Pokémon TCG Fake Card Tournament Rules v0.95 (The Stickler Version)
Written by Philippe Van Lieu [aka Nick15]
http://www.fakecard.com/
Introduction:
The object of a Pokémon TCG Fake Card Tournament is to have players create a totally new and original card to be used in their Pokémon TCG deck.
100. GENERAL Pokémon TCG FAKE CARD TOURNAMENT RULES
101. Deck Format
Players must have a 40 or 60 card Modified Constructed Pokémon TCG deck for any Pokémon TCG Fake Card Tournament. For more information as to what makes a legal Modified deck, consult the Pokémon TCG rule book or the Pokémon TCG Floor Rules.
All decks must have at least one fake card that was created by the player at or before the tournament and approved by a judge.
102. Sanctioned
The Pokémon TCG Fake Card Tournament is unofficial, unapproved, and unsanctioned by the DCI, Wizards of the Coast, and Nintendo. (Just because it was written by a Wizards PokéGym Moderator doesn’t guarentee legality. :P)
103. Authorized Cards
All Pokémon TCG cards, including promotional cards released by Wizards of the Coast, Inc., are legal for tournament play.
Cards banned by the DCI, any fake cards that were not approved by a judge, or fakes made by someone other than the one playing the deck are not legal for play.
Tournament organizers may choose to not allow approved fake cards created prior to the event in their tournament.
103. Supplies
Each Pokémon TCG Fake Card Tournament should supply adequite fake creation supplies. Pens, pencils, erasers, and “blanks” (or regular pieces of paper) should be supplied for each player in order to create their own fake cards for the tournament. Judges and tournament organizers should not expect players to bring their own supplies, however they can encourage that they do if they wish.
104. Fake Card Usability & Proxies
Players are only allowed one fake card in their deck. Up to four of that fake card is allowed per deck, via proxy card.
At the time of fake card approval, the player must tell the judge what card in their deck represents their fake card (the proxy card). Players must also have their fake card avaliable outside of the deck for the opponent or judge to reference, as well as tell their opponent which card in their deck is the proxy card. Players who fail to do either are subject to disqualification.
Players using opaque sleevs may choose to turn their proxy card around so that the back of the card is seen. This will make it easier to determine which card is the proxy card. Players using transparent/translucent sleeves or no sleeves cannot turn their proxy card around in this way.
105. Fake Card Creation
All fake cards are subject to approval by an authorized tournament judge or tournament organizers. Those not approved by judges will not be legal for play.
Fake cards can be created prior to the tournament, if the tounament organizer allows it.
When determining Pokémon Types, players may choose to draw the type symbol, write out the actual word, or use a letter abbreviation to determine the type. However, players must use only legal terminology for their fakes.
The below are proper terms to be used to determine types:
Word - Letter - Symbol:
Grass - G - [a leaf]
Fire - R - [a flame]
Water - W - [a droplet of water]
Electric/Lighting - E - [a lightning bolt]
Fighting - F - [a fist]
Psychic - P - [an eyeball]
Colorless - C - [a 6 pointed star]
Dark/Darkness - D - [a sideways curved moon]
Steel/Metal - M - [a triangle with a bracket on each point]
Example: A player chooses to use the term “Water” in their game text. Since the term “Water” is a legal term to use, it counts as a legal reference to an the Water Type.
Example: A player chooses to use the term “brown” in their game text to refer tothe “Fighting” type. However since “brown” is not a legal term, the player must rewrite it.
106. Setup Proceedures
Judges must allow players between 30 minutes to 1 hour for fake card creation and approval. Judges must also announce how much time they have left before the tournament begins. Some lenience can be given for players who are almost finished, depending on the time.
Judges or tournament organizers may choose to inform players that no art skills are required for the Pokémon TCG Fake Card Tournament.
200. Pokémon TCG FAKE CARD MECHANICS
201. Basic Rules
Cards created by players must generally not be broken, be a Pokémon, Trainer, or Energy card, and must not create their own rules and abilities outside of ones found in the regular game. Fake cards must also not be reproductions of existing cards.
Cards that do not fit the criteria may be subject to disapproval from the judges.
202. Card Names
Fake cards must be named appropriately. Basic Pokémon or Evolution cards that are misspelt still count as the same Pokémon, whether or not it was intentional. Trainer cards can be considered the same card if the name or ability is exactly the same as a real card.
Example: A player makes a fake Basic Pokémon card of Poliwag, but writes “Polywag” as its card name. That fake card still counts as a card named “Poliwag”, and so they can only have 4 real cards named “Poliwag” or 4 of his/her “Polywag” fake card in their deck.
Example: A player makes a fake Trainer card called “Gust of Large Wind”, but its effect is exactly like the real “Gust of Wind” card. Therefore, the fake card counts as the real card, and that player can only have 4 of those cards in their deck.
Example: A player makes a fake Trainer card called “Switch”, but its effect is not the same as the real card named “Switch”. Nevertheless, since the fake card and real card are named the same, they player is allowed only 4 of either one in their deck.
The judges have the final word on what is an appropriate card title. If the any of judges disagree with each other, the majority rules.
203. Basic Pokemon or Evoultion Cards
Bare minumum, each fake Pokémon card must have a name, HP, Pokémon type, and an attack/power. Weakness, resistance, and retreat cost are optional, but encouraged. A picture, Pokémon stats, set symbol, flavor text, artist name, rarity, and card number are not necessary for the game and can be left out if the player wishes it.
Pokémon cards cannot have less than 30 HP and more than 120 HP.
Pokémon cards are limited to 1 attack, 2 attacks, 1 power and 1 attack, or 1 power. Pokemon powers must include whether or not that power can stop working if that Pokémon is affected by a Special Condition. Those Powers and Attacks must also have a name.
Although weaknesses, resistances, and retreat costs on a fake card can be anything the player wishes it to be, judges or tournament organizers should encourage that the player chooses them to fit the actual nature of the Pokémon (ie 4 retreat cost for a Snorlax instead of 2, or a fighting weakness for Electabuzz instead of Fire, etc). If the oppurtunity arises, judges may simply suggest adding a weakness to balance out a fake card if that fake card is considered to be broken.
204. Trainer Cards
Bare minimum, each Trainer card must have a name and game text. If it’s a Stadium card, Pokémon Tool, Supporter, or any other “special” Trainer card found in the Pokémon TCG, that information must also be added. A picture, set symbol, artist name, rarity, and card number are not necessary for the game and can be left out if the player wishes it.
205. Energy Cards
Bare minimum, each Energy card must have a name, Energy type, and game text. If it provides more than 1 energy, that information must also be stated. A picture, set symbol, artist name, rarity, and card number are not necessary for the game and can be left out if the player wishes it.
By default, all fake energy cards count as Special Energy cards. If a player chooses to make a fake Basic energy card that provides Darkness or Metal energy (just without the effect), then it can be allowed to be considered a Basic Energy card.
206. Wording
It is not required for players to properly phrase their fakes. However if a conflict rises due to a wording error in a player’s fake card, the judge’s final ruling will based on the literal meaning of the game text and not the metaphorical or implied meaning. If a ruling can’t be worked out based on the literal meaning of the game text, the judges can make a ruling based on what they think the game text is meant to say or based on the ruling of a similar, real card.
Although exact wording is not required, proper terminology of Pokémon TCG elements are manditory. Phrases like “that Pokémon over there” or “green type Pokémon” are not legal terms for use. Read Section 105 for more information.
207. New Rules and Abilities
Players are not allowed to create new rules for the Pokémon TCG with their fake cards. Those who do are subject from disapproval from the judges.
Example: A player creates an Articuno fake card with an attack that does the Special Condition “Freeze” to the Defending Pokémon. Since “Freeze” is not a Special Condition found in the real game, that is not a legal fake card to use.
If a player however creates a fake card with an ability that the orignal rules do not address (ex: a card that can be played during your opponent’s turn), then the tournament organizer or the judges can decide if such a card is or is not legal for play at the time of approval.
300. JUDGE & PLAYER PERFORMANCE
301. Judge Approval and Erratas
All fake cards must be approved by a judge. Judges can disqualify players who: do not play with a fake card in their deck, if the player plays with a fake card that a judge did not approve, or if any player alters a fake card after a judge approved the fake.
When a player hands a judge a fake card to be approved, the judge has the right to not approve the fake card. The judge, if after not approving a fake card, can be allowed to errata the fake card to be more balanced. If the player agrees with the errata, then the judge can approve the fake card.
All judges must write their signature or initials and the date of approval on the fake card to indicate that the fake card was approved, as well as what proxy card in the player’s deck represents the fake card.
If a player needs help creating a fake or needs a fake card question answered, that player can ask the judges about it.
302. Player Interaction
Players can be allowed to interact with other players in any way during the card creation phase of the tournament.
When a player completes their fake card, it shall immediately be turned into the judges for approval. Players who do not promptly turn in their fake cards for approval are subject to disapproval from the judges.
400. MISCELLANEOUS RULES
401. Marked Cards
If players use sleeves in their deck, they are not allowed to slip pieces of paper into individual sleeves in order to proxy their fake card. This is considered marking their cards. Players are only allowed to use a regular, Wizards produced Pokémon TCG card into their deck as their proxy, and nothing more.
Any players caught with marked cards are subject to disqualification from the tournament.
402. Banning Fake Themes
If a certain fake card theme becomes persistent and creates an uneven playing field for players, the tournament organizer is free to ban certain fake card themes from their tournaments.
403. Format Changes
Tournament organizers can choose to allow only fake cards created after a certain date if and when the DCI updates the Modified Pokémon TCG Tournament Format if they wish.
500. TERMINOLOGY
approved fake card: Fake cards that are allowed in a Pokémon TCG Fake Card Tournament. Cards that are not approved by a judge will not be legal for the tournament.
broken: A card or effect that created an unfair advantage for a player playing the card
fake card: An unofficial Pokémon TCG card created by a player and not by Wizards of the Coasts
judge: A person who approves fake cards for play in a Pokémon TCG Fake Card Tournament and answers ruling questions during the tournament
player: A person who comes to the tournament with a 60 card deck and the one who created a fake card
proxy card: A card in a players deck that represents the fake card
real card: Any Pokémon TCG card, including promotional cards released by Wizards of the Coast
tournament organizer: A person who sets up the tournament, as well as determins what in the tournament is legal or not
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Did you use play in, judge, or run a Pokémon TCG Fake Card Tournament using these rules? I’d like to hear about how well it went! Email me, Philippe Van Lieu at nick15@mac.com with your tournament results and tournament reports!