Long-Time Magic Player Looking To Get Into Pokemon

[TheAnswerIs42]

Hi!
I just recently started my first year of college, and some friends here play the Pokemon TCG at a casual level. I've played Magic: the Gathering at a fairly serious level for over ten years, and I've been looking to branch out into other communities. I've been long-term fan of the Pokemon video games, but have only dabbled in the TCG in the past. Most of my current knowledge has been based off the parallels between Pokemon and Magic, but I have very little to go by in terms of resources thus far. As I am just starting out, I don't plan on investing a large budget into Pokemon quite yet. What advice could you guys offer to a player with experience in other competitive TCGs that wants to start out on a budget?

 

[Otaku]

You have good timing.

I guess it doesn't officially release for a few more days, but as of Septemer 21st you should be able to get the "Keldeo Vs Rayquaza" Battle Arena Deck. Why is this a good thing? Well for 29.99 USD you'll get two 60 card decks designed to be used against each other, each somewhere between a theme deck and an actual competitive deck. The cards included are worth more than $30.00 USD, and you'll get a decent chunk of deck staples among them. One of the cards is even exclusive to this deck, though whether Karen (the card in question) will be good, bad, or something in between is still open to debate. Most of the Pokémon in the deck are only legal for Expanded play, but the Pokémon Championship Series of tournaments (which leads to the World Championship) will have some events that use Standard and some that use Expanded, so you'll need some solid Expanded cards anyway if you want to participate in competitive play.

There are two slightly older Battle Arena Decks as well, "Xerneas Vs Yveltal" and "Mewtwo Vs Darkrai". If for some reason you can't get this newest one, each of these have most (but not all) of the same staple Trainers. As both are older, they are harder to find, and Mewtwo Vs Darkrai is definitely the better of the two.

 

[My Little Keldeo]

In addition to the Battle Arena decks that Otaku suggested, the tins are also great for new players. You get four packs plus a promo print of a Pokemon-EX. Like the Battle Arena decks, you will likely have a hard time finding older tins. However Hoopa-EX, Mewtwo-EX (Damage Change), Yveltal-EX and Rayquaza-EX are all competitive cards have recently been released as tin promos, and shouldn't be terribly hard to find. You will require other cards in order to build a competitive deck, but tins are a great starting point since you are guaranteed a Pokemon-EX, plus you get four packs. They generally retail between $17-$20 USD.

 

[SilenzZzz]

Welcome, i just recently made the switch as well (from playing mtg since ice age). i picked up a few of the Generations Elite Trainer boxes first, since other then precon decks that is about the only source for energy cards. and then just recently picked up two of the new Battle Arena Decks ... with those plus a little trading here and there i have a playable deck for sure...

make sure and read up on the abilities and such of the various pokemon ... to decide what you want to build, or just look up a list that sounds interesting and then go from there.