When you first start out playing Pokemon the best thing to do is to purchase a Theme or Starter Deck. The best way to pick a Theme Deck is to buy the one that has your childs favorite Pokmon.
If, like many new players, you start out with a “Starter” or “Theme” deck (two different terms that describe exactly the same thing) you will notice that Pokemon has included several different kids of cards, these are:
Pokémon - short for “Pocket Monster”. These are the often cute and sometimes scary creatures that you "train" to carry out your objectives. Theme decks come with a wide variety of Pokemon, often in several types. You will have 4 of each basic, usually a couple of Stage 1 Pokemon and (if your Pokemon has a stage 2 evolution) 1 stage 2 evolution will be included in the set.
I guess they are pocket monsters because you carry them in “Poke Balls” that you carry around in your pocket. (This seems a bit hard to believe because some of these creatures weigh hundreds of pounds and can be 6 feet tall but it’s best to just not think about the physics of it, we are talking about a card game after all.) When the video game first came out it was called “Pocket Monsters” (in Japan) after it caught on the name was shortened to Pokémon and the rest is history.
Energy Cards – these are the price your Pokémon pays for the privilege of attacking the Pokémon of your opponent. Starter decks have lots of energy cards in them.
Trainers – They say Trainer in the top left corner of the card. They do really great things for a deck. Most have some element of chance involved for example a coin flip.
A good tip to remember, when it comes to trainers is to think of them as instructions that you give your Pokemon. You may give your Pokemon multiple instructions per turn. Some examples of trainers are: "switch", "energy pick-up" or "search".
There often is an element of random chance with trainers because some require a coin flip, or only allow you to look at a limited number of cards, like the top 2 or the bottom seven cards in your deck.
Supporter – You will know these by the title Supporter on the top left corner of the card. They are usually named after a character in the video game. Don't worry if you are not familiar with the video game, a name is a name is a name.
Think of a supporter as the one person you can ask for help during your turn. That is an easy way for you and your child to remember to play a supporter. A very important thing to remember about supporters, which is probably why you only get to play one per turn is that there is no "random chance" involved. You are more likely to get exactly what you want with a supporter, as long as the card you want is in your deck.
Stadium cards – They affect game play for both players no matter who put the card into play. Think of Stadiums as the place you are playing. It can either be friendly to you or very inhospitable.
These are the cards that a person needs to play a game.
I personally encourage new players to use starter decks. Once you have the basics of a deck it is easier to modify it and improve it. It is much easier than starting from zero.
Miscellaneous and Sundry Items:
When you play a game of Pokémon you also need a few additional items. Luckily they are included in a Theme deck and these are:
Damage Counters
Status Indicators
Coin
Most experienced players buy a set of dice to use as damage counters and to flip instead of a coin. Some Pokémon attacks as well as trainer cards require a coin flip and it is easy to substitute a roll of the dice. Evens are heads and odds are tails. They are also easier to deal with than damage counters. When you have 100 damage points on a Pokémon it is easier to use 2 dice than it is to use 10 individual pieces of cardboard.
A Pokémon starter deck also comes with a play mat so you lay out your cards correctly, and an instruction book which will guide you through basic game play. The go-pokemon web site also has the rule book online so you can see it there.
The first rule of playing Pokémon is READ THE CARDS! Read your cards, read your opponents cards. Read the card-dex on the Pokémon website. It is the best way to become a really good player. Make sure your kids read the cards too. I don't know how many times I have said this as a Professor.
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