Base Set vs. Complete Set
vs. Master Set

Understanding the three levels of set completion — and how MasterSets tracks them all.

Three Levels of Completion

Every set on MasterSets can be tracked at three levels. Pick your goal — we handle the rest.

Foundation

Base Set

The numbered card list as printed on the pack — what most people think of when they hear "the set." If a set says 198 cards, this is that 198. No extras, no secrets.

Includes
  • All numbered cards in the main set list
  • Common, Uncommon, Rare, and Ultra Rares
  • One copy of each card number
Going Further

Complete Set

Everything in the base set plus the secret rares, special art rares, and any other cards that go beyond the printed set number. The "real" full set.

Includes Everything Above, Plus
  • Secret Rares & Special Art Rares
  • Illustration Rares & Hyper Rares
  • All cards beyond the printed set number
The Ultimate Goal

Master Set

Every single version of every single card in the expansion — including all holo patterns, reverse holos, variants, and promos. This is the completionist's endgame.

Includes Everything Above, Plus
  • All Reverse Holo variants
  • All holo patterns & print variants
  • Promo versions & regional exclusives
  • Every collectible version that exists

MasterSets tracks all three levels for every expansion. Choose your goal — we'll track your progress and show you exactly what's missing.

Why Does This Matter?

If you've ever tried to figure out how many cards are "really" in a set, you know it's confusing. The Pokémon Company might list a set at 198 cards, but there are actually 250+ unique cards when you count secret rares, alternate arts, and trainer gallery cards.

Other sites track only the base set number, which means your progress bar might say 100% when you're actually missing dozens of cards. MasterSets shows you the full picture — and lets you decide which level of completion matters to you.

Example: Pokémon Scarlet & Violet — 151

Base Set: Cards #001–165 (the printed set list)

Complete Set: Cards #001–207 (includes Special Art Rares, Illustration Rares, Hyper Rares)

Master Set: All 207+ cards including every Reverse Holo, every variant, and any promo versions — the true "every version that exists" collection.

How MasterSets Builds the Lists

We don't just scrape data from other databases — we build every master set binder by hand, literally, for every set we track. Our team verifies card lists against official sources, TCGPlayer product data, and community reports to make sure nothing is missing. When a new variant surfaces or an error card gets discovered, we update our lists. Members can also report errors and additions on every page.

This is why MasterSets exists. The name isn't just branding — it's a commitment to maintaining the most complete, most accurate card lists for every trading card game.