Having already translated so many mechanics flawlessly into a more casual rule set, Pokemon Trading Card Game Pocket has wonderfully made a simple version of the Pokemon TCG. However, there are still many features of the TCG which have yet to make the move into pocket.
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Running for over 27 years, the TCG has plenty of gimmicks and mechanics that Pocket can pull from to freshen up and further improve it’s fast-paced battle system. Some of these could even better shape the meta and help the game avoid the pitfalls of unbalanced gameplay.
10
Ace Specs
Ace Tools For Any Trainer
Ace Specs are item cards which have incredibly strong effects. They can dominate by providing consistent effects that make your deck less luck dependent, with the balancing factor of only allowing one in your entire deck.
To fit Pocket’s more casual quick gameplay, you might see Ace Specs not being as powerful as they are in the regular TCG. Nonetheless, they would still be invaluable tools for any deck, giving you new ways to play and take down threats such as Gyarados ex with ease.
9
Owner’s Pokemon
Playing Like Your Favorite Trainers
The TCG takes alot of inspiration from the video games with its own twist to help keep things fresh for old and new players alike. Not only do the Pokemon get brought over, but so do the trainers. One mechanic involving them is Owner’s or Trainers Pokemon. These are Pokemon which are owned and trained by characters and trainers from the anime or games.
Owner’s Pokemon would be a great way to pull the different Pokemon media together. We could have a new set that features a group of three characters, such as Cynthia, Leon and Steven, giving them one pack each, containing a mix of their Pokemon and other ones from their region.
8
Radiant Pokemon
Sparkling Shiny Highlights Of The TCG
An iconic part of the Pokemon Series are the illusive, differently colored Pokemon known as Shinies. Shiny Pokemon being added in a future set is virtually guaranteed to happen in Pocket, so we would love to see them accompanied by well-designed abilities that Radiant Pokemon cards have.
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Radiant Pokemon were introduced in the Sword & Shield Era of the TCG and are powerful Basic Pokemon that have strong abilities and attacks. In Pocket, Radiant Pokemon would fit right in with their more supportive nature and bring in some Basic Pokemon that could contend with the likes of strong ex Pokemon such as Mewtwo and Celebi.
7
Technical Machines
Giving Old Pokemon New Tricks
Technical Machines are a mechanic from the video games where you can teach your Pokemon moves they may otherwise never be able to learn. This has been translated over to the TCG perfectly with TM Tool cards that attach to your Pokemon to give them a new attack or ability.
TMs are extremely fun to use as they give you more options in your deck, from being able to do things such as Devolve one of your opponents’ Pokemon to giving you a massive attack that costs less Energy the further behind you are. Seeing them come over to Pocket would do wonders for giving weaker Pokemon more options to deal with threats.
6
Mega Pokemon EX
Pushing Your EX Even Further Beyond
A very popular mechanical gimmick is the prized Mega Evolution. This is a further stage of evolution given to Pokemon to make them stronger. In the TCG, Mega Pokemon are placed on top of the base EX and upgrade the Pokemon to Mega Evolve, becoming even stronger at the cost of ending your turn when you do this.
In Pocket, we may see them removing this downside at the cost of making Mega Pokemon a bit less dominating, as wasting a turn can cost you the entire game in Pocket. We could see these cards also debut in Pocket to give older EX’s a buff to contend with the rising power creep.
5
The Lost Zone
Lost In The Zone
A hidden mechanic in the TCG that is often overlooked is the Lost Zone. This is a special area that certain cards can interact with. It’s essentially a discard pile that cannot be retrieved from and, depending on how many cards there are, certain cards that work with it will gain strong effects such as free attacks or retreat.
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The Lost Zone often has some of the strongest archetypes surrounding it. Pocket is adding cards that interact with the discard pile, and so we would love to see the Lost Zone interaction get brought over too. The only issue is that it may make Pocket too complicated, moving it away from its easy to pick up and play roots.
4
Terastalization
Change Your Type, Change Everything
Being a Stellar inclusion in both the video games and the TCG Expansions for Scarlet & Violet, Terastalization is the gimmick for generation nine that involves changing a Pokemon’s type. Typing is always a valuable consideration in the TCG as weaknesses can decide a game. Tera Pokemon are a simple, effective way to avoid it.
Tera is quite niche in its usage, but it gives more decks different types of Pokemon that use their normal type for Energy and this would do wonders in Pocket. Most of the time, if your opponent has a deck featuring your weakness, you don’t stand much of a chance. Tera Pokemon could fix this by giving decks options to work around their weaknesses.
3
Special Energy
Powered Up Potential
The biggest changes Pocket made to the TCG formula are regarding how Energy works. The TCG has another type of Energy outside the basic ones, Special Energy. These cards are unique in that they have secondary effects, such as providing two Energy or bringing the Pokemon they are attached to into the active spot.
In Pocket, we can see these changing your Energy type for a turn into either a specific type or Energy with unique effects. Special Energy such as Luminous Energy would be very handy in this rule set as it gives one of any type of Energy. Dual Type decks such as Dragonite wouldn’t need to run both Water and Electric Energy, helping make them more consistent to set up.
2
Stadium Trainer Cards
You Are Going To Paldea
Trainer Items and Supporters are valuable to any game and provide the main way to win outside of Pokemon and pure luck. An omission from Pocket’s Trainer selection is the iconic Stadium cards: Trainer cards based on locations that are placed down on the board and cause global effects for both players.
These effects can be as simple as Stage Two Pokemon receiving less damage from attacks to being able to search your deck for any basic Pokemon once per turn. They can be some of the most defining cards and every deck in the TCG always runs one, so its strange they aren’t in Pocket yet. Stadium cards fit right into Pocket being easily adaptable to simpler gameplay.
1
Dark Pokemon
A Shadow Of The Past
Dark Pokemon are a classic mechanic from the EX era in 2007 which turned Pokemon evil by giving them a brand-new type alongside their original type. This is usually the Darkness type, but some were given the Metal type. This edgy mechanic is very interesting, as the art and moves are twisted from what the Pokemon is normally like.
Introducing Dark Pokemon would give Pocket more powerful Darkness cards with unique weaknesses. They could slot into any deck if they still used their original Energy type but hit for both Darkness and that respective type.
- Released
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October 30, 2024
- Publisher(s)
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The Pokemon Company
- Multiplayer
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Online Multiplayer