Of all existing trading card games (TCGs) in the market, it’s perhapsPokemon TCGthat takes one of the highest spots when it comes to anime card games. After all, not only is thePokemon TCGbased on the hitPokemonfranchise, its expansions are all steadily tied to the variousPokemonreleases out there. With the current meta of the TCG slowly taking players to the world ofPokemon Scarlet & Violet, it’s not surprising for fans of the video games to be intrigued by the card game.
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However, for newcomers to bothPokemon TCGand card games in general, it’s easy to feel a bit overwhelmed when it comes to playing the TCG for the first time. Thankfully, just the right approach to deckbuilding can help players make their first foray intoPokemon TCGa memorable one. Just how shouldnew players build their firstPokemon TCGdeck?
10Decide On A Deck Strategy
Similar to card games such asYu-Gi-Oh!andMagic: The Gathering, overall gameplay inPokemon TCGrelies heavily on players clashing based on their intended playstyles. Decks always rely on a deck strategy or a “win condition” that all cards of the deck strive to fulfill. Here are the most basic deck strategies that first-time deck-builders can consider:
9Center Decks Around A Main Attacker
Similar to the actual game and anime series,Pokemon TCGrelies heavily on Pokemon versus Pokemon combat to make progress. Given how a single Pokemon can be already resource-intensive in their Energy requirements, not to mention Evolution needingallPokemon in the tree to facilitate, it’s impractical to have multiple types of Pokemon in a deck. Instead, aPokemon TCGdeck works best if there are only two (2) kinds of Pokemon in there:
8Careful With Trainer Cards
With thePokemon TCGsimulating Pokemon Battles, the aspect of the TCG gameplay revolving around outside elements such as Trainers directing or providing their Pokemon with Items are all relegated to a particular kind of card: the Trainer Cards. Players can only use a specific number of certain Trainer Cards per turn, as they have a wide variety of effects that can manipulate the flow of the match. Various Trainer Cards get releasedeveryPokemonTCG expansion, so players need to stay sharp for the ones that are useful for them. Here are the types of Trainer Cards that can be placed in aPokemon TCGdeck and things players need to take note:
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7Focus Less On Energy, More On Drawing Them
Given how Pokemon are only able to execute their Moves with Energy, it’s natural for players to want a lot of them in theirPokemon TCGdecks to ensure they have a healthy supply once they’re able to draw their favorite Pokemon. SomePokemonTCG cards even have stellar artwork, including Energy Cards. However, that means it’s more likely for a hand to have more Energy cards than anything else. This is detrimental to a strategy because, unlikeMagicwhere Mana is needed for all cards,Pokemon TCGonly needs Energy for Pokemon Moves.
In that regard, players might find it more effective to only have six (6) to seven (7) main Energy cards in their deck, especially specialized Energy cards that have unique effects. Afterwards, players can focus on securing Trainer cards and other effects that let players draw more cards, making access to Energy much more convenient.
6Secure Draw Engine Cards To Gather Resources
Since much of the gameplay loop inPokemon TCGgameplay relies on using the right cards from the right expansionto fulfill a win-condition, it makes sense for players to want to ensure they draw these cards within theirPokemon TCGdeck as soon as possible. Thankfully, they don’t necessarily have to rely on chance to draw their much-needed cards as this is whereDraw Enginescome in.
At its core, these are cards whose sole purpose is to ensure players get to their winning cards through proper drawing. Much of the game’s more efficient Draw Engines come in the form of Supporter Cards, but other cards also have drawing mechanics. When players rely on these cards majorly for drawing, they can become Draw Engines (or Utility/Support Pokemon, if a Pokemon specifically has this function). A deck needs to have a healthy supply of Draw Engines to ensure players get to their aces in the hole.
5Juggle Resources With Recovery, Disruption Cards
Considering how most TCG decks need players to reach some sort of endgame, a newcomer’sPokemon TCGdeck also relies on cards to ensure there’s a steady stream of resources whenever they’ve been used up in the match. These come in the form ofRecovery Cards, which facilitate the return of resources from the discard pile to either the hand or thePokemonTCG deck. An example of a Recovery Card include Fire Crystal (Item) that can return three (3) Fire Energy cards from the discard pile to the hand.
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Opposite the Recovery Cards areDisruption Cardsthat debilitate the enemy’s progress by manipulating their own resources, be it through removing them or locking them away. An example of a Disruption Card would be Reset Stamp (Item) that forces enemies to shuffle their hand back to the deck and draw a card for every Prize Card they have left.
4Prioritize Consistency And Setup Cards
In critical moments in a TCG match, sometimes just drawing a card doesn’t cut it. This is why a lot ofPokemon TCGdecks have cards that specifically looks for a certain card, and the game mechanically refers to these pieces asConsistency Cards. Players need to ensure they have Consistency Cards that enable to quickly look for relevant pieces of their strategy, especially if this allows players to become one step ahead of their opponents.
A popular Consistency Card is Bill’s Analysis (Supporter), where players draw seven (7) cards and reveal up to two (2) Trainer Cards before putting them to the hand, and the rest of the cards back in thePokemonTCG deck. Another subcategory of the Consistency Card is theSearch Cardthat specifically allows players to look for a card in the deck, such as Quick Ball (Item) that allows players to get a Basic Pokemon from their deck to the hand in exchange for discarding another card. If a Consistency Card is specifically tied to a win-condition, then that card becomes aSetup Card.
3Consider Gusting Cards For Quick Knock Outs
Another integral component players need to consider when building aPokemon TCGdeck would beGusting Cards. These cards do a mechanic called “gusting,” which essentially means directly switching an opponent’s Active Pokemon with a Benched Pokemon. Cards such as Boss’s Orders (Supporter) and Great Catcher (Item) can facilitate such moves in a deck.
Gusting Cards are integral to a strategy that heavily revolves around aggression, especially when players want to knock out a Pokemon that enemies are protecting through the Bench. Since Gusting Cards forcibly switch the places of Pokemon, these cards are extremely vital in a player’s endgame strategy, especially when securing Prize Cards.
2Keep Pokemon Safe With Damage Control
Players ofPokemongames might remember that their Pokemon’s strength isn’t always reliant on their base stats and strength of Moves alone, as Pokemon are also capable of receiving buffs through items or special techniques. Gamers can createaPokemon TCGdeckwith similar benefits throughDamage Control Cards, or pieces that specifically manipulate the damage that their Pokemon can deal or take throughout the match.
For instance, Vitality Band (Item) can be given to an Active Pokemon to augment its attacks with additional 10 Damage. Meanwhile, Burning Scarf (Item) can be given to an Active Fire Pokemon so that it forces its attackers to become Burned, even if the attack knocks the player’s Active Pokemon. These buffs might seem “small” but they can drastically affect the course of a match when utilized properly.
1Get Switching Cards For Emergencies
Given how important Gusting Cards are when securing enemy Pokemon for a knock out, players need to watch out for their enemies wanting to do the same to them. Thankfully, players do have a way of securing the safety of their Pokemon throughSwitching Cards. Through these cards, players are not only able to switch between Active and Benched Pokemon, but may even facilitate effects such as reducing retreat costs. Compared to the likes of Boss’s Orders (Supporter) that target enemy Pokemon, sample Switching Cards now include Switch (Item) and Air Balloon (Item).
Another variety of Switching Card that can be integral to a player’s arsenal in theirPokemonTCG deckwould bePrize Denial Cards. Compared to simple switches, Prize Denial Cards outright affect the kind of “wins” an opponent could get when knocking out a player’s Pokemon, with cards such as Hero’s Medal (Item) and Ribbon Badge (Item) that can reduce the Prize Cards taken by opponents.
