A deck has exactly 60 cards. A good deck is a small plan where every card has a job.
You do not need the rarest cards. You need cards that work together.
The three jobs in a deck
Think of your 60 cards as three teams that help each other.
- ✔Attackers: the Pokémon that take knockouts.
- ✔Helpers: Pokémon and Trainers that find cards and draw cards.
- ✔Energy: the fuel your attackers need to attack.
A simple recipe to start
This is not a rule, just a friendly starting point you can change as you learn.
- ✔Pick one main attacker you like and build around it.
- ✔Add the Pokémon it evolves from, and enough of them.
- ✔Add draw and search cards so you find your pieces (Ultra Ball, a draw Supporter).
- ✔Add the right Energy, usually around 8 to 12.
- ✔Use up to four copies of any one card, except Basic Energy.
Test, then change one thing
Play some games, then change just one or two cards at a time. That way you learn what each change does.
Our deck guide shows real decks you can copy and learn from.
Remember
- •Exactly 60 cards, up to four of any one card.
- •Every card should have a job: attack, help, or fuel.
- •Copy a real deck first, then slowly make it your own.