Starter deck

This article is about the decks of the Pokémon Trading Card Game video game. For the actual decks, see Theme Deck (TCG).

A starter deck is any of the decks received by the player at the start of the video games Pokémon Trading Card Game and Pokémon Trading Card Game 2: The Invasion of Team GR!.

Terminology

The term "starter deck" is not used in the English game dialogue or the English manual of the first game. However, it is mentioned in Pokémon Trading Card Game: Official Nintendo Player's Guide:

• "If you've already played Pokémon TCG, you can probably build decks on your own. If not, you'll receive a starter deck from Dr. Mason when the game begins." (page 5)
• "When you begin the game, you'll choose from three pre-constructed starter decks." (page 19)
• "When you first begin the game, Dr. Mason will offer to walk you through a sample duel and then give you a choice of the three starter decks we showed you earlier." (page 23)

Starter decks

Pokémon Trading Card Game

At the start of Pokémon Trading Card Game, Dr. Mason gives the player character Mark any of three options of decks to start this journey. According to Dr. Mason, this is accomplished by combining his cards with some cards that the player already owned.

The player may choose the Charmander & Friends Deck, the Squirtle & Friends Deck, or the Bulbasaur & Friends Deck. Each deck is named after a member of the original trio of Kanto first partner Pokémon: Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle.

These three deck configurations are also found in the Deck Save Machine since the start of the game, and can be deleted from this machine like any other saved deck. They are not exactly the same as the decks found in the first Auto Deck Machine, which share the same name in English, but have different names in Japanese.

Charmander & Friends Deck	Squirtle & Friends Deck	Bulbasaur & Friends Deck

Pokémon Card GB2: Here Comes Team GR!

At the start of Pokémon Trading Card Game 2: The Invasion of Team GR!, Dr. Mason gives the Starter Deck to the player character Mark or Mint. Charmander is the only Kanto first partner Pokémon found in this deck.

This deck configuration is also found at the Auto Deck Machine since the start of the game.

Starter Deck

Card list

Charmander & Friends Deck

Quantity	Card	Type	Rarity
2×	Charmander
1×	Charmeleon
1×	Charizard
2×	Growlithe
1×	Arcanine
2×	Ponyta
1×	Magmar
2×	Pikachu
1×	Raichu
2×	Magnemite
1×	Magneton
1×	Zapdos
2×	Diglett
1×	Dugtrio
1×	Machop
1×	Machoke
2×	Rattata
1×	Raticate
1×	Meowth
1×	Professor Oak	T
2×	Bill	T
1×	Switch	T
1×	Computer Search	T
1×	PlusPower	T
2×	Potion	T
2×	Full Heal	T
10×	Fire Energy	E	—
8×	Lightning Energy	E	—
6×	Fighting Energy	E	—

Squirtle & Friends Deck

Quantity	Card	Type	Rarity
2×	Squirtle
1×	Wartortle
1×	Blastoise
2×	Seel
1×	Dewgong
1×	Goldeen
1×	Seaking
1×	Staryu
1×	Starmie
1×	Lapras
1×	Machop
1×	Machoke
2×	Geodude
1×	Hitmonchan
2×	Abra
1×	Kadabra
2×	Gastly
1×	Haunter
2×	Rattata
1×	Raticate
1×	Meowth
1×	Professor Oak	T
1×	Bill	T
1×	Switch	T
1×	Poké Ball	T
1×	Scoop Up	T
1×	Item Finder	T
1×	Potion	T
1×	Full Heal	T
11×	Water Energy	E	—
6×	Fighting Energy	E	—
8×	Psychic Energy	E	—

Bulbasaur & Friends Deck

Quantity	Card	Type	Rarity
2×	Bulbasaur
1×	Ivysaur
1×	Venusaur
2×	Caterpie
1×	Metapod
2×	Nidoran♀
2×	Nidoran♂
1×	Nidorino
1×	Tangela
1×	Flareon
1×	Seel
1×	Dewgong
2×	Krabby
1×	Kingler
2×	Goldeen
1×	Seaking
1×	Vaporeon
1×	Jigglypuff
1×	Meowth
1×	Kangaskhan
2×	Eevee
1×	Professor Oak	T
1×	Switch	T
1×	Poké Ball	T
2×	PlusPower	T
1×	Defender	T
2×	Full Heal	T
1×	Revive	T
11×	Grass Energy	E	—
3×	Fire Energy	E	—
9×	Water Energy	E	—

Starter Deck

Quantity	Card	Type	Rarity
4×	Charmander
3×	Charmeleon
2×	Growlithe		—
3×	Ponyta
2×	Diglett
4×	Machop
3×	Machoke
2×	Rattata
1×	Raticate
2×	Spearow		—
1×	Meowth		—
1×	Energy Retrieval	T
2×	Potion	T
1×	Gust of Wind	T
2×	Switch	T
1×	Bill	T
14×	Fire Energy	E	—
12×	Fighting Energy	E	—

Trivia

• In Pokémon Trading Card Game, the only Stage 2 Pokémon cards found in each starter deck are the evolutions of each Kanto first partner Pokémon: Charizard, Blastoise, and Venusaur. In Pokémon Trading Card Game 2: The Invasion of Team GR!, the starter deck doesn't have any Stage 2 Pokémon cards.