Activities: Frequently Asked Questions
Where do I find the latest and upcoming activities?
The latest activities are posted to the PokéBeach Activities Program section.
How do I join an activity?
Each activity’s news story will explain how to sign-up and participate. You usually just reply to the news story to throw your name into the hat, then just keep up with the activity from there. However, you must be a PokéBeach member to play in any activity. Click the “Log in or register to participate” button on the top of this page to make a PokéBeach account. With a PokéBeach account can also participate on our forums as well as other areas of the site!
Where can I see the badges, medals and trophies members have won?
You can see which merits a member has won by looking under their avatar or visiting their profile page.
I would like to join the Activities staff. Where can I apply?
All PokéBeach departments always have open sign-ups. Check out our Staff Applications page if you’re interested in applying to run any Activities.
Do you ever host special events or activities?
Depending on what is happening in the Pokémon world, we may schedule special events or alter existing ones.
I have suggestions for the Activities program. Where can I share them?
If you have any ideas, suggestions, or feedback for Activities, you may contact an Activities staff member. If you have feedback for a specific activity, you may also post a comment in that activity’s news story.
Can I play in multiple PokeBeach tournaments at the same time?
If you can handle doing so, then yes.
I am a Premium Member and want to participate in an activity. Do I need to be a Premium Member through the entirety of the activity to receive Premium Member prize support?
Yes, you need to be a Premium Member at the time of registration through the end of an activity. If you are no longer a Premium Member at the end of an activity, you will receive the Regular Member prize support.
Why am I being asked for my Username when registering for Pokemon Trading Card Game Online tournaments, should you rather be asking for my Screen Name?
We do mean your Screen Name. Asking for a Username has become so much part of the online vernacular that it has become asked in habit.
Does Pokemon Trading Card Game Online have the ability to print out my deck list in text?
Yes. A deck list can be obtained in-game by going to the Deck Manager, clicking on the Wrench icon to the right of the deck box to edit the deck and then clicking on the Export Deck icon at the top-right side of the window. You can then paste the deck list into a text file.
Can I submit a picture file or screenshot of my deck or team as my deck or team list?
No, because we would not be able to see what sets your cards are from or the details of your team.
How will I know if my registration has been accepted and my deck or team list has been approved?
You will find your name in the Tournament Brackets at the start of the tournament.
I wish to resubmit my deck or team list, can I and how?
You may resubmit your deck or team list via the same method that you had used before. Once you have resubmitted your deck or team list, inform the Tournament Organizer so they can delete your previous submission to avoid any confusion.
I submitted my deck or team list after the deadline, what happens now?
You will either be issued a match loss or receive no credit for the round for not turning in your deck or team list by the deadline. Even if you had played your opponent and won, you would still receive a loss. If you do not turn in your deck or team list by the end of the second deadline, you will be disqualified.
I completed the activity registration, however I was grouped among those who did not complete previous tasks in the participants list. What task did I not complete?
If you are a new player, there is no way you could have completed the previous tasks. These tasks are typically involvement in previous activities or meeting a forum post/comment quota within a given time period.
I do not know what time zone that I live in?
Check out the World Clock. For example, California’s time zone is “Pacific (GMT/UTC-8).” Keep in mind that when we are creating activity listings, PokeBeach does not display Daylights Saving Time since it will create confusion when most of the world no longer utilizes it. Thus, the Pacific Time Zone will always be displayed as GMT/UTC-8. However, if you are in Daylights Saving Time, you need to make sure that you are aware of any time differences.
In which time zone is PokeBeach located?
PokeBeach is based in the United States Eastern Time Zone. Since PokeBeach tries its best to prevent confusion over Daylights Saving Time, PokeBeach will always exist in whatever is the current United States Eastern Time Zone. No matter if it is the United States Eastern Daylight Savings Time (EDT) or Standard Time (EST), the time zone will be defined as ET.
Why am I not being matched up with people in my time zone?
Once the tournament starts, Challonge will not allow us to change the seeding. The best we can do is attempt to match players to those in or near their time zones prior to the first round. Afterwards, pairings become entirely based on player records. If a player is based in a North America (N.A.) Time Zone and their opponent is not, the N.A. player gets priority for scheduling the match. If the non-U.S. player cannot meet a schedule based on the N.A. Time Zones, they should not have joined the tournament.
I am a Participant in a tournament, but my name does not seem to have been listed in the Tournament Bracket for the round.
Assuming that you are not in the Waiting List, you have been awarded a bye. Thus, you would not be listed in the Tournament Bracket for the round. You can confirm that you have indeed received a bye via checking your win/loss record. A bye is a free win without being awarded tie-breaker points.
I am on the Waiting List for a tournament, how will I know if I have been added to the Tournament Bracket?
You will be contacted and possibly also asked to submit additional information.
P.S. If you remained in the Waiting List for a tournament, you may have a better chance of partaking in another tournament. Depending upon the whim of the Tournament Staff, those who were on a Waiting List during a previous tournament that never got to play may be given advanced notice to register for another tournament.
My opponent has either not responded within the 48 hour initial contact window or within the additional 24 hour coordinate to play window. What do I do now?
Add the Tournament Organizer to the conversation so they can drop your opponent from the tournament.
My opponent broke a rule by altering their deck/team or being tardy to our match. Can I give them a second chance?
If you decide to play the match rather than file a complaint, you must then accept the outcome of the match.
What happens if a bug affects the game?
It depends upon if the bug was game breaking. If so, both players can agree to restart the game. If it is more complicated that that, then it will need to be discussed further with the Head Judge.
If I disconnect during a match due to internet connection issues and do not resume contact within 15 minutes, does that count as forfeiting?
It does, unless your opponent agrees to not count that game. Otherwise, the Head Judge will need to be involved in the discussion.
Are the Tournament Brackets displayed final or temporary?
During registration, they are temporary. They will be shuffled prior to beginning the tournament unless we delay registration into round one. Afterwards, the Tournament Brackets will be final.
When is the latest point that I can become a Premium Member so that I may be eligible for a tournament’s Premium Membership prizes?
Before the closure of registration. If you had registered and indicated non-Premium Member status, update your registration and inform the Tournament Organizer.
What is a Skill-Based Win and how will they be awarded?
After the tournament has been completed, each Premium Member will have their deck list sent anonymously to a panel of Premium Article Writers who are well-versed in TCG strategy. The Premium Article Writers will evaluate each deck to issue Skill-Based Wins, ranking them accordingly based upon the player’s tournament results and how unusual the deck is to the meta-game.
I know that my Pokemon Trading Card Game Online deck does not contain any basic Pokemon that evolve into a stage one Pokemon that is in my deck, because it is part of a strategy. Why are you informing me about it?
Because some people copy decks from the Internet without understanding that the stage one Pokemon is not being utilized in a traditional manner.
What Pokemon Trading Card Game cards are legal in the Pokemon Trading Card Game Online Standard Format?
We are following the Pokemon Trading Card Game Standard Format for Pokemon Trading Card Game Online tournaments, not the Pokemon Trading Card Game Online Standard Format. For more details, read the “Play! Pokemon TCG Rules and Formats” document: http://www.pokemon.com/us/play-pokemon/about/tournaments-rules-and-resources/
When will a certain set be legal for a Pokemon Trading Card Game Online Standard Format tournament?
Three Friday’s after the set’s release date. The release date is also known as a set’s street date.
If a specific card becomes legal after the start of registration, but before the deadline to submit the deck list, can I have it in my deck?
No, it must be legal before the start of the event.
May I use previously printed versions of cards legal in the current format?
Yes, but be mindful of the changes in errata.
Will specific booster packs be given to the Pokemon Trading Card Game Online tournament winners?
That is up to the sponsor and it is most likely based upon their available inventory.
How do I connect to a specific person for an online battle in Pokken Tournament?
As with the 3DS, the Wii U requires that players exchange a Nintendo Network Identification. Players are also encouraged to utilize and share a VS Code with their opponent while conducting a friend battle. This is to ensure that other friends do not connect. There are only 10 seconds per try to initiate a connection, so players should coordinate accordingly.
Is the recording or streaming of a match permitted?
Only if permission is granted by both players. Those who violate this rule may be penalized via disqualification and/or ban. You may post an embed code or link to your match’s video in the thread for that activity.
I see that a sanctioned Tournament Organizer with The Pokemon Company International (TPCi) is running the tournament. Is the tournament sanctioned by TPCi?
If the tournament is sanctioned, Pokemon Organized Play Identification Numbers would have been asked of players at the time of registration.
I feel like I am being SPAMmed by tournament thread comment and Private Message alerts. How do I prevent myself from receiving the alerts?
Near the top-right of the website is a drop down named “Alerts”. Click “Alert Preferences” and change your settings as you deem necessary. Keep in mind that disabling the alerts will disable your ability to be informed about tournament updates. As a result, you may miss important contacts and deadlines.
I am viewing the website and/or Challonge with my usual browser and the information seems jumbled or missing, what do I do?
Check to see if your browser needs to be updated. If that does not work, try another browser such as Chrome, Edge, FireFox or Safari. If Chrome or FireFox still does not display information properly, try Edge.