Tips for new Pokemon TCG players

Here are some helpful tips to help get you started playing the Pokemon Trading Card Game.

The Pokemon Trading Card Game has been around for quite some time now, and remains popular. In fact, according to The Top Tens, it is the third highest grossing trading card game of all time, only behind the prestigious Magic the Gathering and Yu-Gi-Oh.

Now that it is available on PC for free, it has become easier than ever to access and play Pokemon cards. You can play with people around the world without paying a cent. Getting into a new card game isn’t always a walk in the park, so here at Viridian Forest we decided to make a list of tips to help beginners.

1. Learn the basics: Everyone starts somewhere. The Pokemon TCG Online offers tutorials to help players learn. For those playing with paper cards, be sure to find an official copy of the rules in stores or online. YouTube is also a great resource for learning.

2. Start with a theme deck: Both the paper and online versions offer complete decks following a specific theme. These decks can be used as they are without edits to learn the game, and also give players cards they can use in other decks later.

3. Start with standard format: Pokemon TCG has three formats: standard, expanded, and legacy. This is mainly because of balance purposes, new cards come in and push the old cards out. Cards sets are divided into these formats. The most recent sets will be in standard, expanded includes a larger amount of recent sets, and legacy includes all cards ever released.

More information on these formats can be found on Pokemon’s official site. By starting with standard format you will only have to learn the most recent cards, once you are comfortable with that feel free to branch out further!

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – AUGUST 19: A contestant looks at cards as he competes during the 2016 Pokemon World Championships on August 19, 2016 in San Francisco, California. Over 1,600 contestants from more than 30 countries are competing in tournaments of the Pokemon video game, Pokken and Trading Card Game events during the 2016 Pokemon World Championships. $500,000 in scholarships and prizes will be awarded to winners. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

4. Building a deck: Once you’re comfortable with the basics, it’s time to build a deck. This is probably one of the most fun and challenging things to do in any trading card game. Don’t rush into buying packs or specific cards before doing the research on what kind of deck you want to build.

Be sure to make full use of the internet and forums to find which cards will give you the most value. There are also plenty of strong decks built by other players out there that you can copy if you don’t want to do the thinking on your own. Many of these decks have been made and used by some of the best players in the world. The internet is your best friend here.

5. Learn how to trade: Trading can be done both in person and online. If you have a card that you don’t need for your deck, it is important to see what kind of value you can get out of the card. Generally, rarer cards have more value, but this is not always true! There are plenty of resources on the internet to help find the value of cards both paper and digital.

Finally, don’t be afraid to ask for help. Learning a new game is fun and exciting, but it can always be overwhelming. There are many great resources and tips for the game on the internet, as well as many communities dedicated to the game that are always to grow and welcome new members.