Alright, so I’ve been diving deep into Pokémon cards lately, especially the Champions Path set. Figured I’d document my whole mess of collecting these things. Started ’cause I saw that Charizard VMAX hype everywhere – people going nuts over it online.
First Steps Gathering Intel
I hauled out my own collection boxes first, dumped ’em all on the living room floor. Total chaos mode. Made a spreadsheet on my laptop while cross-checking cards against my piles. Kept getting sidetracked by shiny artwork – that Eternatus V full art legit made me pause for five minutes.
Tracking Down Missing Pieces
Realized I was missing half the secret rares. Hit up three local card shops this Tuesday morning:
- Shop 1: Wanted stupid money for the Gardevoir VMAX
- Shop 2: Had the Drednaw rainbow rare but the corner was dinged up
- Shop 3: Finally scored the Centiskorch V I needed for reasonable cash
Almost tripped over some kid’s backpack chasing that last one. Parents gave me mad side-eye.
Organizing the Hotlist
Sat down with coffee and sorted everything into tiers:
- Chase Cards: Charizard VMAX obviously, that rainbow Piers trainer
- Solid Pulls: Alcremie VMAX, the golden Professor’s Research
- Filler Stuff: Common Dubwools, like a zillion of those
Sticky notes everywhere – looked like a serial killer’s evidence board.
Dealing with Annoyances
Biggest headache? Realizing some “complete” lists online skipped the reverse holos. Spent two hours Friday night comparing eBay listings to confirm numbers while my pizza went cold. Worth it though – caught three missing variations that way.
Final Tally & Tips
Ended up with 73 outta 79 cards after all that. Still need that stupid expensive Zard. Lessons learned:
- Double-check fan sites – they all miss different things
- Local shops jack prices when hype’s high
- Sort as you pull or you’ll wanna rage-quit later
Honestly? Halfway through I questioned my life choices. But holding that completed section binder? Pure satisfaction. Until the next set drops anyway.