Trying Pokémon TCG Sealed Battle for the First Time: 40-Card Deck, 4 Prize Cards, Bring Your Own Energy
A battle format where players open packs on the spot to build decks: Official recommended ratio is 15 Pokémon, 10 Trainers, 15 Energy
In the Pokémon Trading Card Game, there is a battle format where players participate without a pre-constructed deck: Sealed Battle. The official Japanese Pokémon TCG website describes Sealed Battle as "a play style in which players open unopened expansion packs on the spot and build a deck using the cards obtained along with basic Energy cards to battle." It cites as an advantage that beginners and veterans start on equal terms regardless of how many cards they own. In South Korea as well, the Pokémon Korea store event "Mega Gallade ex SAR GET BATTLE" will be held as a 15-pack Sealed Battle with the expansion "Storm Emeralda" starting October 31.
How It Differs from Standard Battles
The biggest difference lies in the number of deck cards and Prize cards (referred to as "Side" in the Japanese edition). The basic rules on the official Korean website specify a 60-card deck and 6 Prize cards. The official Japanese website sets the Sealed Battle deck at 40 cards and Prize cards at 4, stating that "other basic rules remain the same." Pokémon Korea's event announcement for this tournament also listed 'Sealed Battle / 40-Card Deck / 4 Prize Cards'.
| Category | Standard Battle | Sealed Battle | |---|---|---| | Deck Size | 60 cards | 40 cards | | Prize Cards | 6 cards | 4 cards | | Usable Cards | Own cards | Cards from packs opened on-site + basic Energy (participation prize cards depending on the tournament) | | Cards with Same Name | Up to 4 cards (excluding basic Energy) | Up to 4 cards (excluding basic Energy) |
The number of packs varies by tournament. The official Japanese website notes that it is "usually around 10 to 15 packs." Some tournaments also allow players to include participation prize cards in their decks.
Basic Energy and Required Items
The basic Energy cards used in a Sealed Battle must be brought by the participants. The official Japanese website recommends bringing 15 cards per type for peace of mind. Pokémon Korea's notice for the upcoming event also stated that participants must prepare basic Energy cards themselves, as the quantity available for borrowing or purchase at stores is limited.
Other battle items to bring besides Energy cards are the same as in standard battles. The official Korean website lists 1 Pokémon Coin, around 40 damage counters, and 1 to 2 Poison and Burn markers each as necessary supplies. Pokémon Korea's tournament guide added 'extra card sleeves' to this list. Card sleeves (card shields) refer to protective sleeves into which cards are inserted.
How to Build a Deck
The official Japanese website presents three deck-building rules:
- Build a deck with 40 cards.
- Include at least 1 Basic Pokémon (called "Tane Pokémon" in Japanese).
- Include up to 4 cards with the same name, with basic Energy cards being the exception.
A deck construction time of 45 minutes is recommended. If it is difficult to decide on a ratio, players can use the official website's recommended breakdown of '15 Pokémon, 10 Trainers, and 15 basic Energy' as a starting point.
The official website does not specify how many types should be included. However, according to the basic rules on the official Korean website, Energy of different types can also be attached to a Pokémon. This means that Pokémon whose attacks require only Colorless Energy can use their attacks with any type of Energy. When introducing recommended cards from "Storm Emeralda," the official Japanese website also explained that Pokémon with attacks requiring Colorless Energy "can fulfill an attacker role in various decks."
The fact that any number of basic Energy cards can be included in a deck is also the same as in standard battles. Since there are cases like the Pokémon Korea event where players can swap cards between matches, it is advisable to read the notice for the specific event before participating.
Sources
This article was written with the help of AI based on public sources. Responsible: 김태희 기자 AI principles →
This article was machine-translated from Korean with AI. Original →