Although the Pokémon Trading Card Game (TCG) largely revolves around collecting, trading, and selling cards, it also serves as a functional tabletop game with concrete mechanics, and some cards provide stronger gameplay advantages than others. However, the game's best cards aren't necessarily its most valuable. Players looking to get into the professional side of the Pokémon TCG likely won't want to go after the most expensive Pokémon cards out there, as their value tends to come from how rare they are. Instead, they should focus on cards that are perhaps more common despite their usefulness.
The Pokémon Trading Card Game has been around for years, but only recently has it seen a surge in popularity. Demand - and resell pricing - was so high for a while that Pokémon card scalpers ripped packs apart and stole cards right off of store displays, prompting changes to both online storefronts like eBay and retail locations such as Target. Fortunately, the release of several major Pokémon TCG packs since then has helped to balance things, though there are still certain cards selling for upwards of thousands of dollars.
Additionally, there's still quite a large gap between valuable cards and those that are actually of use in terms of gameplay. Limited edition cards, including those that were only produced in small numbers, are worth far more regardless of their benefits in the Pokémon Trading Card Game proper. For example the most expensive Pokémon card ever, the Pikachu Illustrator card, only had dozens of copies printed. Of those, only around ten are rumored to remain. Of course, not all expensive cards are useless in a competitive setting. The Pokémon TCG has such a wide array of cards that there are a near-endless amount of strategies for players to utilize as they build their deck.
The Pokémon Trading Card Game's Best VS Most Expensive Cards
Staples of a competitive Pokémon card deck include cards that don't require a great deal of energy to play, as well as those that can aid with replenishing the deck or switching out other cards. The Quick Ball Trainer card is one such example of one of the best Pokémon cards for competitive play that doesn't cost much at all. Other useful Trainer cards include Boss's Orders and Welder. VMAX cards are also highly coveted by Pokémon TCG players, though they tend to fall into the higher price range. Inteleon VMAX is notoriously powerful because of its well-rounded abilities without costing much, though, indicating that price rarely correlates to mechanical strength in the Pokémon Trading Card Game.
Some costly Pokémon TCG cards don't offer any assistance in gameplay at all. The No. 2 Trainer card, which was offered to winners of the Pokémon World Championships in 2006, features no abilities, only a caption celebrating the victory. Regardless of their individual uses, Pokémon TCG's Charizard cards are worth the most compared to just about every other Pokémon in the franchise. In general, there's little to no correlation between competitive decks and highly valuable collector's sets. At the very least, it means there are multiple ways to enjoy and appreciate the Pokémon Trading Card Game.