Pokemon TCG Pocket May Have Already Burned An Ace Up Its Sleeve

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As a devoted fan, I can’t contain my excitement once again! In late July, we Pokémon TCG Pocket enthusiasts were blessed with another expansion – Wisdom of Sea and Sky. This exciting new chapter takes us back to Gen 2’s Johto region, where fans of Pokémon Gold and Silver will recognize countless adorable creatures.

With August’s set hot on our heels, thanks to a recent leak, we can look forward to even more Generation 2 cards! What’s more, with Baby Pokemon recently introduced in the game as part of Johto’s expansion into the card game simulator, it feels like a dream come true for us collectors!

In mainstream Pokemon games, Baby Pokemon can appear deceptively weak, but this notion is completely turned around in the tabletop Trading Card Game (TCG) and now ‘Pokemon TCG Pocket‘. While the latter offers a more compact gameplay experience, Baby Pokemon retain their unique functionality. Unlike regular cards, these Baby Pokemon don’t require energy to execute their attacks or effects, which can significantly alter the game in various ways. Given this, it might be something DeNa should consider cautiously when designing future sets.

Following the release of Prismatic Evolutions’ Budew card in the tabletop Trading Card Game, Pichu from Pokemon TCG Pocket has been impressively incorporated into several competitive decks. Its ability to assist players in generating additional energy beyond the usual per turn is remarkably beneficial, unlike Giratina’s effect which can be self-centered. Budew and Pichu demonstrate the potential for Baby Pokémon to significantly influence gameplay, yet this power is often overshadowed due to a limited number of baby creatures, making their frequent inclusion less common than some might prefer.

Baby Pokemon in Pokemon TCG Pocket Are a See-Saw Balancing Act in the Making

Since the expansions for the “Pokemon Trading Card Game” like “Heart Gold” and “Soul Silver”, Baby Pokemon haven’t needed any energy to initiate their basic attacks and effects. However, this aspect might not be common knowledge among new players who joined via “Pokemon TCG Pocket”. It was only when Prismatic Evolutions introduced Budew, with an inherent effect that significantly slowed down the game’s usual pace, that this fact became more noticeable.

As a gamer, I’d put it this way: “When Budew uses Itchy Pollen, it hinders my opponent from playing their item cards the very next turn. In regular gameplay, this may not seem like a big deal, but in competitive decks where the goal is to quickly assemble specific cards for combos, Budew essentially forces us all to take a breather and appreciate the flowers instead. It’s frustrating to encounter this card, but luckily, it won’t last forever due to Play! Pokemon’s rotation rules for standard competitive play. Budew is almost like a warning of what Baby Pokemon in TCG Pocket might be like without rotational rules.

Pokemon TCG Pocket’s Collecting Mechanics Go Against the Concept of Rotations

Upon its initial launch, what really stood out about Pokemon TCG Pocket was its focus on collecting instead of battling. Although a ranked battle feature was later added, these battles aren’t the main focus of the app. This unique setup has resulted in an intriguing gaming ecosystem where certain decks gain prominence and decline with cards that influence their composition within booster packs. In essence, when a powerful card makes its way into the game, it tends to dominate top-tier lists and ranked matches for quite some time. Giratina is an excellent illustration of this phenomenon, as it once held a prominent position among Psychic-type cards, but has since been dethroned due to the impact of the latest two sets.

In future expansions, we might see a Budew threat emerging in the Pokemon TCG Pocket game, but finding ways to eliminate it could be challenging due to the lack of rotation system. Introducing a new Baby Pokemon goes against the fundamental principles of the TCG Pocket game, and the same argument could be made for a potential future ban list. However, since there are only 19 Baby Pokemon across all series, and the focus is currently on incorporating other regions, the introduction of new Baby Pokemon cards may not be an immediate concern. Considering the impact rotations and ban lists might have on TCG Pocket, rather than helping it, the baby Pokemon will undoubtedly require more careful planning when designing their cards compared to others.

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2025-08-22 20:50