Anyone Play Pokemon TCG Online? You should! Here's why ;)

[Onigiri]

Hello! I'm still pretty new here, but I'm always looking for people to play Pokemon with. Whether it be video games, or card games, I love them all! This time, I'm curious if anyone plays online? I do.

If any of you play too, feel free to leave your usernames! Mine is ItsJilly. I don't use EX cards, and I'm always looking for other people who prefer strategy to overpowering a deck with all legendary or EX cards and such.

Also, for those who don't play online yet, you may want to start! They keep improving the game, and there are more users now than ever. It's a great way to have fun and figure out strategies for decks. I'm going to list some facts about the online game that you may not know. Read on if interested!

"I don't want to or can't afford to buy actual booster packs to get codes to play."

First of all, I'm sure a lot of people are unaware that you do NOT have to buy booster packs in the store to get codes for more than just the basic cards they give you online. They have changed the system so that you get a free random booster pack every 5 days you log on.

"Ok, free booster packs are cool, but every 5 days? That will take forever!"

They also give you play coins on the other days you log in which can be saved and used to buy virtual booster packs of your choice out of the online shop. You can also earn more coins by playing the 1 player challenges, and ranked matched against other players. The only catch to the packs they give you is that you cannot trade the cards.

"Yeah, but trading is one of the best parts of the games..."

True! There is a new way to get packs for free that are trade-able! They host tournament competitions at certain times in which everyone can compete and win free packs! You can also use theme decks.

If you really want to be able to trade cards and such immediately, you unfortunately do need codes to get packs immediately. But even if you don't have much to spend, there are many online retailers such as ebay where people sell lots of just the code cards for super cheap! I have bought them before and saved lots of money

"Those tournaments to win free packs to trade sound interesting. When can I join?"

Some of us here in the thread have been posting tournament times as they become available. They are still in the testing phase, so they come around every 1-2 weeks or so. Check back, and log onto the game to see if they have an update for the next tournament time!

"What is that prize wheel, and what does it do?"

The prize wheel is a new addition which allows players to win free items! After a match, you can spin the prize wheel and win anything from extra play tokens, to gameplay items, and even rare cards!


Hopefully I have piqued some interest in the PTGO. Feel free to ask any other questions or chat about the online game here! I have been playing it since beta. Looking forward to seeing you all online!

***Also, check this space in the future. I will update more new features as they release them!

 

[EvilChameleon]

I just started playing the themed deck online games since everyone is obsessed with using EX cards online. I will gladly play against you though since you said you don't use them. Username is EvilChameleon. Added you just now.

 

[Onigiri]

I just started playing the themed deck online games since everyone is obsessed with using EX cards online. I will gladly play against you though since you said you don't use them. Username is EvilChameleon. Added you just now.

Ah cool! I will add you, too. Yeah, it's pretty tough to find people who don't overpower their decks. Hopefully I will see you online there and we can play!

 

[Stratelier]

I've been considering it. I've picked up quite a few TCG booster packs for not the cards themselves but other things coming with them (such as the Chespin/Fennekin/Froakie/Sylveon/Xerneas/Yveltal figurines. And that plastic Zoroark coin, because I just like Zoroark), and that gives me about two dozen code cards I can redeem. But despite all that, I'm pretty sure I don't exactly have (insert joke here) a full deck yet....

 

[EvilChameleon]

Game comes with tons of competent cards with which to build a deck.

Pro tip is to not buy the booster packs in game, since they are only 5 cards for some bizarre reason. Just save up 500 credits and buy a theme deck.

 

[SharKing]

I've been playing Online for over a year now. Until recently, though, I had only been able to use free cards from the Trainer Challenge, the Daily Login Rewards, and even the Shop (as if I had any other use for my Trainer Tokens, XD).

That all changed about a week ago, when I began to take part in tournament alpha tests. Though they're just alpha tests, I'm still pretty happy with the prizes that can be won there (Flashfire packs for all competitors and certain promo cards for the winners), because those prizes granted me something I'd been wanting for a long time: trade collateral. So now I'm slowly building a collection of good cards to use in battle.

If anyone wants to battle me or even trade with me on Pokémon TCG Online, my username there is, of course, SharKing319.

 

[Stratelier]

Downloaded the app and one thing that concerns me is a notice in the EULA that purchases made in the 'beta' version may not carry over to the planned 'full release'. What?

I immediately notice that the major strategic element to the game is that (by default) you can only move one Energy per turn.

At any rate, played a few matches against the AI. One of which had a mostly Water team including Vaporeon and Lapras. Vaporeon is a tough cookie but I did fair damage to it and when he swapped it out just before a KO, I finished it off with Lapras's Water Arrow. But then he plays his Lapras, but doesn't attach any Energy to it (versus my Lapras with 3 Energy). On his Bench is a Simipour he's prepping with 5 Energy, and it takes me seven turns to realize that because there's a Pokemon Center stadium card in play, my Water Arrow can't scratch the Simipour. (I also realize that Simipour's 3-energy attack is a bigger threat with a stadium card in play, so I want to take it out remotely if I can.) Oh well ... because he didn't bother transferring any Energy to his active Lapras whatsoever, and he already used a fair number of item cards to draw energy with, I won by running him out of cards.

Also played a live match against another player using one of the orange theme decks. Made a major mistake halfway through in swapping out my Throh (seriously, it was an accident, but there's no "Undo" button after a retreat) ... but it was a good match all the same.

On a sidenote, I find it ironic that in the videogames Mega Evolution is a free action prior to attack but in the TCG it is not.

 

[Onigiri]

Game comes with tons of competent cards with which to build a deck.
Pro tip is to not buy the booster packs in game, since they are only 5 cards for some bizarre reason. Just save up 500 credits and buy a theme deck.

This is true. However, I think one of the expansions allows you to buy full 11 card boosters. I think Legendary Treasures? The shop is down at the moment. But theme decks do also give you flip coins.

I've picked up quite a few TCG booster packs for not the cards themselves but other things coming with them (such as the Chespin/Fennekin/Froakie/Sylveon/Xerneas/Yveltal figurines. And that plastic Zoroark coin, because I just like Zoroark), and that gives me about two dozen code cards I can redeem. But despite all that, I'm pretty sure I don't exactly have (insert joke here) a full deck yet....

You should have plenty, actually! You can make a mixed deck with cards they provide and cards from your codes. It would be a good start, and you would be able to trade for others EX cards can often be traded for whole packs. That's what I do anyway.

That all changed about a week ago, when I began to take part in tournament alpha tests. Though they're just alpha tests, I'm still pretty happy with the prizes that can be won there (Flashfire packs for all competitors and certain promo cards for the winners), because those prizes granted me something I'd been wanting for a long time: trade collateral. So now I'm slowly building a collection of good cards to use in battle.

If anyone wants to battle me or even trade with me on Pokémon TCG Online, my username there is, of course, SharKing319.

I sent you a friend request! Also, I can never seem to do the tournaments. Every time I go, everything is blank and un-clickable. I have 23 tournament tickets, so maybe it has just been down every time I checked?

 

[SharKing]

I sent you a friend request! Also, I can never seem to do the tournaments. Every time I go, everything is blank and un-clickable. I have 23 tournament tickets, so maybe it has just been down every time I checked?

I'll accept right away! And just so you know (if you're on right now), a tournament test will take place about three hours from now (3:00 PM Eastern US time).

 

[Onigiri]

I sent you a friend request! Also, I can never seem to do the tournaments. Every time I go, everything is blank and un-clickable. I have 23 tournament tickets, so maybe it has just been down every time I checked?

I'll accept right away! And just so you know (if you're on right now), a tournament test will take place about three hours from now (3:00 PM Eastern US time).

Ohhh, they are at certain times? That's cool! I will try to join one.

 

[Stratelier]

I've picked up quite a few TCG booster packs for not the cards themselves but other things coming with them (such as the Chespin/Fennekin/Froakie/Sylveon/Xerneas/Yveltal figurines. And that plastic Zoroark coin, because I just like Zoroark), and that gives me about two dozen code cards I can redeem. But despite all that, I'm pretty sure I don't exactly have (insert joke here) a full deck yet....

You should have plenty, actually! You can make a mixed deck with cards they provide and cards from your codes. It would be a good start, and you would be able to trade for others EX cards can often be traded for whole packs. That's what I do anyway.

Sorry, I was referring to the physical cards -- of which I have plenty of Pokemon (including such foils as a non-promo Yveltal, two Articuno, one Team Plasma Lugia-EX, one Meloetta-EX, Mega Venusaur-EX and Mega Blastoise-EX) but not many complete evolutionary lines (definitely missing the Blastoise and Venusaur lines, for example; another is having Aegislash in both forms and Doublade but missing Honedge) and most definitely not enough Energy cards to go around (even though one is a special multicolored energy that costs 10HP to attach, and two are Team Plasma energy which can power Lugia's Plasma Gale). Judging by what I see in themed decks it looks like 20 Energy cards is a good number, but I don't even have ten. And if you don't have Energy cards to play, there's really not much you can do. (As mentioned, I wore out an AI because his active Lapras had no Energy attached so he couldn't attack or swap it out, and apparently he didn't have any Item cards available to swap or transfer Energy with. And although I could have, I definitely did NOT want to KO that Lapras just so he could send in his Simipour with 5 Energy attached and an attack that causes both Sleep and Paralysis.)

As for redeeming codes in the online version, that is always an option, however I am a little concerned by that tidbit in the EULA about 'purchases made in beta versions may not carry over to the released version' and then again the online version does start you off with a few basic decks to work with already.

Oh, yeah, and online purchases are currently disabled anyway while the devs work out some bugs in the system.

 

[Onigiri]

Sorry, I was referring to the physical cards

Ah ok, so you don't want to redeem your codes until a full version of the game is released. I can understand that. However, it would be a poor business decision their part to be unable to compensate the players in some way if their previous cards were lost. So many people would complain about pouring so much money into a game only for it to be lost. The risk is there, but I'm not too concerned about it.

In other news, I did try a tournament last night and won second place. They did give out good packs, and allowed me to trade the charizard ex I got from them! For anyone just starting out, tournaments seem to be a good way to get more packs.

 

[EvilChameleon]

Yeah, I did the tournament on the 23rd myself using the Froakie theme deck. Came in 2nd. Was rather fun.

 

[Onigiri]

Yeah, I did the tournament on the 23rd myself using the Froakie theme deck. Came in 2nd. Was rather fun.

I want to try a theme deck challenge next time, too. I did the unlimited before, so of course, the other finalist had an EX loaded deck. Hard to beat those unless you get exactly what you need.

Anyone know how to tell when the next tournament will be? I guess maybe they update it at the bottom of the welcome page eventually?

 

[SharKing]

Right now, no one knows when the next tourney will be; the "current" update on the login page isn't exactly current right now. I might drop a notification here when I get that info, though.

 

[Onigiri]

Right now, no one knows when the next tourney will be; the "current" update on the login page isn't exactly current right now. I might drop a notification here when I get that info, though.

Ah, please do let us know when you find out! That will help everyone stay up to date. The free booster packs you can win are certainly worth it!

 

[Valentyme]

I currently only have one deck, my charizard-EX deck. If anyone wants to play a more competitive type of game add me. My username is Valentyme. I'll also try and create a less competitve deck as well. I just don't have many evolution lines finished off yet.

Also if anyone is looking for any specific cards I'd be happy to trade them!

 

[SharKing]

UPDATE!

The next tournament test will take place on June 2nd at 2:00 PM (Pacific US Time, GMT-8)! Get your decks ready to win some more Flashfire packs, peeps!

 

[Onigiri]

I currently only have one deck, my charizard-EX deck. If anyone wants to play a more competitive type of game add me. My username is Valentyme. I'll also try and create a less competitve deck as well. I just don't have many evolution lines finished off yet.

Also if anyone is looking for any specific cards I'd be happy to trade them!

I have lots of eeveelutions if you want to trade! Would love to play a match. Maybe even with your EX deck. I do have one that can sometimes counter them.

UPDATE!

The next tournament test will take place on June 2nd at 2:00 PM (Pacific US Time, GMT-8)! Get your decks ready to win some more Flashfire packs, peeps!

Yay! Gonna try and win one of those!

 

[Crystal Onix]

I play PTGO, but don't have many legendaries, and only one that I can really fit into my deck.