How Pocket Battles differ from Pokemon TCG in Pokemon TCG Pocket

Although the focus of the game is to collect, Pokemon TCG Pocket includes a battle system with both PvP and PvE elements. But the Pocket version is significantly reduced in size and complexity to the point where it's almost a completely different game.

Veterans of the physical card game and Pokemon TCG Live will find plenty of familiar elements, along with some significant changes that will seriously affect both the way they play and the way they build decks. So this guide describes exactly how Pokemon TCG Pocket battles differ from battles in other Pokemon TCG games.

Deck construction differences

In Pokemon TCG Pocket, each deck contains only 20 cardsdown from 60 in the standard version of the game, though must still contain at least one Basic Pokémon.

Along with the reduced deck size, you are also limited to two copies of cards with the same name. You can't include four Charmanders to ensure you have the right Basic Pokemon to evolve into Charizard later.

On the plus side, you don't have to make room for energy in your deck: there are no energy cards in Pokemon TCG Pocketbecause instead you get energy from the energy zone during the course of the game. This energy is randomly generated based on the energy used for attacks in your deck, so including a water Pokemon in a fire deck can be problematic.

The energy zone works
weight all energy types in your deck equally
so including a Dratini in a water type deck will result in a 50:50 split between water and electric energy.

This can make it difficult to launch energy specific moves like Articuno's ex Blizzard and
encourages you to build solid color decks
.

Rules differences

The rules of Pokemon TCG Pocket are very similar to the standard version of the game, with a few notable exceptions.

Firstly, there is no prize cards in Pokemon TCG Pocket. The winner is instead decided by points, similar to the My First Battle game packs. The first player to reach three points winsand most Pokemon are worth a point to Knock Out.

Most Pokemon are worth a single point, but former Pokemon are worth two points.

After that, there are no energy cards, though there is an energy zone that supplies one energy per turn. It only supplies Basic Energy, and only of a type your deck uses, so you never have to worry about running out of energy in a game.

Another similarity with the My First Battle game packs is that The bench is reduced to three Pokémon. This prevents the screen from being cluttered with extra Pokemon cards, but also reducing your options and the number of abilities you can access from Bench, making each slot that much more valuable.

Since the deck is smaller, the hand size has also been adjusted. At the beginning of each game, you draw five cardsnot seven. There is also one maximum hand size of ten cardscompared to the unlimited hand size of the standard game.

Finally, you can't lose by running out of cards in your tire. If your deck is exhausted, you continue to play and skip all draws until the game ends with a winner on either side.

Player Action Differences

The actions you can take during your turn are almost identical to the standard rules, with a few exceptions. Evolving Pokemon, drawing cards, playing item and stadium cards, retreating, and using a Pokemon's ability all work the same way in the Pokemon TCG Pocket as they do in the standard Pokemon TCG.

Even if you're a Pokemon TCG veteran, make sure you read the cards. Many cards in Pokemon TCG Pocket have
same name and art as cards in the standard version, but very different functions
.

Play a basic Pokemon

Just like the standard version of the gameyou can play any number of Basic Pokémon on your bench as long as you have an open position for them. The number of Bench positions is reduced from five to three, but this mechanic is otherwise unchanged.

Connect energy

Attaching an energy in Pokemon TCG Pocket is similar to attaching energy in the standard game: you can only attach one energy per turn, and you can attach it to any Pokemon on your bench or in your active position.

The difference is that your deck contains no energy cardsso there is no need (or way) to include them. Instead, you get one energy per turn from the energy zone, to the right of your bench.

The energy zone randomly generates one energy per turn, based on the attacks in your deck rather than the Pokemon types. For example, Dragonite's Draco Meteor attack uses an electric energy and a water energy, so the energy zone can produce either Dragonite is in your deck, but will not try to make Dragon Energy.

Playing supporters

Just like the standard Pokémon TCG, you can only play one supporter per turn. However, you can play a supporter on your first turneven if you go first.

Short differences

It's normal for Pokemon to be printed from set to set with different HP, attacks, retreat costs, and even types. However, the cards in Pokemon TCG Pocket also have some layout changes.

Most players will find that HP, attacks, retreat costs and other important information are in the same place between both Pokemon TCG Pocket and standard cards. But weakness and resistance have changed: Weakness is now calculated as a flat +20 damageand Resistance is completely removed.

Both of these changes reduce the advantage a deck gains from playing against a deck of the opposite typewhich is important for a game that encourages you to build single decks.