The second PvE drop event is coming to Pokemon Pocket on November 29th. Like the first drop event featuring Lapras EX, this event includes a brand new set of promo cards and 4 new decks to battle to obtain those promo packs. The event officially runs from:
- Start: November 29, 2024, at 6 AM UTC
- End: December 13, 2024 at 5:59 AM UTC
There is plenty of opportunity to get as many promo cards as possible, so let's get to what to expect.
What We Know
Like the first event, this will include a set of 4 decks to battle for different drop rates and missions. All of the decks this time around are centered around grass-type Pokemon. Instead of receiving the same promo pack, we will be getting access to Promo Pack A Series Vol. 2. This pack includes a full art Venusaur (regular, not EX), a Promo Greninja, Promo Onix, New Haunter, and a New Jigglypuff. Much of this event works exactly like the first, so there isn’t much new information.
New Promos
The new full-art Venusar is the same card but just an alternate art form that I would love to get my hands on because the level of detail and art in the picture looks fantastic.
Greninja gets slightly different art with this promo, but it's mainly like they have just switched directions, and there is not much new. However, Greninja is a fantastic Pokemon, so if you are missing your playset, this is something you will not want to miss.
This is just a new illustration for the typical Onix card with nothing else new. While Onix isn’t used much in the meta, if you like playing fighting-type Pokemon, it's something worth having.
Haunter is getting a brand new card with a new attack that adds a little bit more bite. There is a slight trade-off with both HP and the coin toss aspect. I am not sure if it is better than the original Haunter, but it might turn out to be more useful.
Last but certainly not least is the brand new promo Jigglypuff. This is probably the best new card to be introduced via this event because it is a very simple way to introduce sleep into a game, which can be pretty backbreaking as a status condition. Also, because Jigglypuff is a colorless Pokemon, it may splash into other types of decks that want to try and stall out their opponent.
Event Stamina
Some information we could only guess at last time is a lot easier to relay this time because it is assumed to work the same. Event Stamina, used to start a battle, has a recharge time of 12 hours. You'll start with 5 event stamina and gain an additional 15 event stamina hourglasses from the first two event tiers by completing the different missions. Event hourglasses are on a 1 for 1 trade with event stamina. Doing a little math means that throughout the event, if you use all of the event stamina possible, you will have access to 50 event stamina. Also, if you did not use up all your event stamina from the last event, you may be able to use it for this event. However, that is not confirmed. Event stamina is not consumed if you lose the match as well, so you are not penalized if, for some reason, the coin flips or your draw doesn’t go your way.
Battle Stages
There are four different battle stages ranging from beginner to expert. Each battle stage has its unique deck, challenges, and specific drop rates. All four decks are exclusively grass-type, with the advanced and expert decks including Venusaur EX. Because all the decks are grass-type, being prepared with various fire-type decks will help during this event. For more information, check out our schedule page.
Beginner
The beginner stage is a simple grass-type deck, which, like the last event, does not include trainer cards but only Pokemon. The missions for this are relatively the same but include challenges geared towards fire-type Pokemon.
The drop rates for this stage are as follows.
- Promo Pack (51%)
- 25 Shinedust (100%)
- 1 shop ticket (38.7%).
Intermediate
Again, it's just a slightly upgraded version of the last deck with some added trainers. However, this time, the missions are slightly different because they require you to put an opponent's Pokemon to sleep. There are currently only a few cards that allow you to do that, and they are these:
Or, if you get lucky, you can come back and complete this mission using the new Jigglypuff.
The drop rates for this stage are as follows.
- Promo Pack (64%)
- 25 Shinedust (100%)
- 1 shop ticket (48.3%).
Advanced
The advanced stage is the first stage that includes an EX Pokemon, and Venasuar EX is a really beefy Pokemon, so you need to come ready to bring the heat. Charizard is probably the best option, or Arcanine EX (if you picked it up from the Fire-type outbreak).
The drop rates for this stage are as follows.
- Promo Pack (80%)
- 25 Shinedust (100%)
- 1 shop ticket (60.4%).
Expert
The last and final stage is pretty similar to the last stage, but this deck includes both an Erika and a Sabrina meaning the computer will have some counterplay against you. Once again, bring the heat, and you should be good. This is the best tier to grind because it gives a guaranteed promo pack; you will want as many of these as possible.
The drop rates for this stage are as follows.
- Promo Pack (100%)
- 25 Shinedust (100%)
- 1 shop ticket (75%).
Decks To Bring
Bring the Heat
With all of the decks, including grass-type Pokemon, bringing a heavy-hitting fire deck is sure to be the best way to win the majority, if not all, of the event battles. This is one of the best fire decks in the game currently, but it requires a lot of EX Pokemon, so it isn’t for everyone. However, this is a great place to start if you have all the pieces.
Blaine Fire
This deck is much more affordable and still packs a fantastic punch, especially against grass-type Pokemon. It may struggle slightly with the later stages because Venusaur has a lot of HP, but it is still good at hitting hard. Also, this is a great deck to get the mission that only requires 1, 2, or 3-star Pokemon.
Fire Tuff
This is relatively the same as the deck above but includes a Wiggly tuff to help accomplish the sleeping mission in the different events. Most of the cards only attack for one energy, which allows you to concentrate, put more energy, and finish the game with a Wigglytuff, especially against Venusaur EX, which has a lot of HP.
Conclusion
This event should run as smoothly as the last time we had a drop event. There are plenty of chances for you to get around 50 promo packs, giving you decent odds of opening a playset of all the new promos. Unfortunately, some people will get a little unlucky, but maximizing your event stamina on the last stage will give you the best chance to open at least 2 of each promo. Special note: because you do not lose stamina for a loss but can complete missions without a win, it might be useful to auto-concede on some of the lower tables when trying to complete the missions so you don’t use up excess stamina. Either way, what do you think of these events? Do you have a unique fire list that you use?