Pokémon TCG Pocket Rules: A Complete Battle Walkthrough

A game of Pokémon TCG Pocket rarely lasts more than ten minutes. The rules follow those of the classic Pokémon Trading Card Game, with several simplifications designed for phones: no Energy cards, a smaller Bench and a win by points. Here is everything you need to know before starting your first online battle.

• 20cards in a deck
• 5cards in your starting hand
• 3Bench spots
• 3points to win

Before the battle

Each player shuffles their 20-card deck and draws five cards. The game guarantees that at least one Basic Pokémon is in that starting hand: no mulligans to deal with. Each player then places one Basic Pokémon face down in the Active Spot and up to three others on the Bench. A coin flip decides who goes first.

The Energy Zone

This is the big difference from the classic TCG: there are no Energy cards in decks. When building your deck, you choose up to three Energy types. At the start of each turn, the Energy Zone generates one random Energy from those types. You can attach it to any of your Pokémon, once per turn.

How a turn works

1. Draw a card at the start of your turn.
2. Attach the Energy generated by the Energy Zone to one of your Pokémon (once per turn).
3. Play Basic Pokémon to the Bench, as long as there is room.
4. Evolve your Pokémon by placing the Evolution card on a Pokémon that came into play on a previous turn.
5. Play Trainer cards: as many Items as you like, only one Supporter per turn, one Tool per Pokémon, one Stadium at a time.
6. Retreat once per turn, by discarding as many Energy as the Active Pokémon’s Retreat Cost.
7. Attack with the Active Pokémon, if its Energy allows it. Attacking ends your turn.

A Pokémon cannot evolve on the turn it was played, and neither player can evolve their Pokémon on their first turn. That is why strong Basic Pokémon, able to attack as early as the second turn, are so popular.

Scoring points and winning

Every time you Knock Out an opposing Pokémon, you score points. The player who loses their Active Pokémon chooses a new one from their Bench. The first player to reach 3 points wins. You also win if your opponent has no Pokémon left in play. That is the whole dilemma of Pokémon ex: they are stronger, but Knocking one Out gives your opponent two points. A Mega Pokémon ex, meanwhile, can lose you the game all by itself.

Weakness, damage and Special Conditions

In Pocket, Weakness does not double damage: it adds +20 damage. There is no Resistance. Damage is shown by counters on the card; a Pokémon is Knocked Out when its damage reaches its HP. All Special Conditions go away when the Pokémon returns to the Bench or evolves. Retreating is therefore also a way to cure a Poisoned or Confused Pokémon.

Pokémon ex and Mega Evolutions

Pokémon ex have more HP and stronger attacks than their regular versions. Since series B, Mega Pokémon ex go even further: they evolve like other Pokémon (some, like Mega Rayquaza ex or Mega Diancie ex, are even Basic Pokémon) and hit very hard, at the cost of the 3 points they give up if Knocked Out.

Frequently asked rules questions

• Build your deckTwenty cards, not one more: the method for a consistent, efficient deck.
• Types and WeaknessesThe ten Energy types, the +20 damage rule and dual-type Pokémon.
• Trainer cardsItems, Supporters, Tools and Stadiums: the cards that win games.
• Decks and archetypesThe main deck families and the cards to build around.