This month, Pokémon TCG Pocket is celebrating its first anniversary in October with a celebration of the past year’s sets, all culminating in September’s Deluxe Pack ex. This is a great, limited-time chance to get a ton of harder-to-find cards you may have been missing, as each pack comes with 4 cards with a guaranteed chance at something above 4-diamonds. The only set that seems to be missing is last month’s Secluded Springs, as it’s still super fresh.
As with every new set, you have to earn your freebies. Each month, alongside the new release, Pokémon TCG Pocket offers new solo battles that come with some great rewards if you put in the work. Notably, the game is giving a tad less than in some other sets for hourglasses in the past, such as Shining Revelry, but the past couple of sets have a little more focus for newcomers to the game to make getting their footing easier. Plus, this set brings a whopping 381 shop tickets as potential earnings. Honestly, if you haven’t yet, you can check out our Secluded Springs battle guide to earn a ton more hourglasses, tickets, and EXP, if you missed any from that month.
Deluxe Pack ex Step-Up Battle (Beginner)
First-time wins on the Deluxe Pack ex Step-Up Battle (Beginner) will earn you 2 pack hourglasses, 50 shinedust, 1 shop ticket, and 25 EXP each.
But, each step has specific “Battle Tasks” as well that can earn you up to 18 more shop tickets. All of the Deluxe Pack ex Step-Up Battle (Beginner) Battle Tasks are the same for each step and earn 3 tickets apiece.
- Knock out your opponent’s Active Pokémon 1 time with an attack from a Specific-Type Pokémon (Explained below)
- Put 3 Basic Pokémon into play
The step-up battle list includes the decks below. I’m also including the recommended energy-type deck to take it on in the list, which is how you earn the Specific-type Battle Task, as well, that I mentioned above.
- Frogadier deck – Recommended: Lightning (Lightning needed for the battle task)
- Gabite deck – Recommended: Grass (Grassneeded for the battle task)
- Skiploom deck – Recommended: Fire (Fire needed for the battle task)
If you were to complete all Deluxe Pack ex Step-Up Battle (Beginner) battles, you would earn 6 pack hourglasses, 150 shinedust, 75 EXP, and 21 shop tickets.
Deluxe Pack ex Step-Up Battle (Intermediate)
First-time wins on the Deluxe Pack ex Step-Up Battle (Intermediate) will earn you 3 pack hourglasses, 100 shinedust, 1 shop ticket, and 50 EXP each.
But, each step has specific “Battle Tasks”, as well, that can earn you up to 12 more shop tickets each, totaling 108. All of the Deluxe Pack ex Step-Up Battle (Intermediate) Battle Tasks are the same for each step and earn 4 tickets apiece.
- Knock out your opponent’s Active Pokémon 1 time with an attack from a Specific-Type Pokémon (Explained below)
- Put a Stage 1 Pokémon into play
- Win this battle by turn 14
The step-up battle list includes the decks below. I’m also including the recommended energy-type deck to take it on in the list, which is how you earn the Specific-type Battle Task as well, that I mentioned above.
- Magnezone deck – Recommended: Fighting (Fighting needed for the battle task)
- Silvally deck – Recommended: Fighting (Fighting needed for the battle task)
- Umbreon deck – Recommended: Grass (Grass needed for the battle task)
- Meoscarada deck – Recommended: Fire (Fire needed for the battle task)
- Lucario deck – Recommended: Psychic (Psychic needed for the battle task)
- Giratina deck – Recommended: Darkness (Darkness needed for the battle task)
- Greninja deck – Recommended: Lightning (Lightning needed for the battle task)
- Excadrill deck – Recommended: Fire (Fire needed for the battle task)
- Heatran deck – Recommended: Water (Water needed for the battle task)
If you were to complete all Deluxe Pack ex Step-Up Battle (Intermediate) battles, you would earn 27 pack hourglasses, 900 shinedust, 450 EXP, and 117 shop tickets.
Deluxe Pack ex Step-Up Battle (Advanced)
First-time wins on the Deluxe Pack ex Step-Up Battle (Advanced) will earn you 5 pack hourglasses, 150 shinedust, 1 shop ticket, and 75 EXP each.
But, each step has specific “Battle Tasks” as well that can earn you up to 20 more shop tickets each. All of the Deluxe Pack ex Step-Up Battle (Advanced) Battle Tasks are the same for each step and earn 5 tickets apiece.
- Knock out your opponent’s Active Pokémon 2 times with an attack from a Specific-Type Pokémon (Explained below)
- Do 100 or more damage in total to your opponent’s Pokémon with one attack
- Win this battle by turn 14
- Win this battle without your opponent getting any points
The step-up battle list includes the decks below. I’m also including the recommended energy-type deck to take it on in the list, which is how you earn the Specific-type Battle Task, as well as what I mentioned above.
- Charizard ex deck – Recommended: Water (Water needed for the battle task)
- Solgaleo ex deck – Recommended: Fire (Fire needed for the battle task)
- Lugia ex deck – Recommended: Lightning (Lightning needed for the battle task)
- Pikachu deck – Recommended: Fighting (Fighting needed for the battle task)
- Mewtwo ex deck – Recommended: Darkness (Darkness needed for the battle task)
- Palkia ex deck – Recommended: Lightning (Lightning needed for the battle task)
- Guzzlord ex deck – Recommended: Fighting (Fighting needed for the battle task)
- Buzzwole ex deck – Recommended: Fire (Fire needed for the battle task)
- Lucario ex deck – Recommended: Grass (Grass needed for the battle task)
If you were to complete all Deluxe Pack ex Step-Up Battle (Advanced) battles, you would earn 45 pack hourglasses, 1350 shinedust, 675 EXP, and 189 shop tickets.
Deluxe Pack ex Expert Solo Battle
First-time wins on the Deluxe Pack ex Expert Solo Battle will earn you 7 pack hourglasses, 200 shinedust, 1 shop ticket, and 100 EXP each.
But, like the Step-Up Battles, each step has specific “Battle Tasks” as well that can earn you up to 25 more shop tickets each. Similarly, all of the Deluxe Pack ex vExpert Solo Battle Tasks are the same for each step and earn 5 tickets apiece.
- Win this battle with a deck whose Pokémon are only a specific type (Explained below)
- Win this battle using a deck where all the Pokémon cards are of <1 Diamond>, <2 Diamond>, and/or <3 Diamond> rarity
- Win this battle by turn 12
- Win this battle without your opponent getting any points
- Get 12 or more points
Note: Getting 12 points does not have to be in a single battle. It’s cumulative. Depending on which deck you’re going up against, the last battle task may change.
The difference with the Specific-type Pokémon Battle Task is that it’s meant to be harder. While there will be a more recommended deck type, the Battle Task wants to pit you against the grain and make it harder.
The step-up battle list includes these decks. I’m also including the recommended energy-type deck to take it on properly below, as well as the Battle Task-specific type.
- Lucario ex deck – Recommended: Psychic (Colorless needed for the battle task)
- Pikachu ex deck – Recommended: Fighting (Water needed for the battle task)
- Solgaleo ex deck – Recommended: Fire (Psychic needed for the battle task)
- Charizard deck – Recommended: Water (Metal needed for the battle task)
- Palkia ex deck – Recommended: Lightning (Fire needed for the battle task)
- Guzzlord ex deck – Recommended: Fighting (Psychic needed for the battle task)
- Lugia ex deck – Recommended: Lightning (Metal needed for the battle task)
- Buzzwole ex deck – Recommended: Fire (Darkness needed for the battle task)
- Mewtwo ex deck – Recommended: Darkness (fighting needed for the battle task)
If you were to complete all Deluxe Pack ex Expert Solo Battle battles, you would earn 63 pack hourglasses, 1800 shinedust, 900 EXP, and 234 shop tickets.
Shop Tickets for Deluxe Pack ex
With that said, you just earned a ton of those pink and blue Shop Tickets that can be used in the aptly named Shop, under the also aptly named Tickets tab. If you completed all of the battles and Battle Tasks above, you should have at least a whopping 561 Shop Tickets to use.
If you’re familiar with the Shop already, this isn’t going to tell you anything new. But, for those who are new to Pokémon TCG Pocket, this is a great place to grab a bunch of new stuff, such as the new (aptly named) Deluxe Pack: ex (cover) for only 15 shop tickets.
However, you’re here for Hourglasses. Each month, you can pick up 10 individual Pack Hourglasses at 3 Shop Tickets apiece, with another 10 of the x6 Pack Hourglasses for 18 Shop Tickets each. This will grant you a total of 70 more hourglasses using only 210 of your freshly obtained Shop Tickets. You can also do the same (for the same price) with Wonder Hourglasses if you’d like. Also worth noting is that this part refreshes at the top of each month.
In addition, there are a ton of rewards for the Deluxe Pack ex set under the Themed Missions tab this month. If you’ve been playing the game prior to this month, you’re likely going to have a ton of missions completed, which gives a metric ton of Wonder Hourglasses, Pack Hourglasses, Shop Tickets, and emblem currency to unlock two new emblems (Geninja and Oricorio). Just keep in mind that this set is only available for a limited time, until the end of December. But, the Missions and Battles will remain available to access.
If you have not taken advantage of it yet, along with the previous set and update, there are still an extra couple of ways to earn pack hourglasses for basically free. A special mission will have its own section that will grant 36 free pack hourglasses just for linking your Nintendo Account or app store account to your Pokémon TCG Pocket game. If you’re playing on Android, just linking your Google Play account should unlock it immediately. The same goes for the iOS version. If you choose to do neither, just linking your Nintendo account will suffice as well.
In addition, the trading feature revamp from July has its own shop section for trading in your old, defunct Trade Tokens. You can earn 60 pack hourglasses for a measly 60 Trade Tokens using this method. If you’ve been playing a long time, this is a drop in the bucket compared to the thousands you may have.
With that said, this means you will have access to at least 96 total hourglasses for free on day one of Deluxe Pack ex, on top of your two free daily packs and your daily missions. This doesn’t even include the Ranked Match Missions that will earn you a ton more Pack Hourglasses.
Thanks to Pokémon Zone for additional information for this guide. Don’t forget to take advantage of older solo battles that you may not have completed yet to earn their rewards as well. If you haven’t checked out Pokémon TCG Pocket yet, it’s available on Android and iOS for free.
If you’re new to Pokémon TCG Pocket, check out our guides on how to obtain flair and what the real differences are between the mobile apps, Pokémon TCG Pocket and Pokémon TCG Live.
