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Find out the basics of Pokemon TCG Pocket in this beginner guide as we explore the features of the new mobile game.
Pokemon TCG Pocket finally brings the card game to the virtual world on mobiles. It might be the same trading card game at its core, but the mechanics and rules are very different compared to the actual TCG. The win condition, for example, is completely different. Even if you are an experienced Pokemon TCG player, some aspects of TCG Pocket will be completely new.
This Pokemon TCG Pocket beginner’s guide will explore all the options available in the game, from its mechanics, deck sizes, currencies, and many more features. By the end of this guide, you should have a better idea about the game and should be ready to collect cards and level up smoothly.
Pokemon TCG Pocket Cards
Cards are your staple in Pokemon TCG Pocket. Everything in this game revolves around cards, and these can be of two types primarily:
- Pokemon Cards
- Utility Cards
Utility Cards are either items or trainers that act as your support cards for the Pokemon cards.
Card Rarity in Pokemon TCG Pocket
Each Pokemon TCG Pocket card has a rarity of its own:
| Rarity | Term |
 | Common |
| Uncommon |
| Rare |
| Double Rare |
 | Special Illustration |
| Rare Special Illustration |
| Immersive Cards |
 | Golden Crown / Crown |
Parts of a Card in Pokemon TCG Pocket
| Parts of a Pokemon TCG Card | |
| Stage | Cards can either be Basic, Stage 1, or Stage 2. Stages 1 and 2 indicate the stage of its evolution line for the Pokemon. |
| Special Rules | Only “ex cards” have special rules currently in Pokemon TCG Pocket. These cards give one more point to your opponent on being knocked out. |
| HP | The HP of the Pokemon is displayed in the top right corner. |
| Type | The Pokemon’s type is also mentioned at the top right. Type affects the resistances and weaknesses of a Pokemon. |
| Moves | The Pokemon’s moves and their respective energy costs are mentioned beside them. |
| Weaknesses | The type of the Pokemon determines its weaknesses. It will also show how much additional damage it takes from a particular type of weakness. |
| Retreat Cost | You will be able to have a Pokemon retreat from the field for the respective energy cost. |
| Rarity | Mentions the rarity of the card. |
Booster Packs
Pokemon TCG Pocket relies on booster packs as the main source of cards. You will be able to open two booster packs per 12 hours in this game. This means that you are restricted to two booster pack openings per day. However, the time gap between them can be reduced by hourglasses.
If you purchase the Premium Pass, you will be able to open three booster packs per day. This does not change the time between two successive pack openings, however.
Your main goal for now in Pokemon TCG Pocket will be to open as many booster packs as possible. You should collect as many cards as possible to build various decks.
Pack Points
You can earn five Pack Points every time you open a Booster Pack. You can use these Pack Points to get a confirmed Chase Card of any rarity. However, the amount of Pack Points needed will depend on the rarity of the card you are looking for. Here is the conversion rate for the various types of rarity:
| Rarity | Pack Points |
| 35 |
| 70 |
| 150 |
| 400 |
| 500 |
| 1250 |
| 1500 |
| 2500 |
Wonder Pick
Wonder Pick is somewhat like the Wonder Trade feature in Pokemon games. Here, you will be able to get one card from a booster pack that another random player opened. The cards that you can get here depend on which starter pack you have chosen.
There is a separate currency and waiting queue for the Wonder Pick, so you do not need to worry about it while spending Hourglass to open Booster Packs.
Currencies in Pokemon TCG Pocket
There are quite a few different currencies in Pokemon TCG Pocket:
| Currency | How to Obtain | Uses |
| Poke Gold | Spending real money to buy from in-game store. | Buy other tickets and emblems; reduces the cooldown to open Booster Packs by 2 hours. |
| Pack Hourglass | Daily Missions and other quests | Reduces the cooldown to open Booster Packs by 1 hour. |
| Wonder Hourglass | Daily and other missions | Builds Wonder Stamina |
| Wonder Stamina | Using Wonder Hourglass; automatically replenishes in 24 hours | Wonder Picks |
| Wonder Watch | Level up | Rewinding already opened Packs |
| Shine Dust | Selling duplicate cards | Cosmetics for cards |
Tickets in Pokemon TCG Pocket
Tickets can be considered to be a type of currency and are mostly used to exchange for various cosmetics or emblems:
| Ticket | How to Obtain | Uses |
| Shop Ticket | Completing missions and leveling up | Cosmetic items |
| Emblem Ticket | Completing themed missions and dex completion | Exchange for Emblems |
| Special Shop Ticket | Converting cosmetics of high-rarity cards | Special Accessories |
| Event Shop Ticket | Completing event missions | Event Accessories |
| Premium Ticket | Completing Premium Missions from Premium Pass | Exclusive premium accessories |
Deck Building
Each Deck in Pokemon TCG Pocket has 20 cards. Unlike the original Pokemon TCG, there are no energy cards here, and this is a big reason behind TCG Pocket having fewer cards in a deck.
Your deck should not have 20 Pokemon cards; there should be other utility and trainer cards to support them. A good way to divide your deck is to have at least 40% utility cards. A deck with 12 Pokemon cards and 8 Utility cards might work well. However, you should experiment to find your own playstyle.
If you are new and do not have a lot of idea about deck building, there is a feature that will automatically build a deck for you. There will be certain parameters like the specific number of card types and other rules that you have to set for this.
Rental Decks
Rental Decks are a feature where you can use pre-made decks to battle. These can be unlocked by completing certain missions. Although you will be able to use these decks, they will not be added to your own collection.
Battle System
Pokemon TCG Pocket has a vastly different battle system. You will draw five cards at the beginning of the game. Then, you will place your Active Pokemon and up to three Benched Pokemon on the field. Unlike the OG Pokemon TCG, there are no prize cards here. The win condition here is getting three points. Here is how you can earn points:
- Knocking out Basic Pokemon – 1 point
- Knocking out ex Pokemon – 2 points
Since Pokemon TCG Pocket does not use energy cards, there is a special Energy Zone feature that automatically generates energy at every turn that you can use.
Daily Missions and Other Challenges
You will have a specific number of daily missions to complete in Pokemon TCG Pocket. These will be your primary source of earnings for Hourglasses and other currencies. If you want to remain a f2p (free-to-play) player, then completing these is very important since earning resources is slow in this game.
Premium Pass
The Premium Pass is a paid feature that you can purchase to make your experience easier and level up faster. Among other perks, the Premium Pass allows you to open an additional booster pack per day.
The Pokemon TCG Pocket Premium Pass costs $9.99 and remains active for one month after purchase.
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