Pokemon TCG Pocket (PTCGP)

F2P Guide: How to Play Without Spending

Pokemon TCG Pocket - F2P Guide How to Play Without Spending
Pokemon Trading Card Game Pocket (PTCG Pocket) is a free-to-play mobile game with the option to purchase a monthly subscription and in-game currency. Check out our tips on how to play Pokemon TCG Pocket entirely for free, without spending any money, recommended F2P decks, and the differences between the F2P and premium versions of the game!

How to Play Pokemon TCG Pocket Without Spending

Free-to-Play Tips







Restart for Better Cards

Pokemon TCG Pocket - Opening Packs

After starting the game, opening your first booster pack, and going through the tutorial, you'll be given enough Pack Hourglasses and missions rewarding Pack Hourglasses to open up several booster packs all at once.

This is the perfect opportunity to get good cards for free within your first dozen booster packs. If you don't like the cards you got after using up all your Pack Hourglasses, simply reset your account and do it all over again.

Make sure you don't link an account to your Pokemon TCG Pocket game yet until you have a card collection that you're happy with.

Reroll Guide: How to Reroll for the Best Start

Complete Missions for Rewards

Advanced Missions

Several different types of missions are available for you to complete, including missions related to filling out your Card Dex, collecting specific cards, and general gameplay. You can obtain Pack Hourglasses, Wonder Hourglasses, Shinedust, Emblem Tickets, and rental decks as rewards for completing missions.

Every day, daily missions will be available that reward you with Pack Hourglasses if you complete three of them. These are important to complete in order to get a regular supply of Pack Hourglasses, letting you open more packs.

Check Wonder Pick for Rare Cards

Pokemon TCG Pocket - Wonder Pick Basics

Using Wonder Pick gives you an opportunity to get more cards without having to open packs. Wonder Pick contains booster packs recently opened by other players, and you can get a random card from an available set by using Wonder Stamina.

It's best to save your Wonder Stamina for packs containing rare cards, which typically require more stamina, or a set with multiple cards that you don't have for better chances of getting a card that you want.

Each unit of Wonder Stamina regenerates after 12 hours, but you can also use Wonder Hourglasses to regenerate them. You can get a Wonder Hourglass for free every day through the daily gift.

How to Use the Wonder Pick Feature

Collect Shop Tickets

Pokemon TCG Pocket - Shop Ticket Gifts

Shop Tickets can be exchanged in the shop for Houglasses, accessories, and certain item cards and support cards.

You can get more Shop Tickets from the daily gift, battle tasks, as thanks from Wonder Pick or battles, and from other players liking your showcased cards.

How to Get and Use Shop Tickets: Farming Guide

Claim Your Daily Gift

Pokemon TCG Pocket - Daily Gift.png

Every day, a free gift containing a Wonder Hourglass and a Shop Ticket can be claimed at the in-game shop. This free gift resets every day at 6 AM UTC.

List of Daily Tasks

Use Your Pack Points to Get Cards

Pokemon TCG Pocket - Pack Points Found Next to the Booster Packs

You can craft cards by using the pack points that you earn each time you open a booster pack. This is a great option to have if you're just missing a card or two to round out a deck.

You can also take your time building up your pack points to be able to craft rarer cards. All cards that can be obtained from booster packs can also be crafted, including cards with a crown rarity, so no card is out of your grasp as a free-to-play trainer.

Pack Points Explained: How to Craft Rare Cards

Participate in Battles

Versus and Solo Battle Menu

Winning a solo battle against a deck for the first time rewards you with EXP, Pack Hourglasses, Shinedust, and Shop Tickets.

Battling other players in versus battles is a good way to earn EXP without having to open packs. You can also occasionally receive Shop Tickets as thanks from your opponents.

Battle System Explained

Change Your Language to Get Foreign Cards

Pokemon TCG Pocket - Change System Language

If you want to make your collection more interesting, you can collect cards in different languages easily and for free! Simply change your language in the TCG Pocket app's settings before opening a booster pack.

This only affects the cards you obtain while your language is different. Other cards you've previously collected will remain in their original language, and changing your language back won't affect the foreign language cards you've obtained.

How to Get Other Language Cards in Pokemon TCG Pocket

Best F2P Decks to Build

Decks With Only a Few Expensive Cards

Exeggutor ex Deck Marowak ex Deck
Frosmoth and Articuno ex Deck Centiscorch and Moltres ex Deck

These decks can be built using mainly common cards with only one or two rare cards thrown in.

The Exeggutor ex and Marowak ex decks are especially easily to build if you picked either the Charizard or Mewtwo starter pack, since they're guaranteed to give the Exeggutor ex and Marowak ex card respectively, as well as the foundational deck to help you build them.

Articuno ex and Moltres ex are a bit more difficult to obtain, requiring 500 Pack Points each to craft, but if you get lucky with a booster pack or find them in Wonder Pick, the rest of the deck becomes easier to build. If you chose Pikachu as your starter pack, you'll have access to some of the common cards in the Centiscorch and Moltres ex deck already through the Rapidash Deck.

Decks Without Expensive Cards

Blaine Deck Arbok Lock Deck

Both the Blaine Deck and the Arbok Lock Deck don't require any rare cards to build, so any cards you haven't obtained by opening packs are easy enough to craft using Pack Points.

Best Meta Decks Tier List

Premium Pass and Regular Pass Differences

Premium Pass Features
  • One extra booster pack every day
  • Additional premium missions
  • $9.99 per month
  • There are only two things you're getting with a Premium Pass—an additional, separate pack stamina, allowing you to open 3 booster packs in a day, and access to premium missions, allowing you to receive more Pack Hourglasses, Wonder Hourglasses, and Shinedust as rewards.

    These additional benefits can make a big difference to players who spend a lot of time on Pokemon TCG Pocket, but the Premium Pass isn't necessary to enjoy the game and build good decks.

    All cards from available booster packs are accessible to both regular and premium players. Regular Pass players are just able to open less packs in a day, with only 2 packs available without using Pack Hourglasses, and less options to earn more Hourglasses.

    Premium Pass Guide and Features

    Pokemon TCG Pocket Related Guides

    Tips and Tricks

    Tips and Tricks

    Gameplay Guides

    PTCGP  - Is There a Pity System.pngIs There a Pity System? PTCGP - How Booster Packs Work in Pokemon TCG Pocket.pngHow Booster Packs Work
    Pokemon TCG Pocket - Best Starter Booster PackBest Starter Booster Pack How to Reroll Starter PacksHow to Reroll for the Best Start
    Pokemon TCG Pocket - Wonder Pick Top Banner.pngHow to Use the Wonder Pick Feature Pokemon TCG Pocket - When is Trading Coming to Pokemon TCG Pocket Top Banner.pngTrading Release Date
    Pokemon TCG Pocket - Best Device to Play On Top Banner.pngBest Device to Play Pokemon TCG Pocket on Pokemon TCG Pocket - Gameplay Loop and List of Daily TasksGameplay Loop: List of Daily Tasks
    Pokemon TCG Pocket - F2P Guide How to Play Without Spending.pngF2P Guide: How to Play Without Spending Pokemon TCG Pocket - Level Up Guide Level Up Guide
    How to Link Accounts How to Link Accounts Pokemon TCG Pocket - How to Add Friends How to Add Friends
    Best Pack to Open.pngBest Pack To Open Pokemon TCG Pocket - Daily Reset Time Daily Reset Time: What Time Do Servers Reset?
    Pokemon TCG Pocket - How to Change Your Profile Icons & Settings How to Change Your Profile Icon and Settings Pokemon TCG Pocket - How to Change Your Username How to Change Your Username
    Pokemon TCG Pocket - Social Hub & Multiplayer FeaturesSocial Hub and Multiplayer Features -

    Card and Pull Rate Guides

    Pokemon TCG Pocket - Card Rarity Guide Top Banner.pngCard Rarity Guide PTCGP - Best and Rarest Pull RatesBest and Rarest Pull Rates
    Pokemon TCG Pocket - How to Get Other Language Cards Top Banner.pngAlternate Language Cards Pokemon TCG Pocket - God Pack Pull Rates God Pack Pull Rates

    Premium Pass Guides

    PTCGP - Premium Pass Guide and Features.pngPremium Pass Guide PTCGP - All Premium Missions and Rewards.pngPremium Missions and Rewards

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