Pokémon Tool cards as of the Scarlet & Violet Series
Pokémon Tool cards (Japanese: ポケモンのどうぐPokémon Tools) are a subclass of Trainer cards that were introduced in the Neo Genesis expansion. Between the Black & White and Scarlet & Violet expansions, Pokémon Tool cards were further considered a subclass of Item cards. (In the Japanese TCG, during the LEGEND era, Trainer cards that were not Supporter cards or Stadium cards were considered Items. However, no Pokémon Tools were printed in the LEGEND era, so this classification only applied when interacting with older cards.) From Scarlet & Violet onward, Pokémon Tool cards are their own category of Trainer card, distinct from Item cards. All Pokémon Tool cards introduced in prior expansions were given an erratum, reclassifying them as no longer being considered Item cards. Before this errata took place, cards that referred to Item cards could also affect Pokémon Tool cards. Afterward, cards that affect Item cards do not affect Pokémon Tool cards.
Pokémon Tools depict held items, typically from the Pokémon games such as the Exp. Share and Leftovers. They can be attached to a Benched or ActivePokémon, and provide a positive effect to that Pokémon as long as they remain attached. Some effects are passively applied to the Pokémon, such as increasing their HP or reducing their Retreat Cost. Others only activate when something happens to the Pokémon that a Pokémon Tool is attached to, or when that Pokémon is in the Active Spot. Many early Pokémon Tools are discarded after having their effect, but this has largely been phased out as in favor of the majority of Tools remaining in play even after activating. (Some Tools, such as Sitrus Berry and Bursting Balloon do have self-discard clauses based upon being consumed or otherwise spent.) When a Pokémon is Knocked Out, Pokémon Tools attached to them move to the discard pile as well.
Some Pokémon Tools, such as the Scrolls, have an attack or Ability printed on them. While such a Pokémon Tool is attached to a Pokémon, that Pokémon can use the attack or Ability on the Pokémon Tool instead of an attack or Ability on their own card. Usually, there is an additional criteria that also has to be met. Some examples of criteria that are used are the name of the Pokémon the Pokémon Tool is attached to or the classification of Pokémon the Pokémon Tool is attached to.
Starting from Paradox Rift, Technical Machine cards are a subset of Pokémon Tools instead of a subtype of Trainer cards. They allow the Pokémon that they are attached to to use the attack printed on the Technical Machine card. However, they act similarly to past cards where Technical Machine is a card type by being discarded from play at the end of the turn.
Much like how Supporter, Item and Stadium cards are color-coded as orange, blue and green, respectively, Pokémon Tool cards are color-coded as purple. This color only starts to appear with Tools released from Scarlet & Violet onward, as it goes with the division from Items. Many Pokémon Tool cards have seen multiple releases and illustrations. There are currently 243 different Pokémon Tool cards, though many have been printed multiple times with different artwork.
Jamming Net, one of the two Team Flare Hyper Gear cards
Team Flare Hyper Gear (occasionally also known as Pokémon Tool F) are a subtype of Pokémon Tool found in the Phantom Forces expansion. There are only two, Head Ringer Team Flare Hyper Gear and Jamming Net Team Flare Hyper Gear. Unlike regular Tools, these cards have a negative effect on the Pokémon that they are attached to. This is because Team Flare Hyper Gear cards are attached to the opponent's Pokémon-EX instead of a player's own Pokémon. Team Flare Hyper Gear cannot be attached to any other kind of Pokémon, including regular Pokémon, and discard themselves if they are ever somehow attached to a Pokémon that is not a Pokémon-EX. (Usually, this is due to an effect that switches a Pokémon in play for a Pokémon out of play, such as that of Ninja Boy.)
As Pokémon can only have one Pokémon Tool attached to them at a time, attaching a Team Flare Hyper Gear to a Pokémon prevents them from having a different Tool attached by their owner. However, if a Team Flare Hyper Gear becomes unattached from a Pokémon for any reason, it moves to the discard pile of the owner of the Team Flare Hyper Gear instead of going anywhere else.
Team Flare Hyper Gear cards are visually very distinct from Item cards, likely to help players remember if a Team Flare Hyper Gear is attached to an opponent's Pokémon and retrieve the card from their opponent when necessary. (Team Flare Hyper Gear cards have not been printed after the Scarlet & Violet Pokémon Tool errata.) They have a red border and the frame of the card is tinted red. Both cards have a "Flare" watermark over their text box. The normal section containing the Pokémon Tool ruleset is replaced by a Pokémon Tool F section, which is reddened compared to a Pokémon Tool section.
