Being able to make a choice is rarely a bad thing, although it can sometimes make life a bit more complicated for video game players. Such is the case in Pokemon TCG Pocket, where it's possible to open different packs of Pokemon cards, each of which has a different Pokemon on the front and different cards inside.

The Space-Time Smackdown expansion has two different types of packs: Palkia and Dialga. Pokemon TCG Pocket players who are hoping to obtain every card in the expansion will need to open plenty of both, but those who also want to compete in battles may wish to prioritize opening one pack over the other.

Palkia vs Dialga (Which Pack Should You Open First?)

To a certain degree, the best pack to open will come down to personal choice. However, there are a few pack-exclusive utility cards that are a lot more versatile than others. Palkia packs contain Rocky Helmet, which is arguably the best of the set's three Pokemon Tools. This is because unlike Giant Cape, which adds a one-time +20 HP boost to a single Pokemon, Rocky Helmet is able to deal 20 counter damage multiple times throughout the battle and thus pairs incredibly well with high HP Pokemon.

Palkia packs also contain Cyrus: a supporter card that forces a damaged bench Pokemon into the active spot. Also in the same pack, Mars serves as an upgraded version of Red Card that gets better when the other player is winning, providing yet another compelling reason to open Palkia packs. Dialga packs do contain a Supporter card for Dawn, which, in certain situations can also be incredibly useful, but Cyrus and Mars are arguably both much better cards for all-purpose decks.

When it comes to Pokemon, things get a bit more complicated, as all will depend on the kind of decks that the player is looking to build. That said, there are a handful of cards that really stand out. Darkrai ex (Dialga) can deal damage while being built from the bench, while Weavile ex (Palkia) can dish out 70 damage to a damaged Pokemon for just a single energy, making it a great card to pair with Cyrus. Infernape ex (Palkia) also offers huge damage for very little energy and has no retreat cost, although it does discard all energy after attacking.

When paired with Cynthia (Palkia), Garchomp (Palkia) can deal 150 damage for just two energy, and can use its Reckless Shearing ability to draw one additional card each turn. Lucario (Dialga) is another card with a useful ability, with Fighting Coach increasing damage dealt by all Fighting-type Pokemon by 20, making it an excellent backline Pokemon to pair with the likes of Rhyperior and Gallade ex. At first glance, Shaymin (Dialga) is like a poor man's Butterfree, with its Fragrant Flower Garden ability only healing 10 damage as opposed to 20, but it's important to remember that Shaymin is a Basic Pokemon rather than a Stage 2 like Butterfree.

Should You Open Dialga or Palkia Packs First? (Final Verdict)

When it comes to deciding which pack to prioritize, players should take some time to look at all of the cards available in the Space-Time Smackdown expansion and figure out which ones are most important to them. After doing so, they can see which pack contains more of their desired cards and then open that pack exclusively until the balance starts to shift. As soon as the other pack has more of their chase cards they should switch packs and then keep following this pattern until they have all of the cards they want.

Suggested Chase Cards in Space-Time Smackdown