Top 10 Pokémon TCG Tips and Tricks 🔟 Top Deck Academy | Pokémon TCG

Summary

In the final episode of Season Two of Top Deck Academy, Andrew and Rosemary share their top 10 tips and tricks for mastering the Pokémon Trading Card Game. They cover essential strategies such as having a backup plan, promoting Pokémon with free retreat, managing resources, making a game plan, and more. The episode emphasizes the importance of both strategy and fun in gameplay. The hosts encourage players to share their own tips and stay connected for more Pokémon content on social media.

Takeaways

• 🎬 That's a wrap on Season Two of Top Deck Academy.
• 🎥 Conkeldurr did a great job holding the camera steady, and Lanturn excelled with the lighting.
• 📋 Tip number one: Always bring a backup in the Pokémon TCG.
• 🚶‍♂️ Tip number two: Promote a Pokémon with free retreat to keep your options open.
• 🛋️ Tip number three: Manage your Bench wisely to ensure space for backup attackers and support Pokémon.
• 📦 Tip number four: Keep track of your resources and don't discard valuable cards.
• 🔍 Tip number five: Keep track of your opponent's resources to anticipate their moves.
• 🗺️ Tip number six: Make a game plan, including which Prizes to take to win.
• 🎲 Tip number seven: Weigh the odds when deciding which cards to play.
• ❌ Tip number eight: Use disruption cards to hinder your opponent's strategy.
• 🔄 Tip number nine: Thinning your deck helps you draw the cards you need at the end of the game.
• 🎉 Tip number ten: Have fun and enjoy learning new strategies in the Pokémon TCG.

Q & A

What is the main topic of the final episode of Season Two of Top Deck Academy?

The final episode focuses on sharing the top 10 tips and tricks for playing the Pokémon Trading Card Game.

Why is having a backup attacker important in the Pokémon Trading Card Game?

A backup attacker is important because it ensures you have another Pokémon ready to attack if your active Pokémon gets Knocked Out.

What is the benefit of promoting a Pokémon with free retreat?

Promoting a Pokémon with free retreat allows you to have more options during your turn and makes it easier to decide on an attacker without incurring retreat costs.

Why is managing your Bench important in the Pokémon TCG?

Managing your Bench is important because you have limited spots, and you need to balance having backup attackers and support Pokémon without overcrowding.

How can keeping track of resources help in a game of Pokémon TCG?

Keeping track of resources helps you decide which cards to discard and which to save, ensuring you don’t run out of crucial cards when you need them.

What strategy can you use to keep track of your opponent’s resources?

You can keep track of your opponent’s resources by monitoring the cards they have played and checking their discard pile, which is public knowledge.

How can making a game plan improve your chances of winning in Pokémon TCG?

Making a game plan helps you strategize on which Prize cards to take and when to use powerful cards like Boss’s Orders to target specific Pokémon for Knock Outs.

What does 'weighing the odds' mean in the context of Pokémon TCG?

Weighing the odds means considering the probabilities of drawing certain cards and making decisions based on the likelihood of achieving your goals for that turn.

What are disruption cards and how can they be used effectively?

Disruption cards interfere with your opponent’s strategy by limiting their hand size or removing their Energy, buying you time or preventing them from executing their plans.

What is the concept of 'thinning' your deck and why is it beneficial?

Thinning your deck involves using or discarding less useful cards to increase the chances of drawing the cards you need later in the game, improving your draw consistency.

What is the most important tip shared in the final episode of Season Two of Top Deck Academy?

The most important tip is to have fun while playing the Pokémon Trading Card Game, whether you are playing online or with friends.

Outlines

00:00

🎬 Season Finale Wrap-Up and Final Episode Planning

The team wraps up Season Two of Top Deck Academy, thanking everyone for their hard work. Conkeldurr is praised for camera work, and Lanturn for lighting. Andrew, initially unaware of the final episode, gets reminded by Rosemary about the need to create one more episode. They brainstorm and decide to provide 'Top 10 tips and tricks on how to play the Pokémon Trading Card Game'. They split the tips between them and start recording, emphasizing the importance of steady camerawork.

05:00

🃏 Essential Tips for Playing Pokémon TCG

The final episode of Top Deck Academy kicks off with Tip 1: Always bring a backup Pokémon, using search cards like Quick Ball and Level Ball to prepare for an active Pokémon getting knocked out. Tip 2 suggests promoting a Pokémon with free retreat to keep options open during your turn. Tip 3 focuses on managing your Bench, ensuring space for both attackers and support Pokémon. Tip 4 emphasizes keeping track of your resources, avoiding unnecessary discards. Tip 5 advises keeping track of the opponent's resources to anticipate their strategy.

10:01

📋 Advanced Strategic Tips for Winning

Tip 6 stresses the importance of making a game plan, targeting specific Prize cards using cards like Boss's Orders. Tip 7 advises weighing the odds before playing any cards, focusing on the highest probability of success. A pop quiz reinforces knowledge about the number of Pokémon in play. Tip 8 highlights the value of disruption cards to interfere with the opponent's strategy, such as hand disruption or energy removal cards. Tip 9 recommends deck thinning to improve late-game draws by discarding unnecessary cards.

🎉 Conclusion and Farewell to Season Two

The final tip, Tip 10, reminds players to have fun, whether playing online or in person. The episode concludes with gratitude to the team and contributors, especially Andrew for co-hosting. They encourage viewers to share their own tips and stay connected through social media. The episode ends with a thank you to the audience and a promise of more content to come.

Keywords

💡Backup Plan

A backup plan involves having an alternative strategy or resources ready to use when the primary plan fails. In the Pokémon Trading Card Game, this means having a secondary Pokémon prepared with enough Energy to attack when your Active Pokémon is Knocked Out. This ensures continuity in gameplay and can be achieved using search cards like Quick Ball and Level Ball.

💡Free Retreat

Free retreat refers to the ability of a Pokémon to move from the Active Spot to the Bench without incurring a Retreat Cost, which is typically paid in Energy. Promoting a Pokémon with free retreat gives players flexibility during their turn to decide on their next move. If a player lacks such a Pokémon, attaching an Air Balloon can serve a similar function.

💡Bench Management

Bench management is the strategic use of the five Bench spots available in the Pokémon TCG. Players must balance between having backup attackers and support Pokémon while avoiding overcrowding. Effective bench management ensures that key Pokémon are ready to step in and that valuable abilities, like those of Crobat V, can be utilized.

💡Resource Tracking

Resource tracking involves keeping a close watch on the number and type of cards remaining in one's deck as well as those used by the opponent. This helps in making informed decisions about which cards to play, discard, or save. Supporter cards like Bruno and Marnie aid in managing resources by shuffling hands back into the deck.

💡Game Plan

A game plan is a predefined strategy aimed at achieving victory, typically by taking all six Prize cards. Players need to adapt their game plan based on the opponent's deck and strategy, such as focusing on Knock Outs of Pokémon VMAX to win quickly. Effective use of Boss's Orders can help target specific Pokémon to execute the game plan efficiently.

💡Probabilities

Probabilities in the Pokémon TCG involve calculating the likelihood of drawing or achieving specific cards and outcomes. Players should weigh their options each turn to decide the best course of action, such as using a search Supporter card instead of a draw Supporter when a specific Pokémon is needed. Understanding probabilities helps in making strategic decisions.

💡Disruption

Disruption refers to strategies aimed at hindering the opponent's progress by limiting their resources. This can include hand disruption cards like Marnie, which reduce the size of the opponent's hand, or Energy disruption cards like Crushing Hammer, which remove Energy from their Pokémon. Effective disruption can buy time or prevent the opponent from executing their strategy.

💡Thinning

Thinning is the process of deliberately using or discarding less useful cards to increase the likelihood of drawing needed cards later in the game. For example, playing Quick Ball to discard a card and find a Pokémon helps reduce the deck size, making it easier to draw critical cards like Energy in subsequent turns. Thinning is a key endgame strategy to improve draw consistency.

💡Prize Cards

Prize cards are six cards set aside at the start of a Pokémon TCG match, which players aim to draw by knocking out the opponent's Pokémon. The primary objective is to take all six Prize cards to win the game. Understanding the prize structure, such as the higher value of Pokémon VMAX which give up three Prize cards, is essential for planning Knock Outs and using Boss's Orders strategically.

💡Fun

Having fun is highlighted as the most important aspect of playing the Pokémon TCG, whether online or with friends. The game offers opportunities to learn new strategies, enjoy exciting matches, and share tips with the community. Emphasizing fun ensures players stay engaged and motivated, contributing to a positive gaming experience.

Highlights

That's it. That's a wrap on Season Two, everybody. Thanks for the great times.

Conkeldurr, you did a great job holding that camera steady. Lanturn, your lighting was top notch.

Andrew, where are you going? We still have one more episode left to do!

Rosemary suggests giving Top 10 tips and tricks on how to play the Pokémon Trading Card Game for the final episode.

Tip number one: always bring a backup.

Tip number two: promote a Pokémon with free retreat.

Tip number three: manage your Bench.

Tip number four: keep track of resources.

Tip number five: keep track of opponent's resources.

Tip number six: make a game plan.

Tip number seven: weigh the odds.

Tip number eight: disruption!

Tip number nine: thinning is winning.

Tip number ten: have fun!

Thank you so much for joining us this season. We hope you enjoyed yourselves and can use these lessons to start your own TCG journey soon.

Transcripts

That's it. That's a wrap on Season Two, everybody.

Thanks for the great times.

Conkeldurr, you did a great job holding that camera steady.

Lanturn, your lighting was top notch.

I'll see you all next time.

Andrew, where are you going?

We still have one more episode left to do!

One more episode?

Rosemary, I must have got hit with amnesia

because I don't have any ideas for a final episode.

Well, quit acting like a Wimpod!

We cannot leave these Trainers hanging

without giving them an awesome final episode.

I was thinking, what if we gave them

Top 10 tips and tricks on how to play the Pokémon Trading Card Game?

Think you can handle that?

Sure, how about tip number one,

don't try to flake out on the final episode of Top Deck Academy

or Rosemary will call you a Wimpod.

I mean, seriously.

Okay, you know, that sounds like a great idea.

How about I take half and you take half?

Sounds like a plan.

I think I've got some really great tips and tricks to share,

and I can't wait to get it started.

Then let's get into it.

Conkeldurr, keep that camera steady because we've got one more episode

to go for Season Two of Top Deck Academy.

TOP DECK ACADEMY

Tip number one, always bring a backup.

Having a backup plan is important,

especially in the Pokémon Trading Card Game.

Establishing a backup attacker

means finding a Pokémon and building it up

with enough Energy to attack before your attacker

in the Active Spot gets Knocked Out.

It's helpful to use search cards, like Quick Ball and Level Ball,

to find a new attacker and ready it on the Bench

so that it's ready to promote when needed.

In an ideal game, you always have a backup ready on the Bench

when your Active Pokémon gets Knocked Out.

But that's not always the case.

Which leads us to our next tip.

Tip number two, promote a Pokémon with free retreat.

Like Andrew was saying, when playing a game of Pokémon,

your Pokémon will eventually get Knocked Out.

Rosemary, I feel like my Pokémon are always getting Knocked Out.

It's okay.

It happens.

But when it does, you want to give yourself

the most options during your turn as possible.

The best thing you can do when a Pokémon gets Knocked Out

is to promote a Pokémon that has free retreat.

By promoting a Pokémon with no Retreat Cost,

you make it so that you don't have to decide on an attacker

until the final stages of the turn.

Not all decks play Pokémon that have free retreat.

So trying a Pokémon with an Air Balloon attached is the next best thing.

If you don't have a Pokémon with free retreat,

then you have to think very carefully

about which Pokémon you send into the Active Spot.

Tip number three, manage your Bench.

Your Bench is one of the most important resources in the Pokémon TCG.

You only get five Bench spots to work with alongside your Active Pokémon,

so it's really important to use them wisely.

Oh, just like a team of six in the Pokémon world.

Exactly.

You want to make sure that you have enough space

for a backup attacker as well as any support Pokémon

you may need throughout the match.

One mistake that players often make

is to fill up their Bench with support Pokémon

so they don't have enough space for a backup attacker.

Similarly, if you fill your Bench, you won't be able to use support Pokémon

with come-into-play Abilities like Crobat V's Dark Asset,

which draws extra cards.

Remember, just because a Pokémon is in your hand

doesn't mean you have to put it into play.

Tip number four, keep track of resources.

It's important to remember that every card in your deck

is a valuable resource.

As a game goes on, you'll want to pay close attention

to how many of each card you have remaining in your deck.

If you only have one attacker in your deck, for instance,

you probably don't want to discard it with Quick Ball or Professor's Research.

Keeping track of resources can help you decide which cards

to discard when you need to and which cards to save for later.

Supporter cards like Bruno and Marnie are great for conserving resources,

since they both put your hand back into the deck

before allowing you to draw more cards.

Tip number five.

Keep track of opponent's resources.

Keeping track of your own resources is essential.

But it's also important to keep track of your opponent's resources.

How many Switches your opponent played,

how many Supporters might they have left?

How many Energy?

Thinking about these questions

and finding the answers can help you figure out your game plan.

So what you're saying, Andrew, is that a plan might change,

depending on whether you think your opponent has used

all their Boss's Orders or something, right?

I feel like I forget all the time to keep track of my opponent's resources.

Is there a way I can check that if I haven't been keeping track of it?

Absolutely. And that's a really good question.

If you want to see what resources your opponent has used,

you can always ask to see their discard pile,

since the discard pile is public knowledge.

Tip number six.

Make a game plan.

The most common way to win a game of Pokémon is to take all six Prize cards.

And the easiest way to take all six Prize cards is to make a plan.

If your opponent is using Pokémon VMAX, which give up three Prize cards each,

you may only need two Knock Outs to achieve victory.

If your opponent is using a mixed strategy,

you may only need to Knock Out one Pokémon VMAX,

one single-Prize Pokémon,

and one support Pokémon like Crobat V to win.

Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait.

So that means that using Boss's Orders to target Benched Pokémon

and take specific Prizes is super important, right?

Oh, for sure.

Counting out which Prizes you plan on taking to win is really helpful

when deciding when to use and when to save

Gusting effects like Boss's Orders.

Changing your opponent's Active Pokémon

is extremely valuable, so using Boss's Orders at the right time

to take specific Knock Outs is a champion strategy.

Tip number seven, weigh the odds.

Playing the Pokémon TCG is all about probabilities.

Before you play any cards in a turn,

especially your Supporter card, you should always ask yourself,

"What do I need this turn, and which combination of cards

will give me the highest chance of achieving that goal?"

For example, if the most important thing is to find your Hero Pokémon,

perhaps think about using a search Supporter card like Poké Kid

instead of a draw Supporter like Professor's Research.

By asking yourself these simple questions,

you'll find yourself weighing the odds and making the right call

more often than not.

Hopefully you've been paying attention, Trainers, because it's pop quiz time.

Ooh, I love pop quizzes!

How many Pokémon can you have in play at a time?

Is it five, six, or nine Pokémon?

If you said six, that's right.

With a typical board position, you can have one Active Pokémon,

and five Benched Pokémon, which makes six Pokémon in play.

Some effects like Eternatus VMAX's Eternal Zone Ability

can expand the Bench to allow up to nine Pokémon in play at a time.

Tip number eight, disruption!

Winning a Pokémon TCG battle

isn't just about executing your own strategy.

It's also about keeping your opponent from winning.

Disruption cards can be useful for this and come in all different styles.

There are hand disruption cards like Marnie,

which limit the size of your opponent's hand.

And then there are Energy disruption cards,

like Crushing Hammer or Fan of Waves,

which can remove Energy from your opponent's Pokémon.

Disrupting your opponent's Energy attachments early on in a match

can buy you valuable time to set up.

While disrupting your opponent's hand

at the end of a game can keep them from having the cards they need to win.

Tip number nine, thinning is winning.

Rosemary, that was such a good tip.

I can't count how many times I've lost a close game

because of a well-timed hand disruption card.

It's such a pain.

Fortunately, there is something you could do

to help you draw better at the end of the game.

Thinning your deck.

Thinning your deck is a strategy that involves using

and discarding cards you no longer need

so that you don't draw into them at the end of the game.

For example,

say you have everything lined up to be able to win on the following turn,

but all you need is an Energy card.

If you have a card like Quick Ball in your hand,

then you might want to play that Quick Ball

to thin your deck so that you don't draw into it later.

Quick Ball is amazing for thinning your deck

because you get to discard another, less useful card with it when you play it.

Remember, at the end of the game, thinning is winning.

Trainers, I hope you're listening up

because this last tip is probably the most important.

Tip number ten, have fun!

Whether you are playing the Pokémon Trading Card Game Live

or on a tabletop with a friend, there are always lessons to learn

and exciting strategies to discover

in the Pokémon Trading Card Game.

Can't wait for you to catch 'em all!

Thank you so much for joining us this season.

We hope you enjoyed yourselves and can use these lessons

to start your own TCG journey soon.

Huge shout-outs to Ellis, Tord, and the whole Top Deck Academy team.

And, of course, to Andrew for joining me for this final episode of Season Two.

Oh, you know I wouldn't miss it for anything, Rosemary.

Trainers at home, let us know your tricks and tips

for playing the Pokémon TCG in the comments below,

and stay tuned for more content from Pokémon on Twitter @PokemonTCG,

and on Pokémon's official YouTube and Twitch channels.

-Thanks for watching. -See ya!

TOP DECK ACADEMY