Trainers and Energy
Items, Supporters, Stadiums and Tools do different jobs, and each kind has its own limit.
7 min read
After this guide you can
- Say how many of each kind of Trainer a player can play in one turn.
- Say which Energy cards have no limit of four copies.
Four kinds of Trainer
SwitchTrainer
Switch, Scarlet & Violet, illustrated by Studio Bora Inc.. Card images from TCGdex. Pokémon is a trademark of Nintendo, Creatures and GAME FREAK. BinderLoot is unofficial and is not endorsed by them.
- Item: do what it says, then discard it. Switch is an Item. You can play as many Items as you like in a turn.
- Supporter: played like an Item, but only one each turn.
- Stadium: stays in play until another Stadium replaces it. One each turn.
- Pokémon Tool: attaches to one of your Pokémon and stays there.
There are three kinds of card: Pokémon, Energy and Trainer.
Rulebook: 3 Card Types, p. 6
A player can play any number of Item and Pokémon Tool cards in a turn, but only one Supporter and one Stadium.
Rulebook: Parts of a Turn, p. 9; Turn Actions, p. 12
A Stadium stays in play. Only one Stadium is in play at a time, and a new one discards the old one. A Stadium with the same name as the one in play cannot be played.
Rulebook: Turn Actions, p. 12
A Pokémon Tool attaches to a Pokémon, and a Pokémon can hold only one Pokémon Tool at a time.
Rulebook: Glossary, p. 43
Worked example: Switch saves a Paralyzed Pokémon
- SwitchTrainer
CharmanderPokemon — Basic
Miraidon exPokemon — Basic
Switch, Scarlet & Violet, illustrated by Studio Bora Inc.. Charmander, Obsidian Flames, illustrated by DOM. Miraidon ex, Scarlet & Violet, illustrated by 5ban Graphics. Card images from TCGdex. Pokémon is a trademark of Nintendo, Creatures and GAME FREAK. BinderLoot is unofficial and is not endorsed by them.
- 1Your Active Charmander is Paralyzed, so it cannot attack or retreat.
- 2Switch is an Item, so playing it does not use your Supporter for the turn.
- 3Switch swaps Charmander with Miraidon ex from your Bench. A switch is not a retreat, so it costs no Energy.
- 4Charmander recovers on the Bench, because a Pokémon that moves to the Bench loses its Special Conditions.
A Paralyzed Pokémon cannot attack or retreat. It recovers at the Pokémon Checkup after its owner's next turn.
Rulebook: Special Conditions, p. 16
A Pokémon recovers from every Special Condition when it moves to the Bench or evolves.
Rulebook: Special Conditions, p. 16; Turn Actions, p. 12
Energy cards
Your one attachment from the hand each turn can go to the Active Pokémon or to a Benched Pokémon, so the next attacker can get ready.
A deck can hold any number of Basic Energy cards. Every other card, Special Energy included, keeps the limit of four with the same name.
A player can attach one Energy card from the hand each turn, to the Active Pokémon or to a Benched Pokémon.
Rulebook: Turn Actions, p. 11
A deck holds at most 4 cards with the same name, except Basic Energy.
Rulebook: Deck Building, p. 22; What does and doesn’t count for a Pokémon’s name?, p. 21
Your turn: play your Trainers
Your hand holds two Items, two Supporters and one Stadium. Your opponent has a different Stadium in play.