Pokémon win battles, but it is Trainer cards that set them up. In a deck of only 20 cards, knowing which Item or Supporter to play often makes the difference between a stuck hand and a decisive attack on turn three.
- UnlimitedItems played per turn
- 1Supporter per turn
- 1Tool per Pokémon
- 1Stadium in play at a time
The four families of Trainer cards
No limit
Items
One-off effects: searching for a Pokémon, healing, looking at cards. You can play as many as you like during your turn.
One per turn
Supporters
The most powerful effects: drawing, damage bonuses, moving the opposing Pokémon. Only one per turn, which forces you to choose.
One per Pokémon
Pokémon Tools
They attach to a Pokémon and stay in play: extra HP, reflected damage, healing. Introduced with Space-Time Smackdown.
One on the field
Stadiums
They change the field for both players. A new Stadium replaces the old one. Introduced by Fantastical Parade.
The basic shop cards
These seven cards from the Promo-A series are not found in packs. You get them at the shop for two shop tickets each, and they form the base of almost every deck.| Card | Effect | Our take |
|---|---|---|
| Professor’s Research | Draw 2 cards. | Essential, play two copies. |
| Poké Ball | Put 1 random Basic Pokémon from your deck into your hand. | Essential for finding your starting Pokémon. |
| Potion | Heal 20 damage from 1 of your Pokémon. | Useful for surviving one more turn against a specific attacker. |
| X Speed | The Retreat Cost of your Active Pokémon is reduced by 1 Energy this turn. | Handy for Pokémon that often retreat. |
| Red Card | Your opponent shuffles their hand into their deck and draws 3 cards. | Excellent late in the game against a full hand. |
| Hand Scope | Your opponent reveals their hand. | Pure information, rarely a priority. |
| Pokédex | Look at the top 3 cards of your deck. | Does not draw anything: avoid in most decks. |
The Supporters to know
The Supporters are sorted here by role. Those that bear the name of a specific Pokémon or type only work with them: always check the card before adding it.Damage bonuses
| Supporter | Expansion | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Giovanni | Genetic Apex | During this turn, your attacks do +10 damage to your opponent’s Active Pokémon. |
| Red | Shining Revelry | During this turn, your attacks do +20 damage to your opponent’s Active Pokémon ex. |
| Korrina | Pulsing Aura | The attacks of your Fighting Pokémon do +30 damage to your opponent’s Active Pokémon ex. |
| Iris | Mega Shine | You gain 1 more point if Haxorus KOs your opponent’s Active Pokémon this turn. |
| Cynthia | Space-Time Smackdown | +50 damage for the attacks of Garchomp or Togekiss. |
| Blaine | Genetic Apex | +30 damage for the attacks of Ninetales, Rapidash or Magmar. |
Moving and controlling
| Supporter | Expansion | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Sabrina | Genetic Apex | Switch your opponent’s Active Pokémon with one of their Benched Pokémon (they choose which). |
| Cyrus | Space-Time Smackdown | Switch in 1 of your opponent’s Benched Pokémon that has damage on it to the Active Spot. |
| Leaf | Mythical Island | The Retreat Cost of your Active Pokémon is reduced by 2 Energy this turn. |
| Carolina | Ruler of the Skies | Switch your Active Stage 1 Pokémon with one of your Benched Pokémon. |
| Team Rocket Boss | Team Rocket’s Ambition | Look at your opponent’s hand and put their Basic Pokémon onto their Bench. |
Drawing and searching
| Supporter | Expansion | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Mashynn | Shining Revelry | Each player shuffles their hand into their deck and draws the same number of cards. |
| Flora | Mega Rising | Put 2 random Pokémon from your deck into your hand, then put the same number of cards from your hand back into your deck. |
| Atalante | Mega Rising | Put 2 random Basic Pokémon with 50 HP or less from your deck into your hand. |
| Serena | Crimson Blaze | Put 1 random Mega Pokémon ex from your deck into your hand. |
| Juliana | Paradox Drive | Put 1 random Stage 2 Pokémon from your deck into your hand. |
| Copycat | Mega Rising | Shuffle your hand into your deck, then draw as many cards as your opponent has in their hand. |
| Calem | Mega Shine | Draw a card for each Mega Pokémon ex in play, on both sides. |
Energy and healing
| Supporter | Expansion | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Misty | Genetic Apex | Flip a coin until you get tails: for each heads, take a Water Energy from your Zone and attach it to a Water Pokémon. |
| Timmy | Ruler of the Skies | Take the Energy from your Energy Zone and attach it to 1 of your Stage 2 Pokémon. |
| Erika | Genetic Apex | Heal 50 damage from 1 of your Grass Pokémon. |
| Lillie | Celestial Guardians | Heal 60 damage from 1 of your Stage 2 Pokémon. |
| Pokémon Center Lady | Shining Revelry | Heal 30 damage from 1 Pokémon and heal all of its Special Conditions. |
| Blue | Mythical Island | During your opponent’s next turn, your Pokémon take 10 less damage. |
Items from packs
Beyond the shop, expansions add more specialized Items. Two deserve a special mention:- Rare Candy (Celestial Guardians): evolves a Basic Pokémon directly into a Stage 2, skipping Stage 1. Not possible on your first turn or on a Pokémon played this turn. It hugely speeds up Stage 2 Mega Evolution decks.
- Pokémon Communication (Space-Time Smackdown): swap a Pokémon in your hand for a random Pokémon from your deck. Ideal for getting rid of a useless card at the wrong moment.
Pokémon Tools
| Tool | Effect | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Giant Cape | +20 HP. | Puts a Pokémon out of range of a specific attack. |
| Leaf Cape | +30 HP for a Grass Pokémon. | The stronger version, restricted to one type. |
| Rocky Helmet | Deals 20 damage to the attacker when the Active Pokémon is hit. | Punishes fragile attackers and sets up KOs. |
| Leftovers | Heals 10 damage at the end of your turn if the Pokémon is in the Active Spot. | For Pokémon that stay at the front a long time. |
| Sitrus Berry | Heals 30 damage once the Pokémon is at half of its HP, then is discarded. | A welcome reprieve for a Pokémon ex. |
| Lucky Egg | If the Pokémon is Knocked Out, draw until you have 5 cards in hand. | To bounce back after losing an attacker. |
| Air Balloon | A Stage 2 Pokémon has no Retreat Cost. | Makes big evolved Pokémon mobile. |
Stadiums
A Stadium stays on the field and applies to both players. Playing a new Stadium replaces the previous one: it is also a way to get rid of an annoying opposing Stadium.| Stadium | Expansion | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Plains | Fantastical Parade | Each Basic Pokémon in play gets +20 HP. |
| Training Area | Fantastical Parade | The attacks of Stage 1 Pokémon do +10 damage to the opponent’s Active Pokémon. |
| Scented Forest | Pulsing Aura | Once during each player’s turn, they may put a random Basic Grass Pokémon from their deck into their hand. |
| Ancient Colosseum | Pulsing Aura | Fighting Pokémon do +20 damage to the opponent’s Active Pokémon ex. |
| Barrier Field | Pulsing Aura | For attackers that are not Mega Pokémon ex, Weakness doubles the damage instead of adding 20. |
| Rainbow Cave | Ruler of the Skies | At the end of a turn, a player may discard the Energy from their Zone to generate a different one. |
