Whether you’re a newbie or a long-time fan who just recently learned the rules of Pokemon TCG, you might have come across the term called Rule Box.
Rule Box in Pokemon TCG is a gameplay mechanic that can be influenced by a number of Pokemon abilities and moves.
And if you don’t understand what a Rule Box is, you might be missing a lot of opportunities when building a deck or maximizing the potential of certain cards.
But don’t worry because if you’ve found this article, you will get all the information you need when it comes to how a Rule Box works, as well as the best ways of utilizing it in battles.
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- Pokemon TCG First Turn Rules
- Pokemon TCG Damage Counter Rules
- Pokemon TCG: All Status Effects Explained
Everything About Role Boxes in Pokemon TCG
The Rule Box refers to the special rules indicated in several Pokemon cards. The most popular examples of cards with Rule Boxes are Pokemon ex, where you can see the Pokemon ex rule:
“When your Pokemon ex is Knocked Out, your opponent takes 2 Prize cards.”
To put it simply, if you see a small box in a card containing a text that includes the word “rule,” in its title, it is considered a card with a Rule Box.
The Rule Box was formally added as part of the official Pokemon TCG rules during the release of the Sword & Shield–Battle Styles set.
Pokemon with Rule Boxes already existed way before Battle Styles, but this set certainly paved the way into the production of cards with effects concerning a Rule Box.
The Rule Box is often located at the lower right corner of a Pokemon card, but in some sets, it can also be printed on the other parts of the card as well.
Types of Pokemon Cards With Rule Boxes
Here is a complete list of cards with Rule Boxes. We organized these card types based on the common effects that they have.
Rule Boxes that allow the opponent to take more than 1 Price Card once they got Knocked Out:
Rule Boxes that immediately end the turn of a user upon evolving a certain Pokemon in play:
Rule Boxes that limit the use of multiple copies of a specific Pokemon card in a deck:
Rule Box that allows a Pokemon to apply the attacks, Abilities, Weakness, Resistance, and Retreat Cost of its previous Evolution:
How Rule Boxes Affect Games?
Familiarity with Rule Boxes is important for many Pokemon TCG players for two reasons:
- Rule Boxes explain additional effects that can change the rules and the way you play your cards. For instance, every Radiant Pokemon has a Rule Box indicating that you’re not allowed to have more than 1 Radiant Pokemon in your deck.
- Some Supporter and Pokemon cards may have effects, abilities, and moves that interact with Pokemon cards with Rule Boxes. Examples include Path to the Peak, Empoleon V (Battle Styles), Iron Thorns ex (Temporal Forces), Lugia VSTAR (Silver Tempest), and Slowking (Stellar Crown).
Other Important Notes About Rule Boxes in Pokemon TCG
Apart from we already mentioned, the following are other things that you need to keep in mind about Rule Boxes:
- The exclusive effect of a Tera Pokemon is not considered a Rule Box. However, since Tera Pokemon are also Pokemon ex, they basically still have a Rule Box.
- Pokemon with Rule Boxes are often powerful cards that can turn the tides of a game. Don’t forget to adjust your strategies and never add a card in your deck if it has a Rule Box that you don’t fully understand.
- If possible, focus on taking out those Pokemon cards with Rule Boxes on your opponent’s side of the field. Scoring Knockouts from those cards will give you a significant advantage later in the game. You can also use cards that negate their abilities.
Final Thoughts
In layman’s terms of Pokemon TCG, a Rule Box is just literally a box on a card with an additional effect apart from its moves and Abilities.
But remember, the keyword here is “rule,” so if a text box doesn’t have it, it’s not a Rule Box.
We can’t say for sure, but future sets can also add the number of cards with new Rule Box mechanics, giving you more options for deck-building strategies. So, stay tuned for more upcoming Pokemon TCG sets to keep yourself updated.
