• When creating a thread in the Deck Garage, make sure that you post one deck per thread, you use the correct prefix, you have the set name/card number next to each card, you give a strategy for non-metagame decks, and give translations for all cards not available in English.

    When posting in a thread, be sure to explain all your suggestions thoroughly. Additionally, do not ask for advice in another member's thread.

Standard Teaching Beginners

ChariotsOfThyer

ChariotsOfThyer

Aspiring Trainer
Member
So this isn't your usual deck thread but I am constructing some basic 30 card decks to teach new younger players the basics of the game before building it up. I am basing it around the 3 Sun and Moon starters for the Mons and was just wandering what you guys thought about it? I've tried to avoid too much shuffling/discarding but maybe gone a little over the top on drawing cards. However that being said it could teach them about learning to manage how many cards they have left to avoid being decked.

Pokemon 9

4x Fire/Water/Grass Starter Basic
3x Fire/Water/Grass Starter Stage 1
2x Fire/Water/Grass Starter Stage 3

Items 10

Professor's Letter x3
Potion x2
Big Malasada x1
Switch x2
Nest Ball x1
Energy Retrieval x1

Supporters 5

Tierno x3
Professor Kukui x1
Team Skull Grunt x1

Energy 6

Fire/Water/Grass x6
 
Are you going to play with weaknesses? It might feel a bit bad if one deck is always inferior to another.
 
I was thinking about that but if I am going to play against them then I will ensure I pick the weakness to play with. Alternatively I could look at another type to use so that there are no weaknesses in play or even just have two of exactly the same decks against each other so then it comes down to the draw and strategy used.
 
Honestly, just pick up the new Raichu vs Lycanrox Trainer Kit. $10 for 2 (pretty poor) pre-made decks with cards easy for beginners to deal with and a set of instructions that can walk new players through the steps of the game.
 
How young are your younger players? It might be better to just pick up three theme decks, that way they are still using full 60 card decks and the theme decks mix types so weakness isn't as important, but does still come into play. I wouldn't recommend a 30 card deck, unless you are also modifying prize card counts as 6 out of 30 will hurt the deck a lot more than 6 out of 60, especially when the supporter line is relatively poor.

Also, don't forget you can mix Tierno and Hau even though they have the same effect, so you could have 8 of them. That plus increasing the counts of some things to a full 4 might help boost the count to 60. That said, I don't think adding in a Shauna or even Professor Birch would add too much complication, unless the kids are too young to shuffle comfortably, which I have seen before so I understand building around that. (Even though some more search like Evosoda, Ultra/Level/Nest Ball, and Wally make Stage 2 decks soooooo much better!)

Something I might change is dropping Potion for Pokémon Center Lady. She's a ton better even though she's a supporter because of curing status conditions and more healing. Plus, you could run a few Pokemon that inflict status conditions to help teach those. If you really want to use a non-supporter I would build a fairy deck and use Fairy Drop. This also has the benefit of breaking the weakness circle.
 
From my experience in teaching young kid the game, I initially started with simple "decks" (draw for turn, attach energy, play a Trainer, attack... repeat) comprised primarily of basic, non-competitive Pokémon. I do/have done this in order help the kids get a solid understanding of the fundamental mechanics of the game. I've found this approach reduces frustration of not getting the "right card at the right time" needed... This also, hopefully, encourages them to want to play different, more powerful decks and Pokémon as time goes on. As a result, in many cases, the kids math, reading, and problem solving capabilities increase too. This approach and particular skills will help better prepare them for running more complex decks (e.g., Stage 1/2 and/or "combo" decks).

In the initial decks, I recommend using simple Trainers like:
  • Brock's Grit / Sacred Ash / Super Rod
  • Energy Retrieval
  • Hau
  • Level Ball
  • Potion
  • N
  • Professor Sycamore
  • Professor's Letter
  • Repeat Ball
  • Shauna
  • Switch
  • Ultra Ball
Along with simple Pokémon and just Basic energy to start.

Should you need some cards to help your training efforts, I'm happy to donate some of my extras to you. Just send me a PM. Good luck to you and remember, you may just be training a future superstar, not only in Pokémon, but also in real life.
 
ozzie347 said:
Honestly, just pick up the new Raichu vs Lycanrox Trainer Kit. $10 for 2 (pretty poor) pre-made decks with cards easy for beginners to deal with and a set of instructions that can walk new players through the steps of the game.
Click to expand...
The problem is those suck the lack of trainers and especially stadiums and TERRIBLE deck build doesn't really teach players much besides being VERY basic
 
Thanks for all the suggestions and help guys really appreciate it!

I am going to do 30 deck with 3 prize and build it up to 40 and 4 and so on increasing complexity. The kids are both 10 and I just feel that shuffling larger decks in the beginning for them may be difficult. I am making these decks out of the cards that I have spare so limited on choices hence why some of the choices of cards being used has been made.

I didn't want to order a trainer box as I didn't want to pay money for something I could essentially already have, although I could use those decks as a suggestion to the kids for buying or maybe the rayquaza/keldeo battle arena due to the staples in them.

TuxedoBlack said:
Should you need some cards to help your training efforts, I'm happy to donate some of my extras to you. Just send me a PM. Good luck to you and remember, you may just be training a future superstar, not only in Pokémon, but also in real life.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the suggestions Tuxedo I will have a look at what trainers I have and drop you a message once I have done that. Really appreciate that kind offer :)

I will try and think of another type Pokemon that can be used which is equal to the starters to avoid the weaknesses as well
 
Apologies for the double post but I have sat down and gone through my trainers and this is what I have come up with as a revised list

Supporters - 5

Hau x2
Tierno x1
Shauna x2

Items - 10

Professor's Letter x2
Switch x2
Potion x2
Energy Retrieval x2
Ultra Ball x2

I have decided to include and electric option for the kids to choose from but not completely sure on what to go with at the moment I have out:

Pikachu x3
Raichu x2
Electrike x3
Manectric x2
Tynamo x2
Electrik x2

Tempted to go with either the Pikachu or Electrike line with the Tynamo's to provide the draw support.
 
Personally I don't like the idea of teaching bad deck building (no stadiums, low/weak trainers, bottom heavy lines of Pokémon), however I do understand that these are 30 card decks, so they are designed for very basic play. As long as you have cards like Sycamore, Trainer's Mail, Rough Seas, etc. once you get to the 60 card decks I think it will be fine, even if the Pokémon in it are relatively weak. I've found that the majority of mistakes of beginner deck builders comes from what I listed above (particularly the last 2). Anyone can see which Pokémon have the best stats, but it is much harder to see why N is better than Hau, Trainer's Mail is better than Skyla, or why it is beneficial to run 4 of 1 trainer instead of 1 of 4 trainers.

As for Raichu vs Manectric, it really depends on which one you are using. Personally I would go for Generations or Evolutions Raichu (although the Generations one might be a bit on the too powerful side). The Breakthrough one is kinda bad since it has an attack that won't be used. The Manectric cards are weaker than Raichu, which might be a benefit depending on what it is going up against. Other than that the deck looks fine. I might switch the potions for rough seas or healing scarf to teach how stadiums/tools work, but I can understand saving that for later.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top