Team Battle Format

Excepted from Pokémon Organized Play Tournament Formats Rev: September 1, 2009

The Team Battle format allows two players to participate on a team, each player having one Active
Pokémon. This game is played exactly like a regular game of Pokémon except for a few rule changes.

Set Up:

  • Players sit on opposite sides of the table with the teams positioned diagonally to each other, so each player is facing a member of the opposing team.
  • One member of each team participates in a coin flip to determine which team goes first. The winning team then chooses which of its players will go first. The turn sequence starts with the chosen player and then proceeds clockwise around the table, the turn order alternating between teams.
  • Each player draws seven cards. Each player places one Active Pokémon and up to four Benched Pokémon. Players then place half as many Prizes as they would for a single player game, based on the format styles outlined in section 1.
  • Any player who cannot place an Active Pokémon waits until those who can have placed their Prize cards. That player then reveals his or her hand to all players and declares a mulligan. The opponent across the table from the player may draw one card from his or her deck for the mulligan. If both the player declaring the mulligan and the opponent across the table from that player declare a mulligan, both players shuffle and set up again without their teammates drawing any extra cards.
  • The player going first for each team may not play any Trainer, Supporter, or Stadium cards on his or her first turn.

Game Play

  • Players may not reveal their hands to their teammates or to the opposing team unless a game rule requires them to do so.
  • Only the player whose turn it is may initiate conversation with his or her teammate. Conversation should be limited to short “yes” or “no” questions. General strategy or moves should not be discussed.
  • If an attack or action on a player’s card Knocks Out the opposing player’s Pokémon, the acting player draws the appropriate number of Prize cards. If the player does not have enough Prize cards remaining, the player’s teammate draws the remainder from his or her Prize cards.
  • If a player’s last Pokémon is Knocked Out but the player’s teammate still has at least one Pokémon in play, the player is not eliminated from the game and may play Trainer, Supporter, and Stadium cards on his or her turn. If that player draws a Basic Pokémon, he or she must play it in the Active position on the first available opportunity. If neither player on a team has any Pokémon in play, the opposing team wins the game.
  • If a player cannot draw a card at the beginning of his or her turn, that player is removed from the game. That player’s teammate places Prize Cards from the bottom of his or her deck equal to the eliminated player’s remaining Prize Cards.

Card References

  • Cards which state “you” or “your” refer to the active player or his or her teammate, as designated by the player.
  • Cards which state “your opponent’s Pokémon” refer to the opponent that is being attacked, if the player is attacking, or the player’s choice of opponent, if the player is not attacking.
  • Cards worded for 2‐on‐2 Battle are applied to both players on a team. For example, cards which refer to “each Defending Pokémon” will affect both teammates’ Defending Pokémon.
  • Effects and attacks which refer to “all Pokémon in play” affect all Pokémon in play for both teams.

Between Turns

  • Between‐turns actions are taken before and after the turn of the player that owns the affected card.
  • The effects of Special Conditions are checked for before and after the affected player’s turn.

4.3.1. Constructed

Team Battle–Constructed events use the standard Constructed rules, as listed in section 1.1, with the addition of the Team Battle format rules including the number of Prize cards used, as described in section 4.3.

4.3.2. Limited

Team Battle–Limited events use the standard Limited rules, as listed in section 1.2, with the exception of the number of Prize cards used, in addition to the Team Battle format rules, listed in section 4.3. Sealed Deck, detailed in section 1.2.1., is an appropriate format for Team Battle–Limited events, though teammates are permitted to trade cards during the deck‐construction process.