Slowking from Neo Genesis released to the west in December of 2000. In Japan, this card was not much of an issue. However, Wizards of the Coast failed to translate one key point on the card: that its Pokémon-Power only worked if it was in the Active Spot. Due to this translation error, the card […]
Category: Articles
Format Staples – Part 8: Colorless Pokémon
This week, we’re looking at some colorless Pokémon that work well in many decks (but, as you’ll read below, not necessarily ALL decks). Anyway, here’s this week’s list: Blaine10/10 Every deck needs this baby. It provides free retreat and the “baby” effect, but most importantly it shuts off Pokémon-Powers on your opponent’s bench—the most notorious […]
Format Staples – Part 7: Trainer Supporter Cards Cont’d
This week, we’re looking at the rest of the Trainer Supporter cards list we started in the last article. These are all from Sun & Moon and Sword & Shield sets. Anyway, here’s this week’s list: Blaine10/10 Non-conditional “gust” effects are mandatory. This is a Supporter, so it is harder to play than Gust of […]
Format Staples – Part 6: Trainer Supporter Cards
This week, we’re looking at more Supporter Cards, but unlike the “Supporter-Supporter” cards from the previous article, these supporter cards DO have the Trainer super-type. This article would be quite a bit longer than the last few if we didn’t find some arbitrary way to split it into multiple articles, so cards before Sun & […]
Format Staples – Part 5: Supporter Cards – DP & HGSS eras
This week, we’re looking at Supporter Cards, specifically “Supporter-Supporter” cards. That is to say, supporter cards which lack the Trainer super-type. In Partner Battles, all cards are played using only the text printed on the cards, so these cards are not considered Trainer cards for any game effects. That means that Skyla can’t search them […]
Format Staples – Part 4: Trainer Cards – A Few We Missed Along The Way
Our staples lists are always getting modified as new cards come out, and as we realize that some older cards are better than we initially thought. Here’s a collection of Trainer Cards we should have included in the previous blog posts, but for one reason or another, we missed. Also, welcome Jose, who was not […]
Format Staples – Part 3: Trainer Cards – Ruby & Sapphire through Call of Legends
Introduction This list is a bit shorter than the last few, but all of these cards are solid additions to any deck. Anyway, here’s the list: Blaine8/10 Great Ball (like Nest Ball) is great for getting an early Pokemon onto your bench and avoid being “donked”. It can be cut in decks where you want […]
Format Staples – Part 2: Trainer Cards – Base Set through Skyridge
In today’s article, we’re looking at Trainer cards from Base Set through Skyridge. Anyway, here’s the list: Blaine8/10 Very good card. A lot of cards, like Item Finder or Computer Search, require two discards, and this card increases hand size without being a Supporter. It is commonly cut from my lists if I need more […]
Format Staples – Part 1: Trainer Cards – Black & White Onward – Item Cards
Hello Pokémon Players! We’re starting a new series on the blog where the Partner Battles Rules Team* will opine on the cards we see as format staples (although, we don’t always agree). Today, we’re taking a look at Trainer-Item cards. Item cards were introduced in Black and White base set, so most players will already […]
Milestone Release: Rules Version 3.00
Pokémon Partner Battles Rules version 3.00 brings a major change to the way we play the game (and a few minor ones too)! Pull up a chair, and I’ll tell you all about what was changed, and why. The first, and biggest, change I want to tell you about is that Partners are now played […]