Read on below to learn more about some Pokémon TCG basics regarding Gym Leader Challenge:
Learn the basics of the popular format that often appears as a side event at Regional Championships, International Championships, and the illustrious World Championships.
Competitive Pokémon players from across the world often congregate at Regional Championships and International Championships in the pursuit of Championship Points, prizes, and the glory of the Champion title itself. In addition to the heated battles in the main event, there are even more things to enjoy as you wander the hall, either as a spectator or as a competitor who has exited the tournament early.
Some of the most fun that any Trainer can have at these events is through playing in side events—casual events that are perfect for having lighthearted fun with other Trainers in the community. These events encompass small, fun tournaments in the Pokémon TCG, Pokémon video game, Pokémon GO, Pokémon UNITE, and even classic games like Pokémon Stadium and Pokkén Tournament DX.
In this series, we’ll break down popular side events that you can expect to see at most tournaments, and we’ll start with one of the most popular ways to play the Pokémon TCG right now—Gym Leader Challenge.
Gym Leader Challenge is a fan-made Pokémon TCG format created by Pokémon TCG competitor and Pokémon: Trainer Tour host Andrew Mahone. If you’ve ever imagined what it would be like to put together a type-specific team like the Gym Leaders in the Pokémon video games, Gym Leader Challenge is a perfect way to live out that dream while also enjoying the Pokémon TCG!
As far as the rules go, they’re simple—you can only include one Pokémon type in your deck; Pokémon with a Rule Box (Pokémon ex, Pokémon V, etc.) are banned; ACE SPEC cards are banned; and you’re limited to a single copy of each card name that you include (this is known as singleton in the Pokémon TCG community). Gym Leader Challenge also uses the Expanded format, which features cards released from the Black & White Series onward. This combination of rules is perfect for allowing you to experiment with a wide variety of decks that can create almost limitless game states and interactions as you play against other Trainers.
There is one last thing to consider, though—the community maintains a list of banned cards to promote a healthy format where everyone can have fun. You are not permitted to include these cards in your Gym Leader Challenge deck when playing at events:
We all love limitless possibilities, but if you aren’t sure where to start, we have a couple of deck lists ready for play. Building a Gym Leader Challenge deck has unique parameters, but ultimately, you’ll want to focus on the same tenets of classic deckbuilding: consistency, combinations, and win conditions.
Take this Water-type deck list, for example. It features Sobble, Drizzile, and Inteleon—as well as Remoraid and Octillery—along with Item cards to ensure that you see the right cards at the right time. You’ll also see that between Frosmoth and Baxcalibur, there are plenty of ways to get Water Energy into play, and cards like Capacious Bucket and Energy Retrieval will get that Water Energy into your hand in the first place. The big-time attacker will usually be Wailord (and the deck list features Special Energy to strengthen its Special Wave attack), but one of the fun parts about Gym Leader Challenge is that almost all your Pokémon can chip in at the right time.
Water-type Deck List
Pokémon (16)
- 1Frigibax 57/193
- 1Arctibax 59/193
- 1Baxcalibur 60/193
- 1Remoraid 33/182
- 1Octillery 33/162
- 1Snom 29/72
- 1Frosmoth 30/72
- 1Sobble 41/198
- 1Drizzile 56/202
- 1Inteleon 58/202
- 1Staryu 25/122
- 1Starmie 31/108
- 1Wailmer 31/159
- 1Wailord 38/195
- 1Alolan Vulpix 21/145
- 1Kyogre 36/159
Energy Cards (9)
- 6Water Energy
- 1Recycle Energy
- 1Reversal Energy
- 1Splash Energy
Trainer Cards (35)
- 1Arezu
- 1Arven
- 1Ball Guy
- 1Boss’s Orders (Ghetsis)
- 1Colress
- 1Cynthia
- 1Guzma
- 1Iono
- 1Irida
- 1N
- 1Nessa
- 1Raihan
- 1Teammates
- 1Buddy-Buddy Poffin
- 1Capacious Bucket
- 1Dive Ball
- 1Energy Retrieval
- 1Escape Rope
- 1Evolution Incense
- 1Field Blower
- 1Hisuian Heavy Ball
- 1Level Ball
- 1Nest Ball
- 1Professor’s Letter
- 1Quick Ball
- 1Rare Candy
- 1Rescue Stretcher
- 1Scoop Up Net
- 1Switch Raft
- 1Ultra Ball
- 1VS Seeker
- 1Luxurious Cape
- 1Pot Helmet
- 1U-Turn Board
- 1Brooklet Hill
If you’re more of a Grass-type or Fire-type Pokémon fan, we have a few additional deck lists that you can reference when starting your journey into this one-of-a-kind format. This Grass-type deck has a lot of inherent consistency with Grotle to search for Pokémon and Beautifly to draw cards, while the Fire-type deck can take quick revenge Knock Outs with Chi-Yui and Entei.
Grass-type Deck List
Pokémon (16)
- 1Bulbasaur 1/18
- 1Ivysaur 2/78
- 1Venusaur 3/73
- 1Grookey 11/202
- 1Thwackey 12/72
- 1Rillaboom 14/202
- 1Rellor 23/162
- 1Rabsca 24/162
- 1Turtwig 6/138
- 1Grotle 7/172
- 1Torterra 8/172
- 1Wurmple 6/196
- 1Silcoon 7/196
- 1Beautifly 8/196
- 1Heracross 18/214
- 1Zarude 19/198
Energy Cards (9)
- 9Grass Energy
Trainer Cards (35)
- 1Arven
- 1Ball Guy
- 1Boss’s Orders (Ghetsis)
- 1Brigette
- 1Guzma
- 1Iono
- 1Klara
- 1Marnie
- 1Professor Kukui
- 1Raihan
- 1Tate & Liza
- 1Teammates
- 1Buddy-Buddy Poffin
- 1Bug Catching Set
- 1Enhanced Hammer
- 1Escape Rope
- 1Evolution Incense
- 1Evosoda
- 1Field Blower
- 1Hisuian Heavy Ball
- 1Level Ball
- 1Nest Ball
- 1Net Ball
- 1Rare Candy
- 1Rescue Stretcher
- 1Revitalizer
- 1Scoop Up Net
- 1Town Map
- 1VS Seeker
- 1Air Balloon
- 1Float Stone
- 1Muscle Band
- 1Technical Machine: Evolution
- 1U-Turn Board
- 1Turffield Stadium
Fire-type Deck List
Pokémon (14)
- 1Salandit 27/159
- 1Salazzle 31/234
- 1Slugma 23/168
- 1Magcargo 24/168
- 1Ponyta 77/165
- 1Rapidash 22/195
- 1Chi-Yu 29/182
- 1Moltres 21/172
- 1Castform Sunny Form 22/198
- 1Entei 28/236
- 1Ho-Oh 1/25
- 1Heat Rotom 13/91
- 1Rainbow Energy 151/168
- 1Heat { Fire } Energy 174/189
Energy Cards (8)
- 8Fire Energy
Trainer Cards (38)
- 1Blacksmith
- 1Klara
- 1Iono
- 1Marnie
- 1Mela
- 1Arven
- 1Guzma
- 1Professor Kukui
- 1Welder
- 1Bird Keeper
- 1Carmine
- 1Guzma & Hala
- 1Cynthia & Caitlin
- 1VS Seeker
- 1Nest Ball
- 1Evosoda
- 1Ultra Ball
- 1Hisuian Heavy Ball
- 1Level Ball
- 1Rescue Stretcher
- 1Fire Crystal
- 1Evolution Incense
- 1Field Blower
- 1Pokégear 3.0
- 1Town Map
- 1Escape Rope
- 1Buddy-Buddy Poffin
- 1Trainers’ Mail
- 1Professor’s Letter
- 1Tag Call
- 1Earthen Vessel
- 1Random Receiver
- 1Muscle Band
- 1Fighting Fury Belt
- 1Float Stone
- 1Magma Basin
- 1Giant Hearth
- 1Artazon
There are a lot of common and powerful ways to play any given type, but you can always do something different in Gym Leader Challenge. If you really want to include that favorite Pokémon, you can do everything in your power to make it shine, which is sometimes impossible due to legality in the Standard format. Gym Leader Challenge is popular at both Regional Championships and International Championships (as well as the World Championships), and there will usually be at least one or two larger Gym Leader Challenge side events on a given event weekend.
To sign up for one of these fun tournaments, you’ll want to find the event’s information desk, where they can direct you to the event’s sign-up method of choice. Gym Leader Challenge is often a paid side event that requires registration through RK9, so keep that in mind as you arrive at a big event with your Gym Leader Challenge deck in hand! If you ask around the Pokémon TCG event tables, you’re likely to find someone who wants to battle using single-type decks even outside of the major side events.
Good luck, Gym Leaders in training!
Source: The Pokémon Company
Source: Pokemon
