‘Pokemon TCG Player’s Strategy Guide’ Now Available!

As reported back in April, a Pokemon TCG Strategy Guide would be released on May 20th featuring card images and strategies for every card in Platinum and Rising Rivals. The book is now available at stores like Target and comes inside a package with a holographic Toxicroak G promo card (DP41). Click the thumbnails below for larger images of the front and back packaging. Thanks go to Skitty for providing the scans and information!

The book’s content consists of the following: A Platinum and Rising Rivals checklist, a guide on the anatomy of a Pokemon card (describing its different aspects), images and strategies for each card in each set (the majority of the book’s content), guides on how to improve the two sets’ theme decks, ads for the sets, a rules section that is a condensed version of the rulebook (it begins with telling you to shake your opponent’s hand, showing a picture of how to do it), and a sub-par Team Galactic deck list.

The player’s book is obviously intended for brand new players. Most of the strategies are extremely general and do not provide much useful information. They mainly state what is already on the card or what is obvious. Luxray GL LV.X’s strategy is below as an example. This is as good as they get.

It’s always a charge when you get to make decisions about your opponent’s Pokemon. Pick your moment, play your Luxray GL LV.X and its Bright Look Poke-Power, and you get to bounce the Defending Pokemon off to the Bench and replace it with your choice of the opponent’s Benched Pokemon. This can be a great play because even though its Flash Impact attack is more low impact, Luxray GL LV.X has no Retreat Cost, so make your play, make your pick, and bring a heavy hitter off your Bench to bat cleanup!