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Gym leaders are among the most skilled trainers in thePokemonworld. These specialists focus on a single type of Pokemon and train them to their fullest potential in order to test young trainers on their way to challenge the Pokemon League.
In the Gym Leader Challenge format for thePokemon TCG, you can embrace your inner Gym Leader to build a unique deck with special restrictions in order to test your local play group. Focusing on a single type (and single copies of your cards) is the ultimate test of your deckbuilding and playing skills. A test fit for a Gym Leader.
What Is Gym Leader Challenge?
The Gym Leader Challenge is a casual format where you and your opponentmaster a single type of Pokemonusing an extended list of legal cards beyond the standard format. This restriction to a single type emulates the Gym Leaders in the video games and anime, each of whom specializes in a single type.
Each 60-card deck is built with the following restrictions:
Because of the singleton format, deep card pool, and restriction to a single type, the Gym Leader Challenge is favorably compared toMagic: The Gathering’s popular Commander format. However, the Pokemon TCG does not support multiplayer games outside the Raid format.
While not maintained by The Pokemon Company International,most players of the format also recognize a short banned list, which includes the following cards:
Why Play Gym Leader Challenge?
Players frustrated with the prevalence of rule box Pokemon and repetitive play lines in the Standard format will find Gym Leader Challenge to bemuch more flexible and forgiving, forcing players to play around the fact that each deck only contains single-prize Pokemon and limited access to powerful Trainer cards. This createsa more dynamic game, with greater variabilityin each match.
Some gamestores may also offer Gym Leader Challenge leagueswhere they reward players for winning matches with as many different type decks as possible over a period of time. This encourages players to dig deep, building decks outside their preferred colors, and using Pokemon that they might otherwise overlook.
Gym Leader Challenge has also been offered asa side event at some major tournaments, including the 2022 and 2023 Pokemon World Championships. Having a deck prepared could be what puts you over the top at the prize wall!
Sample Decklists
If you want to get started with the Gym Leader format, but don’t know where to begin, give these sample decks a whirl.
Bulky Arcanine
Like the popular Bulky Arcanine archetype in the video games, this deck seeks tomake Arcanine difficult to Knock Out by equipping it with a Burning Scarfand a Heat Energy for a 120 HP boost, along with burning your opponent’s Pokemon.
Heat Energy
Amazing Raikou
Amazing Raikou has an amazing attack in Amazing Shoot, which deals120 damage to both your opponent’s Active Pokemon and one of their Benched Pokemon. With the restriction against rule box Pokemon, which tend to have much more HP than single-prize Pokemon, this attack can be absolutely devastating to your opponent’s strategy.
