Pokémon Organized Play Official Tournament Formats

Transcription

1 Pkémn Organized Play Official Turnament Frmats Revised: September 20 th, 2012 Table f Cntents POKÉMON TRADING CARD GAME TOURNAMENT FORMATS Standard Frmat Styles Cnstructed Limited Sealed Deck Bster Draft Rchester Draft Slmn Draft Standard Deck Cnstructin Rules Sanctined Frmats Mdified Frmat Cnstructed Limited Unlimited Frmat Cnstructed Limited Unsanctined Fun Frmats n-2 Battle Cnstructed Limited Card...8

2 Cnstructed Limited Team Battle Cnstructed Limited POKÉMON VIDEO GAME TOURNAMENT FORMATS Standard Frmat Style Duble Battle Standard Team Cnstructin Rules Sanctined Frmat Mdified Frmat Unsanctined Fun Frmats Single Battle Triple Battle Rtatin Battle Appendix A. Dcument Updates... 14

3 3 POKÉMON TRADING CARD GAME TOURNAMENT FORMATS Pkémn Organized Play (POP) supprts a variety f turnament frmats fr sanctined play f the Pkémn Trading Card Game (TCG). This dcument intrduces each f the apprved frmats and their variatins. Turnaments that d nt use ne f the frmats belw may nt be sanctined. 1. Standard Frmat Styles All sanctined Pkémn TCG turnaments fall int ne f tw categries: Cnstructed r Limited. This sectin utlines the differences between the tw categries, as well as any sub-categries that may exist Cnstructed In a Cnstructed event, players arrive at the turnament with a 60-card deck. The cards used t build the deck cme frm each player s persnal cllectin. Decks may nt cntain mre than 4 cpies f a single card, as defined by the card s English title, with the standard exceptin fr basic Energy cards. Sme cards may have additinal cnstructin restrictins n them, which are treated as exceptins t the 4-cpy rule. Matches are played fr 6 Prize cards Limited In a Limited event, players cnstruct their decks using nly cards prvided by the Turnament Organizer at the event. Each player s deck must cntain exactly 40 cards at all times. Decks may cntain mre than 4 cpies f a single card, as defined by the card s English title, with the exceptin f cards which are limited t ne per deck by card text. A Turnament Organizer must annunce whether he r she is prviding players with basic Energy cards befre the date f the event as well as at the event befre it begins. Matches are played fr 4 Prize cards Sealed Deck In a Sealed Deck event, players receive bster packs frm the Turnament Organizer at the beginning f the event. Each player pens all f his r her bster packs at a signal frm the Turnament Organizer and cnstructs a 40-card deck using nly thse cards and any basic Energy cards prvided by the Turnament Organizer. Players have 30 minutes t cnstruct their decks. Players may nt trade the cards frm their bster packs with ther players until the turnament ends. The Turnament Organizer may require players t fill ut deck lists, including the cards in their decks and any cards nt being used. Once the first rund f the turnament begins, players may nt alter the cntents f their decks. Bster packs used fr a Sealed Deck turnament shuld cme frm the same set t preserve Evlutin chains that may nt exist utside f that set Bster Draft In a Bster Draft event, players receive bster packs frm the Turnament Organizer at the beginning f the event. Players split int equal-sized grups, which shuld nt exceed 8 players per grup, and are seated in a circle.

4 4 At a signal frm the Turnament Organizer, each player pens ne bster pack withut revealing its cntents t the ther players. Each player then selects ne card frm his r her bster pack and lays it face dwn in frnt f him r her. Once a card has been placed in a player s stack, it is cnsidered selected and cannt be returned t the pack in exchange fr anther card. Players then pass the remaining cards, face dwn, t the persn n that player s left. The cards selected by each player shuld remain private knwledge during the drafting prcess. Each player cntinues t select ne card frm amng the cards handed t him r her until all f the cards have been selected. This prcess repeats fr each remaining bster pack, with the passing pattern alternating frm left t right as each new pack is pened. After all f the bster packs have been pened and all f the cards have been selected, each player cnstructs a 40-card deck, using nly the cards he r she selected and any basic Energy cards prvided by the Turnament Organizer. Players have 30 minutes t cnstruct their decks. Players may nt trade the cards they selected in the draft with ther players until the turnament ends. The Turnament Organizer may require players t fill ut deck lists, including the cards in their decks and any cards nt being used. Once the first rund f the turnament begins, players may nt alter the cntents f their decks. Bster packs used fr a Bster Draft turnament shuld cme frm the same set t preserve Evlutin chains that may nt exist utside f that set Rchester Draft In a Rchester Draft event, players receive bster packs frm the Turnament Organizer at the beginning f the event. Players split int equal-sized grups, which shuld nt exceed 8 players per grup, and are seated in a circle. At a signal frm the Turnament Organizer, the player designated as player 1 pens tw f his r her bster packs and lays each card face up n the table s that the cards are clearly visible t all players. The players use a snaking draft t select their cards. Player 1 selects the first card and, mving arund the circle in a clckwise directin, each player selects ne card frm the pack, placing it in frnt f him r her face up. The last player selects tw cards, after which the draft prceeds in a cunter-clckwise directin. When the draft gets back t the player 1, that player selects tw cards, after which the draft prceeds in a clckwise directin nce again. The draft cntinues in this pattern until the last card has been selected. Once the last card frm the pened pack is taken, players may realign the cards they drafted in any manner they chse. After all f the cards frm the first tw packs have been selected, player 2 (t the left f player 1) pens tw bster packs and lays each card face up n the table s that the cards are clearly visible t all players. Starting with player 2 and mving clckwise, players select cards frm the pened pack, adding them t their card pls, using the same snaking draft described abve. As the cards in pened packs are exhausted, the player t the left f player 2 pens tw packs and each f the players takes turns selecting a card, starting with the player wh pened the pack. This prcess repeats until all remaining bster packs have been pened and all f the cards have been selected. Each player cnstructs a 40-card deck, using nly the cards he r she

5 5 selected and any basic Energy cards prvided by the Turnament Organizer. Players have 30 minutes t cnstruct their decks. Players may nt trade the cards they selected in the draft with ther players until the turnament ends. The Turnament Organizer may require players t fill ut deck lists, including the cards in their decks and any cards nt being used. Once the first rund f the turnament begins, players may nt alter the cntents f their decks. Bster packs used fr a Rchester Draft turnament shuld cme frm the same set t preserve Evlutin chains, which may nt exist utside f that set Slmn Draft In a Slmn Draft event, players receive bster packs frm the Turnament Organizer at the beginning f the event. Players are randmly split int pairs and are seated acrss the table frm each ther. At a signal frm the Turnament Organizer, bth players pen all f the packs given t them and briefly review the cards they ve received. All f the cards are then shuffled tgether int a single stack f cards and set face dwn. At the beginning f the draft, the players flip a cin t determine drafting pririty. The winner f the flip is designated as player 1; the lser is designated as player 2. Player 1 takes the tp 4 cards frm the stack and lays them face up n the table. Player 1 selects ne card and places it face dwn in his r her draft pile. Player 2 selects tw cards and places them face dwn in his r her draft pile. Player 1 then takes the final card and places it face dwn in her r her draft pile. Player 2 takes the tp 4 cards frm the stack and lays them face up n the table. Player 2 selects ne card and places it face dwn in his r her draft pile. Player 1 selects tw cards and places them face dwn in his r her draft pile. Player 2 then takes the final card and places it face dwn in her r her draft pile. Players cntinue t alternate drafting rder until the stack is depleted. Players may nt reference the cards that they have drafted until the stack is depleted. It is up t the Turnament Organizer s discretin as t whether r nt players may draft cperatively, but this must be annunced befre the draft begins. Each player cnstructs a 40-card deck, using nly the cards he r she selected and any basic Energy cards prvided by the Turnament Organizer. Players have 30 minutes t cnstruct their decks. The Turnament Organizer may chse t have players re-draft against a different ppnent in later runds. If this will ccur at any pint in the turnament, the Turnament Organizer must annunce this prir t the start f the turnament. If a re-draft will ccur during the

6 6 turnament, players are required t keep all f the cards that they drafted fr the duratin f the event. Players may nt trade the cards they selected in the draft with ther players until the turnament ends. The Turnament Organizer may require players t fill ut deck lists, including the cards in their decks and any cards nt being used. Once the first rund f the turnament begins, players may nt alter the cntents f their decks. Bster packs used fr a Slmn Draft turnament shuld cme frm the same set t preserve Evlutin chains, which may nt exist utside f that set. 2. Standard Deck Cnstructin Rules All cards frm Pkémn Trading Card Game expansin sets with the standard Pkémn TCG card back that have been released in the United States, including prmtinal cards, are legal fr turnament play unless listed therwise. Cards frm cllectr s sets, such as the Pkémn Wrld Champinship decks, and cards with the wrds NOT TOURNAMENT LEGAL printed n them, are nt allwed in turnaments. Specific frmats may include additinal rules restricting which card sets are allwed. 3. Sanctined Frmats Pkémn Organized Play supprts tw frmats fr sanctined play: Mdified and Unlimited. Sanctined events are listed n the POP website, and the results are reprted t POP after the event cncludes Mdified Frmat The Mdified frmat is the standard turnament frmat fr Pkémn Organized Play events. This frmat will be used at all premier events unless specified therwise. The Mdified frmat fr the 2013 seasn will cnsist f the fllwing sets: Black & White BW: Emerging Pwers BW: Nble Victries BW: Next Destinies BW: Dark Explrers HS Trainer Kit Black Star Prm Cards numbered HGSS01 and higher and Black Star Prm Cards numbered BW01 and higher.

7 7 In additin, future Pkémn TCG sets will becme legal as they are released, per the Pkémn Organized Play Turnament Rules. With the exceptin f basic Energy cards and previusly printed cards that appear in Mdified-legal sets, players may nt use cards frm Pkémn sets prir t HeartGld & SulSilver. Players using previusly printed cards that appear in Mdified-legal sets must play thse cards using the wrding f the mst recent printing f the card. New sets are allwed as sn as the prduct has been released in that rating zne. In events that include multiple rating znes, such as the Pkémn TCG Wrld Champinships, the frmat f the United States will be used. There are currently n cards banned in the Mdified frmat Cnstructed Mdified Cnstructed events use the standard Cnstructed rules, as listed in sectin 1.1, in additin t the Mdified frmat rules listed in sectin Limited Mdified Limited events use the standard Limited rules, as listed in sectin 1.2, in additin t the Mdified frmat rules listed in sectin 3.1. Sealed Deck, Bster Draft, Rchester Draft, and Slmn Draft, detailed in sectin 1.2, are all apprpriate frmats fr Mdified Limited events Unlimited Frmat Unlimited decks may cntain cards frm any and all Pkémn Trading Card Game sets and prmtinal cards that have been released in the United States. Players using cards that have been reprinted in a later set must play thse cards using the wrding f the mst recent printing. New sets are allwed as sn as the prduct has been released. There are currently n cards banned in the Unlimited frmat Cnstructed Unlimited Cnstructed events use the standard Cnstructed rules, as listed in sectin 1.1, in additin t the Unlimited frmat rules listed in sectin Limited Unlimited Limited events use the standard Limited rules, as listed in sectin 1.2, in additin t the Unlimited frmat rules listed in sectin 3.2. Sealed Deck, Bster Draft, and Rchester Draft, detailed in sectin 1.2, are all apprpriate frmats fr Unlimited Limited events. 4. Unsanctined Fun Frmats The frmats listed belw are intended as a fun, alternate way t play the Pkémn TCG and are nt recgnized as sanctinable frmats. These frmats are great fr leagues, casual gatherings, r side events. We ve included the fficial rules fr these frmats t help prvide cnsistency, shuld yur Turnament Organizer r League Leader decide t run a nn-sanctined event using ne f these frmats n-2 Battle

8 8 The 2-n-2 Battle frmat allws each player t have 2 Active Pkémn in play at a time. This game is played exactly like a regular game f Pkémn except fr a few rules changes. Players may put up t 2 Basic Pkémn int play, face dwn, at the beginning f the game. N player may have mre than 6 Pkémn in play at any time. If pssible, a player must have 2 Active Pkémn in play at all times. Only 1 Pkémn may attack each turn. During his r her turn, a player may nly chse 1 Defending Pkémn t attack unless the text f a Pkémn s attack refers t each Defending Pkémn. When bth f a player s Pkémn are Asleep, Burned, Cnfused, r Pisned, that player can make an attempt t recver r avid damage in whatever rder he r she wuld like. When 1 f that player s Active Pkémn becmes Paralyzed, it cannt attack n that player s next turn thugh his r her ther Pkémn may still attack if it is nt affected by a Special Cnditin that wuld prevent it frm ding s. If a Trainer card has an effect n an Active Pkémn, a player must chse nly 1 Active Pkémn fr that card s effect, unless that card specifies that it affects mre than 1 Pkémn. When a player s Pkémn uses an attack n an ppnent s Baby Pkémn that requires a flip, that player must flip a cin. Hwever, if 1 f the defending player s Pkémn is a Baby Pkémn that requires a flip and the defending player s ther Pkémn is nt, the attacking player des nt have t flip a cin t attack the nn-baby Pkémn Cnstructed 2-n-2 Battle Cnstructed events use the standard Cnstructed rules, as listed in sectin 1.1, in additin t the 2-n-2 Battle frmat rules listed in sectin Limited 2-n-2 Battle Limited events use the standard Limited rules, as listed in sectin 1.2, in additin t the 2-n-2 Battle frmat rules listed in sectin 4.1. Sealed Deck, Bster Draft, and Rchester Draft, detailed in sectin 1.2, are all apprpriate frmats fr 2-n-2 Battle Limited events Card The 30-card frmat allws players t build decks cnsisting f half as many cards as a standard deck. This tends t reduce the amunt f time needed t play a match, allwing players t get in mre games in a shrter time frame than a standard game Cnstructed In a 30-Card-Cnstructed event, players arrive at the turnament with a 30-card deck. The cards used t build the deck cme frm each player s persnal cllectin. Decks may nt cntain mre than 2 cpies f a single card, as defined by the card s English title, with the standard exceptin fr basic Energy cards. Matches are played fr 3 Prize cards Limited In a 30-Card-Limited event, players cnstruct their decks using nly cards prvided by the Turnament Organizer at the event. Each player s deck must cntain exactly 30 cards at all times. Decks may cntain mre than 2 cpies f a single card, as defined by the card s English title, with the exceptin f cards which are limited t ne per deck by card text. A Turnament Organizer must annunce whether he r she is prviding players with basic Energy cards befre

9 9 the date f the event as well as at the event befre it begins. Matches are played fr 3 Prize cards. Aside frm the deck cnstructin changes listed abve, the standard Limited rules detailed in sectin 1.2 apply t 30-Card-Limited events Team Battle The Team Battle frmat allws tw players t participate n a team, each player having ne Active Pkémn. This game is played exactly like a regular game f Pkémn except fr a few rule changes. Set Up: Players sit n ppsite sides f the table with the teams psitined diagnally t each ther, s each player is facing a member f the ppsing team. One member f each team participates in a cin flip t determine which team ges first. The winning team then chses which f its players will g first. The turn sequence starts with the chsen player and then prceeds clckwise arund the table, the turn rder alternating between teams. Each player draws seven cards. Each player places ne Active Pkémn and up t fur Benched Pkémn. Players then place half as many Prizes as they wuld fr a single-player game, based n the frmat styles utlined in sectin 1. Any player wh cannt place an Active Pkémn reveals his r her hand t all players and declares a mulligan. The ppnent acrss the table frm the player may draw ne card frm his r her deck fr the mulligan after bth players have placed their Prize cards. If bth the player declaring the mulligan and the ppnent acrss the table frm that player declare a mulligan, bth players shuffle and set up again withut their teammates drawing any extra cards. The player ging first fr each team may nt play any Trainer, Supprter, r Stadium cards n his r her first turn. Game Play Players may nt reveal their hands t their teammates r t the ppsing team unless a game rule requires them t d s. Only the player whse turn it is may initiate cnversatin with his r her teammate. Cnversatin shuld be limited t shrt yes r n questins. General strategy r mves shuld nt be discussed. If an attack r actin n a player s card Kncks Out the ppsing player s Pkémn, the acting player draws the apprpriate number f Prize cards. If the player des nt have enugh Prize cards remaining, the player s teammate draws the remainder frm his r her Prize cards. If a player s last Pkémn is Kncked Out but the player s teammate still has at least ne Pkémn in play, the player is nt eliminated frm the game and may play Trainer, Supprter, and Stadium cards n his r her turn. If that player draws a Basic Pkémn, he r she must play it in the Active psitin n the first available pprtunity. If neither player n a team has any Pkémn in play, the ppsing team wins the game. If a player cannt draw a card at the beginning f his r her turn, that player is remved frm the game. That player s teammate places Prize cards frm the bttm f his r her deck equal t the eliminated player s remaining Prize cards. Card References

10 10 Cards which state yu r yur refer t the active player r his r her teammate, as designated by the player. Cards which state yur ppnent s Pkémn refer t the ppnent that is being attacked, if the player is attacking, r the player s chice f ppnent, if the player is nt attacking. Cards wrded fr 2-n-2 Battle are applied t bth players n a team. Fr example, cards which refer t each Defending Pkémn will affect bth teammates Defending Pkémn. Effects and attacks which refer t all Pkémn in play affect all Pkémn in play fr bth teams. Between Turns Between-turns actins are taken befre and after the turn f the player that wns the affected card. The effects f Special Cnditins are checked fr befre and after the affected player s turn Cnstructed Team Battle Cnstructed events use the standard Cnstructed rules, as listed in sectin 1.1, with the additin f the Team Battle frmat rules including the number f Prize cards used, as described in sectin Limited Team Battle Limited events use the standard Limited rules, as listed in sectin 1.2, with the exceptin f the number f Prize cards used, in additin t the Team Battle frmat rules, listed in sectin 4.3. Sealed Deck, detailed in sectin , is an apprpriate frmat fr Team Battle Limited events, thugh teammates are permitted t trade cards during the deck-cnstructin prcess.

11 11 POKÉMON VIDEO GAME TOURNAMENT FORMATS Pkémn Organized Play supprts several turnament frmats fr sanctined play f the Pkémn vide games. This dcument cvers each f the apprved frmats and their variatins. Turnaments that d nt use ne f the frmats described here may nt be sanctined. 5. Standard Frmat Style All sanctined Pkémn vide game turnaments require players t assemble a team f Pkémn, with items, prir t the start f the event. The standard frmat style fr all PLAY! Pkémn turnaments is Duble Battle Duble Battle In Duble Battles, each player selects fur Pkémn frm his r her party f six t battle with. At the start f the battle, players send ut the first tw Pkémn in their party, making a ttal f fur Pkémn n the battlefield. Game play cntinues until a player kncks ut all fur f his r her ppnent s Pkémn. 6. Standard Team Cnstructin Rules When building a team fr a PLAY! Pkémn turnament, all players must adhere t these standard cnstructin rules. A player s team cannt cntain tw Pkémn with the same Pkédex number Each Pkémn n a player s team can hld an item, thugh n tw Pkémn may hld the same item A player s team cannt cntain tw Pkémn with the same nickname A player s team cannt cntain a Pkémn nicknamed with the name f anther Pkémn (fr example, an Unfezant named Pidve ) Pkémn may nly use mves that have been learned thrugh ne f the fllwing methds: By leveling up By TM r HM As an Egg mve, thrugh breeding Frm a character in the game A mve already knwn by a Pkémn received at an fficial Pkémn event r prmtin A mve already knwn by a Pkémn that has been transferred frm anther Pkémn game via Pké Transfer r the Relcatr. 7. Sanctined Frmat Pkémn Organized Play supprts ne frmat fr sanctined play: Mdified. Sanctined events are listed n the POP website, and the results are reprted t POP after the event cncludes Mdified Frmat The Mdified frmat is the standard turnament frmat fr PLAY! Pkémn vide game events. This frmat will be used at all premier events unless specified therwise. The Mdified frmat fr the seasn will use the fllwing restrictins:

12 12 Only Pkémn Black Versin and Pkémn White Versin Game Cards are permitted fr use. Players may use Pkémn frm the Natinal Pkédex, frm N , that are caught in the game, transferred frm a previus Pkémn title, r received at an fficial event r distributin The fllwing Pkémn may nt be n a player s team: 150 Mewtw 151 Mew 249 Lugia 250 H-Oh 251 Celebi 382 Kygre 383 Grudn 384 Rayquaza 385 Jirachi 386 Dexys 483 Dialga 484 Palkia 487 Giratina 489 Phine 490 Manaphy 491 Darkrai 492 Shaymin 493 Arceus 494 Victini 643 Reshiram 644 Zekrm 646 Kyurem Pkémn must be placed in the Battle Bx. Pkémn abve level 50 are permitted, but they are aut-leveled dwn t 50 fr the duratin f battle. Players may use Pkémn with Hidden Abilities that have been fficially released via Pkémn Black Versin and Pkémn White Versin, the Pkémn Glbal Link, r an fficial event r prmtin. Pkémn may nt knw the mves Sky Drp r Dark Vid. Players may use items that have been fficially released via Pkémn Black Versin and Pkémn White Versin, the Pkémn Glbal Link, r an fficial event r prmtin. The Wnder Launcher cannt be used during battle. 8. Unsanctined Fun Frmats The frmats listed belw are intended as a fun, alternate way t play the Pkémn vide game and are nt recgnized as sanctined frmats. These frmats are great fr leagues, casual gatherings, r side events. The fficial rules fr these frmats are included here t help prvide cnsistency fr cases when yur Turnament Organizer r League Leader decides t run a nn-sanctined event using ne f these frmats.

13 Single Battle The Single Battle frmat is the basic battle frmat, where tw Pkémn battle ne-n-ne Triple Battle The Triple Battle frmat allws each player t send ut three Pkémn at a time, with ne Pkémn in the center and the tw remaining Pkémn t its left and right. Pkémn are limited as t which ppsing Pkémn can be affected by mves based n where they are psitined n the battlefield Rtatin Battle In this frmat, each player sends ut three Pkémn at a time, with ne Pkémn t the frnt and tw Pkémn t the rear. Only the Pkémn in the frnt can attack. Between turns, players have the ptin f rtating the team, allwing ne f the Pkémn in the rear t mve t the frnt and the Pkémn in the frnt t mve t the rear.

14 14 Appendix A. Dcument Updates Pkémn Organized Play reserves the right t alter these rules, as well as the right t interpret, mdify, clarify, r therwise issue fficial changes t these rules, with r withut prir ntice. Dcument updates will be made available at www. pkemn.cm Changes fr September 20, 2012 General refrmatting f dcument.