Hello everyone.
I think there's a lot of potential for alternative formats in the Pokémon TCG. I've been thinking about this format for a while, and it's still in very early stages, but I'd love some feedback or thoughts about it. This whole post is a bit of a mess, so please bear with me.
If the Damage Count results in a tie, then the normal Pokémon TCG rules immediately resume: The player who took all of their prize cards wins, and if both players took all of their prize cards, then Sudden Death is played to determine the winner. Sudden Death games played in this format do not use the New Gameplay Rule.
The other two win conditions (1: a player wins the game because their opponent has no Pokémon in play, and 2: a player wins the game because their opponent cannot draw a card at the beginning of their turn) are unchanged. They can decide the outcome of games in the same manner that they usually do. The reason for this is because otherwise, these could be easily exploited. A player could remove all of their Pokémon in play or deck themselves out to force an early and unfair Damage Count.
HP is similarly considered differently. More HP means a Pokémon can hold more damage counters, leading to a potentially disastrous Damage Count. Sure, Pidgeot ex (280 HP) might look very pretty sitting on your Bench, but then your opponent's Cramorant V snipes it for 160 damage. That's a big liability- it might be so bad that it prevents you from winning the Damage Count. Do you heal Pidgeot? Knock it out with your own attacks and trainer cards? A 150 HP Stage 2 would've been knocked out by Cramorant, sure, but your opponent would be burning through an expensive attack while adding zero new damage counters to your side of the field.
However, on that note, your opponent can still win by simply knocking out all of your Pokémon in play, so only having Pokémon with very little HP in your deck isn't the way to go. Overall you just want to be prepared for a variety of ways your opponent will inflict damage. Build a deck bulky enough to withstand repeated Put 2 damage counters on each of your opponent's Pokémon type attacks. If you include bulky Pokémon in your deck, have a plan for when your opponent starts sniping them to low health. And in the turns leading up to the Damage Count, be ready to pull off some crazy heals/self-knockouts/snipe attacks.
At least, I hope so. That's how I'm thinking games in this format will pan out.
So again, this is a very conceptual, very preliminary format, so I'm just looking for feedback and thoughts. Thank you.
I think there's a lot of potential for alternative formats in the Pokémon TCG. I've been thinking about this format for a while, and it's still in very early stages, but I'd love some feedback or thoughts about it. This whole post is a bit of a mess, so please bear with me.
Arena Tycoon Format
Deckbuilding Rules
- Decks may only contain up to two of a card with the same name, except for Basic Energy. For example, you can have 0, 1, or 2 Sunflora cards in your deck.
- Legal cards are Sword & Shield-on. To be more specific, Pokémon, Trainer, and Special Energy cards can only be used in a deck if they have a 'D', 'E', 'F', 'G', 'H', or 'I' regulation mark.
- This format has a custom preliminary ban list, which is detailed later on in the post.
New Gameplay Rule
Games are played with the most current Pokémon TCG Rules, with one exception:- When a player takes all of their prize cards, that player does not necessarily win the game. After those Prize cards have been taken and any associated effects have been resolved, if both players still have at least 1 Pokémon in play, a Damage Count is initiated. Each player counts all of the damage counters across all of their Pokémon in play. The player who has fewer total damage counters on their Pokémon wins the game.
Technical Stuff
If one player has no Pokémon left in play when the Damage Count would happen, that player loses, regardless of how many damage counters were on the other player's Pokémon.If the Damage Count results in a tie, then the normal Pokémon TCG rules immediately resume: The player who took all of their prize cards wins, and if both players took all of their prize cards, then Sudden Death is played to determine the winner. Sudden Death games played in this format do not use the New Gameplay Rule.
The other two win conditions (1: a player wins the game because their opponent has no Pokémon in play, and 2: a player wins the game because their opponent cannot draw a card at the beginning of their turn) are unchanged. They can decide the outcome of games in the same manner that they usually do. The reason for this is because otherwise, these could be easily exploited. A player could remove all of their Pokémon in play or deck themselves out to force an early and unfair Damage Count.
My Thoughts
My intent with this format is to create games that:- Are slower-paced
- Are very interactive
- Add a new, yet natural layer of strategy
- Give single-prize Pokémon an edge without outright banning V and ex Pokémon.
HP is similarly considered differently. More HP means a Pokémon can hold more damage counters, leading to a potentially disastrous Damage Count. Sure, Pidgeot ex (280 HP) might look very pretty sitting on your Bench, but then your opponent's Cramorant V snipes it for 160 damage. That's a big liability- it might be so bad that it prevents you from winning the Damage Count. Do you heal Pidgeot? Knock it out with your own attacks and trainer cards? A 150 HP Stage 2 would've been knocked out by Cramorant, sure, but your opponent would be burning through an expensive attack while adding zero new damage counters to your side of the field.
However, on that note, your opponent can still win by simply knocking out all of your Pokémon in play, so only having Pokémon with very little HP in your deck isn't the way to go. Overall you just want to be prepared for a variety of ways your opponent will inflict damage. Build a deck bulky enough to withstand repeated Put 2 damage counters on each of your opponent's Pokémon type attacks. If you include bulky Pokémon in your deck, have a plan for when your opponent starts sniping them to low health. And in the turns leading up to the Damage Count, be ready to pull off some crazy heals/self-knockouts/snipe attacks.
At least, I hope so. That's how I'm thinking games in this format will pan out.
Preliminary Ban List
This section is kind of a mess- I looked through the entire pool of legal cards, and these Pokémon stood out to me.Gengar (Sword & Shield)
Gengar completely trivializes the management of damage counters on a player's Pokémon. It lets players knock out their Pokémon on a whim, not only to remove large amounts of damage counters, but to also cause a highly advantageous Damage Count to occur early on in the game.
Tsareena V (SWSH - Fusion Strike)
Tsareena V trivializes the management of damage counters on a player's own Pokémon by efficiently discarding damaged Pokémon from play.
Pidgeot V (SWSH - Lost Origin)
Pidgeot V can soak up damage counters, then remove itself from play with little to no effort. I believe this would greatly reduce the interactivity of games.
Scoop Up Net (SWSH - Rebel Clash)
Cheren's Care (SWSH - Brilliant Stars)
Volo (SWSH - Lost Origin)
Scoop Up Cyclone (SV - Twilight Masquerade)
These cards are all banned for the same reason: they allow a player to remove their damaged Pokémon from play with little effort, effectively removing most of the interesting interactions that this format is supposed to promote.
Another card that allows players to remove their Pokémon from play is Corviknight (SWSH - Darkness Ablaze). I think Corviknight is questionable, but unlikely to be banworthy, because 1) being a Stage 2 Pokémon means the scoop up takes two turns minimum, giving the opponent a chance to react, and 2) Corviknight cannot scoop up itself, which restricts the ability to being used twice each game.
Electrode (SWSH - Vivid Voltage)
Forretress ex (SV - Paldea Evolved)
Dusclops (Shrouded Fable)
Dusknoir (Shrouded Fable)
Magneton (SV - Surging Sparks)
These cards are all banned for the same reason: They're efficient and exploitable ways to force a quick Damage Count. A player can wait until the total damage on the field is in their favor, then repeatedly use these self-knockout abilities to force the opponent to take all of their Prize cards, resulting in a Damage Count and game win. Additionally, since giving up Prize cards is less impactful in this format, the benefits of these Pokémon's abilities become absurdly powerful, especially Dusclops and Dusknoir. Lastly, these Pokémon effectively remove all damage counters from themselves when their ability is used.
Cheryl (SWSH - Battle Styles)
Shaymin VSTAR (SWSH - Brilliant Stars)
Dachsbun ex (SV - Stellar Crown)
These cards can churn out some immense boardwide heals that would be far too strong in this format. On the turn a player takes their last prize card, they can play one of these cards to ensure the Damage Count is in their favor. This can undo most, if not all of the opponent's efforts throughout the game while also denying them the chance to fairly respond.
Gengar completely trivializes the management of damage counters on a player's Pokémon. It lets players knock out their Pokémon on a whim, not only to remove large amounts of damage counters, but to also cause a highly advantageous Damage Count to occur early on in the game.
Tsareena V (SWSH - Fusion Strike)
Tsareena V trivializes the management of damage counters on a player's own Pokémon by efficiently discarding damaged Pokémon from play.
Pidgeot V (SWSH - Lost Origin)
Pidgeot V can soak up damage counters, then remove itself from play with little to no effort. I believe this would greatly reduce the interactivity of games.
Scoop Up Net (SWSH - Rebel Clash)
Cheren's Care (SWSH - Brilliant Stars)
Volo (SWSH - Lost Origin)
Scoop Up Cyclone (SV - Twilight Masquerade)
These cards are all banned for the same reason: they allow a player to remove their damaged Pokémon from play with little effort, effectively removing most of the interesting interactions that this format is supposed to promote.
Another card that allows players to remove their Pokémon from play is Corviknight (SWSH - Darkness Ablaze). I think Corviknight is questionable, but unlikely to be banworthy, because 1) being a Stage 2 Pokémon means the scoop up takes two turns minimum, giving the opponent a chance to react, and 2) Corviknight cannot scoop up itself, which restricts the ability to being used twice each game.
Electrode (SWSH - Vivid Voltage)
Forretress ex (SV - Paldea Evolved)
Dusclops (Shrouded Fable)
Dusknoir (Shrouded Fable)
Magneton (SV - Surging Sparks)
These cards are all banned for the same reason: They're efficient and exploitable ways to force a quick Damage Count. A player can wait until the total damage on the field is in their favor, then repeatedly use these self-knockout abilities to force the opponent to take all of their Prize cards, resulting in a Damage Count and game win. Additionally, since giving up Prize cards is less impactful in this format, the benefits of these Pokémon's abilities become absurdly powerful, especially Dusclops and Dusknoir. Lastly, these Pokémon effectively remove all damage counters from themselves when their ability is used.
Cheryl (SWSH - Battle Styles)
Shaymin VSTAR (SWSH - Brilliant Stars)
Dachsbun ex (SV - Stellar Crown)
These cards can churn out some immense boardwide heals that would be far too strong in this format. On the turn a player takes their last prize card, they can play one of these cards to ensure the Damage Count is in their favor. This can undo most, if not all of the opponent's efforts throughout the game while also denying them the chance to fairly respond.
Manaphy (SWSH - Brilliant Stars)
In a format where you win by damaging all of your opponent's Pokémon in play, there's no question of whether or not to include a Bench Barrier card in your deck. Manaphy would be an absolutely vital card if it is allowed in this format. But I feel like there's a possibility that Manaphy takes away more from the format than it adds. Manaphy doesn't stop your opponent from damaging your bench- Lost Mine Sableye goes through it, multiple Dragapult cards go through it, Galarian Zigzagoon and Obstagoon go through it, Celebrations Lunala goes through it, Surging Sparks Uxie goes through it, etc. I think there's a good chance that Manaphy doesn't change much about how the format is played, instead, it just arbitrarily limits players into using Pokémon that place damage counters instead of dealing direct damage. Since the purpose of damage on the bench isn't always to knock out Pokémon in this format, Manaphy seems like it might be more of a card that prevents the opponent from playing the game. Or, maybe it's the only card holding the format together.
I need to play more games and see what other people think about Manaphy. This also applies to Rabsca (SV - Temporal Forces) to a lesser extent. I think Thundurus (SV - Obsidian Flames) is fine, you can just gust around it.
Amazing Raikou (SWSH - Vivid Voltage)
Shedinja (SWSH - Vivid Voltage)
Amazing Kyogre (Shining Fates)
Kyogre (Celebrations)
Sableye (SWSH - Lost Origin)
Cresselia (SWSH - Lost Origin)
Claydol (SV - Obsidian Flames)
Kyurem (Shrouded Fable)
These are all problem Pokémon that I think would be exceptionally strong in this format, to the point where they might warrant a ban (especially Amazing Raikou, Amazing Kyogre, Kyogre, and Kyurem if Manaphy isn't around).
In a format where you win by damaging all of your opponent's Pokémon in play, there's no question of whether or not to include a Bench Barrier card in your deck. Manaphy would be an absolutely vital card if it is allowed in this format. But I feel like there's a possibility that Manaphy takes away more from the format than it adds. Manaphy doesn't stop your opponent from damaging your bench- Lost Mine Sableye goes through it, multiple Dragapult cards go through it, Galarian Zigzagoon and Obstagoon go through it, Celebrations Lunala goes through it, Surging Sparks Uxie goes through it, etc. I think there's a good chance that Manaphy doesn't change much about how the format is played, instead, it just arbitrarily limits players into using Pokémon that place damage counters instead of dealing direct damage. Since the purpose of damage on the bench isn't always to knock out Pokémon in this format, Manaphy seems like it might be more of a card that prevents the opponent from playing the game. Or, maybe it's the only card holding the format together.
I need to play more games and see what other people think about Manaphy. This also applies to Rabsca (SV - Temporal Forces) to a lesser extent. I think Thundurus (SV - Obsidian Flames) is fine, you can just gust around it.
Amazing Raikou (SWSH - Vivid Voltage)
Shedinja (SWSH - Vivid Voltage)
Amazing Kyogre (Shining Fates)
Kyogre (Celebrations)
Sableye (SWSH - Lost Origin)
Cresselia (SWSH - Lost Origin)
Claydol (SV - Obsidian Flames)
Kyurem (Shrouded Fable)
These are all problem Pokémon that I think would be exceptionally strong in this format, to the point where they might warrant a ban (especially Amazing Raikou, Amazing Kyogre, Kyogre, and Kyurem if Manaphy isn't around).
So again, this is a very conceptual, very preliminary format, so I'm just looking for feedback and thoughts. Thank you.
The Battle Arena in Emerald version is where I first got the idea for this format. Battle Arena sounds pretty generic and is already used as a name for TCG products, so I named the format after the arena's boss character, Arena Tycoon Greta.
Last edited: