If you want to duel with other players in Pokémon TCG Pocket, you need to follow certain rules. One player has learned the hard way that there is a specific mistake he must not make.
What mistake is it? To retreat your Pokémon from the active position back to the bench, you must pay the retreat cost. This is a mechanic that also exists in the physical version of the Pokémon trading card game.
The costs are shown on the cards in the lower right corner. With cards like X-Initiative and Leaf, it is possible to minimize the retreat costs.
However, there is a limit to how many times you can retreat your Pokémon, even if you can pay all the costs. In the Reddit forum, some players warn to keep this rule in mind.
Do you already know what the mysterious Promo A 008 is about?
Retreating Pokémon is only possible to a limited extent
Why do players warn about this? User Demisanguine writes on Reddit about what happened to him. He wanted to send a card with X-Initiative to the bench, only to retreat the subsequent Pokémon. This makes sense, for example, if you want to use an ability of a Pokémon that only works in the active position.
However, the player then realized that he could not swap his Pokémon back from the bench. It is only possible to send a Pokémon from the active position back to the bench once per turn. As a result, he was unable to use his attack and lost the match, which he was even close to winning.
Some players may not even know that this rule exists. Therefore, the user hopes to prevent other collectors from making this awkward mistake.
What do others say about it? Several users even mention possibilities for how it is still possible to make more than one swap. This can be used to get rid of poison, for example:
- You can use a fossil for trading, which can become Aerodactyl-ex. This can heal poison.
- Trainer cards like Koga and Adventurer Novice can switch certain Pokémon in and out. With them, powerful Darkness decks can be built.
In the past, it would have even been possible to swap Pokémon infinitely. User Azureblue9 explains that this was the case in the trading card game for Game Boy Color. But with the modern adaptation, the developers probably want to prevent duels from dragging on too long.
The conclusion is: When planning your tactics, remember that you can only swap once per turn!
It probably won’t be long before new cards are introduced in Pokémon TCG Pocket that also have to adhere to this rule. However, there may be some that expand this rule. When the new set comes out, you’ll find out here: Pokémon TCG Pocket Next Set: Info & Leaks on the Release of the New Cards
