Buying Checklist
Questions to ask before any purchase
This checklist exists to protect your taste and prevent impulse drift.
Before buying any card, walk through this list in order.
Step 1: Emotional Signal
What is this card actually showing me?
Choose one:
- Calm
- Rest
- Thought
- Joyful motion
- Aggression
- Threat
- Power awakening
- Timeless presence
- Human coexistence
- Elemental isolation
If no clear signal appears → do not buy.
Step 2: Theme Fit
Which existing theme would this card strengthen?
Rules:
- Strengthen means improve, not just match
- If it only duplicates a feeling, skip it
If it doesn’t strengthen a theme → EDGE box at most.
Step 3: Visual Necessity
Would removing one current binder card make room for this?
If the answer is no → skip.
This keeps binder quality rising.
Step 4: Uniqueness Check
Is this moment already represented in my collection?
- Same Pokemon ≠ same moment
- Same rarity ≠ same impact
If it adds no new visual idea → skip.
Step 5: Time Test
If I saw this card again in six months, would I still want it?
If unsure → wait.
Step 6: Grading Question (Optional)
Is this card a moment — or a monument?
- Moment → Binder
- Monument → Consider grading
Do not grade impulsively.
Automatic Yes (Rare)
A card may bypass steps if:
- It perfectly fills a known gap
- It completes a visual sequence
- It emotionally replaces an existing card
These should be uncommon.
Final Rule
If you need to justify the purchase, it’s not right.
Great cards explain themselves instantly.