What Is Pokemon Trading Card Game?
The Pokémon Trading Card Game (or Pokémon Card Game), also known as Pokémon TCG or PTCG, is a tabletop game in which players collect, trade, and play with Pokémon-themed playing cards. It has its own playing rules yet incorporates many of the video games' motifs and ideas.
Pokémon cards come in a variety of forms, including those for each species as well as trainer cards with images of popular franchise characters, goods, and energy to power attacks. While existing artwork produced for the core series is occasionally used, the artwork for the Pokemon cards is frequently created specifically for the Pokemon TCG by a variety of artists.
Many fans play and appreciate the Pokémon Trading Card Game (TCG), which is a well-liked and enduring element of the Pokémon series. As of March 2021, there were about 34.1 billion Pokémon Trading Card Game cards printed globally in 13 languages and distributed to 76 nations and regions.
What are the requirements for beginners to play the Pokemon Card Game?
If you are a beginner of TCG, and wonder what do you need to start playing Pokemon card game. A Theme Deck is the greatest way to learn to play the Pokémon Trading Card Game (TCG). It includes a 60-card deck, flip coin and damage counters, a two-player paper mat with details on card placement, and a Pokémon's guide.
When you first start playing the Pokémon card game, you'll desire to collect more Pokémon and Pokémon-themed stuff. There are various sets to check into initially if you're looking for nostalgia or to invest, such as The Original Pokemon Base Set, Jungle Set, Fossil Set, Team Rocket, etc. You can purchase a single card to complete your collection in addition to sets like Pokemon Booster Boxes.
Rules For Playing Pokemon Cards
How many cards do you need to play Pokémon TCG?
In the rule for playing Pokemon cards, you will be given a deck of 60 cards, which includes Pokémon cards, energy cards, item cards, and trainer cards. You cannot have more than four cards with the same name in your deck, except for energy cards.
It would be best to purchase one of the pre-built decks available when you first learn how to play the Pokémon Trading Card Game. When you've mastered the fundamentals, you can learn how to construct a Pokémon TCG deck with all of your favorite Pokémon and adjust your style of playing.
How to play the Pokémon Trading Card Game?
The basic process in the Pokémon TCG consists of a few steps that you must learn before your first battle. To determine who plays first at the start of a game, players can flip a coin. The decks are then shuffled, players draw a seven-card hand, and the top six cards are set aside as prize cards; you add one of these to your hand each time you defeat an opponent's Pokémon, and you win if you collect all six before your opponent.
Both of you can have one face-down basic Pokémon card as active Pokémon, as well as up to five more basic Pokémon on your bench. Reveal it to your opponent and draw seven more hands if you don't have any basic Pokémon cards in your hand after drawing your first seven cards. You can do this as many times as you want until you have at least one basic Pokémon, but each time your opponent draws one extra card.
You can have up to six Pokémon in play at the same time, but only one of them - the active Pokémon - is able to attack each turn. The rest are stored on your bench, which is a row of cards behind the active Pokémon where you keep five other Pokémon waiting to battle your opponent, similar to your party in the Pokémon video games. Not only active but also benched Pokémon can evolve and gain energy. When your active Pokémon is defeated, you have to replace it with one from your bench; otherwise, you lose.
How do turns work in the Pokémon TCG?
Each turn, the active player draws a card from the top of their deck; if you run out of cards and are unable to draw on your next turn, you lose. In the second phase of each turn, you can do any or all of the following:
- From your hand to your bench, play any number of basic Pokémon.
- Attach one energy card from your hand to a Pokémon. This can be one of your active Pokémon or one of your bench Pokémon.
- Play a Stage 1 or Stage 2 evolution over a basic Pokémon or Stage 1 Pokémon to evolve it. A Pokémon can only evolve once per turn and cannot evolve on the same round that it is played. (Except where otherwise noted on an item card like Rare Candy.)
- Play as many item cards as you want.
- Play as many trainer cards as you want. (With the exception of supporter and stadium cards, which only allow for one play every turn.)
- Pay the retreat cost listed on your active Pokémon's card with energy from your hand to send it to your bench. Then you have to swap it out for a Pokémon on your bench.
- Use any of the abilities found on Pokémon cards.
Attacking in the Pokémon Trading Card Game
Your active Pokémon can start a battle with the adversary if you've finished the aforementioned tasks. The Pokémon may use one of the attacks listed on the card as long as the right sort and amount of energy are tied to it. The energy is not squandered, except as noted.
When an opponent's active Pokémon has absorbed as much damage as its hit points, it faints. Damage is dealt to the active Pokémon in the form of damage counters. A player loses and the player who knocked it out keeps the prize card to add to their hand if there are no Pokémon on the bench to replace a defeated Pokémon. They win if they use their sixth and final prize card.
It is then your opponent's turn once you have attacked and assigned any damage and/or status effects. This cycle of play continues until one wins.
How does the Pokémon TCG's evolution system work?
Your basic Pokémon can evolve into strong Stage 1 and Stage 2 Pokémon, enabling you to employ stronger attacks and abilities to fight your opponent.
A single Pokémon can only develop once every turn, and evolution must follow the pattern of basic, Stage 1 and Stage 2. Evolution is done in stages, and you are unable to skip or jump any stages unless specifically indicated on a card in play. They cannot (along with being played to your bench) be developed in the same turn. GX and EX Pokémon are the exceptions; they may be used right away and do not need evolution.
Simply place the evolved version of a Pokémon on top of one of your active Pokémon or a Pokémon on your bench to evolve it. Any unique conditions that are present are cured by this, but any linked energy and damage remain. You can only use the current evolution of a Pokémon's attacks and abilities once it has evolved.
It's strongly advised that you create stronger Pokémon in the bench area of your play area where evolution can take place in case your present Pokémon is knocked out.
How does the Pokémon TCG's status conditions system work?
There are 5 special conditions in Pokemon, including asleep, burned, confused, paralyzed, and poisoned. These conditions are most often applied to a Pokemon as a result of an attack. Whenever a Pokemon retreats to your bench, all special conditions are removed.
When a Pokemon is asleep, indicate it with with a token or by turning the card to the left. While a Pokemon is asleep, they cannot attack or retreat (unless a Trainer card or another Pokemon’s ability retreats them). After your turn, flip a coin. If heads, your Pokemon wakes up. If tails, they stay asleep.
When a Pokemon is burned, indicate it with a token. At the end of every turn (yours and your opponent’s), all burnt Pokemon take 20 damage. After taking damage from this condition, flip a coin. If heads, your Pokemon is no longer burned. Otherwise, your Pokemon remains burned until it retreats.
When a Pokemon is confused, indicate it by turning the card upside down. Confused Pokemon must flip a coin after they declare an attack. If heads, the attack happens as normal. If tails, the attack is canceled and the attacking Pokemon takes 30 damage instead! This condition remains until your Pokemon is retreated or becomes Asleep or Paralyzed.
When a Pokemon is paralyzed, indicate it with a token or by turning the card to the right. While a Pokemon is paralyzed, they cannot attack or retreat on their next turn. This condition is removed at the end of your turn.
When a Pokemon is poisoned, indicate it with a token. While poisoned, a Pokemon takes 10 damage between each turn. This condition remains until your Pokemon retreats.
