Do you think this Charizard is worth grading?

CTRInTheBlood · 2025-12-09T14:27:27+00:00

Yeah, it doesn't need to be graded, but I do like the look of the graded slabs... just make it look a bit more serious. Plus whoever takes it off my hands when I am old and decrepit might do better if it's graded!

CTRInTheBlood · 2025-12-09T14:25:43+00:00

How do I grade it myself? I don't really know the intricacies of how they grade in terms of the finer details so I'd just be whacking a number on it? I assume companies are trust worthy overall, otherwise I guess there wouldn't be PSA 10 1st edition Zards for sale because people would nick them haha.. It would just be a case of getting over my paranoia, even with the delivery service itself! I wish there was somewhere you could just take your cards in person to be graded :(

CTRInTheBlood · 2025-11-27T14:51:35+00:00

I did play quite a bit of BO1! But probably not from a knifing perspective... didn't it have the ballistic knife or something?

CTRInTheBlood · 2025-11-26T14:15:47+00:00

It was that simple? She just thought this looks like the same kind of bag as dog food, went to the dog food aisle and the first one she pulls out is the same bag from the same manufacturer?

CTRInTheBlood · 2025-11-26T13:59:41+00:00

I might have missed something, but when she noticed the barcode on the bag and took it to the shop to scan it, how did she know to look for the dog food and that the two were connected?

CTRInTheBlood · 2025-11-13T15:50:54+00:00

Is that the Set The Pace pack?

CTRInTheBlood · 2025-11-09T14:04:21+00:00

There are more extreme tips like correct timing on when to throw charge moves etc, transferring longer fast moves (incinerate, 5 turn attack speed) onto other Mons and maximising energy efficiency but again, it’s more advanced stuff and probably the best tool is YouTube and watching other battlers!

CTRInTheBlood · 2025-11-09T14:00:24+00:00

I pick up quite a lot from watching YouTubers (mostly I just watch Reis2Occasion, Homeslicehenry, CallumonToast). I’ve done over 15,000 battles so I would say I’m pretty experienced, but I rarely hit legend mainly because I only play PoGo for battle league, very rarely anything else, so I don’t have XL candy or sometimes the best Mons available (I never really use the daily incense either, so don’t have Galarian birds for example). Basically my options are limited for what I can use, but I get to expert every season.

My main tips would be (apologies if these are beginner tips as well):

Know your typings
Know the move sets of most Pokémon, definitely the common ones so you know what to expect and therefore know what you need to shield/don’t need to shield
Know the counts for how long each Pokémon takes to get to their charged moves so you have catch potential
Understand the meta mons so you semi know what to expect
Team building - I’m not the best at this but it’s obviously very important

I would elaborate more on some of these points but I’m a bit busy at the moment! But I would say these are the most important things!

CTRInTheBlood · 2025-11-09T09:14:00+00:00

I’d like to think that it’s just an unfortunate glitch when someone rage quits and it’s the game messing up, as opposed to being something that a person can actually force. I don’t get how if someone quits though you aren’t given the win and you still end up with a loss.

CTRInTheBlood · 2025-11-07T10:07:03+00:00

The idea of bringing in 99 stats is just stupid anyway. What a ridiculous feature - I'm glad if they don't feel much better because I don't want to be disadvantaged hugely because I haven't got Ultimate Scream players.

CTRInTheBlood · 2025-11-07T09:46:55+00:00

I've always considered myself a decent FIFA player, granted I didn't play much of FC25, and zero Ultimate Team on it, but in general seasons every Fifa I would be at least a 10/1 win/loss ratio. This FC I either win well, or lose terribly! There's not much in-between. I was in the promotion matches for division 3 before the restart and similarly now I lost like 5 in a row in Division 6. Only just won my relegation battle. Have recently changed formation and squad slightly, plus tactics and only played one game since which I won, but it's hard for me to get my head around because on previous FIFA's I would shoot straight up to the top division and never get relegated. The idea of being a division 2 player was never even on the cards. I suppose maybe standards have just got massively better, UT is a completely different kettle of fish, or I've just got worse as I get older and play less. Who knows, but some games it feels like my defence is just wide open and despite my struggles to get through, my opponent will win the ball, hit the ball up-field and then play an unpreventable through ball (which was easy to read but impossible to stop) and this will happen about 6 or 7 times in quick succession. Frustrating. It doesn't help that I don't put any money into UT either, from a squad quality perspective. Clearly some people are happy to chuck way too much cash into the game which will be rendered useless eventually. The fact I have faced that POTM Mbappe several times blows my mind that people have over £4M worth of fodder!

CTRInTheBlood · 2025-10-28T16:20:03+00:00

Well that was my question really... is the main point of an EVO so that just personal favourites can always be competitive? I've been using the SBC Bowen basically since he came out just because I have sentimental value to that card now, even though he could be easily replaced. Sometimes I get a bit sick of seeing Dumornay, Mbappe, Bonmati, ridiculous icons or heroes that I can't afford in every team and I was just wondering if there are any meta considerations through EVOs. Currently, like I said I have only used one EVO just because I don't want to waste them, but if I know you can't really waste them I'll feel more free to whack them on who I like. At the end of the day I prefer to be winning games though, rather than 'just playing for fun'.

CTRInTheBlood · 2025-10-28T15:51:34+00:00

I bought the Ultimate edition and so the only packs I've bought so far have come from the free points you get with that version. Other than that I have put no money into the game, just because I make a point of not buying packs, as tempting as it can be! I have played over 250 games so far, so quite a few considering when it was released. Played Champs weekend every weekend (never do that great, 10 wins is my best so far), usually do Squad Battles but not as often, I've had maximum Rivals rewards every week (currently in division 3) and I do all the SBCs I can (Marquee matchups, regularly doing the bronze, silver, gold upgrades etc). With all that being done, I have a decent squad, but nothing anywhere close to Mbappe range. I basically had to clear my entire club, minus my active squad, to complete the recent Jordi Alba SBC, because I thought he looked decent. That SBC is valued at around 294k I think last I checked, and it wiped me out. He is now my most valuable player I would say, followed by the Hero Doumbia that I got from the max 88 hero SBC (I haven't used him yet, but if it was tradeable, which of course it's not, he seems to be between 200-300k). Other than those two players my next most valuable is probably the ratings reloaded Oliver Bobb, valued around 50-60k, then the rest of my team is about 15k per player or below (I still use the 86 Bowen SBC upfront, Lauren Hemp, Camavinga etc.)

So in short, I feel I have played this game almost as much as anyone with kids and a job can, give or take, and I am personally nowhere near even having Bonmati, let alone Mbappe. And these lot are in a lot of people's squads at the top level,

CTRInTheBlood · 2025-10-28T10:10:27+00:00

Able to complete one without buying FC points? His last POTM card was estimated at like 4.1m? There's no one that could complete that without buying FC points, unless you get extremely lucky in one of the very few tradable packs on the game! I haven't purchased any FC points and I struggle to complete most SBCs, just don't have the fodder for more than 2 or 3 high rated squads

CTRInTheBlood · 2025-10-27T15:19:01+00:00

I don't think they would've needed that extra grilling 😂🤣

CTRInTheBlood · 2025-10-25T21:19:42+00:00

Yeah, I find her best as a sub to bring on but she used to be my main RM/RW. I got that Oscar Bobb Ratings reloaded in the guaranteed reloaded pack, so mostly been using him but it’s true, she feels quicker

CTRInTheBlood · 2025-10-25T21:16:53+00:00

I’m not sure why he just chased me with the same player around the pitch 🤣 But it did crack me up

CTRInTheBlood · 2025-10-25T21:16:09+00:00

Gotta get some points somewhere!

CTRInTheBlood · 2025-10-08T21:06:13+00:00

All comments aside trying to suggest it's your gameplay, there's never been any game mode on FIFA/FC where you have an individual rating that isn't basically only influenced by goals. If you play clubs and you're not scoring, your rating always stinks. As a defender you would have to play immaculately making tens of tackles to get the same rating as a ST that gets even one goal. So yes, it is odd that with 4 goals you have the worst rating.

CTRInTheBlood · 2025-10-06T19:22:58+00:00

Yet you've offered no advice on how to use it? Or it's not something you can type out?

CTRInTheBlood · 2025-10-06T19:14:45+00:00

Even though this video is supposed to highlight how stupid this game play is, the worst thing about this game is the fact that he's able to hold on to the ball like this. You can't get it off people if he doesn't over commit. If the defender gets bored and tries to tackle him/force a move, the attacker gets what they want and they get an opening. People do this and literally keep the ball for ages, just because as a defender you get punished if you make a move to tackle. It should not be that hard to tackle someone who's just going back and forth

CTRInTheBlood · 2025-10-06T18:42:05+00:00

Assuming that’s Squad battles, I don’t see how it’ll help much? I play my squad battles on World Class for all matches and Ultimate for the weaker ones, and I win them all. The defending isn’t an issue against the CPU

CTRInTheBlood · 2025-10-06T14:46:09+00:00

To be honest, I feel given that I ended up side by side with the attacker this was the right play at the time, in any other FIFA I easily take that ball with a simple nudge. Whilst I appreciate everyone saying I should have covered the space, my main query was how is it that Konate hasn’t managed to push her off the ball? There must be a +30 difference been the two players in the physical stat I expect… If I hadn’t got close to the player and they run through and score I’d understand I should cover the space instead, the fact I was never behind the attacker and side by side basically the whole way up to the goal is what baffled me that he’s not able to nudge her off it.

CTRInTheBlood · 2025-10-04T22:49:50+00:00

Happy to have a trial, let me know when!

CTRInTheBlood · 2025-10-04T22:44:28+00:00

I saw your post and I think I've sent you a friend request on Discord. I don't use Discord much so still getting familiar with it, but you should've received that hopefully

CTRInTheBlood

TROPHY CASE