The new mobile app, Pokémon TCG Pocket, is the latest addition to the Pokémon Trading Card Game world and a great way for new players to introduce themselves to the game. Unlike the physical Pokémon Trading Card Game, or even the official TCG Live app, Pokémon TCG Pocket is a card collector with a simplified take on the traditional battling setup.

A Pokémon TCG Pocket deck requires fewer cards than traditional Pokémon TCG, and it also lacks prize cards, energy cards, and stadium cards. These changes help create a more beginner-friendly space for new players, but battling isn't the only feature of this game. To fully master Pokémon TCG Pocket, you'll want to ensure you understand all its features.

10 Check-In Every Day, Twice A Day

Even If You Don't Have Time To Play, Take Advantage Of The Rewards

Pokémon TCG Pocket generously allows players to open up to two free Booster Packs daily, three if you have the , simply by waiting for a timer to refill. Each Booster Pack open has a 12-hour cooldown, after which you can open a new pack, completely free. Once these cooldowns have refilled, they'll stay that way until you spend them, they won't continue to accrue.

This means that whether you check in or not, you won't be able to increase your Booster Pack openings beyond this, so if you want to make the most of these freebies, you'll need to open them as close to their finished recovery time as possible. Doing so will allow you to open the maximum number of free Booster Packs, increasing your card collection without wasting Pack Hourglasses.

9 Complete All The Training Content

Learn The New Rules & Earn Some Rewards

Even if you have Pokémon TCG experience, the rules of Pokémon TCG Pocket are different. There are no prize cards, no stadium cards, and you do not select your energy cards. Technically, this means you have an overall smaller deck and must adjust your play style to the simplified rule set of Pokémon TCG Pocket's version of the game.

Beyond just learning, though, for those who may find the training tedious, it's worth completing training for the reward items you'll earn. Pokémon TCG Pocket is a game where you'll want to take advantage of every way to earn items and points that you possibly can, so if for no other reason, you should do the training just for that.

8 Complete Solo Battles

Before Jumping Online, You Should Finish The Solo Battle Challenges

Speaking of rewards, another great way to earn a lot of items is through Solo Battles, a separate category on the battle screen where players will face off against AI using themed decks. These battles come in five different difficulty modes, ranging from Beginner to Expert. While you're free to jump into any difficulty, depending on skill, I'd recommend going through all of them and starting with Beginner.

Solo Battles can also help you create a custom Pokémon deck, as you'll have the opportunity to test out rental decks, get a feel for certain cards, and even test your custom-built deck in a match before hopping online.

While Beginner Battles may be tedious once again, it's worth it for the rewards you'll gain from winning the match. Furthermore, each battle features challenges where you can earn extra rewards if you complete them during your battle. The rewards for Solo Battles typically include Shop Tickets that you can exchange for Hourglasses, certain Cards, and other items.

7 Practice Building Custom Decks

Rental Decks Are Great, But Should Only Be Used As A Guide

While playing through the Solo Battles, you'll have the chance to practice with Rental Decks, which are pre-made decks designed around a certain type or Pokémon. While these are valuable learning tools, they shouldn't be something you rely on. While playing through Solo Battles, you're not only using Rental Decks but battling them as well.

This means nearly every player in the game has practiced using and fighting these decks, making them aware of what the strategy is and how to counter it. For this reason, you should use them as a way of discovering which Pokémon you resonate with and which strategies you feel comfortable with and then use those as a guide to build a custom deck that is more likely to throw people off in online matches.

6 Be Careful With Multi-Type Decks

Though Useful, Multi-Type Decks Require Difficult Strategies To Properly Use

On the topic of building custom decks, you may be thinking that building a multi-type deck is a great idea. After all, it would address two different types of weaknesses and give you more versatility, but when it comes to Pokémon TCG Pocket, it isn't as easy to implement as in the traditional game. In Pokémon TCG, players are free to choose the ratio of energy they use in their deck, but in this game, energy spawns once per turn and will spawn based on the Pokémon types in your deck.

If you want to have a multi-type Pokémon deck but aren't ready to deal with dual energy yet, use normal-type Pokémon as your other type. They all use colorless energy, meaning they won't affect what energy spawns and thus pair well with any other type.

This means if you have even one fire Pokémon in your water deck, you'll get a random spawn of water and fire energy appearing, even though it's just one fire card among several water. For this reason, multi-type decks can be tricky. You can only see what will spawn on your next turn and, while it does create an endless supply of energy, if you spawn one type for several turns and desperately need the other, there's nothing you can do. So, for beginners, I'd recommend sticking with monotype decks.

5 Watch Out For EX Cards

EX Pokémon Are Powerful, But Risky

EX Pokémon are the most powerful in the game as shown in spragels Pocket's YouTube video above, making them incredibly tempting to use as they deal large amounts of damage while also being incredibly tanky. Unfortunately, this power comes with a consequence as EX cards cost a player 2 points upon death instead of 1. This means if you're not careful, it could be an easy way for your opponent to wipe you out. The best way to handle EX cards is to use them sparingly and, if they are used against you, kill them quickly.

Don't stuff your deck with EX cards, instead, choose one or two and build your Pokémon deck around those cards. Then, when it comes to your opponent, try to take out theirs before they can power up. Some EX cards are Basic Pokémon, meaning they come onto the playing field early, but you have the advantage here as most typically require three - four energy to power up, giving you time to plan. As for the ones that are Stage 1 or 2, try to take out the pre-evolution if you have the chance before they evolve.

4 Build Binders & Display Cases

A Great Way To Earn ive Rewards

Something that many players are likely to brush off early on is the option to build binders and display cases. These unlock relatively soon, around level six, and are a way for you to show off cards that you've collected as shown in Austin John Plays' YouTube video. They're entirely custom and can have any theme you want, so there's no right or wrong way to build them.

You can also favorite a binder and display case which you can access quickly on your dashboard by swiping to the right, and it will be displayed on your profile for others to view as well.

Those who are here for battling and not collecting may not think much about this feature, but it costs absolutely nothing to do and, if shared publicly, can earn you rewards. Once you build your custom binder or case, you can mark it as public, which will share it with players around the world who have the option to like it. If they like it, you'll receive a notification in your gift box with a shop ticket, making this a great and easy way to earn ive rewards.

3 Utilize Wonder Picks Efficiently

Wonder Picks Are A Great Way To Get Rare Or Missing Cards

Another free feature players should be aware of, and use to the full extent, is Wonder Picks. A Wonder Pick is a collection of cards pulled by other players that you now have the chance to pull a single card from. When you open the Wonder Pick screen, you'll see different groups of five cards and after selecting one, they'll be shuffled, and you'll have the chance to randomly pull one and add it to your collection.

These are a great way to increase the odds of a card you're on the hunt for or even just increase your collection if you see a batch full of entirely new cards you don't have. That being said, Wonder Pick cooldowns are significantly longer and each Wonder Pick has its own cost, with the better ones costing more, so you'll want to savor these and use them for a chance at rare cards. It's not a guaranteed thing, but knowing the card you want is there is better than blindly pulling from a Booster Pack.

2 Complete Missions

Missions Are The Best Way To Earn Rewards

In Pokémon TCG Pocket, there are several mission categories, ranging from Daily Missions to Advanced Missions to Missions. Each tab offers different rewards, including Shop Tickets, Hourglasses, and Event Items. These items are key to purchasing things from the in-game store and cutting down on your cooldown times, so you can open more Pokémon TCG Pocket Booster Packs.

There may occasionally be event missions, which have a timed expiration and limited-time rewards, so even if you're not regularly completing missions, these may be worth the effort. Once event rewards are gone, there is a chance they'll never be available again.

Most of the missions are relatively easy, such as the Daily Missions, which feature an objective that is simply logging on once a day. Meanwhile, some of the missions offer substantial rewards, such as the Advanced Missions, where I was able to earn over 100 Pack Hourglasses by completing all the missions in that category. Most of these can be completed by accident while playing, but if you're desperate for some items, this is a great way to earn them.

1 Don't Spend Your Items Or Points Right Away

Though Tempting, It May Be Worth Holding On To Some Things

I will it firsthand that as soon as I have an Hourglass, I want to spend it to open a Booster Pack, but that is the exact opposite of what you should be doing. You will acquire so many of these at the start that it seems tempting to just blow through a couple to build up your collection and maybe for a few, you should, but it's worth holding on to a few things. Wonder Stamina, for example, is valuable, and as shown in Bropening's YouTube video above, you want to hold on to it for a better chance at something rare.

When using Pack Hourglasses, time them as close to the full hour as possible. Whether you have 8 hours and 59 minutes left or 8 hours and 1 minute, they will cost the same number of Hourglasses. This means if you use it when the minute mark is closer to 59 than 01, you make the most of the cost. If it's closer to 01, wait until it drops to the next hour.

As for the points you earn from collecting a card, do not spend these freely as they take a while to build up and are used to purchase a single card. Most of the cheap cards are the most common to pull in a Booster Pack, so if you don't have one, you likely will soon. These points are best used by being saved and spent on an EX card for a deck or a full art card for your collection, both of which are rare to pull and well worth your Pokémon TCG Pocket points.

Sources: YouTube/spragels Pocket, YouTube/Austin John Plays, YouTube/Bropening