Help with regards to the TCG Rules

[DrunkydaMunky]

Hi there. I came from the world of Magic the Gathering where the Standard rules were pretty clear cut. My son has shown great interest in playing Pokemon and I was looking as to what the Standard rules were. I saw that Sun and Moon was listed along with other promos and and the McDonalds cards. My concern is to there are a bunch of Sun and Moon sets/boosters. So I am confused as to which set I should be using. He has some from almost every Sun and Moon set that is availiable. Can someone please help me understand which Sun and Moon set they are referring to? Thanks in advance.

[RobRatt]

ALL of the Sun & Moon sets, from the Base-set forward, are playable and tournament legal in the Standard format.

Pokemon sets run in series.  We're currently in the Sun & Moon series.  They are usually about 10 or 11 sets, before they start the next one.

Before this was XY.  Before that was Black & White.  This online game also has a few HeartGold & SoulSiver sets, which don't see much play because they're not tournament legal (either in Standard, or the much larger Expanded).

Edited January 8, 2019 by RobRatt

[DrunkydaMunky]

Thank you. That makes it pretty simple. Seems as if they make it easier on the parents financially to keep their kids playing. Magic is pretty brutal on a parents wallet. One reason why I gave it up. Every other month it was a complete financial burden and deck overhaul. This however seems more manageable for me and my son 5o do together. Again. Thanks . I appreciate the help

[RobRatt]

That's one thing that Pokémon has done right for its player base since this Online game was introduced.

 

Many years ago, it wasn't so nice.  When there was only one tournament Format, yearly rotations would make me cringe.  Everything, except a few sets, became garbage.

 

Now, with the Expanded format, which is usually about 50% of the real-world tournaments, all of our cards have a long life.  That's a great thing for us, as parents, and younger players who don't have a large game budget.  Apparently, they've discovered that having a Standard format keeps us buying the latest sets, while having a larger pool keeps everything fair and doesn't "break the bank."  It's a win/win.

 

The Expanded format is all of the Black & White sets, all of the XY sets, and all of the Sun & Moon sets, along with any Promos that came out during those periods.

 

You may want to take a look at this 2019 Rotation article:

 

https://www.pokemon.com/us/pokemon-news/2019-season-pokemon-tcg-format-rotation/

 

If you haven't done so, you might also want to check out the Rules page, which can be found by going to the Play Pokémon Events section.  You'll want to at least read the TCG Rulebook (in PDF format).

 

https://www.pokemon.com/us/play-pokemon/about/tournaments-rules-and-resources/

Edited January 8, 2019 by RobRatt

[DrunkydaMunky]

I have browsed the rule book a little bit. I did purchase the Alohan Sandslash/Nine Tails trainer kit to teach my son how to actually play. That was a fantastic tool for both of us. I haven't touched the game since the original set was first launched. So now we have moved on to playing the pre made themed decks which he is doing really well at. The next step is attempting to build a Standard deck for him. That should prove to be a fun bonding experience lol

[RobRatt]

That should prove to be a fun bonding experience lol

^^ For this alone, I have loved the Pokémon game.  Why else would a guy with heavy whiskers be playing a kids' game?

 

That doesn't take into account all the things my son learned.  More than just the game mechanics, the list of extra knowledge he picked up is very long. ...people skills, rules framework, reading comprehension, etc. etc.

 

More than that, was the laughing, practicing, travelling, and many friends along the way.  It makes me glad whenever I meet parents on this journey too.

[DrunkydaMunky]

Are there adult leagues? Or is it mainly kids? I know the place by me has Juniors on Saturdays. But the game is indeed LOTS of FUN. Plus while there is strategy involved. It seems far less complex that Magic ever was. That was torture trying to tune a deck. It got to be a chore after a while and the game was no longer fun.

[RobRatt]

You've played Magic, so you're familiar with most of this.  But you're starting off right, with Theme Decks, for now.  Since your son will learn what's inside each box, they have a unique strategy to winning.  Looking ahead, calculating possible moves, and becoming comfortable in tense situations are special skills.  They'll help him a lot when you start playing "the unknown" of advanced decks.

 

Leagues?? ...you should really shop around, if your town is big enough.  While most do have younger players, you should be quite at ease in most of them.  Leagues, and even tournaments, are about 80% "big people," which surprises many.  There are lots of players and age groups who love this game, from those with childhood memories, to their parents, young adults, and hardcore competitors.  This is just a guess on my part, but I would estimate the average age (the mean) is about 25 at most events.

Edited January 8, 2019 by RobRatt

[Mod_Alder]

Hello there, thanks to everyone for helping out a new player. 

[SuperStone]

Hello there, thanks to everyone for helping out a new player. 

 

Rob has officially graduated from Everyone School.