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Whether you’re new to thePokémon Trading Card Gameor you’ve been collecting for years, learning how to build a good deck is the most important step if you’re ready to get into competitive or friendly play. There’s plenty to consider, from learning which cards synergize well with each other to figuring out which Trainer cards are the best to offer support for your primary Pokémon cards.
There have beenmore than 100 expansionsin thePokémon TCGand tens of thousands of cards to collect, which means building a deck can seem quite intimidating. However, once you’ve got the basics down, it’s relatively straightforward, especially if you’re using a ready-built, Championship-winning deck as a template. Here’s everything you need to know about thePokémon Trading Card Gameto get started.
Best Decks To Play Post Rotation In Pokémon TCG Live
The Pokémon Scarlet and Violet era is fully here in Pokémon TCG Live with the new rotation of cards making their way into the Standard Ranked Format.
Understanding Each Type Of Pokémon Card
Pokémon, Energy & Trainer Cards
There are three types of cards that you need to be aware of in thePokémon Trading Card Game:Pokémon cards, Energy cards, and Trainer cards. Pokémon cards are the heart and soul of your deck, as you’ll be putting them on the front lines to attack (or defend) in battle. Energy cards are required to power up a Pokémon’s attacks, but you’ll need the right kind of Energy. For example, the Grass-type Bulbasaur will usually require Grass Energy to attack.
Trainer cards provide a range of support options in battle. These generally fall into one of four main categories: Items, Supporters, Tools, or Stadiums. Item cards are classic Pokémon items like Potions and Poké Balls, and you may use as many as you want during your turn. Supporter cards are more useful, but they’re limited to one per turn. Tools can be attached to your Pokémon cards to provide buffs. Lastly, only one Stadium card can be in play at a time, and its effect applies to both you and your opponent.
One of the biggest rules inPokémon TCGis that you canonly have four copies of each card in your deck. You might havedifferent variants of Pikachu cardswith different attacks or stats, but if they’re all called Pikachu, you can only have four of them in total. The same goes for Trainer cards, so you’ll only be allowed four Potion cards in your deck. The exception to this rule is Energy cards; you can have as many of those as you need in your deck.
Another important rule is thatevery deck must include 60 cards exactly. This means you’ll need to find a nice split between Pokémon cards, Energy cards, and Trainer cards so that you’re not constantly drawing the same type of card. The number you’ll want for each card type really depends on the kind of deck you’re building, but a nice starting point is a15 Pokémon, 15 Energy, and 30 Trainer split, and then you can work your way out from that.
How To Build A Pokémon TCG Deck
Top Tips To Help You Get Started
The best place to begin when building a deck is figuring out which Pokémon you want to use. Generally, it’s a good idea to take a look at the current meta to see which Pokémon cards are performing well. You can do this by looking at the top performers in recent Regional Championships andWorld Championships, or by speaking to people at your local card store to get some advice on which decks are best right now.
Right now, some of the top decks are based aroundCharizard exfrom theObsidian Flamesexpansion,Lugia VSTARfrom theSilver Tempestexpansion,Regidrago VSTARfrom theSilver Tempestexpansion, andGardevoir exfrom theScarlet & Violetbase set. These are good archetypes to look into when you’re ready for competitive play.
Having said that, if you’re not planning on competing in tournaments and you just want to have fun building a deck, there’s nothing wrong with simply choosing your favorite Pokémon from the cards you already have! You can always rework your deck later down the line once you get to grips with the basics of battling.
Although this isn’t a hard-and-fast rule,most decks limit themselves to one or two Energy types. For example, the popularRegidrago VSTAR deckfeatures Fire Energy and Grass Energy, because those two Energy cards are required to use Regidrago VSTAR’s attack Apex Dragon, as well as Ogerpon ex’s attack Myriad Leaf Shower. Limiting yourself to two Energy types also helps give you more of a focus when looking for Pokémon cards to add to your deck.
Ideally, your deck will have a primary attacker, which will be the Pokémon you want to get into battle as fast as possible. This will often be aPokémon ex card or a Pokémon V card, which are typically more powerful than standard cards. The downside to these cards is that, if they’re knocked out, your opponent gets to take two prize cards rather than one. However, their power is pretty much essential if you want to take home a win in the current competitive scene.
If you’re including Stage 1 or Stage 2 Pokémon cards in your deck, you’ll need to have the prior evolutionary cards in your deck. For example, if you want to play the Stage 2 Charizard ex, you’ll also need a Basic Charmander and a Stage 1 Charmeleon in your deck. The only exception to this rule would be if you have Rare Candy cards in your deck, as these let you skip straight from a Basic Pokémon to a Stage 2 Pokémon.
Adding Trainer Cards To Your Pokémon TCG Deck
The Next Step In Your Deck-Building Journey
Once you’ve decided which Pokémon cards you want to use, it’s time to start adding Trainer cards to your deck. Before diving into this part of deck-building, it’s important to know how each type of Trainer card works:
Restrictions
Item
Provide an instant effect like searching for a Pokémon in your deck or healing damage from one of your Benched Pokémon.
No restrictions.
Supporter
Provide an instant effect such as drawing more cards, switching your opponent’s active Pokémon out for another, or
Only one Supporter card can be played per turn.
Tool
Provides a buff to the Pokémon it’s attached to, such as giving it extra HP or dealing damage to your opponent when it’s knocked out.
Only one Tool card can be placed on each Pokémon.
Stadium
Provides an effect for both players, such as reducing the active Pokémon’s retreat cost or reducing damage dealt to certain types of Pokémon.
Only one Stadium can be in play at a time. When a new one is played, the existing Stadium card is placed in the discard pile.
Technical Machine (TM)
Provides the Pokémon it’s attached to with a new attack to use.
Only one Technical Machine card can be placed on each Pokémon.
ACE SPEC
The most powerful type of Trainer card, these can offer immediate game-changing effects.
Only one ACE SPEC can be featured in a deck.
The most common Trainer cards to feature in a Pokémon TCG deck are Item cards and Supporter cards. Not only are they easier to pull from booster packs, but they’re generally the most helpful when setting up your Pokémon cards for success. Item cards like Great Balls and Ultra Balls can help you find a Pokémon card you need from your deck, while Supporter cards like Nemona and Youngster let you draw more cards.
That’s not to say you may’t have other types of Trainer cards in your deck, it’s just that they’re dependent on what you’re looking to do with your deck. For example, if you have Pokémon cards that require Water Energy or Fighting Energy to attack, a Stadium card like Lake Acuity would be a good addition to your hand. When this Stadium card is in play, any Pokémon with Water Energy or Fighting Energy attached to them take 20 less damage from attacks.
Some popular Trainer cards that you can consider adding to your deck areNest Ball, Ultra Ball, Rare Candy, Switch, Arven, Iono, and Professor’s Research. These should prove effective for pretty much any deck.
Which Cards Are In Rotation Right Now?
Make Sure Your Deck Is Legal For Competitive Play
If you’re planning on playing thePokémon Trading Card Gamecompetitively at your local card shop or in a Championships event, all of yourcards need to be in rotation. If you look at the bottom of your cards, you’ll notice a small letter in a box.Right now, cards with “F”, “G,” and “H” marked on them are legal for competitive play. This changes every now and then, so make sure you check the official rules before taking a deck into play.
Additionally, you cannot use fake cards or proxy cards in competitive play. It’s important to make sure that all of your cards are genuinePokémon Trading Card Gameproducts before entering a match. This is why it’s important to only purchase cards from reputable sellers that you trust. You’ll also typically need to use Pokémon cards in the language of the tournament you’re entering.
Try Out Your New Pokémon TCG Deck
Practice Makes Perfect!
Once you’ve built a deck, it’s time to try it out. The best way to do this is to battle friends at home or find a local card store that hosts Pokémon TCG events, to get a feel for battling in real life. However, if this isn’t possible, anothergreat option is to play the Pokémon TCG Live appwhich is available to download on mobile (iOS and Android) or desktop (Mac and Windows).
With this app, you’re able to test your deck against other players in live battles at any time of day. You’ll still need to get the cards you require, but this can easily be done through regular gameplay as there are lots of free digital booster packs given out for completing challenges or leveling up. You can also redeem code cards from physical booster packs to fill out your collection.
If you’ve created your own custom deck, rather than recreating a meta deck, the chances are you’ll want to rework it over time. Putting in a few battles and figuring out which cards work well and which ones aren’t very useful is the best way to hone your deck. Keep swapping cards out and trying new strategies until you’re happy with your very ownPokémon Trading Card Gamedeck.
