How many cards are in a deck of Pokémon cards?

The standard Pokémon TCG deck size is 60 cards for Constructed formats (Standard and Expanded). In Limited formats (like Pre‑Release/Sealed), players build 40‑card decks from the event pool.

• Constructed (Standard/Expanded): 60‑card deck, 6 prize cards
• Limited (Pre‑Release/Sealed): 40‑card deck, 4 prize cards

Below are the essential build rules, copy limits, and common exceptions every player should know.

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Pokémon TCG deck size and core rules

• Deck size (Constructed): 60 cards exactly
• Deck size (Limited): 40 cards exactly
• Starting hand: Draw 7 cards, set Active Pokémon, draw mulligans as needed
• Prize cards:
  • 6 prizes in Constructed
  • 4 prizes in Limited
• Basic Pokémon requirement: You must have at least one Basic Pokémon in your opening hand to start

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Copy limits and special exceptions

• 4‑copy rule: You may include up to 4 copies of any card with the same name in your deck
  • Applies across rarities/prints if the name is identical (e.g., multiple artworks of the same Trainer still count toward 4 total)
• Basic Energy exception: You may include any number of Basic Energy cards (no 4‑copy limit)
• Radiant Pokémon: Limited to 1 Radiant Pokémon per deck (total, not per name)
• ACE SPEC (Scarlet & Violet era): Only 1 ACE SPEC card allowed in your deck (total, not per name)
• Rule Box Pokémon (Pokémon ex/GX/V/VMAX/VSTAR): Follow the standard 4‑copy name rule unless the card text specifies otherwise
• Prism Star (older formats): One of each Prism Star card by name in decks where they are legal

Always check current legality/ban lists for your tournament format.

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Typical 60‑card Constructed composition (guideline)

Exact counts vary by archetype, but many competitive lists fall near:

• Pokémon: 12–20
• Trainers (Supporters/Items/Stadiums/Tools): 25–35
• Energy: 8–14 (mix of Basic and Special, depending on strategy)

This is not a rule—just a starting point for tuning.

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Typical 40‑card Limited composition (guideline)

• Pokémon: 13–18
• Trainers: 10–15 (as available from your pool)
• Energy: 10–15 (Basic)

In Limited, consistency matters more due to smaller card pools—play the best two colors (Types) your pool supports.

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Prize cards and game length

• Constructed: 6 prize cards; expect longer, more strategic games with deeper resource loops
• Limited: 4 prize cards; faster games with simpler lines due to smaller decks

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Legality, rotation, and reprints

• Standard rotation periodically removes older sets from Standard play
• Expanded includes a much larger card pool (with its own ban list)
• Reprints reintroduce named cards with updated text—copy limits still follow the name rule

Before events, verify the format (Standard, Expanded, Limited) and the current legality list.

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FAQs: deck size and build rules

How many cards are in a Pokémon deck?

60 cards in Constructed (Standard/Expanded). 40 cards in Limited/Pre‑Release events.

How many prize cards do you set?

6 in Constructed, 4 in Limited.

Can I have more than 4 of the same card?

No—except Basic Energy, which have no copy limit. You can only include up to 4 copies of any card with the same name.

How many Radiant Pokémon can I play?

Only one Radiant Pokémon total in your deck.

How many ACE SPEC cards can I play?

Only one ACE SPEC card total in your deck.

Do different artworks count as different cards?

If the name is the same, they count toward the same 4‑copy limit.

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Related resources

• Check live card prices (build on a budget, value your staples): Pokémon Card Price Checker
• Learn valuation fundamentals: Value for Pokémon Cards
• Explore price trends and history:
  • Pokémon Card Price Over Time
  • Pokémon Cards Price History

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