Hey guys,
So I’m quite surprised this isn’t easily Google-able to be honest, I had a quick forum search but I couldn’t find the answer. In terms of a “Master Set”, is this basically every card + all cards in Reverse Holo? What about the GX/Holo cards - do they have a reverse as well?
Sorry for the simple question, didn’t realise it’d be so hard to find the answer (Bulbapedia doesn’t list them on the set lists annoyingly).
Generally there are reverse variants of all cards excluding full arts, energy cards and lost zone (◈) cards. Some sets like Hidden Fates do also have reverse energy cards, but that’s definitely not a regular occurrence.
You might want to look at something like www.pokellector.com if you want to track your collection. You have to check a checkbox to include reverse variants and other cards like cosmos holo and stamped versions.
Wow thanks - seems it isn’t a simple answer!! I’ll stick with the goal of Master sets for now, but we’ll see how feasible it is when I get to that Zard!
I read the title and knew @djgigabyte, was going to answer 
I agree with Dan’s assessment. Master set is supposed to be everything, regardless of difficulty or price. Its gotta catch em all, not gotta catch whats easy!
Sorry but I disagree.
A Masterset is everything you find in the boosters of a set.
That’s how we (those of us selling 20 years ago called it from the start (1999, 2000 2001)
So no Staff or participation cards.
No prerelease or league card belonged to a Masterset.
Perhaps the Master set I am talking about could be named Main set, because collecting changed a bit in those 20 years.
That would just be a full set. The point you made about time changing over 20 years is true. Master set is more of a modern term to include everything, as there tend to be more peripheral cards released with modern sets. Basically 2016 evolutions doesn’t have a WOTC equivalent.
I have to disagree with everybody above. A master set includes everything including limited release plushes and video game releases.
Seriously though, a master set can very reasonably be dictated by the collector. For example, you don’t need a Pokémon Illustrator to complete a Pikachu master set. Nor do you need a prerelease Raichu to complete a master base set.
It can mean different things to different people. To me , a master set is all the cards released in the set in booster packs. Variants, like blaines chatizard error and corrected versions need not apply. Including ultra rares or holo energies, but it does not HAVE to include all reverse holos. Since most Japanese sets do no even have reverse holos, to me its more an english set extra. BUT some will say master set MUST include all reverse holos.
Like Scott said though, is that a set or a master set?
The way I look at it, at the end of the day don’t claim to have more/something that you don’t really have. Full is the full list of cards (102/102), master includes all the recognized error cards, reverse holos, and shinings. A master is the best as their trade, so a master set is the best set you can get.
Master set = every card & variant with the symbol from that set
Full (or complete) set = every card obtainable from booster packs
I agree with this… with the exception of error cards. And not because they are hard to get but because many of them are just anomalies and if you count one error card then you have really blurred the line. Do you count miscuts, every PSA grade, every ink blot, different thickness of font/lettering, etc… would there really be such a thing as a true master set?
I would think that I own a Master set of Gym Challenge. However, I don’t have the corrected Blaine’s Charizard but IMO, that doesn’t count…not simply because I haven’t gotten it but because that is where I have drawn the line. Because there is no official term for “master set”, it’s left open for interpretation. I keep everything pretty close to what Bulbapedia has as their set list + all additional cards for that set.
Exactly right. Outside of a full set it’s up to the collector to determine what their “master” set consists of:)
If a master set is everything, I don’t care about having a master set.
All I really care about is having at least one of every card in the set.
Be it one rare only in reverse and another not in reverse, or everything in non-reverse, in my opinion my set is completed when I have all cards in at least one variant. I do find that alt arts should be included though, as they are variants of the card with different artwork entirely.
Master sets are too expensive for me otherwise anyway. I’m not saying my definition of sets is how other people should see it, but in my opinion my criteria for my own sets being completed are those.
according to muggles on ebay, a full set is all cards of set minus the ultra rates, energy holos, unowns, hidden fates shinies, etc…but thats lame
Semi hijack but on topic of the original post…
In xy evolutions, is there any reverse holos outside of the cards that compose the set? Any promos, staffs, pre-release, etc.
English that is.
bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Evolutions_(TCG) Bulbapedia tends to have a good list of extra cards.
I forgot bulbapedia had that section. Thanks for the reminder! So I was then also reminded xy evolutions has that ridiculous high priced scarce double colorless energy that has like 20 different varients…
Well considering 4 of those are 1 of 1s they are quite scare 
So if the defenition of Master set is all cards with a certain set symbol, EX Deoxys would be the hardest to get I assume?
Looks to me any “outside the boosters printed cards” would make a set harder to “master”?