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Last Updated On: February 10th, 2024
- Pokémon Level: Beginner
- Best for: Players, Collectors
If you’re about to head out to your first Pokémon TCG match, you may be feeling a little overwhelmed.
It’s not just a solid deck that you’ll need to have with you – you’re probably wondering what Pokémon TCG accessories are worth having for your first match. Pokémon is, thankfully, quite a forgiving game to get started with.
In this article, you’ll find a list of our top recommendations for beginner-friendly accessories (including why you need them).
They’re not all absolutely required, as some items can be skipped or even made by hand if desired. For example, having a beautifully printed playmat with your favorite Pokémon can be nice during a tournament, but handmade DIY options are just as viable.
Also, if you’re wondering where to pick up damage counters or how they’re different from condition markers, we’ve got you covered. Let’s get into the most important Pokémon TCG items to help you get tournament-ready.
Table of Contents
Overview: What You Need for Your 1st Match
In any official capacity, a Pokémon deck contains 60 cards, including many different types such as Pokémon, Energy, and Trainer cards.
Alongside your cards, you’ll need various functional items to actually take part in a match. Some of these directly correlate to game mechanics – like damage counters, for example – so they’re an essential for any sort of match or tournament.
Other items are more for aesthetic/card quality purposes. It’s possible to play without them, but it’s something that the community would generally advise against. Card sleeves aren’t technically required in any match setting but they’re really important for keeping your cards in top quality.
Much like any trading card game, there are lots of card game accessories that are worth picking up for Pokémon. We’ve narrowed it down to a simple checklist of key Pokémon TCG accessory recommendations for each section below to help you find the best items for your collection.
Pokémon TCG Accessories: Essentials & Non-Essentials
In each section below, you’ll notice we’ve indicated whether an item is mandatory or simply nice to have.
When playing casually with friends or outside of tournament play, it’s common to use alternatives to the following products and save a few bucks while you’re at it. For example, some players will use dice or paper tabs instead of damage counters
The most important thing is to have the function of your chosen item available. E.g. as long as you can indicate how much damage a Pokémon has taken or dealt, it doesn’t matter what you’re using when playing casually.
This does change when you start looking at tournaments and organized competitive play, though. It’s best to take Pokémon TCG accessories with you that are tournament-friendly and easily recognizable for other players.
1. Damage Counters
Importance Level: Essential, but can be subbed out for other items like dice or handmade paper counters.
First things first, damage counters are readily available in most pre-made Pokémon deck boxes. These circular card pieces are what’s used in an official setting to indicate that a Pokémon has taken a designated amount of damage to their overall health pool.
More specifically, a damage counter typically represents 10 damage points.
There are additional counters that can be found in regular packs, like 50 point and 100 point denominations. If a move specifically mentions a ‘damage counter’, though, it is usually referring to 10 points.
Even if you’re playing outside of a tournament setting, damage counters are essential for a lot of Pokémon moves. You can get them in pre-made decks, buy them online separately, or even make your own by hand for casual play. We have created our very own damage counters which you’re welcome to print and use as well!
Damage counter dice are also popular and can be used for other trading card games, too.
If you can’t decide whether to get damage counters or dice, opt for damage counters first. However, if you’ve been playing for a while, it may be time to upgrade to some dice. Cardboard counters are fine and acrylic counters do the trick, but dice don’t wear out as easily – and they look a lot nicer, too.
2. Condition Markers
Cardboard condition markers (burn and poison) via the official Pokémon site
Importance Level: Essential, but can be swapped out for alternatives or made by hand.
Condition markers are functionally very similar to damage counters. They indicate when an effect (also called a special condition) has been placed on a Pokémon during battle.
While there are five special conditions in Pokémon (Asleep, Burned, Confused, Paralyzed, and Poisoned), condition markers tend to only represent Burned or Poisoned conditions. The others can be indicated by turning the card in a certain direction – for example, an Asleep Pokémon must be turned sideways to indicate that it cannot attack or retreat.
Condition markers are a great way to remind players of core mechanics that must be observed during battle. Burns require a coin flip in-between turns to see whether damage counters are applied to the Pokémon, and Poison requires a damage counter (at minimum) to be applied per turn.
Condition markers are often included with the plain cardboard damage counters that the Pokémon Store offers, but you can find gorgeous ones made by community artists like this set here.
3. Coins
Importance Level: Essential, but can be swapped out for normal coins.
When you first start playing Pokémon, you may be surprised by how essential coins are during battles, even on a casual basis.
The reason for this is that there are heaps of Pokémon cards which have abilities tied to coin flips. A coin flip can determine whether an attack hits, how much damage an attack deals, or even if a special condition is applied.
The cards above show two ways that coin flips can be integrated. Buneary’s attack can be useless if a coin flip doesn’t go your way, but the Kangaskhan M-EX attack can be absolutely mighty if luck is on your side.
Pokémon-specific coins can be found in almost every Pokémon product out there, like Blister Packs and even the festive Holiday Advent Calendar. They can also be purchased separately from official retailers or from community artists, or even in bundles from the official Amazon store.
4. Playmats
Importance Level: Not essential but nice to have, especially at tournaments.
If you’re heading to a tournament and want to keep your area of play organized, playmats will be an essential part of your toolkit. They’re not mandatory, though, and out of all the Pokémon TCG accessories in this list, they’re the main one that new players can skip over if they feel so inclined.
Playmats are often made from materials like polyester and natural rubber, and they provide a smooth, sturdy surface for players to place cards on. They make it easier to pick up and handle cards, and they’re quite handy for getting a good feel of how to set up a Pokémon TCG match layout, too.
There are no standard sizes or formats (although official Pokémon Center mats tend to be around 24 x 14 x 0.1 inches in size) so the most important thing to be mindful of is whether the tournament you’re attending has any particular requirements. Always check the rules before you go – usually, the rule is that it can’t disturb your opponent’s space.
While there are some incredible Pokémon battle mats out there, it’s actually possible for the more crafty fans among us to make their own mat.
The standard playmats from The Pokémon Center are lovely, though, and they’re released fairly regularly with monthly merch drops. This Charizard VMAX playmat is a particularly popular one on Amazon as well.
Even if a playmat doesn’t seem like the right purchase for you right now, I’d highly recommend considering protecting your cards in another way – with sleeves.
5. Sleeves
Importance Level: Not mandatory but heavily suggested to protect your cards.
Card sleeves are great for keeping your Pokémon cards in perfect condition. They’re not an essential Pokémon TCG accessory in terms of card mechanics or function, but they’re heavily recommended if you want your cards to stay in good shape.
After all, playing with Pokémon cards does damage them over time, no matter how careful you are. Fingertips naturally have oil on them, tables may have residue or dirt on them, or cards may get bashed around in transit.
While card sleeves aren’t a perfect solution to all of these problems, they certainly do help. For protection outside of gameplay, there are other more robust case types to consider.
Some of the most popular Pokémon card sleeves out there feature iconic Pokémon with their Trainers. It’s also possible to get bulk packs with different designs in them if you’re not concerned with everything needing to match.
Don’t worry too much about getting pretty designs at first, though. A sturdy set of card sleeves in a clear material (aka penny sleeves) is all you really need at first. These Ultra PRO card sleeves are a great place to start. They’re sturdy and high quality, yet decently priced.
6. Spare Cards
Importance Level: Essential if you have any doubts about your deck and want to improve it as you go, but not mandatory.
It is very rare for new players to win with their first deck, no matter if it’s pre-made or a customized one. Pokémon isn’t a particularly demanding game in terms of core mechanics but it does take time to understand the win conditions and how to build card synergy.
It’s worth taking some eligible spare cards with you when you set out to play so that you can swap out key Pokémon or Trainer cards as needed. Make sure to reflect on what worked and what didn’t work after a match so you can tune your deck accordingly.
Of course, swapping out cards may not be allowed in some official settings. As always, check out the rules and regulations for any tournaments or community events before you get there so you know what’s expected of you.
7. Rulebook
Importance Level: Nice to have if you’re a new player.
This accessory is only really important if you’re a new player checking out matches for the first time. When you purchase pre-made decks or boxes, you’ll often find quick start rule booklets inside along with the cards and other Pokémon TCG accessories.
It’s worth having a rulebook on hand when you’re playing in your first few matches, no matter if this is in a formal setting or a casual one. Pokémon isn’t an exceptionally technical game, but it can be helpful to have a reference point that doesn’t rely on WiFi or data if you need it.
You can purchase rulebooks for a very low price at a lot of card stores – for example, the V Battle Deck rulebook from TotalCards is available for less than a dollar.
It is possible to find the rules online if that’s not your speed, though. Here is the link to the official Pokémon site’s PDF download. Generally speaking, digital devices will not be allowed in any sort of regulated match so do check this before you go.
Additional Tips Before You Play
When thinking about what accessories you may need to play Pokémon, consider what category of Pokémon TCG fan you align with most. Are you a collector? An investor? Someone who just enjoys playing competitive matches?
Once you’ve figured out what’s important to you before playing, the following tips can provide context to get you fully equipped:
- Think about protecting your cards. If the idea of damaging a card when placing a damage counter on it makes you feel uneasy, you’re going to want to grab some card sleeves.
- Check the rules before going to a tournament. It can help to avoid disappointment or confusion, and it shows the organizers that you’re there to compete.
- Observe what other players are a fan of. Keep an eye out for what accessories other players have. Is there a specific type of card sleeve that you like the look of? Speak to the player and ask about the material or the finish.
Generally, the Pokémon TCG community is very welcoming and most folks will happily share their information with you if you want to know about a particular card or item.
Final Thoughts
Playing Pokémon is a skill like any other. If you’re new to playing trading card games in general, it can be good to play with some friends to find your footing before trying to get started with a tournament or event at a local shop.
It’s likely that you won’t win with your first deck (people rarely do!), so keep an open mind and pay attention to what works/what doesn’t work. Swapping out a few key cards or practicing with friends can make all the difference.
Looking back on my first ever matches, I wish I’d invested in a nice playmat and better quality card sleeves. Some of my favorite Pokémon cards from back in the day would be worth a lot right now, but thanks to how much I played with them, they’re practically falling to pieces. If you’re a collector as well as a player, card protection is key.
If you’re not so fussed about collecting, just focus on the items associated with key mechanics like counters, coins, and spare cards. The other items can be picked up over time, made by hand, or ignored entirely!