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Pokemon TCG: Drafting Guide

Feb 20, 2011

Time to Draft!

Drafting is when a group of players get together and take turns picking cards from booster packs. There is usually an entrance fee to pay for the booster packs that you get to open, and you will get to keep all the cards you drafted. Drafting usually happens just before and after a new set is released. So since Call of Legends was released this month, many stores are still running drafts. Most stores use the Standard Format, which means everyone at the table will get to open one booster pack, pick one card from that pack, then pass the rest of the cards to the next person. This goes on until all the packs are opened and all the cards are chosen.

From the cards that you picked, you then get to make a deck to battle with! The win-loss record is entered into the computer and after a set number of matches (depending on how many people signed up), prizes are given out to the top players (usually in the form of booster packs).

Be the Very Best!

When drafting, you can’t expect to get all the rarest evolution cards for your deck. Instead, you need to depend on solid basic Pokémon and trainer cards. There are some really good basic cards in Call of Legends that can help you win your draft matches.

Tangela – With one grass energy, you can use Nutritional Support which allows you to search for a grass energy to attach to any Pokemon. If you attach the energy to Tangela, then you can attach the 3rd energy next turn to use Poisonpowder which deals 30 damage and poison the opponent. With 70Hp, this is a powerful starter!

Totodile – The Aqua Tail attack lets you flip a coin for each water energy attached to Totodile. With the base attack of 30 and each head adding on 20damage, this card can potentially knock out your opponent in one hit!

Eevee – with Espeon, Umbreon, Flareon, Jolteon, Vaporeon, and Leafeon all in this set, chances are you will be able to run an “Eeveelution” deck, making Eevees quite popular!

Trainer Cards – Professor Oak’s New Theory, Dual Ball, Cheerleader’s Cheer, Sage’s Training, or any other Trainer Cards that can help you get your Pokémon onto the bench as fast as possible!

Gotta Catch’em All!

If you are in a Draft just to collect cards, you will want to keep an eye out for the following cards:
Secret Legend Cards – these are cards that are numbered SL1 – SL 11, they are all Legendary Pokémon Cards.
Lost World – this is the most highly sought after card of the entire set, since it offers a new way to win the game!

Drafting is a great way to get to know the different cards in the new set and decide what kind of deck you wish to build for regular play or tournaments. It gives you a chance to use these cards against other new cards and become familiar with what they do.

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