get maybe enough of 1 evolution line to actually use any of the evolved Pokemon you pull.

They're good value if you've got a deck or two already and are looking to get sleeves, counters, tokens, and a storage box alongside several booster packs, though.

Source: have bought tons of Elite Trainer Boxes over the years I've been collecting.