A Major Overhaul Needed for a Specific Pokemon TCG Type

When you take a look at Pokemon TCG Pocket, it’s easy to spot its roots in the original trading card game that has captured players’ imaginations for years. Whether it’s the card conventions or the beloved creatures we all recognize, Pocket feels like its digital counterpart. Interestingly, while the physical game experimented with Fairy-type cards, these were phased out as Gen 8 hit the scene, yet the Dragon-type cards remained—a unique choice for Pocket.

In the digital realm of Pokemon TCG Pocket, several elements set it apart from its physical predecessor. One distinct difference is in how players build their decks: here, you’re limited to exactly 20 cards—no more, no less. Furthermore, the absence of traditional Energy cards shakes things up considerably. Instead, Energy is randomly assigned based on the types in your deck, or player choice during deck creation. This system works fine for single-type decks, but it presents a real challenge if you’re trying to play multi-type strategies. Dragon-type Pokemon, in particular, bump into blockades due to their varied Energy needs.

Diving into the specifics, Pokemon TCG Pocket currently boasts seven Dragon-type cards—excluding the illustration rares for Dragonite and Garchomp—and they all require a mix of Energy types to unleash their attacks. For example, Dragonite’s family demands Water and Electric Energy, while others like Druddigon and Garchomp need Water combined with Fire or Fighting. Gible stands out with its ability to attack using any Energy, delivering a straightforward 20 damage with its Gnaw move.

However, responding to the randomness of Energy generation could shift the gameplay dynamics significantly. One potential improvement could be a system where the Energy produced correlates with the number of corresponding type Pokemon in the deck. For instance, a combination of three Water Pokemon and one Dragon, needing Water and Fighting Energy, might guarantee one Fighting Energy for every three Water Energy. Alternately, introducing a Trainer card inspired by Lance, the legendary Dragon trainer, could allow Dragon Pokemon to attack irrespective of the specific Energy type they have, as long as the Energy count suffices. Or perhaps, a card that lets players change the Energy type when needed.

Harnessing a mechanism for Energy manipulation would not only boost Dragon decks into the spotlight but also herald wider deckbuilding opportunities. Presently, most meta decks in Pokemon TCG Pocket benefit from a single Energy type, leaving multi-type decks on the sidelines. Games like Darkrai Ex and Magnezone showcase multi-type potential, but with the current RNG-driven Energy setup, single Energy type compositions dominate. If changes are introduced, Dragon-type decks might shine alongside the expansion of strategic diversity, inviting players to experiment with combining various Pokemon types in a single deck.