Pokémon Card Types Explained: Basic, Evolution, ex, Items, Supporters, Stadiums and Energy
Every kind of card in the Pokémon TCG explained: Basic and evolution Pokémon, Pokémon ex and Mega Evolution ex, Item vs Supporter, Stadiums, Pokémon Tools, ACE SPEC, and Basic vs Special Energy.
Last updated · 5 min read
Every card in a Pokémon TCG deck is a Pokémon, a Trainer or an Energy. Inside those three groups are several sub-types with their own rules, and most early confusion (“can I play two of these?”) comes from mixing them up. This guide explains each one and how many you can use.
Pokémon cards
Basic Pokémon
Basic Pokémon are the only Pokémon you can play directly from your hand. You need at least one in your opening hand, or you must mulligan. You can have up to 5 on your Bench plus 1 in the Active Spot.
Stage 1 and Stage 2 Pokémon
Evolution cards are placed on top of the Pokémon they evolve from. Rules to remember:
- You cannot evolve on your first turn, and you cannot evolve a Pokémon that was put into play this turn.
- You can evolve as many different Pokémon as you like in one turn, but each Pokémon only evolves once per turn (Basic → Stage 1 this turn, Stage 1 → Stage 2 next turn).
- When a Pokémon evolves, it keeps its damage counters and attached cards, but all Special Conditions are removed.
- Some Items let you skip a stage, for example evolving a Basic straight into its Stage 2.
Pokémon ex
Pokémon ex (lower-case “ex”, with a shiny card frame) are stronger versions with higher HP and bigger attacks. The trade-off is in their rule box: when a Pokémon ex is Knocked Out, your opponent takes 2 Prize cards instead of 1. Pokémon ex can be Basic, Stage 1 or Stage 2.
Some Pokémon ex are Tera Pokémon ex: while on the Bench they take no damage from attacks.
Mega Evolution Pokémon ex
Mega Evolution Pokémon ex, from the Mega Evolution series, are the biggest hitters. They give up 3 Prize cards when Knocked Out, so losing one is half of your opponent’s six Prizes. Unlike the old “M Pokémon-EX” cards, evolving into one does not end your turn.
Older special Pokémon
You will see these in older collections and in the Expanded format: Pokémon-EX and Pokémon-GX (2 Prizes), Pokémon V and VSTAR (2 Prizes), VMAX (3 Prizes), and Radiant Pokémon (1 Prize, but only one Radiant card per deck). The Prize count is always written in the card’s rule box.
Trainer cards
Trainer cards have a coloured bar at the top that names their kind.
Item
Items are the small helpers: searching your deck, switching Pokémon, healing. You can play as many Items as you like during your turn. A few effects stop Items from being played, so check the board before relying on them.
Supporter
Supporters are stronger, usually drawing you several cards or disrupting your opponent. You can only play one Supporter per turn, and the player who goes first cannot play a Supporter on their first turn. A played Supporter goes to the discard pile at the end of the turn.
The easiest way to remember the difference: Items are many, Supporters are one.
Stadium
A Stadium stays in play between both players and affects both of you. Only one Stadium can be in play. If you play a new Stadium, the old one goes to its owner’s discard pile. You cannot play a Stadium with the same name as the one already in play, and you can only play one Stadium per turn.
Pokémon Tool
A Pokémon Tool is attached to one of your Pokémon and gives it an effect, such as extra HP or reduced damage. Normally each Pokémon can have only one Tool attached. Tools stay attached until something removes them or the Pokémon leaves play. They are played like Items, so you can attach several in one turn to different Pokémon.
ACE SPEC
ACE SPEC cards are especially powerful Trainers (and a few Energy cards) with “ACE SPEC” printed on them. Your whole deck can contain only one ACE SPEC card, not one of each.
Energy cards
Basic Energy
Basic Energy cards provide one Energy of their type. Current types are Grass, Fire, Water, Lightning, Psychic, Fighting, Darkness and Metal. Basic Energy is the only card you can have more than 4 copies of in a deck.
Special Energy
Special Energy cards provide Energy plus an extra effect, such as providing every type or preventing damage. They follow the normal 4-copy limit, and they count as your one Energy attachment for the turn just like Basic Energy.
The one-attachment rule
Whatever kind of Energy it is, you can manually attach one Energy card from your hand per turn. Card effects that attach Energy (for example an Ability that attaches Energy from your discard pile) do not use up that attachment.
Limits at a glance
| Card | How many per turn | Copies in a deck |
|---|---|---|
| Basic Pokémon | Any number (Bench limit 5) | 4 per name |
| Evolution | Any number, once per Pokémon | 4 per name |
| Item | Any number | 4 per name |
| Supporter | 1 (not on turn 1 when going first) | 4 per name |
| Stadium | 1, and not the same name as in play | 4 per name |
| Pokémon Tool | Any number, 1 per Pokémon | 4 per name |
| ACE SPEC | — | 1 in the whole deck |
| Basic Energy | 1 attachment from hand | Unlimited |
| Special Energy | 1 attachment from hand | 4 per name |
Tracking it during a game
The Supporter and Energy toggles in PTCG Companion remind both players whether those once-per-turn actions have been used, and the ACE SPEC button dims once it has been played. For a full turn checklist, see turn structure and once-per-turn rules. To learn how all of these appear on the card itself, read how to read a Pokémon card.
