Unlimited format (TCG): Difference between revisions

The Unlimited format of the Pokémon Trading Card Game allows any card that was once playable in Play! Pokémon tournaments (that is, all cards except Worlds edition decks, jumbo cards, Ancient Mew, Birthday Pikachu, and otherwise unplayable cards) to be used. It is not as popular or as commonly used as the Standard format or Expanded format and is not used in any tournaments sanctioned by Play! Pokémon organized play. It can, however, be used in Pokémon Leagues if the League Leader wishes to allow it.

In the Pokémon Trading Card Game Online's Friend Battle Mode, any deck composed of cards currently available in the game (from the HeartGold & SoulSilver expansion ownards) are allowed in this play type (including Standard format decks and Theme decks).

Because of the lack of restrictions in Unlimited, decks can use combinations of cards which are not legal in Standard or Expanded format play. Cards such as Porygon2 and Seeker which never appeared in the same Standard format, are frequently used together. Despite the large variety of cards available, only a few strategies make up what is generally considered the highest "tier" in Unlimited play, with most competitive decks being either "donk" decks focused on winning by KOing your opponent's only Pokémon in play, or "lock" decks focused on preventing the opponent from taking meaningful actions. The former is more difficult for the player going first due to the current first turn rules.

Examples of Unlimited archetypes

• Forretress Donk
• Porydonk
• Shiftry Donk

See also

• Standard format
• Expanded format
• Hall of Fame format
• Sealed format
• Legacy format

This article is part of Project TCG, a Bulbapedia project that aims to report on every aspect of the Pokémon Trading Card Game.