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Beginner's Guide
Launching on October 30, 2024, Pokémon TCG Pocket is a casual, fast-paced reimagining of the traditional Pokémon Trading Card Game for mobile-devices. All of your favorite elements from the tabletop card game are here, including collecting cards, building powerful decks and facing off against opponents in strategic battles. We have put together created this useful beginner’s guide to help you get started and dive into the world of Pokémon!
A NEW WAY TO PLAY POKÉMON
After setting up your account, you’ll be prompted to choose one of three booster packs. The booster pack you choose sets the stage for your Pokémon TCG Pocket journey - it decides your:
- Starter Deck
- First Pokemon EX Card
- First Full-Art Card
Genetic Apex: Pikachu
- Starter Deck: Pinsir (Grass/Colorless)
- EX Card: Exeggutor EX
- Full-Art Card: Charmander
Genetic Apex: Charizard
- Starter Deck: Rapidash (Fire/Colorless)
- EX Card: Arcanine EX
- Full-Art Card: Squirtle
Genetic Apex: Mewtwo
- Starter Deck: Sandslash (Fighting/Colorless)
- EX Card: Marowak EX
- Full-Art Card: Bulbasaur
We recommend opening Genetic Apex: Mewtwo, as its contents will start you on a path to create a myriad of competitive decks - and it contains the coveted Mewtwo EX and Articuno EX cards, current meta staples. It may seem far off, but working towards building a complete competitive deck as soon as possible is key, as the card pool is going to grow larger with every expansion release.
TWO FREE BOOSTER PACKS PER DAY
The most important perk to remember and take advantage of in Pokémon TCG Pocket is your two free booster packs per day. The two packs are spaced 12 hours apart, but if you miss the timing, up to 2 packs stack and you’ll be able to open two at a time. At launch, three booster packs will be available: Genetic Apex: Pikachu, Genetic Apex: Charizard and Genectic Apex: Mewtwo. Each booster contains different cards, so read up on possible pulls, set a target deck and start opening.
HOW TO OPEN MORE BOOSTER PACKS
Pack Hourglasses help speed up the Booster Timer so you can open more packs, while Shop Tickets are used to buy Pack Hourglasses and Wonder Hourglasses. Leveling Up also gives you 1 Poké Gold - you can get additional Booster Packs for 6 Poké Gold each. These resources are acquired through Daily Missions, Game Achievements and more. Accumulating resources is free and easy, but there are ways to acquire more faster. Be sure to complete your Beginner and Advanced Missions for bonus resources - one-time missions that help speed up your Pocket journey.
Afterwards, before you can jump into Versus Battles, you’ll be prompted to try out the Tutorial in Solo Battles, but these are much more than just instructional games. There are three levels: Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced and an Expert Solo Mode for when you’re ready for a real challenge. You’ll unlock extra Pack Hourglasses for completing these battles and bonus shop tickets if you complete the mini-challenges associated with each, such as playing with a specific deck type, completing the battle before a certain turn or Knocking Out a specific number of Pokemon.
WONDER PICKS
Your first Wonder Pick is a scripted, predetermined event, but then you’re free to use your Wonder Stamina on targeting specific cards from other players.
Wonder Picks allow you to check out packs opened by other players for a chance to pull one of their newly acquired cards. This is a great way to go for cards outside of your target pack or acquire rare cards you need to complete a deck, but mind your Wonder Stamina - it’s not easy to replenish.
Unfortunately, cards of some rarities are not included in Wonder Picks including 3-Star cards and Crown cards. There also seems to be restrictions on packs that include 2-Star cards, but the specifics have not been revealed.
There are also Special Wonder Picks that don’t appear often and offer different contents.
- Rare Wonder Picks: Wonder Picks offering rare cards for more Wonder Stamina
- Bonus Wonder Picks: Free Wonder Picks that include resources instead of cards
- Chansey Wonder Picks: Promotional Wonder Picks that include rare Promo cards
Wonder Picks use Wonder Stamina. Similar to the free Booster Pack timer, Wonder Stamina recharges twice a day, once every 12 hours, but caps at 5 Wonder Stamina. You can speed up this process by using Wonder Hourglasses, reducing the wait time by one hour, Poké Gold, which reduces the wait time by two hours, or both in tandem.
The Wonder Stamina required for a Wonder Pick depends on the rarest card in the pack:
1 Stamina for 2-Diamond
2 Stamina for 3-Diamond
3 Stamina for 4-Diamond or 1-Star
4 Stamina for 2-Star
Although Wonder Picks expire, you can revisit lost Picks using a Rewind Timer.
BEST CARDS TO TARGET
How to Acquire: Genetic Apex: Charizard
Sabrina is one of the best disruption options in the game, bringing your opponent’s strategy to a halt while positioning yourself for an easy Prize Point. Although the opponent gets to pick the Pokémon that switches into the Active spot, there’s a good chance it will be ill-prepared or have insufficient Energy to Retreat.
How to Acquire: Genetic Apex: Mewtwo
Giovanni is a great way to upset your opponent’s calculations with surprise damage, often resulting in a Knock Out. Versus Battles are often decided by close calls and slim margins, and if your opponent thinks you’re just a little off from a Knock Out, that’s when Giovanni can strike.
How to Acquire: Sold for 2 Shop Tickets
Retreating is a key component of high-level Versus Battles, but losing Energy can sometimes be devastating to your game plan. X-Speed allows you to mitigate some of that, if not all, holding on to your precious Energy and safely bringing back your powerhouses for a chance to avoid a Knock Out.
How to Acquire: Sold for 2 Shop Tickets
Similar to Giovanni, Potions help disrupt your opponent’s game plan, mitigating damage and bringing your key Pokémon out of danger if used at the right moment. If your opponent is counting on a certain number of damage wrapping up the game, a Potion could make the difference between victory and defeat.
How to Acquire: Sold for 2 Shop Tickets
Red Card is a polarizing Trainer, some swear by it while others are adamant about its inadvertent benefit for the opponent. Whichever side you fall on the debate, it’s undeniable that an opportune Red Card is the ultimate disruption tool in Pocket. Once you learn the ropes and know what to look for, you’ll be able to gauge whether Red Card helps your opponent or completely denies the setup of their strategy.
GOTTA CATCH ‘EM ALL
Your Pokémon journey awaits! Now that you’ve got the basics down, it’s time to dive into our Cards Database to start forming your target list and visit the Tier List to find the best decks to play.