14.3. Team Battle
The Team Battle format allows two players to participate on a team, each player having one Active Pokémon. This game is played exactly like a regular game of Pokémon except for a few rule changes.
Setup:
- Players sit on opposite sides of the table with the teams positioned diagonally to each other, so each player is facing a member of the opposing team.
- One member of each team participates in a coin flip to determine which team goes first. The winning team then chooses which of its players will go first. The turn sequence starts with the chosen player and then proceeds clockwise around the table, the turn order alternating between teams.
- Each player draws seven cards. Each player places one Active Pokémon and up to four Benched Pokémon. Players then place half as many Prize cards as they would for a single-player game, based on the format styles outlined in Section 11.
- Any player who cannot place an Active Pokémon reveals their hand to all players and declares a mulligan. The opponent across the table from the player may draw one card for the mulligan after both players have placed their Prize cards. If both the player declaring the mulligan and the opponent across the table from that player declare a mulligan, both players shuffle and set up again without their teammates drawing any extra cards.
- The player going first for each team may not attack on their first turn.
Game Play
- Players may not reveal their hands to their teammates or to the opposing team unless a game rule requires them to do so.
- Only the player whose turn it is may initiate conversation with his or her teammate. Conversation should be limited to short “yes” or “no” questions. General strategy or moves should not be discussed.
- If an attack or action on a player’s card Knocks Out the opposing player’s Pokémon, the acting player takes the appropriate number of Prize cards. If the player does not have enough Prize cards remaining, the player’s teammate takes the remainder from their Prize cards.
- If a player’s last Pokémon is Knocked Out but the player’s teammate still has at least one Pokémon in play, the player is not eliminated from the game and may play Trainer, Supporter, and Stadium cards on their turn. If that player draws a Basic Pokémon, they must play it in the Active position on the first available opportunity. If neither player on a team has any Pokémon in play, the opposing team wins the game.
- If a player cannot draw a card at the beginning of their turn, that player is removed from the game. That player’s teammate places Prize cards from the bottom of their deck equal to the eliminated player’s remaining Prize cards.
Card References
- Cards that state “you” or “your” refer to the active player or their teammate, as designated by the player.
- Cards that state “your opponent’s Pokémon” refer to the opponent that is being attacked, if the player is attacking, or the player’s choice of opponent, if the player is not attacking.
- Cards worded for 2-on-2 Battle are applied to both players on a team. For example, cards that refer to “each Defending Pokémon” will affect both teammates’ Defending Pokémon.
- Effects and attacks that refer to “all Pokémon in play” affect all Pokémon in play for both teams.
Between Turns
- Between-turns actions are taken before and after the turn of the player that owns the affected card.
- The effects of Special Conditions are checked for before and after the affected player’s turn.
14.3.1. Constructed
Team Battle—Constructed events use the standard Constructed rules, as listed in Section 11.1, with the addition of the Team Battle format rules including the number of Prize cards used, as described in Section 14.3.
14.3.2. Limited
Team Battle—Limited events use the standard Limited rules, as listed in Section 11.2, with the exception of the number of Prize cards used, in addition to the Team Battle format rules, listed in Section 14.3. Sealed Deck, detailed in Section 11.2.1, is an appropriate format for Team Battle—Limited events, though teammates are permitted to trade cards during the deck-construction process.
