Alright, let me tell you about my recent adventure, or maybe I should call it an obsession, with this Charizard from Paldean Fates. It all started pretty innocently, you know? I saw the artwork, that shiny Tera Charizard ex, and I thought, “Wow, I gotta have that one for the collection.” Famous last words, right?
My Initial Plan (or Lack Thereof)
So, I figured I’d just pick up a few bits and pieces from the Paldean Fates set. Maybe an Elite Trainer Box, a couple of those sticker tins. Keep it casual, that was the idea. I’ve been around the Pokémon card block a few times, seen these chase cards come and go. But this Charizard, it just had that pull, you know? The hype was real, and I guess I got swept up in it more than I usually do.
First, I grabbed an ETB. Ripped it open with that usual mix of hope and the knowledge that it’s probably full of bulk. And yeah, pretty much. Got a few decent shinies, nothing to write home about, and definitely no sign of the big fire lizard. “No worries,” I told myself, “it’s just the first try.”
Diving Deeper Down the Rabbit Hole
Then things started to escalate a bit. I found myself stopping by the store more often. “Oh, they have those new mini tins? Might as well grab a couple.” Then it was the booster bundles. Those little stacks of packs, they just call to you from the shelf. Before I knew it, I had a growing pile of Paldean Fates wrappers and a collection of shiny Pokémon that, while nice, weren’t the one I was after. My process was simple:
- Step 1: See Paldean Fates product.
- Step 2: Convince myself this is the one with the Charizard.
- Step 3: Buy said product.
- Step 4: Experience momentary joy followed by the familiar sigh of “not this time.”
- Step 5: Repeat.
I even started watching opening videos online, which is always a dangerous game. You see someone pull it on their third pack and think, “My luck’s gotta turn soon!” But that’s just not how probability works, is it? My living room table started looking like a Pokémon Center exploded, but only with the commons and uncommons everyone leaves behind.
There was this one weekend, I remember, I’d saved up a bit and decided to go for one of those Premium Collection boxes. The ones with the cool promo cards. I sat down, took my time opening each pack. Every single pack felt heavier, you know that feeling? And every single pack was a tease. A shiny Baby Pokémon here, a full art trainer there (not even a good one!), but no Charizard. I was getting genuinely frustrated. It’s just cardboard, I know, but when you’re invested, it feels like more.
The Turning Point? Or Just More Packs?
I was seriously considering just buying the single. My wallet was screaming at me. But there’s something about pulling it yourself, isn’t there? That raw feeling of victory. So, I told myself, “Okay, one last big push.” I picked up a couple more of those six-pack booster bundles. Figured if it didn’t happen then, I’d wave the white flag.
I got home, didn’t even make a big ceremony out of it this time. Just started opening them, almost mechanically. Pack after pack, the usual suspects. And then, in the second to last pack of the very last bundle, I saw that dark shimmer from the back of the card. My heart actually did that little flutter thing. I slowly revealed it… and there it was. The Shiny Tera Charizard ex. I just stared at it for a good minute. All that effort, all those duds, and then bam.
Honestly, the feeling was a mix of relief and a bit of “finally!” It wasn’t the crazy, jumping-up-and-down excitement I might have expected. More like a quiet satisfaction. And then the immediate thought: “Now I have to get a perfect sleeve and a top loader for this thing.” The collector’s brain never truly switches off, does it?
So, Was It Worth It?
Looking back, it was a wild ride. I definitely spent more than I initially planned, no doubt about that. But the process, the hunt itself, there’s a weird sort of fun in it, even with the frustrations. It’s the thrill of the chase. Would I recommend going as hard as I did? Probably not, unless you’ve got a good understanding of what you’re getting into and can afford it. It’s a gamble, at the end of the day.
But hey, I got my Charizard. And I’ve got a story to tell, right? Now, the big question is… what’s the next chase card going to be? My wallet hopes it’s nothing too soon!
