Pokemon Pocket introduced Tool Cards in the January 2025 update, Space-Time Smackdown. This marks the third type of Trainer Cards added to the game, leaving Stadium Cards as the only remaining untapped category. While the logic and mechanics of Pokemon Tools in Pocket closely resemble their counterparts in the physical TCG, there are key differences worth exploring.
Related
Pokemon Pocket: The Best Pikachu ex Counters
You don’t need to play Mewtwo to beat Pikachu ex; here are some other reliable and budget-friendly counters to consider.
This guide covers what Pokemon Tools are, introduces all the new Tools in the current A2 expansion, highlights cards that synergize with them and explains how to effectively counter Pokemon Tools.
In Pokemon Pocket, Pokemon Tools are Trainer Cards that enhance the cards they are attached to. Their effects vary, from increasing HP and boosting damage to gradually chipping away at the opponent’s HP. However, they all serve the same purpose: boosting a Pokemon’s stats or abilities.
A Pokemon’s Tool appears in a small box on one side of the card. Both players can view attached Tools on any Pokemon—whether their own or the opponent’s—by tapping the Tool card icon.
As Trainer Cards, Pokemon Tools are played similarly to Pokemon Pocket’s Item Cards. At the start of each turn, you can attach as many Tools as you want to different Pokemon. However, each Pokemon can hold only one Tool at a time, preventing you from attaching another unless the existing Tool is discarded.
Here are the rules for playing Pokemon Tools in TCG Pocket:
- One Tool per Pokemon: Each Pokemon can have only one Tool. A new Tool cannot be attached unless the existing one is discarded.
- No limit on Tool attachments per turn: Like Item Cards, there are no restrictions on the number of Tools you can play per turn. As long as there are Pokemon without Tools on the board, you can equip them. Since a maximum of four Pokemon can be in play, you can attach up to four Tools per turn.
- Tools can be replaced if discarded: If an opponent discards your Tool or it self-discards after meeting a condition, you can attach a new Tool in its place.
The Space-Time Smackdown expansion introduced the first batch of Tool Cards in Pokemon Pocket, featuring three unique Tools: Lum Berry, Rocky Helmet, and Giant Cape. Here’s what each of them does.
Lum Berry
“At the end of each turn, if the Pokemon this card is attached to is affected by any Special Conditions, it recovers from all of them and discards this card.”
Special Conditions are debuffs such as Asleep, Poisoned, Burned, Paralyzed, or Confused. When Lum Berry is attached to a Pokemon affected by one or more of these conditions, it immediately cures them all. However, the trade-off is that Lum Berry self-discards upon activation, making it a one-time-use Tool.
Rocky Helmet
“If the Pokemon this card is attached to is in the Active Spot and is damaged by an attack from your opponent’s Pokemon, do 20 damage to the Attacking Pokemon.”
Rocky Helmet mirrors Druddigon’s Rough Skin ability. When an opponent damages a Pokemon equipped with this Tool, they take 20 instant damage. However, Rocky Helmet only functions when attached to an Active Pokemon. If an opponent attacks a Benched Pokemon wearing this Tool, they won’t take any damage in return.
Many consider Rocky Helmet the best Tool Card in Pokemon Pocket. It can be attached to Druddigon to make it an even deadlier tank or paired with other bulky Pokemon to create your own version of Druddigon.
Giant Cape
“The Pokemon this card is attached to gets +20 HP.”
Giant Cape functions similarly to the Potion Card, but instead of healing after damage is taken, this Tool increases a Pokemon’s max HP right from the start. For example, if a Pokemon has 140 HP, equipping it with Giant Cape boosts its HP to 160.
Along with Pokemon Tool Cards, the Space-Time Smackdown expansion introduced Pokemon that directly synergize with Tools. Currently, these include Pachirisu ex, Skarmory, Starly, and Rotom. The table below outlines how each of them interacts with Pokemon Tools.
|
Card |
Effect |
|---|---|
|
Pachirisu ex |
Deals +40 DMG if it has a Tool |
|
Skarmory |
Deals +30 DMG if it has a Tool |
|
Starly |
Discards the enemy’s Tool before attacking |
|
Rotom |
Deals +30 DMG if the enemy has a Tool |
Fortunately, Pokemon Pocket introduced two counters to Pokemon Tools in the same expansion: Starly and Rotom. To counter an opponent’s Tool, you can use Starly’s Pluck move, which removes the Tool before attacking, or Rotom’s Assault Laser, which deals an additional 30 damage if the opponent has a Tool attached.
