Where do I ask about TCG Questions? As well as Suggestions regarding TCG content.

Question

I know I've heard some discussion about adding it to RMT, but as far as I know, that hasn't been done yet.

For example: If I ask a question about What are the best strategies for the cards released in the [expansion name] expansion?
or
Is [card name] [expansion] good/relevant in the current TCG? or Which expansion's cards/cards in general are best for [Task]?
or
Why is the [deck name] theme deck good/Why is the [deck name] deck good/how to use the [deck name] deck good/What do I need to change in my [deck name] deck to make it better?

I know there are not a lot of TCG players on the database, but having these questions be somewhere at all will attract such users to join (and may help me out in the future).

And as I know someone will ask: Why does the TCG matter? I'd say, It does for 2 main reasons.
A) It is part of official Pokemon, and this website has official Pokemon content, does it not?
B) Because it matters to some people who like, care about, or play the TCG (like me).

And as always, Thanks!

Suggestions when this content is more frequent:

Include that users should specify Unlimited, Standard, Expanded, or Legacy (or Theme Deck, but that can't really be changed unless it's played in one of the previous). These are usually the "standard format equivalents". (I can explain these a bit, or you could look them up)

It is good to keep in mind certain non-obvious official rules rules (aside from the games default rules) like you cannot have a Professor Sycamore card and have a Professor Juniper card in the same deck. (The Pokemon Company did this because they have the exact same effect, so bringing both would be like bringing twice as many copies of the same card).

Include availability. If a player wants to choose between certain cards, they should include if they'd be able to buy another if it were suggested and they didn't have it, just to sort out confusion between the asker and the answer-er.

Edit: as well, include if they're playing TCG online or IRL.

Comments

Well, legacy is quite complicated (limited), so I don't play it much (if at all). This link has some info about it, but I'm not 100% sure if it is up to date or not. http://thecharizardlounge.com/2016/04/26/an-introduction-to-pokemons-legacy-format/ :P

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I'm pretty sure these questions are already allowed on Pokebase.

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Yes, but there isn't enough of them/it isn't clear where they should go. And I also have suggestions about rules regarding such questions and such.

Answer 1

Though it doesn’t say this in the rules, we do actually allow people to post their TCG decks in the RMT section if they want them rated. You can find a bunch of them by searching for ‘TCG’ in the section. Most of the stuff I’ve been posting has just been an effort to formalise it, as well as get some other content in.

Regarding everything else though, you just have to make sure it fits the normal content guidelines, particularly ones about open-ended or discussion questions. It’s definitely official, so the general subject matter is 100% fine — it’s just about staying in keeping with the usual rules.

It would probably be better if I went through each:

• What are the best strategies for the cards released in the [expansion name] expansion?
  So a bit like a moveset question but for a TCG expansion? That would be cool, but given the current rule set, I’d probably say no this type of question. We can’t really support too many more open-ended threads like this without making navigation a nightmare. This is why I want a forum section — if and when that gets made, this would fit there perfectly.

• Is [card name] [expansion] good/relevant in the current TGC?
  I would allow this. You can say yes or no and then provide reasoning, which is what this platform wants you to do.

• Which expansion's cards/cards in general are best for [Task]?
  That’s tricky. It would depend on how many cards the asker has elected for possible responses. If we’re talking every card in the game, I’m leaning toward no, since there may not be definitive answer and might produce the same ‘open-ended’ problem. Maybe this would work on the forum if there was a good discussion to be had from it. However, if you name a bunch of cards or an expansion and outline a specific task, this is pretty answerable.

• Why is the [deck name] theme deck good? / Why is the [deck name] deck good?
  This is fine. So long as you are properly knowledgeable in the game, you should be able to answer this pretty definitively.

• How to use the [deck name] deck good?
  I guess you could equate a number of different techniques to be ‘good’, but I’m fine with this one for the same reasons as the one above. A more specific wording would make this definite, e.g. good for what purpose?

• What do I need to change in my [deck name] deck to make it better?
  This works just fine on the RMT section, and you can go post a thread with a deck right now.

Unfortunately my knowledge of the TCG is extremely limited, so if anyone wants to make more suggestions about what info people should supply in their threads, feel free to do that. However, I get the jist of what you’re saying; I agree that people should be making an effort to outline any non-obvious rule sets or parameters, and outline what they have available. This might be helpful to add to the rules, along with stuff for battles e.g. format, Smogon rules or not, etc.

But to answer your main question briefly: PokeBase, unless you want a deck rated; then you’re going to RMT. Anything discussion-based belongs on the hypothetical forum section.

Comments

yeah, there is, but they don't seem to get a lot of attention/help/feedback. And the first one starts from a year ago.

What I see is: If they're playing standard, help is useless to them now, since all their cards would be banned.
It is to note that help for an expanded deck would have been more useful then than now, because of new cards changing the meta, whereas if they got help then their deck would have been relevant and they could've used the help.
Finally, I doubt they're looking for help an entire year after it was posted.

As well as me not needing deck help at the moment (or at least until I buy cards this week)
Man, I last time I opened a pack was Christmas. And next time I'll open one is October, cause I'm saving up for a switch (hopefully).

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Yeah I pretty much just linked that to show they exist. I do at least know cards get retired eventually.
They used to get some feedback when some older folks were more active there (namely Rio and trachy). But you're right that the first step we make to getting interest in the TCG on the RMT area is to make it clearer how we deal with them. I have some discussion threads coming that will cover this among a broader look at our rules overall.

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Yeah, thanks. In order for the TCG were to become more relevant, there would need to be more than a handful of people interested. The only other person I know has TCG experience on this site is sumwun (as per his bulbapedia profile), and he said on it that he gave up on the TCG after he played his first VGC game. Unlike sumwun, my friends got me into both and we're still into it today.