Pokemon TCG Glossary
69 terms covering rules, mechanics, card types, rarities, and formats.
A
- Active Pokemon
- The Pokemon in the front position that attacks and takes hits from the opponent's attacks.
- Ability
- A special power on a Pokemon card that can be used at any time during your turn (unless restricted by another effect).
- Attack
- An action a Pokemon can take on your turn by paying the listed Energy cost. Attacks deal damage and may have additional effects.
- Archetype
- A recognizable and established deck strategy built around a specific Pokemon or mechanic, like Charizard ex or Gardevoir ex.
B
- Bench
- The zone where you keep up to 5 Pokemon in reserve behind your Active Pokemon.
- Basic Pokemon
- Pokemon cards that can be played directly to your Bench without evolving from another card.
- Booster Pack
- A sealed pack containing 10 cards from a specific set, including guaranteed commons, uncommons, and at least one rare.
- Booster Box
- A factory-sealed box of 36 booster packs from a single set. The primary purchase for collectors and investors.
- BGS (Beckett Grading Services)
- A major grading company that grades cards using four sub-scores (centering, corners, edges, surface) averaged to a final grade.
C
- Common
- The most frequently pulled rarity in booster packs, marked with a circle symbol. Generally the least valuable cards.
- CGC (Certified Guaranty Company)
- A third major grading company, popular for its faster turnaround times and competitive pricing compared to PSA and BGS.
D
- Damage Counter
- A counter placed on a Pokemon representing 10 damage. When counters total the Pokemon's HP, it is Knocked Out.
- Decklist
- The specific 60-card list used in a deck, including card names, set codes, and quantities.
- Draw Engine
- The combination of cards in a deck that enables consistent card drawing to find what you need each turn.
- Disruption
- Deck strategies or individual cards designed to slow down or hinder the opponent's setup and strategy.
E
- Expanded Format
- A Pokemon TCG format that uses cards from Black & White onward, giving access to a much larger card pool than Standard.
- Energy
- Cards attached to Pokemon to power their attacks. Basic Energy matches a Pokemon type; Special Energy provides unique effects.
- Evolution
- The process of placing a higher Stage card on top of a Basic or Stage 1 Pokemon to power it up.
G
- Graded Card
- A card that has been professionally authenticated, evaluated for condition, and sealed in a tamper-proof plastic case (slab).
H
- HP (Hit Points)
- The number of damage points a Pokemon can take before it is knocked out. Printed in the upper right corner of the card.
- Holo Rare
- A Rare card with a holographic (foil) artwork, creating a shimmery effect. Marked with a star.
- Heavily Played (HP)
- A card in poor condition with severe wear, creases, or damage affecting the card's structural integrity.
I
K
- Knockout (KO)
- When a Pokemon's damage counters equal or exceed its HP, it is Knocked Out and sent to the discard pile.
L
- Low Price
- The lowest available listing price for a card on TCGPlayer in Near Mint condition.
- Lightly Played (LP)
- A card condition with minor wear — slight scratches, soft corner whitening — but still presentable.
- Lost Zone
- A game zone separate from the discard pile. Cards placed in the Lost Zone are removed from the game entirely for the rest of the match.
- Lost Box
- A popular competitive deck archetype centered around sending cards to the Lost Zone to power up Cramorant and Mirage Gate.
M
- Market Price
- The current average sale price of a card on TCGPlayer, calculated from recent sold listings.
- Mid Price
- The median listing price for a card on TCGPlayer, representing the middle of the price range.
- Meta (Metagame)
- The current competitive landscape of dominant decks and strategies in a given format.
- Moderately Played (MP)
- A card with visible wear including creases, notable edge wear, or surface scuffs that are clearly visible.
N
- Near Mint (NM)
- The highest playable condition grade for Pokemon cards. Minimal to no wear, suitable for competitive play.
O
- One-Prize Attacker
- A Pokemon that only gives up 1 Prize card when Knocked Out, used in decks to counteract multi-Prize strategy.
P
- Prize Cards
- Six cards set aside at the start of the game. You take one (or more) each time you Knock Out an opponent's Pokemon. The player who takes all 6 wins.
- Pokemon ex
- Pokemon cards introduced in the Scarlet & Violet era with high HP and powerful attacks. When Knocked Out, the opponent takes 2 Prize cards.
- Pokemon V
- Powerful Pokemon cards from the Sword & Shield era. When Knocked Out, the opponent takes 2 Prize cards.
- Pokemon VMAX
- Pokemon that evolve from Pokemon V with extremely high HP (often 300+). Giving up 3 Prize cards when Knocked Out.
- Pokemon VSTAR
- Pokemon that evolve from Pokemon V, featuring a VSTAR Power (either an attack or ability) that can be used once per game.
- Pokemon GX
- Powerful Pokemon from the Sun & Moon era with a GX attack that can be used once per game across all your GX cards.
- Pokemon Tool
- Trainer cards that attach to a Pokemon and provide a continuous effect. Each Pokemon can hold one Tool at a time.
- Promo Card
- Cards distributed through special events, products, or promotions rather than standard booster packs.
- PSA (Professional Sports Authenticator)
- The largest and most recognized card grading company. Cards are graded on a 1-10 scale based on condition.
R
- Rotation
- The annual process where older sets are removed from Standard format legality, keeping the competitive card pool fresh.
- Resistance
- A type advantage printed on a Pokemon card. Attacks from the resistance type deal 30 less damage.
- Retreat Cost
- The number of Energy cards you must discard from your Active Pokemon to move it to the Bench.
- Regulation Mark
- A letter (A-H) on modern Pokemon cards indicating which Standard format rotation cycle they belong to.
- Rare
- Cards marked with a star symbol. The standard rare slot in a booster pack, guaranteed at least one per pack.
- Raw Card
- An ungraded Pokemon card, as opposed to a professionally graded card in a slab.
S
- Standard Format
- The most competitive Pokemon TCG format, using only cards from the most recent sets (typically the last 2-3 years). Rotations happen annually.
- Special Condition
- A status effect affecting a Pokemon: Asleep, Burned, Confused, Paralyzed, or Poisoned.
- Special Energy
- Energy cards with effects beyond providing basic Energy. Examples include Double Turbo Energy, Reversal Energy, and Triple Acceleration Energy.
- Stage 1 Pokemon
- Pokemon that evolve from a Basic Pokemon. They are generally more powerful than their Basic counterparts.
- Stage 2 Pokemon
- The fully evolved Pokemon that evolve from Stage 1. They have the highest stats and strongest attacks but require the most setup.
- Supporter Card
- Powerful Trainer cards limited to one use per turn. Examples: Professor's Research, Iono, Boss's Orders.
- Stadium Card
- Trainer cards placed in a central zone that affect both players. A new Stadium replaces any existing one.
- Special Illustration Rare (SIR)
- The highest rarity in modern Scarlet & Violet sets, featuring full-art illustrated cards with unique artwork extending beyond the card border.
- Secret Rare
- Cards with a card number exceeding the official set total (e.g., 201/197). Among the rarest cards in any set.
- Set
- A collection of Pokemon cards released together with a shared theme, numbered 1 through the set total.
- Series
- A group of related sets released under the same generation banner (e.g., Scarlet & Violet, Sword & Shield, Sun & Moon).
T
- Trainer Card
- Non-Pokemon cards that provide items, supporters, stadiums, and tools to support your strategy.
- TCGPlayer
- The largest online marketplace for Pokemon TCG card buying and selling in the United States.
- Tier
- A ranking system for competitive decks. Tier 1 is dominant, Tier 2 is competitive, Tier 3 is viable but weaker.
- Tech Card
- A card included in a deck specifically to counter a common threat or exploit a weakness in the current meta.
U
- Unlimited Format
- A Pokemon TCG format where any card from any set in the game's history can be used, including Base Set cards from 1999.
- Uncommon
- A mid-tier rarity marked with a diamond symbol. More powerful than Commons but less rare than Rare cards.
- Ultra Rare
- Cards pulled at a lower rate than standard Rares. Includes Pokemon ex, Full Art, and similar high-rarity cards.
W
- Weakness
- A type disadvantage printed on a Pokemon card. Attacks from the weakness type deal double (×2) damage.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a booster pack in the Pokemon TCG?
A booster pack contains 10 random cards from a specific set, including at least one rare card. They are the primary way to collect cards and build your collection.
What does PSA grading mean for Pokemon cards?
PSA (Professional Sports Authenticator) grades card condition on a 1-10 scale. A PSA 10 (Gem Mint) card is in perfect condition and commands the highest prices from collectors.
What is the difference between holographic and non-holographic cards?
Holographic (holo) cards have a reflective, shimmering pattern on the artwork. They are rarer and more valuable than non-holographic versions of the same card.