Hey there, fellow Pokémon TCG Pocket trainers! As we dive deeper into 2026, I've noticed a hot topic buzzing in the community, and honestly, I'm feeling it too. We're all grinding away, trying to collect those shiny new cards, but lately, some of the solo battle challenges have started to feel less like fun and more like… well, homework. It seems I'm not alone in this sentiment.
The latest spark of controversy comes from the new Drop Event that kicked off the year. This event features a series of solo battles against Electric-type Pokémon, spotlighting the adorable Mareep line. While the chance to snag promo packs and a special art Mareep card is fantastic, there's a catch that's got many of us groaning. To claim all the rewards from the Intermediate, Advanced, and Expert battles, you must include a specific number of cards from the newest expansion—Crimson Blaze.
Let me break down what that means for us:
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Intermediate Level: Requires at least 2 Crimson Blaze cards in your deck.
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Advanced Level: Requires at least 6 Crimson Blaze cards.
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Expert Level: Requires a whopping 12 Crimson Blaze cards!
This isn't even the first time we've seen this. This requirement mirrors the challenges from the Crimson Blaze Step-Up Battles released last December. It feels like a new, persistent trend, and for players like me who have limited time, it's becoming a real pain point.
Here's my personal struggle: building a new, competitive deck isn't a five-minute job. Since the game launched over a year ago, I've amassed a colossal library of cards—at least 10 new ones every single day. Navigating that collection, even with the search tools and tags, takes time I don't always have. And let's talk about deck slots! We're capped at 25 decks total. With 10 different Pokémon types, that leaves room for barely 2-3 decks per type. Now, I'm being forced to dismantle a tried-and-true deck or create a brand new one just to chase these event rewards. It feels restrictive.
Of course, the clever developers gave us a potential workaround: Rental Decks. You get these limited-use decks by pulling Highlight Cards from your daily draws or Wonder Picks.
Take the Mega Lopunny EX Rental Deck, for instance. It's packed with 15 different Crimson Blaze cards, smashing the Expert-level requirement. Plus, its Fighting-type gives it an advantage against the event's Electric-types (as long as you avoid those pesky Starly-line cards!). But here's my dilemma: each Rental Deck can only be used 10 times. Do I burn precious uses on this event, or save them for a future challenge that might be even tougher? It's a stressful resource management game on top of the card game!
Now, I should be fair. The community isn't wholly against this. I've chatted with trainers who relish the challenge. They see it as a fun puzzle—a reason to experiment with the latest card mechanics and build something fresh. For them, it's a welcome test of skill and adaptability.
And honestly, when I step back, the rewards for these specific Battle Tasks aren't earth-shattering. We're talking about a few Wonder Hourglasses or Event Hourglasses. Given the boatload of free hourglasses we all got in December, these particular prizes aren't the most motivating. The real prize of the event is the chance at a promo pack with every win, whether you complete the Battle Tasks or not.
So, where does that leave us? Here's my take on the pros and cons of this new Battle Task design:
The Challenges (The Cons):
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😫 Time-Consuming: Forces regular, time-intensive deck building.
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📚 Collection Overload: Makes navigating a huge card library a chore.
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🧩 Deck Slot Crunch: The 25-deck limit feels tighter than ever.
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⏳ Rental Anxiety: Using limited Rental Deck charges creates future FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out).
The Potential Benefits (The Pros):
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🧠 Engaging Challenge: Encourages strategic thinking and adaptation.
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🃏 Showcases New Cards: Promotes the latest expansion and its mechanics.
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🎯 Clear Objectives: Provides very specific goals for completionists.
In the end, I think the core of the frustration isn't necessarily the challenge itself, but its frequency. When it becomes a recurring theme every couple of weeks, it starts to feel less like a special event and more like a mandatory grind. Maybe a better balance would be to have these expansion-specific tasks in some events, but not in all of them back-to-back.
What do you think? Are you embracing the new meta and building your Crimson Blaze powerhouse, or are you sighing every time you see that deck-building requirement pop up? Let's hope the developers are listening to our chatter and find a sweet spot that keeps the game exciting without making it feel like a second job. After all, we're here to have fun and catch 'em all—not just the new cards, but also those enjoyable, rewarding moments.