The Best Ways to Start Collecting Pokémon TCG Cards

So you’ve decided you want to play the Pokémon TCG but can’t decide where to start? Well today we are going to take a look at everything you need to get started with playing the game and how to start a Pokémon card collection. You can play with just a 60 card deck but there are a lot more things around it that will help to improve your game and, most importantly, maximise your fun!

We will also look at products which can help you get the cards you need and the best ways to keep them all safe.

You will need to decide which format to play, whether that is Standard, Expanded or one of the less common ones, such as Gym Leader Challenge. Standard format is the largest and most well known and it is what is played at regional and international tournaments as well as Pokémon leagues and cups. Standard format is a great place to start as the card pool is far more limited and it will allow you to get to grips with the game a lot quicker than the minefield of expanded.

The Essentials

To play the game you need a 60 card deck and a handful of dice. That really is all you need. The dice are widely accepted as being used for determining coin flips, with evens being heads and odds being tails when rolled.

Choosing the cards for your deck is the next hurdle. In fact, even deciding what deck to play can be tricky, perhaps you want to base it around your favourite Pokémon or you have a specific goal in mind of how you want the deck to work. My first standard deck was built completely around Gengar as that is my favourite and it was surprisingly effective! There are lots of videos on Youtube and guides across the internet which tell you about the fundamentals of deck building and the best cards to help a deck function effectively.

A great place to start though is by buying a theme deck or one of the newer battle decks. These are premade and come with a ready to play deck straight from the box. The battle decks even come in a two player version so you and a friend can be playing Pokémon together in no time.

Most theme decks contain a 60 card deck, a coin, damage counters, a paper playmat and a rule book, which is really helpful for newer players. Theme decks and battle decks are also a great way of teaching younger Pokémon trainers who are just picking up the game. The decks are generally quite straightforward and are a lot of fun to play.

The Pokémon Battle Academy Box is another great place to start. This contains 3 different decks, as well as a game board, rules, tutorials for each deck, damage counters, coins and everything else you need to begin right away. These are also great value for money and are the perfect way of getting a taste for the game without a massive commitment.

The Trainers Toolkit is a really handy box that contains loads of useful things that you will need for your deck, including a whole heap of trainer cards and energy cards, sleeves, rulebooks, dice and markers. It’s a great compliment to the theme decks and can really help take your decks to the next level.

Another great way to get cards is from booster packs and booster boxes and these are a great way of getting a lot of cards quickly. You might not always get the cards you need though as it is totally random. If you want to pick up certain cards it is always cost effective to just buy the singles or to get collection boxes with certain promo cards in. This way you can guarantee that you get the right cards for your deck and is best for people on a budget.

Accessories to Personalise Your Gameplay

Like everything, accessories are a big part of the game and help to tailor your gaming experience to you. It is always a good idea to put your cards into card sleeves. This is important for protecting them when you are shuffling and checking through your deck but also for competitive play, to ensure that all the card backs are identical when you are playing, ie, none are marked and easy to distinguish!

There are a whole raft of sleeves to choose from, including plain coloured sleeves right up to intricate designs of your favourite characters and even custom made sleeves for extra personalisation.

After you’ve chosen some sleeves you will need to decide on a deck box to carry your deck around and make sure no cards get lost or damaged. These come in all sizes and designs, including single deck boxes, double deck boxes and some carry cases which can hold a dozen or more. Many of these cases also come with a dice tray built in to hold your dice and markers, which is a really handy feature.

You will need some six sided dice, which are used for coin flips and often as damage counters on your Pokémon , and also some markers, including burn and poison markers, for the full experience. There are loads of different ones available and some products even contain them, such as Elite Trainer Boxes. While we are on the subject, Elite Trainer Boxes are a great way of getting lots of the bits you need. They contain a bunch of energy cards, which are always handy for deck building, sleeves, dice and markers and you can even use the boxes themselves as a handy deck box.

Keeping Your Pokémon Cards Safe

It is important to keep your cards safe when you aren’t using them. You can keep your sleeved decks in your deck box, but any spares that you might have can be kept in a binder. It’s not only a great way to keep them safe but also to display them and easily find cards that you might want to swap into your decks. It is also a great way of displaying your collection.

Any valuable cards that you manage to get from packs can be put in a sleeve and then into a top loader for extra security. Top loaders are rigid plastic sleeves that stop cards from bending or getting damaged and are a must have for any collector. The next step up from a top loader is a one touch case, which is a solid plastic case with a magnet to keep it closed. These are the ultimate in protection for your most beloved cards.

Pokémon is an extremely fun and rewarding hobby and no matter how you decide to start collecting Pokémon cards and playing the game, I guarantee you will enjoy it. Get some friends together, grab some cards and start playing and you will be a Pokémon master in no time!