Anyone can pull a shiny rare ex card from the latest hobby cases, but it takes a real fan to know what goes into strategizing a great Pokémon deck. Whether you’re already an enthusiast or someone just looking to get into the game, this guide is all you need to know how to build a Pokémon deck.
Master The Basics
Every great Pokémon deck strategy starts from the basics. Master the fundamentals of this TCG, and you’ll be the strongest trainer in any tournament room.
Card Types
Broadly speaking, there are dozens upon dozens of different Pokémon card types. However, for the sake of simplicity, we can divide them into 3 sections:
- Pokémon
- Trainers
- Energy
1) Pokémon
These are the cards you first think of when you’re planning on building a Pokémon deck. There are two key types of Pokémon cards: No rulebox and rulebox.
No rulebox
Pokémon are the ones you might remember from back in the day. Simple, usually boasting a few primary colors, and with basic abilities that generally don’t change the game up too much. Unremarkable as they might be, most of your
Pokémon will belong to this category, and capitalizing on their simple movesets can help you win the vast majority of your matches.
Rulebox Pokémon cards are the leaders of your deck. How you build a Pokémon deck later on will often revolve around the rulebox Pokémon in your collection. Keep in mind that there are also multiple subtypes of rulebox
Pokémon, with new ones coming out alongside every new hobby case release. If you’ve been following the latest
Paradox Rift release, you’ll be familiar with the Iron Hands and new Ex cards.
Tons of collectors fall into the FOMO trap, trying to maximize their Pokémon deck strategy from day 1 by running after the rarest rulebox cards. Don’t make that expensive mistake! Even basic Pokémon V rulebox cards can be deceptively powerful. Pikachu V, for example, can wreak a surprising amount of havoc if you have a few energy cards lying around.
2) Trainers
This one can be confusing if you’re new to building Pokémon decks. Trainers work as more of a ‘catch-all’ category, covering card types like items and stadiums. As vague as they might sound, mastering these cards is a crucial part of how to build a Pokémon deck. For instance, even an unassuming card like the Battle Compressor can drastically shake up your game by allowing you to shuffle your cards and discard up to 3 cards that you don’t need. If you need help finding the best trainer cards, the Scarlet and Violet collection has a few great ones!
3) Energy
These cards give your main attackers the fuel they need to win the game. Without energy, you can’t really use your best abilities. This naturally means that most rookies end up putting way more energy cards into their decks than they really need – an easily avoidable trap. Take a look at your key players before deciding how many energy cards you need when building a Pokémon deck. Generally, most players have between 8 and 10 of these cards.
Build a Standard Deck
The standard Pokémon TCG deck has 60 cards, and it’s up to you to determine the best possible breakup of Pokémon/Trainer/Energy cards in that deck. If you have no idea how to build a Pokémon deck, we would recommend going with 22 Pokémon cards, 28 trainers, and 10 energy cards. Collection boxes from older drops, like Pokémon 151, offer a great mix of cards and are ideal for new collectors.
As a beginner, you can look up pretty much any meta deck online and copy that completely, achieving acceptable results if you have a handle on the basics. We would, however, recommend building your own deck from the cards you already have. You’ll learn a lot more by experimenting and seeing your deck’s limitations in real time.
As a general rule, you’ll want to start by picking your main attackers when building a Pokémon deck. Primary attackers like Charizard Ex, found in the Obsidian Flames boxes, form the foundation of your Pokémon deck strategy. You can augment these cards by selecting items and energy cards that synergize with them.
Go Off-Meta
Once you know how to create a basic Pokémon deck, you’re all set to test it out against your friends and at trading card tournaments. You’ll slowly see what works and what doesn’t, giving you the room to think outside the box and try out wild new combinations. As fun as going off-meta is, it’s also quite the formidable strategy for building a strong deck, as it’s pretty unlikely that your opponents will have a plan ready.
Become The Ultimate Trainer
As far as TCGs go, this one’s novelty comes from the fun balance between learning how to build a Pokémon deck and trying to adjust to the new meta when a new Pokémon box comes along. As you’re building your collection, don’t forget to have fun and enjoy the journey! If you need help finding that one elusive single card or if you’re trying to pre-order the best Pokémon hobby cases, head over to Skybox Collectibles to find everything you need, all in one place.
