Fun Pokemon TCG Single Player: Story Mode

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QuickAttackCardGames

Aspiring Trainer
Member

Welcome​

Get ready to embark on your own adventure to earn the title of Champion. Along the way, you will Skirmish to catch Pokemon, then take on Gym Leaders to earn their Badges. Once you have 3 Badges, you can challenge the Champion for a shot at his/her title. Be sure to work towards building a dynamic team of Pokemon with varying types, skills, and abilities. The more balanced your team, the more likely you are to succeed.

Materials Needed to Play​

A single Elite Trainer Boxes contain all the materials needed to play the game but combining it with a Booster Box will help achieve a more expansive and balanced experience. If using an Elite Trainer Box as your only materials for play, you can create any additional cards you need as explained in the Game Setup section. The Card quantities are calculated for the most balanced experience but there is no limit to the amount of Cards you can have in each Deck. As your collection grows, so does the expanse of your adventure. Below is an index of materials needed to play.

  • Pokemon Cards
    • Pokemon - (Minimums)
      • Common x20
      • Uncommon x18
      • Rare x6
      • EX, GX, V x6
      • VMAX, VSTAR, Terra x 6
    • Pokeball Cards - x5 Used as support cards during battle. (See game setup)
    • Energy Cards - 40 - 45 cards(Maximum)
      • 5 Energies of each type (Minimum)
  • Dice x1
  • Damage Counters x6
  • Condition Markers
  • Game Board 5x7 (See IMG: Left)
  • Other Helpful items. These materials are not needed but can be helpful when playing the game to indicate progress or designate different Pokemon Card rarities for Deck separation.
    • Colored Sleeves for the Pokemon Deck types
      • X5 colors: for each Enemy Pokemon type Deck
      • X1 color: for Energy Deck
      • X1 color: Pokeball Card Deck
    • 3 Badges
      • You can make your own badges from anything you want. Pokemon Coins work great as a substitute. Example: Place your pokemon coins face down with the black side showing to indicated that the badge has not been obtained and then flip right side up to show that it has.

Game Setup​

  • Card Prep and Proxy Card creation
    • The Card Sleeves that come in the Elite Trainer Box are best used with Energy and Pokeball Cards.
      • 40-45 Sleeves for Energies.
      • 5 Card Sleeves for Pokeball Cards.
  • Pokeball Cards are the backside of any Pokemon Card placed in a Card Sleeve with the back of the Pokemon Card showing. (See IMG Bottom Right)
  • Create Proxy Cards for missing EX, GX, V, VMAX, VSTAR, MEGA, and TERRA Pokemon with extra Energy Cards. (See IMG: Top Right)
    • The Energy Type represents the Pokemon Type.
    • Add health, retreat cost, weakness, and resistances based on any real card. (Check your card booklet in the Elite Trainer Box)
  • Separate Pokemon into individual Decks by rarity: 5 Decks in total.
    • ● Common
    • ◆ Uncommon
    • ★ Rare
    • V, EX, GX,
    • VMAX, VSTAR, Terra
  • Separate and shuffle all Energy Cards and Pokemon Card Decks and place them in their respective Zones face down. Place the 5 Pokeball Cards Face down in the 5 backpack zones.

Game Mechanics and Rules Explained​

Below are the basic game mechanics as well as some basic rules explained in detail. Be sure to read through this section in its entirety before starting your adventure.

  • Player Turn
    • (Special Condition Check-up: All Pokemon)
    • Draw an Energy from the Energy Deck and choose one of the following.
      • Option 1: Attach it to any one of your Pokemon in play.
      • Option 2: Discard it and flip over a Pokeball Card in your backpack.
    • Retreat Pokemon you want by discarding Energies from the Pokemon equal to the energy retreat cost on card.
      • (Skirmish only) If all your Pokemon in play have Energies attached that fullfill their retreat cost, you can Run and end the Skirmish and move on to the Gym Battle.
    • You may use any number of Pokeball Cards to heal damage from a Pokemon by placing them back in the face down position when used. If you have 5 Pokeball cards at the start of your turn, you can discard the Drawn Energy at the start of your turn and use all 5 Pokeball Cards at once to revive any knocked out Player Pokemon.
      • 0 Badges - Heal 10 damage per Pokeball Card
      • 1 Badge - Heal 20 damage per Pokeball Card
      • 2 Badges - Heal 30 damage per Pokeball Card
      • 3 Badges - Heal 40 damage per Pokeball Card
    • Player Attacks (or Catches: Skirmish only)
      • If an Enemy Pokemon is knocked out, place it in the Enemy Pokemon Discard Pile, discard the Energy Pool, draw a new Pokemon and place it in the Enemy Active Zone. Continue to Enemy Turn.
      • If Enemy Pokemon is caught, see Catch rules
  • Enemy Turn
    • (Special Condition Checkup: All Pokemon)
    • Draw 1 Energy from Energy Deck and attach to Enemy Pokemon (MAX 3)
      • If the Energy is the same type as the Enemy Pokemon, apply special condition to Player Active Pokemon based on Special Condition Chart
      • If Enemy Energy Pool is full (MAX 3), discard the entire Energy Pool and draw 1 Energy and attach it to the Enemy Pokemon.
    • Enemy Active Pokemon attacks
      • ● Common: 10 damage for each energy of any type
      • ◆ Uncommon: 20 damage for each energy of any type
      • ★ Rare: 30 damage for each energy of any type
      • EX, GX, V: 40 damage for each energy of any type
      • VMAX, VSTAR, TERRA: 50 damage for each Energy of any type
    • If the Player Pokemon is knocked out, place it upside down and face up on your bench. Select a new Pokemon from your bench to put in the Player Active Zone.
      • If all your Pokemon are knocked out, move directly to the next event and start with 0 Pokeball cards. Return all knocked out Enemy Pokemon to their respective Decks
  • Catch Rules
    • Roll a die to catch based on catch rates below. If the Pokemon has less than half health points or has any Special Condition you can re-roll. If it has both you can roll a third time.
      • ● Common: even catches (50%)
      • ◆ Uncommon: 1 or 6 Catch (33%)
      • ★ Rare: 6 Catches (16%)
    • Immediately after a failed Catch attempt, you may use a Pokeball Card from your backpack by placing if face down and attempt an additional Catch Roll.
    • When you catch a Pokemon, discard any Energy Attached and add it to an empty bench slot. If your bench is full add it to a PC slot. If your PC is full, you can release a PC Pokemon by adding it back to its respective Pokemon Deck and place the newly caught Pokemon in the PC slot.
      • Pokemon added to the Bench keep their Damage Counters and Special Conditions. Those added to PC have damage and conditions removed.
  • Player Pokemon Attacking Rules
    • Use normal TCG rules. Read the list of Card Effect Changes to see updates to card effects.
    • Must have correct Energy types and quantities for attacks printed on card.
    • Apply weakness and resistance using normal TCG battle rules.
  • Enemy Pokemon Attacking Rules
    • Enemy Pokemon abilities and attacks printed on card are not used.
    • All Energy types count towards enemy damage calculation
    • Use the damage chart listed under Enemy Active Pokemon attacks to calculate damage done by Enemy Attack.
    • Weakness and Resistance are applied and calculated against the total damage being done by the Enemy Active Pokemon.
  • Enemy Special Conditions: Are activated when an Energy the same type as the Enemy Pokemon is attached during the Energy draw phase or at any other point an Energy would be attached to Enemy Active Pokemon.
Enemy Special Condition Chart​

Type | Condtion | Effect|

| Fire | Burned | At checkup, flip a coin. If tails add 20 damage. If heads remove condition|

| Grass | Poisoned | At checkup add 10 damage to poisoned Pokemon. Remains until removed by card effect or evolution.|

| Water | ‘Soaked’ | Discard last energy that was attached to Player Active Pokemon.|

| Fighting | Critical Hit | x2 total damage dealt this turn by Enemy Active Pokemon|

| Electric | Paralyzed | To attack, flip a coin. If heads attack succeeds, if tails the attack fails. Last for 1 turn. Pokemon cannot retreat while effected except with card effect.|

|Psychic | Confused | To attack, flip a coin. If heads attack succeeds, if tails the confused Pokemon takes 30 damage and confusion remains.|

| Dark | Sleep | At checkup flip a coin. If heads, the Pokemon wakes up. If tails the Pokemon remains asleep and cannot attack or retreat except with card effect.|

| Steel | ‘Hardened’ | Enemy Pokemon takes no damage next turn.|

| Fairy | ‘Healed’ | Heal half damage from Enemy Pokemon.|

| Normal | None | N/A |

| Dragon | None | N/A |

  • End of Event
    • Revive and remove all damage counters from Player Pokemon
    • Remove and shuffle all Energies back into the Energy Deck.
    • Flip all Pokeball Cards face down
    • For each Pokemon in the Enemy Discard Pile, flip a Pokeball Card face up in your backpack to start with in your next event.
    • Shuffle Enemy Discard Pile back into its respective Pokemon Deck.
  • Additional Rules
    • Energy Deck recycles when it runs out. If you go to draw an Energy Card and there are no more. Shuffle the deck and place it back face down in it’s zone.
    • When Running from a Skirmish, Knocked out Pokemon do not count towards retreat costs needed.
    • If you defeat a Pokemon that is the evolution of any of your Pokemon in play or in the PC, you can replace the player Pokemon with its evolution and return the lower evolution card back to its respective Pokemon Deck.

Card/Move Effect Changes.​

The mechanics of Single player mode are different considering you do not have a decision making opponent with things like a player hand. Inevitably there will be some moves and card effects that have no use, for example ‘Lost Zone’ references. The following card references have no effect in this format and if mentioned, the effect is null.

  • Anything referring to player or opponent’s
    • Hand
    • Deck
    • Drawing Cards
    • Opponent’s Bench
    • Lost Zone

Start Your Adventure​

Your objective is collect 8 gym badges and defeat the champion. You will begin your journey with a Skirmish where you can catch Pokemon to add to your team. Then advance to the Gym Battle where you can earn a Badge by defeating the Gym Leader. You will repeat this sequence of Events until you have obtained 3 Badges wherein you can challenge the Champion. If you defeat the Champion, you have won the game! If the Champion wins, you may try to challenge them again or Skirmish to build a better team.

How you use Energy Cards will determine your strategy. If not used to power up your Pokemon, Energy Cards can be discarded to add Pokeball Cards to your Backpack. They can add 1 additional catch throw, heal damage, or even revive a knocked out Pokemon. Pokeball Cards help to ensure you don’t get knocked out too early or miss a catch during a Skirmish.

Remember, there are +8 Energy Types so try and catch a wide variety of Pokemon types to help with Energy assignment during your turn as well as take advantage of Enemy Pokemon weakness and resistance.

Before you begin, be sure to read through the ‘Game Mechanics and Rules’ to get a full understanding.

GOOD LUCK!

Setup

  • If it is your first Battle of the entire game
    • Draw 3 Pokemon from the Common Deck and place them on your bench.
  • Switch out any Pokemon you wish from the PC. (if applicable)
  • Choose one of your Pokemon to start in the Player Active Pokemon Zone
  • Shuffle the Pokemon Decks and based on the chart below, draw a Pokemon and place it in the Enemy Active Zone face up.
    • Skirmish
      • 0 Badges: ● Common
      • 1 Badge: ◆ UnCommon
      • 2 Badges: ★ Rare
      • 3 Badges: You should be fighting the Champion, what are you doing here?
    • Gym Leader
      • 0 Badges: ◆ UnCommon
      • 1 Badge: ★ Rare
      • 2 Badges: ★★ EX, GX, V
      • Champion: ★★★ VMAX, VSTAR, TERRA

Skirmish​

Here your main goal is to catch and fill your Bench and PC with strong Pokemon or knock out weaker ones to cash them in as Pokeball Cards at the end of the event in preparation for your next Battle.

  1. Setup
  2. Player Turn
    • Special Condition Checkup
    • Energy Draw
    • Retreat or Run (Optional)
    • Pokeball Card Heal or Revive (Optional)
    • Player Pokemon Attacks or Player attempts a Catch
  3. Enemy Turn
    • Special Condition Checkup
    • Energy Draw
    • Enemy Pokemon Attacks
  4. Repeat Turns until you decide to Run or all of your Pokemon are knocked out.
    • You may repeat Skirmish if desired.
  5. End of Event

Gym Battle- (Earn Badges)​

In Gym Battles you will attempt to defeat the Gym Leader to obtain one of his/her Badges. Unfortunately you cannot catch Pokemon outside of a Skirmish, but those Pokemon will be added back to their respective Pokemon Deck after you defeat the Gym Leader, so you will have a chance to obtain them. Be sure to take advantage of weaknesses and resistances and use those Pokeball Cards in your backpack to heal up when you are in a tough spot.

  1. Setup
  2. Player Turn
  3. Enemy Turn
  4. Repeat the Turn sequence until the following conditions are met
    • You have knocked out 3 Gym Leader Pokemon
    • All your Pokemon have been knocked out.
  5. Champion Battle- Earn title of Champion
This will be your most difficult challenge yet. Attacks are high and there is little chance to gain the upper hand. Be sure to bring a balanced team and use weakness and resistance to your advantage. Without using all the tools and mechanics at your disposal, you will have a difficulty time succeeding.

  1. Setup
  2. Player Turn
  3. Enemy Turn
  4. Repeat Turns until End of Event conditions are met.
    • 3 Champion Pokemon are knocked out - YOU WIN!
    • All Player Pokemon are knocked out
      • Remove one Badge from your inventory and start again at Skirmish.
If you defeat the Champion, Congratulations! You are now the Pokemon Champion. Try changing out the Pokemon in your Pokemon Decks to overhaul your adventure by purchase varying Eras of Elite Trainer Boxes and Booster Boxes.



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I spent over a year making this in response to my desire to play, but not having anyone to play with. My goal was to imitate the adventure from the video games and bring as many aspects from them as possible to the trading card game, such as: Catching Pokemon to build your team, having a backpack with items, managing a PC, fighting gym leaders, earning gym badges, and defeating the champion.

My hope is that you all will enjoy and provide feedback on how to make it even better. Best of luck, the game can be quite challenging, especially if you don't build a good team. Can't wait to see what you guys think.
 
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