History TabletopGame / Pokemon

** A Victini card with the ability "Lucky Star" lets you do this for all attacks that require coin flips.

** Wigglytuff was one of the best cards in the early expansions. A Colorless Stage 1 Pokemon that could be out on your field in the second turn dealing a consistant 60 damage with no energy loss, and with enough HP to last a good long while.

* JokeItem: ''Pokémon Flute'', a Trainer card where you choose one of your opponent's discarded Pokémon and put it on his bench. Yeah... what? Also the ''[[http://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Imakuni%3F_(CoroCoro_promo) Imakuni?]]'' card, which just confuses your own Pokémon... There's even [[http://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Imakuni%3F%27s_Corner_(Vending_S3) a card]] just to tell that it's useless!

* NoExportForYou: The second video game of the card game.

* JokeItem: ''Pokémon Flute'', a Trainer card where you choose one of your opponent's discarded Pokémon and put it on his bench. Yeah... what? Also the ''Imakuni?'' card, which just confuses your own Pokémon... There's even [[http://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Imakuni%3F%27s_Corner_(Vending_S3) a card]] just to tell that it's useless!

** [[PoorPredictableRock True to Pokemon fashion,]] it's this kind of [[CripplingOverspecialization specialization]] that gets many players killed, very fast.

The game relies heavily on "Energy Cards", 8 (early on, 6) cards representing the different Pokémon types (though there is a 9th Dragon type with no Energy equivalent), and the only cards the player is allowed to have more than four copies of in a deck. In general, a Pokémon of a specific type will have attacks that require Energy of that type, although some do have "Colorless" energy requirements, which can be fulfilled by any of the 8 types. Because the player is limited to only playing one Energy Card per turn, it's important for them to manage their energy distribution wisely, as a benched Pokémon that already has energy on it will be able to start fighting much quicker than one that doesn't. Stronger attacks will require more energy, with the strongest attacks requiring the player to remove one or all of the Pokémon's attached energy, limiting their use. Pokémon also have retreat costs, the amount of energy cards that must be removed in order to switch out for a Pokémon in the bench, which is also (usually) proportional to the Pokémon's power.

Notably, there was a period at the height of Pokemon's popularity where schoolchildren would often own literally hundreds of these cards... but good luck finding even ''one'' kid who played them.

* AIRoulette: Sometimes the computer opponents in the Game Boy adaptations are total idiots. [[http://www.gamefaqs.com/boards/581059-pokemon-card-gb2/43638125 Even the "masters" in the game can be stupid sometimes.]] And yet there are those moments where a random {{Mook}} in a lobby will kick your ass.
* TheArtifact: Pokemon Powers, due to predating abilities, maintained their original name for ''years'' before being split into Poké-Powers and Poké-Bodies in Generation II and finally being renamed to a consistent "abilities" in the first Black and White set. Almost 9 years after their introduction!

** There are several "huge" cards that are as big as a book. You cannot play these cards, but often their stats are so awesome you wish you could. (For example, Shadow Lugia!)

* SeriousBusiness: Valid in the real world with tournaments, but taken to near-Anime/{{Yu-Gi-Oh}} levels of extremes in the video game adaptations.
* ShoutOut: The online simulator lets you give [[FinalFantasyVII Aerith]]'s hairstyle to female avatars.

* PowerCreepPowerSeep: The bar is raised with each generation. Compare Slowbro in the 1st-generation [[http://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Slowbro_%28Fossil_43%29 Fossil]] to Slowbro in the 5th-generation [[http://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Slowbro_%28Dark_Rush_17%29 Dark Rush]], for instance.

* ColorCodedElements: [[NonElemental Normal/Colorless]] is white, [[PlayingWithFire Fire]] is red, [[MakingASplash Water]] (including [[AnIcePerson Ice]]) is [[WaterIsBlue blue]], [[GreenThumb Grass]] (including [[BigCreepyCrawlies Bug]]) is green, [[BareFistedMonk Fighting]] (including [[DishingOutDirt Ground and Rock]]) is brown, [[PsychicPowers Psychic]] (including [[SoulPower Ghost]]) [[SupernaturalIsPurple is purple]], [[CastingAShadow Dark]] is black, [[ExtraOreDinary Steel]] is gray, and [[OurDragonsAreDifferent Dragon]] is gold.

* ColorCodedElements: [[NonElemental Normal/Colorless]] is white, [[PlayingWithFire Fire]] is red, [[MakingASplash Water]] (including [[AnIcePerson Ice)]]) is [[WaterIsBlue blue]], [[GreenThumb Grass]] (including [[BigCreepyCrawlies Bug]]) is green, [[BareFistedMonk Fighting]] (including [[DishingOutDirt Ground and Rock]]) is brown, [[PsychicPowers Psychic]] (including [[SoulPower Ghost]]) [[SupernaturalIsPurple are purple]], [[CastingAShadow Dark]] is black, [[ExtraOreDinary Steel]] is gray, and [[OurDragonsAreDifferent Dragon]] is gold.

* ColorCodedElements: [[NonElemental Normal/Colorless]] is white, [[PlayingWithFire Fire]] is red, [[MakingASplash Water]] [[WaterIsBlue is blue]], [[GreenThumb Grass]] is green, [[BareFistedMonk Fighting]], [[DishingOutDirt Ground, and Rock]] are brown, [[PsychicPowers Psychic]] and [[SoulPower Ghost]] [[SupernaturalIsPurple are purple]], [[CastingAShadow Dark]] is black, [[ExtraOreDinary Steel]] is gray, and [[OurDragonsAreDifferent Dragon]] is gold.

* ColorCodedElements: [[NonElemental Normal/Colorless]] is white, [[PlayingWithFire Fire]] is red, [[MakingASplash Water]] [[WaterIsBlue is blue]], [[GreenThumb Grass]] is green, [[BareFistedMonk Fighting]], [[DishingOutDirt Ground, and Rock]] are brown, [[PsychicPowers Psychic]] and [[SoulPower Ghost]] [[SupernaturalIsPurple are purple]], [[CastingAShadow Dark]] is black, and [[ExtraOreDinary Steel]] is gray.

** Mewtwo-EX from the most recent expansion is probably one of the biggest examples in the game's history. It shares many of the characteristics of the AwesomeButImpractical cards above; it depicts aPokémon known for being a massive EnsembleDarkhorse, it's an extremely rare holographic card with nice artwork (2 variants in fact), and has big numbers printed on it (170 HP and a Psydrive attack that causes 120 damage). However, the card is far from impractical; its X Ball attack makes it so powerful and versatile that, as of early 2012, most decks ''need'' a Mewtwo-EX in order to stand a chance in the competitve scene. Mewtwo fans have never been more proud.

** Mewtwo-EX from the most recent expansion is probably one of the biggest examples in the game's history. It shares many of the characteristics of the AwesomeButImpractical cards above; it depicts Pokémon known for being a massive EnsembleDarkhorse, it's an extremely rare holographic card with nice artwork (2 variants, in fact), and has big numbers printed on it (170 HP and a Psydrive attack that causes 120 damage). However, the card is far from impractical; its X Ball attack makes it so powerful and versatile that, as of early 2012, most decks ''need'' a Mewtwo-EX in order to stand a chance in the competitve scene. Mewtwo fans have never been more proud.

** The recent Reshiram and Zekrom cards are shaping to be this; they can be obtained very easily, are powerful and easy to set up, and depict fan-favorite Pokémon. As for combos, Reshiram+Emboar is a popular and useful combination.

* RecursiveAdaptation: The TCG video games.
* RememberTheNewGuy: In the ([[NoExportForYou Japan only]]) sequel to the GBC game, there is an option to play as a female, the plot will act as though she was the player character for the first game if she is chosen.
* RivalTurnedEvil: [[spoiler:Ronald of the 2nd GBC game becomes a member of the QuirkyMinibossSquad]]

* ColorCodedElements: [[NonElemental Normal/Colorless]] is white, [[PlayingWithFire Fire]] is red, [[MakingASplash Water]] [[WaterIsBlue is blue]], [[GreenThumb Grass]] is green, [[BareFistedMonk Fighting]], [[DishingOutDirt Ground, and Rock]] are brown, [[PsychicPowers Psychic]] and [[SoulPower Ghost]] [[SupernaturalIsPurple is purple]], [[CastingAShadow Dark]] is black, and [[ExtraOreDinary Steel]] is gray.

A trading card game based on the mind-blowingly popular ''{{Pokemon}}'' franchise. As of January 2011, has 50 official English sets, with one on the way in October. Recursively, the card game ''itself'' became a [[strike:[[NoExportForYou pair of]]]] video game[[strike:s]]. Really likes making people flip coins.

A trading card game based on the mind-blowingly popular ''{{Pokemon}}'' franchise. As of August, has 48 official English sets, with one on the way in October. Recursively, the card game ''itself'' became a [[strike:[[NoExportForYou pair of]]]] video game[[strike:s]]. Really likes making people flip coins.

The game relies heavily on "Energy Cards", 8 (early on, 6) cards representing the different Pokémon types, and the only cards the player is allowed to have more than four copies of in a deck. In general, a Pokémon of a specific type will have attacks that require Energy of that type, although some do have "Colorless" energy requirements, which can be fulfilled by any of the 8 types. Because the player is limited to only playing one Energy Card per turn, it's important for them to manage their energy distribution wisely, as a benched Pokémon that already has energy on it will be able to start fighting much quicker than one that doesn't. Stronger attacks will require more energy, with the strongest attacks requiring the player to remove one or all of the Pokémon's attached energy, limiting their use. Pokémon also have retreat costs, the amount of energy cards that must be removed in order to switch out for a Pokémon in the bench, which is also (usually) proportional to the Pokémon's power.

** The upcoming Victini from Red Collection has an ability that lets you do this on ALL coin flips.
* {{Mana}}: Energy cards. You can't use any attacks without them.

* ThemeDeck: It'll be really hard to meet the energy requirements for your Pokémon if you don't specialize in one or two types. Though Colorless Pokémon could fit anywhere.

** ''Ancient Mew'', which came with movie tickets to ''Anime/PokemonTheMovie2000'', doesn't even look like a proper Pokémon card on the front or back (and once deciphered, has rather poor stats, anyways), and thus can't be used.

* SeriousBusiness: Valid in the real world, but taken to ludicrous extremes in the video game adaptation.
** The second game takes it even further. The villains kidnap people and refuse to release them unless you win a card battle. If only all conflicts were that easy...

* TheArtifact: Pokemon Powers, due to predating abilities, maintained their original name for ''years'' before finally being renamed to a consistent "abilities" in the first Black and White set. Almost 9 years after their introduction!
** Not QUITE, since they were sub-divided into Poke-Powers and Poke-Bodies.

*** And in a case of reversal, starting with the Black and White expansion, [=PokePowers=] and [=PokeBodies=] were thrown out and replaced with, you guessed it, Abilites.

** The ''Platinum: Supreme Victors'' expansion didn't arrive in Italy to pass directly to ''Platinum: Arceus''.
* PinkGirlBlueBoy: The Beginning set for the Black and White expansion is split into a "boys" set and a "girls" set. The boy set is black and contains cool-looking Pokemon; the girl set is bright pink and contains cute-looking Pokemon. Obviously, though, there's nothing stopping you from buying a set of the opposite gender, if you're into that kind of thing.
* RecursiveAdaptation: The TCG video games. Also, some cards are based off the anime movies and [[http://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Pok%C3%A9mon_Rumble_%28TCG%29 one set]] was based off ''PokemonRumble''.

* PromotionalPowerlessPieceOfGarbage: ''_____'s Pikachu'', where you are supposed to write in your name and birthday, and if it's your birthday, then you can flip a coin to potentially do more damage. Banned pretty much from the start to avoid complications such as actually having to verify the birthdate is correct. Similarly, ''Ancient Mew'', which came with movie tickets to ''[[{{ptitleik3s2q99}} Pokémon: The Movie 2000]]'', doesn't even look like a proper Pokémon card on the front or back (and once deciphered, has rather poor stats, anyways), and thus can't be used.

* SeriousBusiness: Valid in the real world, but taken to ludicrous extremes in the video game adaptation[[strike:[[NoExportForYou s]]]].

* FauxSymbolism: ''[[ShoutOut Neo]] [[NeonGenesisEvangelion Genesis]]'' and ''Neo Revelation''

* LethalJokeItem : perhaps more FridgeBrilliance than anything, but if you think about all of the Trainer cards (now literally "Items"), many of them are very silly: Warp Point, Switch, Scoop Up are just a few of the strange things featured in the card game. But perhaps the most extreme examples would be out of Team Rocket Returns, a set with crazy-sounding names such as "Pow! Hand Extension," "Surprise! Time Machine," and "Swoop! Teleporter" - all cards that would break every format they were legal in.

** The upcoming Victini from Red Collection has an ability that lets you do this on ALL coin flips.

* RecursiveAdaptation