What is the difference between basic and special energy cards?

[LuckyLuigi7]

Can someone tell me why there are some energy cards called basic and their are some called special energy cards? I think the special energy cards are the ones like rainbow energy or double colorless, but does that mean you have to use a basic energy first like a fire, water, grass, etc. to be able to use a special energy on that Pokemon? Please answer both of these questions for me so I can be able to battle TCG correctly.

 

[Blaine]

Can someone tell me why there are some energy cards called basic and their are some called special energy cards?

The basic energies only provide 1 energy of it own type and colorless, and the special energies has some effect, like Rainbow energies, that provides all type of energies in one or Call energy, that skip your turn but you can play two basic pokemons (it also provides 1 colorless energy).

I think the special energy cards are the ones like rainbow energy or double colorless, but does that mean you have to use a basic energy first like a fire, water, grass, etc. to be able to use a special energy on that Pokemon?

No, you can attach Special energies or Basic energies. Special energies follow the rule of 1 energy attachment per turn so you can attach 1 basic energy or 1 special energy per turn.

 

[Lou Cypher]

Basic Energy = The energy that have no text at all on them.
Special Energy = The rest. You can only have 4 of them in your deck, 4 of each. So you can have like 4 Rainbow Energy, 4 Call Energy etcetera.

 

[LuckyLuigi7]

Thanks to the both of you! Now I can battle without misunderstanding some of the rules!