The quickest way to open more packs isn't to throw every Hourglass at the screen the second you get it. You'll get much better results by treating the early game like a checklist, especially if you're building from scratch or comparing progress with Pokemon TCG Pocket Accounts before deciding how hard you want to grind. Start with Beginner Missions, then move into Advanced Missions. They're one-time rewards, yeah, but they hand out enough useful stuff to push your account forward. Don't skip Solo mode either. The first Battle Guides teach the basics, but Guides 8 to 12 are worth doing because they give practical rewards, including helpful items and a Wigglytuff ex rental deck.

Use solo battles for more than practice

Solo battles are easy to ignore once you know how the game works, but that's leaving rewards on the table. Step-up battles come in Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced ranks, and Expert Solo Mode gives you tougher decks across several types. Beating them for the first time can give Pack Hourglasses, while the side objectives often pay out shop tickets. These little tasks matter. You might need to win without losing points, hit for 100 or more damage in one attack, or use a deck that matches a specific type condition. It can feel picky, but it adds up fast.

Rental decks can save a lot of time

If your own collection still looks thin, rental decks are a smart shortcut. Pulling key cards unlocks decks based around picks like Charizard ex, Machamp ex, Blastoise ex, Pikachu ex, Venusaur ex, Mewtwo ex, Celebi ex, Palkia ex, Dialga ex, Darkrai ex, and several trainer-focused builds. You only get a limited number of uses, usually ten, so don't waste them on random matches. Save them for missions that your own cards can't handle yet. A good rental deck can clear an annoying solo challenge in one attempt, and that means more shop tickets with less messing about.

Spend shop tickets in the right order

Once you've got tickets, go to the shop and look at the Hourglass deals first. The monthly refreshed offers should usually come before the permanent ones, even if the permanent deals look better on paper. Why? The monthly stock goes away. You can always come back for the one-time offers later. Pack Hourglasses should be your main target if your goal is more booster openings, but Wonder Hourglasses are also handy when you're chasing one missing card. Daily missions are another quiet source of progress. Four Pack Hourglasses per day doesn't sound huge, but miss a week and you'll feel it.

Know when a pack has stopped helping

At some point, opening the same pack starts to feel worse. If you already have two copies of several chase cards, the odds of getting something useful drop hard. Duplicates still give shinedust and cosmetic options, but most players would rather finish decks than collect flair. That's when Wonder Pick and Pack Points come in. Use Wonder Pick for missing Pokémon ex when the board looks good, and save Pack Points for cards that just won't show up. If you'd rather skip part of the slow climb, some players choose to buy Pokemon TCG Pocket Accounts as a faster starting point, but careful resource use still matters once you're playing day to day.