PTCG/O Pastebin

PTCG Pastebin/FAQ
Updated June 2 2019

Q: I'M NEW, HOW TO POKEMON CARD???

1. Download the PTCGO client from http://www.pokemon.com/us/pokemon-tcg/play-online/download/

2. Go to the 'Redeem codes' page under the shop and enter the codes 'flashfire' 'furiousfists' and 'phantomforces', these will give you copies of the Rallying Cry theme deck, which gives you a bunch of shit cards but also copies of some useful trainers, some of which are no longer in print as well as a playset of double colorless energy (DCE). If you would like a complimentary fedora for your avatar, enter 'dragonsexalted'.

3. Go to the Trainer Challenge page and complete those battles (YES, ALL OF THEM) with each of your starter theme decks. Beating the trainer challenge will unlock cards for your three starting theme decks, allowing you to use them online as well as granting you tokens.

4. Once you have earned 500 tokens from competing in the trainer challenge, purchase ONE theme deck from the shop. The Charizard and Blastoise decks are the newest ones and are appealing to new players because of how easy it is to pick them up and play. Entei and Raikou however, are very strong and possibly still better in the hands of an experienced player. Entei also has the highest ceiling in theme format, so if you want to start being competitive as early as possible, pick it up.

5. Complete the trainer challenge battles again with your new theme deck. Upon beating each trainer with a new different theme deck, you will be awarded one pack corresponding to the expansion the theme deck was released with. You gain a new pack by completing a league with every theme deck you purchase - that is, 12 battles against the AI vs different opponents.

6. Once you have completed the trainer challenge, begin playing versus matches to earn prizes as much as you can each day. You also earn points towards versus ladder rewards with each prize you take, even if you lose.

Q: OKAY, THEN WHAT?
After this, progression becomes more open ended. Your goal is to accumulate TRADABLE value. All packs and cards purchased with tokens or awarded by the trainer challenge/bonus wheel are no-trade.

You can acquire TRADABLE value by
1. Reaching trainer level 16 and completing daily challenges that award packs (pack awarded before lv16 are no-trade)
2. Entering ticketed tournaments, even if you lose in the first round, you get at least one tradable item
3. Purchasing PTCG paper products and redeeming code cards, or purchasing second hand code cards from these products.
4. Playing the market

On the third option, you will usually find the best prices for code cards on ebay. Beware of mixed code card lots that do not list exactly which packs you are getting, people will generally try to inflate pack count with low value packs such as Evolutions, Celestial Storm or Sun and Moon. Currently Team-Up and Unbroken Bonds are the gold standard of trading packs, with Team Up being valued at 1. Unbroken Bonds includes the most expensive Tag Team GX and BDIF at the moment, Reshiram/Charizard, and also gems like Dedenne-GX and Gardevoir/Sylveon. Team-Up has a lot of electric support for the second best deck in format, Pikachu/Zekrom and also has Jirachi. Both Dedenne GX and Jirachi are bound to become more valuable down the line.

Every trading site varies a little bit in what they're willing to give for each pack but the difference in value is about the same when it comes to which packs are high value and which ones are low value. When trading for high value cards like popular full arts, meta pokemon GX or Jirachi, people often won't even accept shit packs like Sun and Moon or Crimson Invasion as part of a trade even if it's a 'fair' trade.

OPENING TRADABLE PACKS IS GAMBLING, since packs are the primary currency of this game and chances are pretty high you will get less than one pack's value by opening a pack. Sometimes you will hit it big, most of the time you're just burning money.

When it comes to playing the market, http://www.ou7c4st.com/card-values.html is a pretty decent guide of what cards cost and generally reflect what prices you should expect in public trades. Unless you find a reasonable trade listed, it's almost always worth listing your own since people will list looking for more than what they're selling is worth.

Q: OKAY BUT WHAT DO I DO WITH THESE FUCKING TOKENS?

1. Purchase a theme deck if it has cards you need for building a standard deck, saves you tradable value. Charizard builds into a nice rogue deck. Buying two of them also gives you 4 Cynthias, that are possibly the best draw support at the moment. Battle Mind also includes nice Fire support in the form of Salazzle and Welder.
2. Purchase Unbroken Bonds and Team-Up packs hoping to get that Dedenne-GX / Jirachi.
3. Purchase bundles in the shop if they have promos that are worth buying (ask in the thread if you're not sure, the answer is usually no)
4. If you're a hardcore trader, use them to set-up chains of trading for the stuff you want (use the trading guide for reference).

Q: WHY DOES THIS GAME PLAY SO SLOW

Theme plays very slow compared to standard and expanded, it's a format designed for kids so the decks are built so that it's hard to run away with a game with them.

Q: WHAT THE FUCK ARE STANDARD AND EXPANDED?

Standard format is the format that most people play. It includes every set newer than Sun and Moon. Standard usually rotates every year after worlds, but this year is different. Standard is rotating August 15, just before worlds, and will include everything from Ultra Prism to Unified Minds.

Expanded format includes all sets newer than Black and White base set. At some point, older black and white sets may be rotated out of expanded, but TPCI has stated they aren't doing it yet. The format tends to play faster and more consistently due to battle compressors and VS seekers making it easier to rapidly thin your deck. Zoroark GX or Archie's Ace in the Hole variants are top dogs on that format.

Expanded has a banlist that is growing after many years of it being a minimally regulated format.
https://www.pokemon.com/us/pokemon-tcg-banned-card-list/

Legacy is the third PTCG format which includes only cards from the HGSS era and BW era, no XY/SM cards allowed. This format is the hardest to get into since none of the cards that can be used in it are in print or available in the store except as promo bundles. The format is mostly a meme with no IRL support and rapidly declining online support but the meta never changes, so if you don't like change this is the format for you.

Q: OKAY I GOT ALL OF THAT AND HAVE SOME PACKS TO TRADE, WHAT NOW?

Build a decklist, post it in the general, get criticism. Tapu Lele-GX is about to be rotated, and is not a necessity on most decks nowadays. Even then, most decks rely on consistency boosters like Dedenne-GX, Jirachi, Marshadow or Oranguru in order to make plays.

For best results, post your decklist as an image. Most standard decks will want

x3-4 Ultra Ball/x3-4 Net Ball
x2-4 Cynthia
x3-4 Lillie (you want to see it turn 1)
x0-2 Erika's Hospitality
x0-2 Shining Legends Marshadow (Judge but doesn't use your supporter for the turn)
x2-4 Guzma
x1-2 Rescue Stretcher
x1-2 Choice Band
x1-3 Stadiums of your choice . Given how strong current prism star stadiums are (Black Market, Heat Factory, Thunder Mountain, Wondrous Labyrinth) and since they're also immune to Field Blower, you want to out them as quick as possible. Viridian Forest and Shrine of Punishment are popular options.

The Jirachi package
x2-3 Team-Up Jirachi
x1-2 Escape Boards
x1-2 Switch/Escape Rope

Q: WHAT'S THE META?

Reshiram/Charizard is the indisputed king of the format. PikaZekrom, Zoroark variants, Blacephalon (both non-GX and GX) and Zapdos variants remain viable options if you don't have the cards or packs to build Reshizard (most likely you don't). Viable rogue/cheap options include Lost March, Charizard theme mashing, Weezing spread, Shedinja stall, Quagsire/Naganadel water toolbox, Gyarados and a variety of water decks or techable water options in decks like  Zoroark that are geared to counter the fire spam in the servers.