Summary
- Repel, a new Item Card in Pokemon TCG Pocket, only affects "Basic" Pokemon, not Stage 1 or 2 creatures.
- The digital version of Repel differs from the physical counterpart, limiting its impact on all types of Pokemon.
- Despite its limitations, Repel can still be valuable in countering early-game tanks and adding flexibility to decks.
Repel, the new Item Card, includes a small detail in its text that has left many Pokemon TCG Pocket players confused. The card is part of the Extradimensional Crisis pack, the game's seventh expansion. Alongside Repel, Pokemon TCG Pocket's latest expansion also introduces another Item Card, Beast Wall, which helps protect Active Ultra Beasts.
Item Cards in Pokemon TCG Pocket are a key part of deck-building strategies. Cards like Poke Ball, for example, are staples across nearly all archetypes. What makes the category especially important is its lack of a play-per-turn limit. Unlike Supporters, Item Cards can be used as many times as desired during a single turn.
One Inevitable Aspect of Pokemon TCG Pocket Divides Fans
Fans discuss a core aspect of Pokemon TCG Pocket's gameplay that has existed since the game's launch and likely won't go away.
Repel is the latest addition to the game's Item Card lineup, with an effect that functions similarly to Sabrina's: It forces the opponent to switch their Active Pokemon with a Benched one. The catch is that, unlike Pokemon TCG Pocket's Sabrina, Repel only works on “Basic” Pokemon. This means the card has no effect on Stage 1 or Stage 2 creatures.
Repel Has Been Reworked for Pokemon TCG Pocket
In the original trading card game, Repel affects all types of Pokemon. However, in the digital version, the developer has nerfed it by limiting its effect to only Basic creatures. Many fans missed this subtle change when Pokemon TCG Pocket's Extradimensional Crisis set first launched. The confusion also led to a wave of social media posts calling Repel the ultimate replacement for the meta-staple Sabrina. But the community was quick to point out the updated card text, clarifying that Repel is more likely to become a companion to Sabrina, not a replacement.
What makes Repel's new card tricky is that it uses the same illustration as its physical counterpart, which likely caused some fans to overlook the revised text. For those unfamiliar, very few cards in the game replicate the physical Pokemon TCG versions exactly. In fact, one fan recently pointed out that Wimpod is the only exceptional card in Pokemon TCG Pocket that shares both the illustration and text with its physical version.
Despite its limitation to Basic Pokemon, Repel still has the potential to become a meta card. As many fans on the game's subreddit have pointed out, it can be an effective counter to early-game tanks and walls. For example, it offers a useful answer to Pokemon TCG Pocket's Giratina ex decks, which often rely on stall strategies. Even better, since Repel is an Item Card, it can be played alongside a Supporter in the same turn, which enhances the deck's flexibility.
- Released
- October 30, 2024
- Developer(s)
- DeNA, Creatures Inc.
- Publisher(s)
- The Pokemon Company
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer
- Cross-Platform Play
- Yes
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- Digital Card Game
