Building a Pokémon Trading Card Game deck from scratch for the first time can seem daunting. Players must sort through Pokémon, Trainer and Energy cards to compile a functioning 60-card deck that takes into account a deeper meta-game and various gameplay mechanics. However, it's far from an impossible task, and it all starts with gaining a firm grasp on the basics.

It's important for players to start thinking about the strategy that goes into building a Pokémon TCG deck. Newcomers may find it helpful to start by modeling decks in the style of official theme decks, using Build & Battle boxes or finding card lists for pre-built decks online. For those ready to jump right in and build their own without an aid, the Pokémon Company has gallery images of its most recent TCG sets to help players discover new cards and devise deck lists.

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Step One: Choose Your Main Pokémon

Pokémon TCG cards setup on game mat.

The Pokémon players choose to feature will determine how they shape the rest of the deck. Start by choosing one Pokémon that will act as the deck's main player. The rest of the cards -- including other Pokémon -- should support this Pokémon in some fashion.

For example, say a player chooses to focus on Tyranitar V from the Sword & Shield Battle Styles expansion. This Single Strike Pokémon uses both Darkness and Colorless Energy, the latter of which allows any other Energy card to count for it. Tyranitar V's most expensive Energy cost is four, which allows it to use its Single Strike Crush. One of the major considerations then is whether or not any Pokémon can support Tyranitar V so Energies can be added more quickly and efficiently.

Step Two: Choose Your Supporting Pokémon

Pokémon TCG Battle Styles Houndoom card details.

From there, players will need to pick more Pokémon that fit their chosen strategy. For example, one card that's currently popular is Single Strike Houndoom, a Stage One Pokémon that is also from Battle Styles. This card's Single Strike Roar ability allows players to search their deck for one Single Strike Energy card and attach it to a Single Strike Pokémon. Abilities can be used from Active or Benched Pokémon as noted on the card. In a hypothetical Tyranitar V deck, Houndoom could play an important support role because it helps find Energy cards that can be placed using an ability.

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Players should note that there is no set limit to how many Pokémon, Trainer or Energy cards can be included in a deck, only that the total number of cards cannot exceed 60. Therefore, some decks may only have a handful of Pokémon. It is also important to take into account which cards can be used against a given Pokémon, and as players gain more experience they can try to counter potential threats accordingly.

Step Three: Make Sure You Can Get The Cards You Need

Pokémon TCG Trainer cards.

Trainer cards are arguably the most important parts of a deck. It is not unheard of for a deck to have more Trainer cards than Pokémon or Energy combined. They are incredibly versatile, not only helping players find the cards they need, but also acting as offensive or defensive cards when necessary. Players have Item, Supporter and Stadium cards to choose from within the Trainer category. To choose Trainer cards, players should think about the Pokémon they've chosen for their deck. Consider what these Pokémon need to be successful and how Trainer cards can protect these Pokémon or attack an opponent.

Continuing with the example from above, if players need to rely on Single Strike Energy for their deck to work, the Urn of Vitality from Battle Styles allows players to retrieve Single Strike Energy from their discard pile. That way, players can keep recycling Single Strike Energy cards as necessary. Houndoom can then use its ability to search the newly-replenished deck for those Single Strike Energy cards.

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Step Four: Keep Your Eye On The Prize(s)

Who's that Pokemon with Pokemon Card

Players may be surprised to realize they don't need to include many Energy cards in their deck as a default. However, it's better not to reduce Energy amounts too much in a beginner deck, as they are necessary for play. It may be best to focus on mastering one specific mechanic, such as the Energy retrieval outlined above, before truly honing the scope of a deck.

Furthermore, players need to keep in mind that six of their cards will initially be kept face-down as Prizes. While constructing any deck, players need to account for the possibility that certain cards may be unavailable. As such, beginner decks shouldn't try to be too complicated and should include enough duplicates.

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Bookkeeping: Finding And Organizing Your Cards

A player holds a hand of Pokémon cards

The main hurdle to deck-building is acquiring the cards themselves. Buying and opening packs is fun, but players should know that pull rates on good competitive cards are low. Those looking to build decks are better off buying the specific cards that are needed.

Players should also establish a method of organizing their cards, whether by set, type or any other categorization. Once players get a hang of building decks, they can even start building partial decks that can be swapped with cards in the main deck. This way, players can form two similar functioning decks without needing to actually have two separate decks, thus cutting down on the cost of deck-building.

At the end of the day, the Pokémon TCG is a game of strategy. When building or adjusting a deck, players should always ask themselves why a card is being included and if it's actually necessary or not. Additionally, if players want to take their deck to an official event, they'll need to verify which cards are legal as part of the active rotation and which are banned.

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