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Last Updated On: February 18th, 2024
Whether you’re just starting out with the Pokémon trading card game (TCG) or you’ve been playing for years, chances are you’ll come across a term during a match or trading session you’re unfamiliar with.
I’m a collector and a player (on a casual basis) for a number of years now, but I still come across acronyms and terms I didn’t know, like BDIF, OHKO, or Lost Zone.
To save you the trouble, I’ve defined 60+ essential terms in this Pokémon TCG glossary to help you cut through the jargon and get the most out of your next visit to the card store. Use the links below to hop between sections as needed!
Table of Contents
Pokémon TCG Glossary Overview
Below, you’ll find the complete Pokémon TCG glossary, with all the essential terms to help you become better at playing, trading, and investing in Pokémon cards.
You may notice that some of the terms (like special conditions or abilities) also pop up in the Pokémon video games, show, and movies. There’s a fair bit of crossover! The trading card game isn’t exactly the same as the anime, for example, but there are several things that crossover from both sides.
If you think of any terms that should’ve been included, feel free to drop a comment below and let us know!
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1 of 1
Are there 1 of 1 cards in Pokémon ?
A 1 of 1 card is a wholly unique card which has never been replicated. Put simply, if you have a 1 of 1, there will be no other copies of it in the world.
1 of 1 cards are pretty rare when it comes to trading cards in general, but they’re exceptionally uncommon in the Pokémon TCG. They do exist, though — there are three individual 1 of 1 cards that exist thanks to a Japanese tournament that took place in 2000.
This tournament (the World Summer Challenge – Secret Super Battle Best, to be exact) awarded personalized Trainer cards to the first, second, and third place winners. The card shown above is the card for the second place contestant, Toshiyuki Yamaguchi, and it went up for auction initially in July 2023.
A
Ability
What are Pokémon card abilities?
An ability is a Pokémon-specific power that isn’t a regular attack.
They’re displayed separately on a card and are similar to the Poké-BODY and Poké-POWER traits. Before the Black & White expansion, Poké-BODY and Poké-POWER were considered separate — nowadays, ability is a coverall term that refers to every type of Pokémon-specific power or skill.
Some examples of abilities are shown below.
These powers will change from Pokémon to Pokémon, and they will often be affected by said Pokémon’s Energy type.
Some abilities occur as soon as a Pokémon is played, some require you to use them actively (i.e. they are not automatic and you must say them out loud to use them), and others have special conditions that need to be met during a match.
Active Position
How do you put Pokémon in the active position during a match?
This term refers to a physical spot on the playing field during a match. Once players have picked up their starting hand and both parties have access to a Basic Pokémon, they will place their first active Pokémon face down in front of them. When both players are ready to start, the card will be turned face up.
Think of your Pokémon in the active position as being the one on the front line in a battle. You can only have one active Pokémon at a time, but it can retreat and be swapped out for one on the bench if desired.
Asleep
What happens if a Pokémon goes to sleep?
When a Pokémon is asleep during battle (this is a special condition and can occur due to an attack or unique card conditions), then it cannot use any attacks or retreat during its turn. Each turn thereafter, the player must flip a coin. If it’s heads, the Pokémon wakes up and can attack/retreat as normal.
To show that a Pokémon is asleep, turn it to the left horizontally on the playing field.
Attack
How does a Pokémon attack in the trading card game?
Pokémon have various abilities and attacks that can be used to take down opponents in a match. Attacks can inflict damage directly, may require coin flips to determine damage, or even stipulate special conditions.
An attack that deals damage lowers the amount of Health Points (HP) that a Pokémon has. When a Pokémon has no HP left, it is considered knocked out.
Pokémon can have multiple attacks on their card and they usually correlate to their Energy type. For example, a Grass Pokémon may have the attack Razor Leaf.
B
Basic Energy Card
What is a Basic Energy card?
It’s easiest to think of Basic Energy cards as a currency in the Pokémon TCG, or even as a type of fuel. Using an attack or ability usually (there are exceptions) requires you to attach one or more Basic Energy cards to your Pokémon.
Energy cards are also used as currency when a Pokémon retreats out of battle.
Basic Pokémon
What does Basic mean on a Pokémon card?
A Basic Pokémon is an un-evolved Pokémon. Jump to Evolution for more information about what this means.
It’s one of the most common card types and will likely make up a large part of your deck, as a battle cannot start without each player having at least one.
BDIF
What is BDIF in Pokémon?
BDIF stands for best deck in format. Put simply, it refers to a deck that’s outperforming all the other decks in a specific format like Standard or Expanded. It doesn’t mean it’s impossible to counter, it just means that it’s tricky to beat.
Bench
What is the Bench in Pokémon TCG?
The Bench is the designated spot on the playing field where active Pokémon who are not in the Active Position are placed.
When the Pokémon who is in the Active Position retreats or gets knocked out, the next Pokémon comes from the Bench. Pokémon always come from the Bench first.
There are some Pokémon attacks which can affect Benched Pokémon as well as the Active Position Pokémon, but these are rare.
Between-Turns Step
What do you do in-between turns when playing Pokémon?
This term refers to the stage in-between each player’s turn in a TCG match. During the Between-Turns Step, the next player gets to check whether their Pokémon has any special conditions.
Players can also review if any of their Pokémon have been knocked out, too.
BREAK Evolution
What is a BREAK Pokémon?
There are several Evolution stages that most Pokémon go through. This is typically Basic → Stage 1 → Stage 2, but there are some unique exceptions — BREAK being one of them.
An example is shown below of what a BREAK card looks like, along with the gorgeous promotional artwork that came out for this era of cards back in 2015.
BREAK is essentially a special Stage 3 Evolution card. They can significantly increase power and/or improve a Pokémon’s skill set. They’re visually striking and are played in a horizontal orientation.
Burnt
What happens when a Pokémon gets a burn?
A burn is another type of special condition and it can stack with other damage-over-time effects, also referred to as DOTs in the gaming community. Burns are caused by enemy Pokémon attacks or abilities.
When a Pokémon receives a burn, a Burn Marker is placed upon it — a kind of Condition Marker — to indicate the same. Between each turn, a player will place two Damage Counters on the affected Pokémon, then flip a coin. If the coin lands on heads, the Condition Marker can be removed. If not, the burn persists.
Some Pokémon abilities can heal burns.
C
Card Types
What are the different card types in Pokémon TCG?
There are lots of card types in the Pokémon trading card game. Many of them are eligible for current official play, while others are ineligible but still popular amongst collectors.
The most important categories to be mindful of are:
- Pokémon cards (as in, cards featuring Pokémon)
- Energy cards
- Trainer cards
There are several subcategories that fall into each main category. For example, Stadiums and Items are both types of Trainer cards. You will be able to tell which type a card falls into by reading the text on the card carefully.
Condition Marker
What are condition markers in Pokémon?
When a Pokémon is struck with a special condition (like being burnt or falling asleep), a condition marker is placed on it to signify the same.
They often look like the markers shown above but can be made by hand or even purchased from community artists, too.
Confusion
What happens when a Pokémon is confused?
If a Pokémon is confused, the card must be turned upside down. This may happen due to a move or an ability from an opposing Pokémon.
When the confused Pokémon attempts to attack, a coin must be flipped. If it lands on heads, nothing changes and the attack can occur as usual. If the coin lands on tails, three damage counters are placed on the Pokémon instead – this is essentially self-inflicted damage due to the confusion.
To rid of the confused state, a Pokémon can retreat. There are also some cards and abilities that can get rid of confusion.
Cosmos
What are cosmos Pokémon cards?
Cosmos refers to a particular type of holofoil treatment. It’s often referred to as a galaxy holofoil, too.
Cosmos holofoil is a particularly beautiful treatment that came into print with Base Set 2 and stuck around for every Holofoil card up until Call of Legends. Some promo cards feature cosmos holofoil, too. It features dots and circles of all different sizes, and it looks pretty similar to Starlight holofoil cards.
Cracked Ice
What are cracked ice Pokémon cards?
Cracked ice is a special kind of holofoil treatment that’s also known as shard holofoil or broken glass. It has a geometric design with a 3D effect.
This type of holofoil is almost exclusively seen on promotional cards and featured cards from themed decks.
Crosshatch
What are crosshatch Pokémon cards?
Crosshatch is a specific type of holofoil. Cards with this effect have a crosshatch line across the majority of the card.
Crosshatch promotional cards are usually given out at Play! Pokémon events.
Crystal
What are Crystal Pokémon cards?
Crystal Pokémon are a unique Pokémon variant that were introduced with the Aquapolis set. These cards have a Colorless Energy type and each Crystal Pokémon has abilities with multiple Energy types.
When an Energy card is attached to the Pokémon, the Crystal Pokémon’s Crystal Type Poké-BODY becomes the corresponding Energy type. Put simply, a Crystal Pokémon can change types mid-battle.
They’re not eligible for tournament play anymore, but they’re popular among collectors.
D
Damage
How do Pokémon deal damage?
Pokémon have a set amount of health, also known as HP.
When a Pokémon uses a damage-dealing attack, it reduces the enemy Pokémon’s HP. When a Pokémon has no HP left, it is considered Knocked Out and will be removed from the playing field.
Damage Counters
What are damage counters?
Damage counters signify the amount of damage that a Pokémon has taken from an enemy attack or ability. They are placed on a Pokémon when it takes damage.
Damage counters come in multiple iterations, such as 10, 50, and 100, and can be purchased from official retailers, community artists, or even made by hand. Download our print-ready damage counters completely free.
Damage Dice
What are damage dice in Pokémon?
Damage dice are an alternative to damage counters. They represent the amount of damage that a Pokémon has taken from an enemy.
Damage dice are usually more durable than damage counters, and can often be found in official tournament settings. They are placed on a Pokémon when it takes damage.
E
Energy
What is energy in Pokémon?
Energy cards essentially work as currency in the Pokémon TCG. Players must attach energy cards to their Pokémon in order to use moves and retreat from battle. The main types of energy are:
- Grass
- Fire
- Water
- Lightning
- Psychic
- Fighting
- Darkness
- Metal
- Fairy
While Pokémon typically fall under one energy type, some Pokémon have multiple types or can change type, such as Crystal Pokémon.
It’s important to note that a secondary Energy symbol exists called Colorless Energy. If a Pokémon or a move has the Colorless Energy symbol, it means you can use any Energy card type with it.
Elite Trainer Box
What are Elite Trainer Boxes in Pokémon?
Elite Trainer Boxes are special bundles of Pokémon products that are released with every expansion set. They contain a large number of Booster Packs, along with card accessories like damage counters, coins, deck sleeves, and a storage box. They can be somewhat pricey and are considered collector’s items.
Evolution
What is evolution in Pokémon?
Some Pokémon have multiple forms that they can access by growing stronger. The process of changing from a primary form to a secondary one is called evolution.
The typical evolution chain involves a Pokémon going from a Basic form to a Stage 1 Pokémon, with some Pokémon then going to a Stage 2. For example, Charmander evolves into Charmeleon then into Charizard.
Evolution does not happen automatically during battle. The next stage of a Pokémon’s evolution chain must be played on top of it during a player’s turn.
F
G
H
Holofoil
What is a holofoil card?
When it comes to any sort of card game, holofoil typically refers to a rare, shiny card with a foil treatment. Holofoil, or simply holo, is also commonly used with sports cards.
Holofoil cards come in all shapes and sizes. There are different types of holofoil, like pixel, cracked ice, and sheen. If you come across a card with any sort of shiny details, it will either be a holofoil card or a reverse holo card.
HP
What does HP stand for in Pokémon TCG?
HP stands for health points, which essentially signifies how strong a Pokémon is and how many hits it can take. If a Pokémon’s HP gets down to 0 (by taking damage from attacks) then it is considered knocked out.
I
Illustration Rare
What is an illustration rare in Pokémon?
An illustration rare is a specific type of rare card that features Pokémon in their natural habitat or a particular scene. They’re marked with a gold star and are exceptionally rare.
It’s important to note that illustration rare cards are a type of rare card that can be found outside of Asia, typically in English-language sets.
Items
What are item cards in Pokémon?
Item cards are a specific type of Pokémon Trainer card that can have different effects during battle. They can heal damage, remove special conditions, speed up the evolution process, or strengthen a Pokémon.
J
K
Knocked Out
How does a Pokémon get knocked out?
A Pokémon is knocked out if it receives damage that is equal to its HP or higher. When a Pokémon is knocked out, it is immediately removed from battle and placed in the discard pile — along with every additional card attached to it.
When you knock out an opponent’s Pokémon, you receive a prize card. Receiving six prize cards is a win condition.
If a Pokemon is knocked out in one go, it’s referred to as an OHKO.
L
League
What is a Pokémon League?
A Pokémon League is a casual, organized event that is not associated with Play! Pokémon. Leagues are run by individual parties, like card stores or local groups. They are supported by The Pokémon Company but the results of these events do not have any official standing.
Lost Zone
What is the lost zone in Pokémon?
When a Pokémon is sent to the discard pile during a match, there is a chance it can be brought back into play with an ability or card. The lost zone is a permanent version of the discard pile. If a card is sent here, it cannot be used again during a match.
The lost zone is not present in Pokémon matches at all times. It depends on which cards are currently eligible and in rotation – for example, the lost zone was around in 2022 but is not currently being seen in tournament play.
The lost zone is only relevant to cards that specifically mention it. To put it another way, it’s a designated mechanic for cards from specific sets and expansions.
LGS
What is an LGS?
LGS simply stands for Local Game Store. In other words, a hobby shop or a card store in your local community.
M
N
O
OHKO
What is an OHKO?
OHKO – or OKO – stands for one hit knock out. It refers to when a Pokémon is knocked out in one go, and some folks may refer to a super powerful attack as an OHKO attack.
P
Paralyzed
What happens when a Pokémon is paralyzed?
When a Pokémon is paralyzed, it cannot retreat or attack for a whole turn. The card is normally turned to the side to represent paralysis. Once the turn is over, the Pokémon’s condition returns back to normal.
Paralysis can occur due to Pokémon abilities and attacks, or even special kinds of Trainer cards like Stadiums.
Pixel
What are pixel Pokémon cards?
Pixel holofoil, also known as confetti holofoil, is most commonly seen in the McDonald’s promotional series which comes out every year. It can also be found in other promotional series like the Celebrations Classic Collection.
Pixel holofoil changes from release to release but it’s generally very sparkly, speckled, and shiny.
Pocket Monsters
Are Pocket Monsters Pokémon?
Pocket Monsters is the full version of the name Pokémon.
In Japanese, the full name for Pokémon is ポケットモンスター, Poketto Monsutā. Pocket Monsters can refer to the franchise as a whole or an individual Pokémon — for example, Pikachu would be considered a Pocket Monster.
Poison
What happens when a Pokémon is poisoned?
Poison is a type of special condition that affects a Pokémon during play. If a Pokémon is poisoned, a new damage counter must be placed on it every turn until it is healed, signifying how the poison is progressively damaging the Pokémon. When a Pokémon is healed from poison, the condition marker is removed.
Pokémon attacks, abilities, and other cards can poison a Pokémon. Poison can also be healed with Pokémon abilities or other cards, like items.
Poké-Body
What is a Poké-Body?
A Poké-Body is a Pokémon-specific ability that activates as soon as a Pokémon is played in battle. Once it leaves battle, the ability becomes inactive again. This is an old term that is now simply referred to as an ability.
Poké-Power
What is a Poké-Power?
A Poké-Power is a powerful ability that must be used intentionally (i.e. you have to say it out loud when playing) during a player’s turn. It can only be used once per turn, and it is an old term that is now simply referred to as an ability.
Prize Cards
What are prize cards?
Before a match, each player places six cards out onto the field. Each time a Pokémon knocks out an opposing Pokémon, a prize card is taken. Taking all six prize cards is a win condition.
Q
R
Rarity
What is rarity in the Pokémon TCG?
Rarity refers to how common (or uncommon) a card is. The different rarity categories in the Pokémon trading card game include:
- Common
- Uncommon
- Rare
- Double Rare
- Holofoil Rare
- Hyper Rare
- Illustration Rare
- Secret Rare
- Special Illustration Rare
- Ultra Rare
All of these rarity categories can be identified by the small marks on the card.
There are also some cards which do not have a specific rarity category. For example, Trainer Kit cards won’t have a regular rarity mark, as they’ll have the silhouette of the featured Pokémon in the corner instead.
Regulation Marks
What are regulation marks?
Regulation marks are small letters which indicate whether a Pokémon card is eligible in battle or not. With the standard format there are only three regulation marks that are eligible in a tournament at any time. They are rotated out every year, to keep the game fresh and to keep it fair for new players.
Retreat
What is retreat cost in Pokémon?
There can only be one active Pokémon for each player at a time on the field. To take a Pokémon out of the active position and return it to the bench, you need to pay the retreat cost.
To do this, you must discard the correct number of attached Energy cards. This will be noted on the bottom half of the Pokémon card. Retreating can only occur once per turn.
Reverse Holofoil
What is a reverse holo card?
A reverse holofoil is an iteration of a holofoil where the entirety of the card except for the picture has a holofoil design.
Alternatively, a reverse holo card may have an image with an alternative pattern to the rest of the background. This will depend on when the reverse holo card was made and what set it is associated with.
Reverse holofoils, just like regular holofoils, have no notable changes or benefits in battle. It’s purely an aesthetic choice.
S
Set Symbol
What is a set symbol in Pokémon?
Set symbols are identifying markers that show which set of cards a Pokémon card belongs to. The example below shows a card from the Astral Radiance set.
There are heaps of set symbols which correlate to each individual set that has been released for the Pokémon trading card game.
Sequin
What are sequin Pokémon cards?
Sequin is a holofoil type that can be found on General Mills Pokémon promotional cards. General Mills promos are found in cereal boxes and other products from the brand, like fruit snacks or fruit roll-ups.
Sequin holofoil features small stars, dots, and sparkles over the majority of the card.
Sheen
What are sheen Pokémon cards?
Sheen is a type of holofoil that features a shiny and stripy design. The design can vary from card to card based on the language. English language and Japanese language sheen holofoil cards look different, as you can see from the examples below.
This type of holofoil is commonly seen with cards from the X & Y era, along with a handful of promotional cards.
Shiny
What is a shiny Pokémon?
Shiny Pokémon can be found in every area of the Pokémon franchise, including the games and the show. They’re incredibly rare, color-swapped variants of standard Pokémon. It’s a purely cosmetic thing that mainly appeals to collectors – shiny Pokémon do not have any special abilities or strengths.
Special Conditions
What are special conditions in Pokémon?
Special conditions are unique, damaging states that Pokémon can be put in. A Pokémon can become:
The special conditions, also known as status conditions, can hinder how a Pokémon performs and deal damage over time. There are some Pokémon cards and abilities which can heal special conditions.
Standard Format
What is the Standard Format in Pokémon?
The Standard Format is an official style of play in the world of competitive Pokémon. It’s one of the two formats which has been approved by Play! Pokémon (the other being the Expanded format which just has a wider list of accepted cards) and it uses the standard set of rules, match style, and card list.
Standard format matches are bound by Play! Pokémon rules.
Starlight
What are starlight Pokémon cards?
Starlight is a type of holofoil treatment that is seen frequently in older cards. It was introduced back in Base Set and can also be seen in Jungle and Fossil cards, too.
This holofoil treatment features stars, along with subtle dashes.
T
TCG
What does TCG stand for?
TCG stands for trading card game. There are other types of card games, like collectible or original card games, and the type of card game usually refers to how it is played.
A TCG focuses on trading cards with other players, but can also be enjoyed by fans of competitive gameplay.
Technical Machine
What is a technical machine in Pokémon?
In the Pokémon world, a technical machine (also known as a TM) is a tool that teaches Pokémon new attacks.
In the trading card game, a TM is a type of Pokémon Trainer card. A technical machine offers the same function in the TCG as it does in the overall Pokémon world. These cards can add to a Pokémon’s move set.
Tinsel
What are tinsel Pokémon cards?
Tinsel is a particular type of holofoil treatment that was introduced in the Black & White era and kept until the Legendary Treasures release.
Tinsel cards feature shining horizontal stripes. And on the Japanese language cards, the borders also feature horizontal stripes.
Trainer
What is a Pokémon Trainer?
A Pokémon Trainer is a character that looks after Pokémon and battles with them. It’s the term used to describe the characters who have Pokémon by their side and also the term used to describe Pokémon TCG players.
Trainer Card
What is a Trainer card?
A Trainer card is one of the three main categories in the Pokémon TCG. It’s a wide category that applies to all sorts of functional cards, usually featuring items or popular Trainers from the video games or anime.
Trainer cards are an essential part of any deck. A Trainer card might let you search your deck for more Energy cards, evolve your Pokémon more quickly, or even deal more damage to a specific kind of enemy Pokémon.
Trainer’s Pokémon
What are Trainer’s Pokémon cards?
Trainer’s Pokémon cards, also known as Owner’s Pokémon cards, are special card variants associated with iconic Trainers from the Pokémon franchise.
They’re classed as separate iterations of standard Pokémon cards — for example, Koga’s Ditto and Ditto are different card types, so you could have four of each card in your deck.
Type Symbols
What are type symbols on Pokémon cards?
Type symbols indicate what Energy type a Pokémon card is associated with.
U
V
W
Weakness
What is a weakness in Pokémon?
Pokémon have a specific type which correlates to the type of Energy that you can use with them. The starter Pokémon, for example, all fall into the Fire, Water, and Grass types.
If you’re unfamiliar with starter Pokémon, these are the generational trio of Pokémon that new Trainers pick from at the start of their journey in the Pokémon world.
Every type has certain strengths and weaknesses, with most of them following a Rock-Paper-Scissors format. Fire, for example, is weak to Water. There are some Water Pokémon cards which are especially strong against Fire Pokémon.
In the trading card game, Pokémon will have a specific weakness written on its card. Some attacks or abilities also deal more damage to a particular type of Pokemon, signifying strengths and weaknesses. Some of these make sense and others do not e.g. Zapdos, a Legendary Electric Pokémon is weak to Electric in multiple instances.
Win Condition
What is a win condition in Pokémon?
A win condition is a competitive term that refers to how a player can win a match. There are three possible win conditions in Pokémon, including:
- Taking all of your opponents prize cards
- Knocking out all of your opponent’s Pokémon
- When your opponent has no cards in their hand at the start of their turn
There are other win conditions in alternate game modes, but the three listed above are the main win conditions for the Standard and Expanded formats in the Pokémon trading card game.