Wedding Woes

Will someone please explain Pokemon cards to me?

This is a big thing at DD's school, and she asked me to get her some.  I don't have a clue, and she doesn't know much more than I do.  (I do know who has gotten in trouble for playing with them in class, apparently she keeps tabs on that sort of thing.)

Re: Will someone please explain Pokemon cards to me?

  • Effin' Kotaku probably has the most easy to read beginner's info:


    Really, the best thing to do is find a local tabletop gaming store in your area and go ask the people behind the counter.  Tell them Woozle's age and playing with her friends and that YOU DON'T NEED TO SPEND AN ARM AND A LEG and let them guide you.

    Sorry, there's some remnants of Magic: The Gathering bitterness at play in this post.



  • No clue.  

    LOL at Wooz being the trouble monitor. 
  • VarunaTTVarunaTT member
    First Anniversary First Comment 5 Love Its First Answer
    edited May 2015
    Also, the easiest way to learn to play is youtube.

    This guys has a series of 6 beginning videos, here's a link to the first:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRzRo0LLK5M

    I don't think I'd worry about building a deck, definitely buy her a pre-made one and skip right on to video 2.
  • GBCKGBCK member
    First Anniversary 5 Love Its Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    yeah, this is one where I'd defer to the geekdom gatekeepers at the store.

    I know that this was apparently a good info resource that I vaugely skim-read when it was written: http://geekmom.com/2014/06/guide-to-pokemon-deck-building/

  • That is a good article; it's a deck-building article.  

    I wouldn't recommend getting into deck building until she's decent at the game and knows that she likes it and wants to play and knows a bit about card interactions.  Deck building is fun (especially if you hit on a deck build that seems to be unstoppable, I built an awesome flyer deck that another friend finally build a specific deck just to beat it and it was great fun for me until losing); it can also be a real PITA.   Also, it tends to be more pricey, b/c you're going to need to buy more packs to be able to deck build something good.  (DH and I bought the $50 packs a few times for Magic and some blister packs and built out of those).

    Now, since we decided we weren't going to do anything competitive and we weren't going to continuously try and keep up (Magic has a new, full set each year that is $250, and there's a secondary set as well, new each year that I can't remember how it was purchased), we just go out and buy new "themed" or "pre-built" (terminology depends) packages that are usually 2 decks, built to beat up on each other somewhat equally, and spend $20.
  • Haha nice to know my fiance is into things small children are into. To put it simply if she has none you can get her a starter pack. If she does have some ask which ones are her main pokemon then buy booster packs for those specific cards.
  • 6fsn6fsn member
    First Anniversary 5 Love Its Name Dropper Combo Breaker

    Here's what I know about Pokémon: a kindergarten friend asked for them for his birthday.  I took 6let to the store and he picked out 3 random packs.  Birthday boy was ecstatic.

  • No clue.  

    LOL at Wooz being the trouble monitor. 
    That's her to a T.  For now, I'm telling her "Worry about yourself, not everyone else," but it may have to escalate to "snitches get stitches" once she hits middle school.
    6fsn said:

    Here's what I know about Pokémon: a kindergarten friend asked for them for his birthday.  I took 6let to the store and he picked out 3 random packs.  Birthday boy was ecstatic.

    This was actually my approach, and it worked beautifully.  She got a shiny card with a Swellow on it, and she is smitten.  She wishes she had a real Swellow and it could be her pet.  W/e, she's happy and she took them all on the bus and swore up and down they'd stay in her backpack the entire school day. 

    I think we may progress to the deck building and stuff, but for now she is happy enough with cute, shiny things.  :)
  • Ohh I love Swellow. If she likes pretty things, try looking for Dragonaire or Mew. Mew is adorable. 

    I'm huge into Pokemon still (I buy all the games that come out to Nintendo DS) because I have no life. I don't know if there's any place near you to get single cards, but I know a few favorite that the girls liked when we played Pokemon back in 2nd grade. 

    If you want her to be the cool kid, find her a shiny Charizard. That's the most badass card to get. 
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    Funny Awkward animated GIF
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