Pokémon TCG Beginners Guide!

[Greninji88]

Hey everyone! If you're new to the Pokémon TCG, you've come to the right place! here you'll learn the basics of the Pokémon TCG.

Brief History:
Pokémon started off as a video game for the Nintendo game Boy, originally as Pokémon Red and green, releasing in Japan on the 27th of February, 1996. The game was conceived from creator, Satoshi Tajiri's, hobby of collecting insects. Development of Pokémon Red and Green begun some time in early 1990 as hobby project. Once released; very late in the Game Boy's life cycle, global success wasn't expected. Most of Pokémon's marketing and popularity growth spanned from CoroCoro magazine, a Japanese children's magazine, which had partnered with Pokémon. Since then, Pokémon has expanded into many forms of media, ranging from TV shows to clothes, and everything in between.


Pokémon Trading Card Game (TCG) BASICS :
To play you need a 60 Card deck, consisting of three main types of cards; Trainer cards, Pokémon, and Energy cards.

Trainer cards are split into three separate categories: Items, Pokémon Tools and Supporters.

1. Items are cards that can be used any number of times per turn in a battle, with their effects varying depending on the card.
2. Pokémon Tools are cards that may be attached to Pokémon in play, only one Pokémon Tool may be attached to each Pokémon, and they stay attached unless the effect of the tool or another card says so.
3. Supporter cards are cards that have great effects on the game, but only one may be played per turn.

Pokémon are pretty simple, Basic Pokémon evolve into Stage 1 and Stage 1 into Stage 2. Each Pokémon may only evolve once per turn, if a Basic is put into play, it can not evolve that turn unless another card says otherwise.

Energy cards are required for Pokémon to attack, only one energy may be attached per turn unless another card says otherwise. If the affect of a card allows you to attach an energy, you may attach another as part of your turn.

Pokémon may attack once per turn, after the attack is done, your turn ends and it becomes the opponents turn. Attacks can only be done if the energy requirement is met.

Regulation Marks

• In the bottom left corner of Pokémon cards released from 2019 onwards, is a letter. Currently, letters G, H and I are allowed in Standard Pokémon TCG battles. Every year, a new expansion will release with a new regulation mark, In January, Pokémon Mega Evolution: Ascended Heroes releases, with regulation mark J, making all Pokémon cards with mark G and older (E, D, and all cards without a mark excluding energies) will be unable to be used in competitive Pokémon battles. Note that no matter how old Basic Energies are, they can still be used in current standard battles in tournaments.

This is just a very brief and quick guide, see: www.pokemon.com/us/pokemon-tcg/rules for full rules.

www.pokebeach.com is a good site as well for advanced info on Pokémon TCG

www.justinbasil.com is also a GREAT site with a variety of information for beginners and advanced trainers alike, which was run by Jason Kingsford, who has unfortunately passed away...

I will update this and add more info for beginners when I have time later, but for now, have fun!! If you have any questions, comments or feedback, let me know!

*Image from JustInbasil.com