WORLDBUILDING: The World of Solitaire Island and Labyrinth Island

[LightningTopaz]

What follows is the worldbuilding thread for "Pokemon: Journey of the Brilliant Stars", an upcoming Pokemon TCG adventure inspired by Pokemon TCG 2 (which the rest of the world never got)

The Basic Premise

Solitaire Island...a place where TCG enthusiasts from around the Pokeworld gather for tournaments and TCG events of all sizes. The ultimate goal in Solitaire Island is the Rainbow Stadium in Klondike City, where those that have defeated all 18 Club Masters, and obtained all 18 Master Coins can face the four TCG Grand Masters, and earn four Legendary Cards.

Ash and the others arrived on Solitaire Island in hopes of journeying to Klondike City as a team of six, and earning the Legendary cards--Jirachi, the Prism Wish, Victini, the Star of Victory, Meloetta the Singer of Miracles, and Diancie, the Luminous Sparkle.

But the group and the many other TCG players did not know a sinister force was on the move--Team Labyrinth.

Team Labyrinth wanted to steal the Legendary cards, and use their powers for their own dark ambitions. Ash was not about to take this lying down, and so he and the others agreed to undertake a daring mission to infiltrate Labyrinth Island, storm Freecell Fortress, take down Team Labyrinth, and still finish the tournament on Solitaire Island at the same time. But Labyrinth Island more than lives up to its name, and it doesn't help the members of Team Labyrinth are always on the lookout for intruders.

Can the gang and their guide Mint use their own TCG skills to defeat Team Labyrinth, reach Klondike City, and earn the Legendary Cards at the same time?

 

[LightningTopaz]

Differences Between the Story's Version of the TCG and the Real TCG

The Pokemon TCG in the story is very different from the real game, featuring energy, names, and sometimes cards not in the real game.

Basics

--The full 18 type type chart is used--the types used in the real game keep their icons, while the remaining types get new icons.

--Sets are not rotated out like they are in the real game--any card, from any set, can be used in a valid deck.

--The card names are more elaborate, akin to Yu-Gi-Oh cards.

For example, a standard Charizard from the OG base set is called "Flame Herald Charizard" and can in turn be Mega Evolved into Flame Herald Charizard X or Flame Herald Charizard Y, provided the user has a Mega Ring with an awakened Heart Song and the appropriate Keystone card on the field (in our example, Flameheart Ruby X or Flameheart Ruby Y)

--Unlike the real game, there is a restricted and banned list for the TCG, maintained by the Pokemon Trading Card Game Association (PTCGA), the governing body for all official TCG play. Competitive players are expected to keep up with the restricted and banned list, and copies are available at any card shop upon request. Those caught with restricted or banned cards in their deck will forfeit their match, and may by disqualified. Friendly matches, meanwhile, can use any card the players like, save for a few egregious game breaking cards that the PTCGA has also banned in casual play.

Setting up the match

--A game of the Pokémon Trading Card Game is called a "Match". To begin a match, players need a coin (the standard design differs from region to region, but Solitaire Island uses the standard Kanto design--Pikachu face is heads, and Kanto League crest is tails). Both players call the toss, while the referee flips the coin. The winner of the toss goes first. Regardless, the player who goes first is not allowed to attack on that player's first turn. Unlike the real game, they are allowed to use Supporters on their first turn, if they have any.

--After determining which player goes first, both players place their shuffled deck face down on the upper right side of their respective half of the player area or "field". The field is roughly split in half with each player controlling the half closest to them. The two halves are named differently in every region, but Solitaire Island uses the Houen names of Ruby and Sapphire.

--The players then each take seven cards from the top of their respective decks. These cards are considered their starting hand. The combined HP of all Basic Pokemon in the starting hand serves as the player's starting HP.

--Players then place one Basic Pokémon from their hand face down in front of them as their Active Pokémon. If they have more than one Basic Pokémon, they may place the rest face down directly in from of them in their Bench--these Pokemon are said to be "in reserve" or "on standby".

--No more than five Pokémon can be on standby at the same time. Evolved Pokémon count as one Pokémon when in play on the field. If a player does not have any Basic Pokémon in their hand during setup, they must reshuffle all the cards in their hand back into their deck, and then draw seven more cards. This process is repeated until each player can play a Basic Pokémon as their Active Pokémon.

--If a player has to reshuffle to get a Basic Pokémon into play, that player’s opponent gets to take an extra card from the top of their deck and put it into their hand (one card per each reshuffle).

--Next, each player sets aside an agreed upon number of cards (usually four or six, but matches with less than four or more than six are not unheard of) from the top of their deck face down to the left side of their half of the field. These cards are their prize cards.

--Finally, each player reveals (or flips over) their Active and Bench Pokémon, making them materialize on the playing field.

Turn flow

--First, a player draws a card from the top of that player's deck. They can then do the following in any order:

--Attach one Energy card to one of that player’s Pokémon in play (either Active or Benched Pokémon);
--Play Basic Pokémon to that player's Bench,
--Evolve any of that player's Pokémon in play;
--Retreat that player's Active Pokémon if the Active Pokémon can satisfy the Energy card retreat cost;
--Play any Trainer cards in that player's Hand pertaining to the rules on each Trainer card and then typically placing that Trainer card face up in the player’s "Discard Pile", which is locked on the right side of the player's field just below that player's deck;
--Use any Abilities or Pokémon Powers that appear on that player's Active or Bench Pokémon, and
--Finally, Attack if that player has the appropriate Energy card(s) attached on that player's Active Pokémon. Attacking always ends that player’s turn. The first player to have a turn is not allowed to attack. A player can also choose not to attack, if they wish.

A turn need not include all these actions, save for the initial draw.

Attacks

--Attacks typically cause damage or apply a special condition. Special conditions have their own unique rules--some of them are good, and some are bad.

--Damage to all Pokémon in play is tracked with Damage Counters, with one counter equaling 10 HP. When the damage to a given Pokémon equals or exceeds that Pokémon’s HP, it is knocked out and placed face up in the player’s Discard Pile along with any other cards that were attached to it (such as Energy cards), in addition to it returning to the form of a card and disappearing from the playing field. Unlike Pokemon HP, a player's HP rises and falls as their Pokemon heal and take damage.

--When an Active Pokémon is knocked out, the player's whose Pokémon was knocked out must replace the former Active Pokémon with another Pokémon from that player's Bench. At the same time, the player who knocked out his or her opponent's Pokémon gets to take any one of that player's remaining face down Prize cards and put that prize card into that player's hand.

Winning Conditions

A player can win by:

--taking all the prize cards
--reducing their opponent's HP to 0
--their opponent running out of cards (known as decking out among players and fans)

 

[LightningTopaz]

Competitive Play and the Restricted and Banned List, Explained

The Pokemon TCG is widely loved and enjoyed across the Pokeworld in both friendly matches and competitive play. Competitive matches are even televised.

But it is here the real world game and my imagined version diverge--unlike in the real world, my imagined TCG does have a restricted and banned list--and competitive players are expected to know what is restricted and banned when a new set comes out. If a card is banned or restricted, it is not typically doomed to remain on the list forever--or be banned and restricted in casual play--unless the card's effect is particularly gamebreaking--banned and restricted cards have come off the list before, making the original version of the card highly valuable to collectors.

Some problematic effects or situations include, but are not limited to:

Overpower--the card is much too powerful even for its type.

Wall potential--this card has the potential for creating a defensive wall to unfairly defeat the opponent. One of the most infamous TCG cards ever, Mr. Mime the Curious Jester from the original base set, was ultimately banned for being a wall--and still is one of the very few cards that is also banned in casual play, and probably will never come off the ban list.

Revolving door--this card has the potential to unfairly swap an opponent's Pokemon before they have a chance to make a move.

Deckburner--this card has the potential to burn through an opponent's deck, forcing them to run out of cards.

Energy generator--this card allows the user to unfairly attach more than one energy in a turn.

Game manipulation--unfairly messing with the flow of a game, or in some newer cases, stalling the game for too long.

Opponent manipulation--unfairly manipulating an opponent's cards or play area in any way; or performing an opponent's action for them.

Turn manipulation--unfairly manipulating the flow of a turn, or unfairly taking more than one turn.

Deck manipulation--unfairly manipulating an opponent's deck.

Hand manipulation--unfairly manipulating your hand or an opponent's hand.

Prize manipulation--unfairly manipulating either side's prize cards.

Item manipulation--using Trainer cards to unfairly manipulate the game.

Ability manipulation--using a Pokemon's ability to unfairly manipulate the game.

Instakill--unfairly defeating an opponent's Pokemon without giving the opponent a chance to defend.

Instawin--unfairly allowing one side to win the game, often with no or little effort.

Instalose--unfairly forcing an opponent to lose the game; often with no or little effort.

 

[LightningTopaz]

Custom Cards, Explained

It is not unheard of for TCG players to have customized cards--their real world Pokemon companions immortalized as a card. The PTCGA says that custom cards are only legal in tournament play in Custom tournaments or competitions--and even then, they must comply with the restricted and banned list. If they would be restricted or banned based on the current list, that custom card is not allowed.

In friendly matches, custom cards are welcome to be used, if both players agree to it.

The group and Mint each have custom cards:

Tintri the Miracle Storm (a card depicting the Pikachu we know and love)
Mele the Undersea Idol (depicts Misty's faithful Primarina)
Rocky the Dusk Guardian (depicts Brock's Dusk Lycanroc, Rocky)
Krystal the Fire of the Stage (depicts Serena's faithful Braixen, Krystal)
Niji, Make the Colors in the Sky (depicts May's faithful Beautifly, Niji)
Kori, the Star of the Lake (depicts Dawn's faithful Piplup, Kori)
Menta, Victory is Sweet (depicts Mint's faithful Sprigatito, Menta)

 

[Greninjaman]

Will these cards have magical powers that can end/save the world like in yu-gi-oh?

 

[LightningTopaz]

@Greninjaman

The cards don't have that kind of power--but some other important items do!

 

[LightningTopaz]

Deuce City

A bustling port city where visitors to Solitaire Island arrive. In addition to coming by boat, visitors often fly into the city via the nearby airport. Mark and Mint live here--Mint's large house serves as the group's home base while they are not out exploring. You can also reach Labyrinth Island from a secret dock at the marina at night.

Visitors can buy supplies and cards in town--Mark and his family own the local card and game shop here, Prism Cards. A Pokemon Center and PokeMart is present, in addition to many more shops, restaurants, and other activities.

Deuce Park is famous for its large stage, where TCG games, plays, concerts, and other performances are held. The people of Deuce City are happy to trade cards, trade decks, or just play a friendly match .