Intro

Hello,

My  name is Erica. I am a student at Heritage College as a first year NewMedia studient. I have been collecting Pokemon cards since I was about 5 years old. In the last 3 years, I got in to competitive playing. I have been as far as Montreal to play, but this year, I am planning to go even futher.


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Pokemon TCG

Pokemon TCG, or Pokemon Trading Card Game, first made their appearance in the US in December 1998. It is a strategy game that also involves some luck. The game requires a 60 card deck for the both players, dice or tokens and a playing map can be used if the player decides.

Types of Cards

In the game, there are 3 different card types: Pokemon, Trainer and Energy.

·         Pokemon are the main cards of any deck. It is not possible to play without any in the deck. Every Pokemon have a type, which is kind of like an element, the possible types are Grass, Fire, Water, Lighting, Psychic, Fighting, Normal, Steel and Dark; HP, which is life,  if it goes down to 0, the Pokemon cannot be used and is sent to the Discard Pile. HP can go from 30 to 200.  It is located on the top right of the card. As well, there are also attacks; Pokemon can have multiple attacks ranging from 1 to 4, though 2 is seen much more. Attacks can do damage, which reduces HP, have effects or both. Every attack requires energy to use them. Retreat Cost, which is on the bottom right, indicates how much energy is required to use to switch to another Pokemon. Weakness and Resistance are used to had or remove damage done from an attack if the other card Type is strong or weak against it. In example Water is Strong against Fire. The Water Type would have an extra bonus in its attack when attacking the Fire Type and the attack for the Fire Type would reduce when it attacks. Times to times, Pokemon can have a Poke-Body or a Poke-Power. A Poke-Power is activated by the player and a Poke-Body has to be used. These either gives effects to the Pokemon or allows the player to search or draw for cards. The last thing that every Pokemon have are Stages:

o   Basic: The only Stage that can be played directly on the field.

o   Stage 1: This card is put on the basic, this processes is called evolving.

o   Stage 2: This card is put on the stage 1.

·         Trainer card allows the player to search for cards, do extra damage and much more when they are played. There are many different kinds of Trainer cards:

o   Trainer: A player can use as much as he or she wants during the turn.

o   Supporter: A player can only use one per turn.

o   Stadium: When a player plays a stadium, it stays in play till another comes in play. Both players can use the effect.

o   Pokemon Tool: It is attached to a Pokemon and it gives that Pokemon extra effects.

o   Technical Machines: Gives more attacks to the Pokemon.

·         Energy cards are used to give to a Pokemon to allow it to attack or Retreat. On the left of the attacks are symbols indicating the Energy Cost. Like Pokemon, energies have types, which are the same as the Pokemon: Grass, Fire, Water, Lighting, Psychic, Fighting, Normal, Steel and Dark. All Attacks are required the exact energy attach to use an attack, though if it’s Normal, white, any energy can be used. Only one Energy can be attached per turn.

Field

1.       Discard Piles, where used cards go and cannot be used again, unless of a card effect.

2.       Where the deck is placed.

3.       Bench, where you can charge up Pokemon, but cannot attack with them. There can only be up to 5 Pokemon.

4.       Prizes, each time a Pokemon is Knocked Out, HP goes to 0, the player that Knock it out, gets a prize. First one to 0 prizes is the winner.

5.       Active Pokemon, the Pokemon that attacks and can also receive Energy. 

6.       Where the Stadium goes when it comes in play.

Rules 

At the beginning of a game, the deck is shuffle and each player draws 7 cards. The starting hands much have a Basic, if not, the hand is shown to the opponent and then shuffled back in the deck and re-draws 7 cards, the opponent can then draw a card. Each player put a Basic as the active Pokemon faced down and can put up to 5 Pokemon on the bench. A coin is flipped to determine who starts. At each start of turn, the player draws a card, attach his or her energy and players Trainers if he or she chooses to. The declared of the attack is the end of the turn. Every time a Pokemon attacks, the Damage done is calculated with dice or tokens.

The goal is to Knock out 6 Pokemon to give all 6 prizes. However, there are 2 other ways to win:

1.       If a player as no bench when his Pokemon in Knocked out, he or she loses.

2.       If a Player’s deck reaches to no card left, next time he or she would draw, he or she loses.