Glossary of Pokémon TCG

Game terms


Metagame: A term that describes the decks played in a certain area. For example, if there are lot of Eelektrik based decks in your State Championships, you can say that Eelektrik variants are metagame decks. Metagame is also often used to describe the current format’s most played decks.

Modified: The format that most people play.  It usually consists of the last 7-11 sets that were released.  All Premier rated tournaments are played in the Modified format.

Baby Killer - An attack or Pokémon that can damage an opponent's benched Pokémon for 30 or more damage.

Broken Card - A card that "breaks" the playing environment in a TCG. In theory, any card that exceeds the average power given its circumstances. It’s a card that you either play or play against. A great example of a broken card in HGSS-NEX format is Mewtwo EX.

Tech – Usually one card that helps against bad-matchups. Tech can also be a one card in the deck that is surprising and non-expected thus giving an advantage for the player playing the tech. For example, Terrakion tech in Zekrom/Eelektrik.


Yyber, uuber, 00ber, üüber etc. – Broken.

KO’d – Knocked Out.

OHKO – One Hit Knock Out. When a Pokémon is Knocked Out with a single attack.
2HKO - 2 Hit Knock Out.  When a Pokemon is Knocked out after 2 attacks.
3HKO - 3 Hit Knock Out.  When a Pokemon is Knocked out after 3 attacks.
4HKO - 4 Hit Knock Out.  When a Pokemon is Knocked Out after 4 attacks.

T1 – Turn 1.
T2 - Turn 2.
T3 – Turn 3. etc.


Combo – Combination of 2 or more cards that work well together. For example Reshiram and Typhlosion Prime form a very simple and efficient combo.

Stall – Stalling can mean two things. Negative stall is when a player slow-plays deliberately because he/she is in a prize lead and would lose the game if playing with a normal game pace. Stalling can also mean when any Pokémon is stucked as an active Pokémon due an attack. For example, Vanilluxe deck can be considered as stalling because it auto-paralyzes the opponent almost every turn.

Rotation – Rotation happens usually once a year after World Championships. In a rotation, the oldest modified sets are deleted from the current modified format to make the metagame new and fresh every year.

Net-Deck: Taking a list found online and running that exact list or a list that is almost similar. In my opinion, net-decking is one of the best ways to learn any card game. 

N00b, newbie etc. – A new, inexperienced player.

Pro – Players, who has had notable success in tournaments during his playing years.

Typo – Usually a typing error. (Very usual in my blog text’s, lol)

GG: Good game. You should say this to your opponent, whenever your tournament game ends.

FTW: For the win

Top Deck: The card that a player draws at the beginning of their turn. When saying that someone top decked something, it usually means that they drew something extremely useful and game-changing from their top deck.

Swiss: A style of play that Pokemon uses in its tournaments where players with similar records are paired together.  For example, a player who won 4 games and lost 4 games, will probably be paired with someone else who won 4 games and lost 4.

Top Cut: A series of rounds a kin to a tournament that is played after Swiss Rounds.  For example, after 4 Swiss rounds an event might have 4 players “top cut.”  Which means there would be two games with those 4 players, and the winner of those two games would play each other.

Snipe: Attacking one Pokemon on your opponent’s bench. Usually leads to KO.

Play Test: To practice playing your deck. 

Spread: Damaging multiple Pokemon on your opponent’s bench.

Tier: A grouping of decks together.  For example, the best decks in the format would be considered “Tier 1.” The second best decks would be considered “Tier2” decks etc.

Professor - a professional/18+ player that has undergone professor test to become a Pokémon Professor.

TO – Tournament Organizer

LO – League Owner. Usually the show owner, where the league is located.

LL – League Leader. The leader of league, who helps new players to get into the game.

Veteran – An experienced, knowledgeable player of Pokémon TCG that has been playing from the early days of Base Set.

Pokémon TCG Sites

TheDeckOut – Thedeckout.com

Gym/Pokegym - Pokegym.net

6P/SixPrizes - SixPrizes.com

Beach/Pokebeach - Pokebeach.com

TheTopCut/TCC – Thetopcut.net

OHKO/Team Omar – Onehitko.com

HT/Heytrainer – Heytrainer.org

Decks

Archetype deck:  A particular distinctive type of deck. Archetype decks are usually closely related to metagame decks and even though they have the same supporting Pokémon (for example Eelektrik(NVI), they can use different attackers.

Rogue deck: A deck that not only isn't an archetype, but is also doing something in a new – unexpected way. For example MagneRock in the season 2010-2011.

Stall deck: Uses high HP Pokemon like Chansey(BS) and Lickitung(BS) to stall while maxing out on (Super) Energy Removal, Scoop Up and Pokémon Center. The goal of this kind of  deck is to deck the opponent. Newer versions of this deck pop out all the time. Good examples are decks like: Dark Steelix, Steelix Prime, Ross.dec and Wailord.dec. The newer versions of these decks can win on prizes as well as decking out.

Trap Deck: Meant to leave your opponent with little or no options on their first few turn by using The Rocket's Trap, Imposter Oaks Revenge, and Rocket's Sneak Attack. Newer version have used Absol(SW), Team Galactic’s Mars, Team Galactic’s Wager, N, Rocket’s Admin and Cyrus’ Initiative to achieve the same goal. Sablelock that won the U.S. Nationals in 2010 was a trap deck.

Haymaker deck: Deck that focuses on big basic Pokémon with quick, energy-efficient attacks and relatively high HP. It was named after Hitmonchan, the original basis of the deck, "Haymaker" is Hitmonchans first attack when translated from Japenese. (A haymaker is a general term for a Knockout punch in boxing.) Main Pokemon: Hitmonchan, Scyther, Electabuzz etc. Newer versions of Haymaker decks arise in every format and one good example of a new Haymaker deck is 6 Corners.




Card abbreviations

DRE – Double Rainbow Energy
DCE – Double Colorless Energy
Delta Rainbow – Delta Rainbow Energy
PETM – Professor Elm’s Training Method
TVR - TV Reporter
SSU - Super Scoop Up
ER2 - Energy Removal 2
TGW - Team Galactic's Wager
Bebe - Bebe's Search
Rk9 - Arcanine
Guttor - Exegguttor
T-Tar - Tyranitar
CC - Copycat/Cessation Crystal
Reporter – TV Reporter
Briney – Mr. Briney’s Compassion
Mary – Mary’s Request
Steven – Steven’s Advice
Gatr/Fera - Feraligatr
DFH - Double Full Heal
ERS - Energy Recycle System
Gross - Metagross
d - Delta
Holon Engine – A combination of trainer and supporter cards that could be implented on any deck list in the HL-on and DX-on eras.
ER - Energy Removal
SER - Super Energy Removal
GoW - Gust of wind
NGR - Nightly Garbage Run
POV - Professor Oak's Visit
PP - PlusPower
NM - Night Maintenance
PONT - Professor Oak's New Tehory
RDL – Rayquza&Deoxys LEGEND
Juniper – Professor Juniper
Chandy - Chandelure


HP - Hit points


C - Colorless (Energy card / Pokémon type)
D - Dark (Energy card / Pokémon type)
F - Fighting (Energy card / Pokémon type)
G - Grass (Energy card / Pokémon type)
L - Lightning (Energy card / Pokémon type)
M - Metal (Energy card / Pokémon type)
P - Psychic (Energy card / Pokémon type)
R - Fire (Energy card / Pokémon type)
W - Water (Energy card / Pokémon type)
Darkness - Dark (Energy card / Pokémon type)
Metal - Metal (Energy card / Pokémon type)





Sets:

BS - Base Set
JGL - Jungle
FO - Fossil
TR - Team Rocket
GH - Gym Heroes
GC - Gym Challenge
NG - Neo Genesis
ND - Neo Discovery
NR - Neo Revelation
ND - Neo Destiny
LC - Legendary Collection
EXD - Expedition
AQ - Aquapolis
SR - Skyridge
R&S - EX Ruby&Sapphire
SS - EX Sandstorm
DRG - EX Dragon
TMTA - EX Team Magma & Team Aqua
HL - EX Hidden Legends
FRLG - EX FireRed & LeafGreen
TRR - EX Team Rocket Returns
DX - EX Deoxys
EM - EX Emerald
UF - EX Unseen Forces
DS - EX Delta Species
LM - EX Legend Maker
HP - EX Holon Phantoms
CG -EX Crystal Guardians
DF - EX Dragon Frontiers
PK - EX Power Keepers
DP - Diamond & Pearl
MT - Mysterious Treasures
SW- Secret Wonders
GE - Great Encounters
MD - Majestic Dawn
LA - Legends Awakened
SF - Stormfront
PT - Platinum
RR - Rising Rivals
SV - Supreme Victors
AR - Arceus
GS - HeartGold&SoulSilver
UL - HS - Unleashed
UD - HS - Undaunted
TM - HS - Triumphant
CL - Call Of Legends
BWL - Black & White
EPO - Emerging Powers
NVI - Noble Victories
NEX – Next Destinies


Modified Formats

BS-on –Base Set on
Rocket-on – Team Rocket on
Neo-on – Neo Genesis on
E-on – Expedition-on (2003-2004)
RS-on/ EX-on – Ruby&Sapphire on (2004-2005)
HL-on – EX Hidden Legends on (2005-2006)
DX-on –EX Deoxys on (2006-2007)
HP-on - EX Holon Phantoms on(2007-2008)
DP-on - Diamond & Pearl on(2008-2010)
MD-on - Majestic Dawn on(2010-2011)
GS-on – HeartGold&SoulSilver on(2011-2012)

Modified – The current format of every season. For example, at the moment the current modified comprehends sets from HGSS to Next Destinies.

Unlimited – A format, where every card excluding ______’s Pikachu and Ancient Mew are allowed to be used.

Limited - A format for playing the game that restricts the sets that are playable.  For example, a pre-release is a limited format.

Draft - A form of play where each player has several packs.  For each pack, the player opens it and picks one card and then passes it to the right. The next player then picks a card and then passes it to the right.  This is continued until each pack is opened.  Decks are built by the cards you pull from the boosters + Basic energy cards. Draft is usually played with 40-card decks and with 4-prize games.

Mutant Draft - A draft where evolution lines can be made by type.  For example, you can evolve a basic Fire Basic Pokemon like Growlithe into a Stage 1 Fire Pokemon like Magmortar and that into a Stage 2 Fire Pokemon like Blaziken.

Pre-Release - A form of tournament play. A tournament helf before the release of a set.  Players can join the event for $20-30.  They are given 6-8 boosters in the beginning of the tournament and each person makes a deck of 40 cards from those boosters + Basic energy cards. 

Tournaments


BR – Battle Road
CC – City Championships
SPT/ States – State Championships
Regionals – Regional Championships
Nats – National Championships
LCQ/Grinder/Last Chance Qualifier – A tournament, the day before Worlds, where the last invitations to World Championships are distributed
WCS/Worlds – World Championships – the main tournament of the year, where people all over the World are gathered
STS - Super Trainer Showdown – the World Championships of WoTC -era
TMB - Tropical Mega Battle
PR: Pre-Release
ECC – European Challenge Cup – a big annual European-wide tournament located in the Netherlands
Prague Cup - A big annual European-wide tournament located in the Czech Republic

Miscellaneous

TCG – Trading Card Game
TFG - Trading Figure Game
RPG – Role Play Game
MtG – Magic the Gathering
WoTC – Wizards of The Coast, company responsible of Pokémon TCG in 2000-2003
DM – Duel Masters
YGO – Yu-Gi-Oh
OP – Organized Play
P!P – Play! Pokémon. Pokémon TCG system, which we all are part of.
POP – Pokemon Organized Play. The old Play! Pokémon system.
TPC - The Pokémon Company
PUI / PUSA – Pokemon Usa Incorporation / Pokemon USA
TC - Team Compendium - Western Rules gurus and recorders
PCL – Pokemon Card Laboratory, the developer of Pokémon TCG. The place, where all cards, rules etc. are designed and tested.
Nintendo – The developer of Pokémon alongside with GameFreak inc.

Apprentice: An old software that allows you to play-test the Pokemon game.
Redshark: Probably the most popular software that allows you to play-test Pokemon online.
PTCGO: The official Pokémon TCG software, which is still in Beta-testing


Play Points - Points that are given out by Play! Pokemon for attending  leagues and tournaments.  The larger the tournament is, the more play points you will earn. 

Championship Points -  Points that are given for placing high in tournaments.  Invitations to World Championships are given out based on Championship points.

League: A place to play the game. League are usually held at card shops or public places like a libraries etc. 

Rating - The Premier Rating that each player has.  Points are given you in from a tournament if you win a game and taken away whenever you lose a game.  Each player’s rating starts at 1600 in the beginning of the season. Rating will decide who gets the invite if Championship Points are even.

SP - A type of Pokemon that were released in the Platinum sets.  They are all basic Pokemon. For example Weavile G is a basic Pokémon.