Pokémon Trading Card Game faithfully adapts the rules of the 1999 Pokémon card game. If you have never played, here are the essentials for understanding a duel. The game’s first battle also serves as a guided tutorial.

The equipment

  • The deck: 60 cards. At the start of each turn, you draw a card; a player who can no longer draw loses.
  • The hand: 7 cards at the start, with no limit afterward.
  • The Active Spot: where the Active Pokémon, the one that is fighting, sits.
  • The Bench: up to 5 Pokémon in reserve.
  • The Prize cards: each opposing Pokémon Knocked Out lets you take one; taking them all wins the game.
  • The discard pile, which both players can look through.

How a turn works

  1. Draw a card.
  2. Put Basic Pokémon on the Bench, evolve your Pokémon, play Trainer cards.
  3. Attach a single Energy card to one of your Pokémon.
  4. Optionally use a Pokémon Power, or retreat by paying the Energy cost.
  5. Attack, which ends the turn.

Energy, weaknesses and resistances

Each attack requires a certain amount of Energy. The TCG of the time has seven Energy types: Grass, Fire, Water, Lightning, Psychic, Fighting and Colorless. A Pokémon attacked by the type of its weakness takes double damage; by the type of its resistance, reduced damage.

Evolution

You place a Stage 1 card on the matching Basic Pokémon, then a Stage 2 card on the Stage 1. A Pokémon can only evolve once per turn.

Building a deck

  • Focus on one or two Energy types.
  • Plan for around twenty Energy cards.
  • Keep a few Trainer cards to draw, heal or hinder your opponent.
  • Adapt your deck to the Club you are facing. See Club Masters.