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In thePokemon TCG, it is important to find a careful balance between having enough cards in your hand to perform significant actions each turn and decking out. As a result, through trial and error, different draw engines have grown in popularity, some more than others. A Draw Engine can be the perfect way to add cards to your hand, helping you to find the Pokemon, Trainer, or Energy card you need for a successful turn.
In this guide, learn exactly what a Draw Engine is in the Pokemon TCG. Plus, learn about the different types of Draw Engines, as well as some popular examples and how to play them in person and onPokemon TCG Live.
What Is A Draw Engine?
There are many different ways to draw cards when playing the Pokemon TCG. This includes at the very start of your turn. However, there is a difference between drawing cards and utilizing a Draw Engine.
In the Pokemon TCG, a Draw Engine is a specific, consistent mechanism that you use to draw cards during your turn. The exact number of cards drawn varies. For instance, a Draw Engine like Radiant Greninja or Kirlia will only let you draw two cards per Ability used. However, with a Draw Engine like Judge, you can refresh your hand and draw four new cards total.
Types Of Draw Engines In The Pokemon TCG
There are several different types of Draw Engines that you can employ during your turn.Some of these you may be able to set up to use throughout the course of multiple different turns, so long as they stay in play. Others, however, may be discarded after a single use. Understanding the different types of Draw Engines and how to play them is essential when building a successful, cohesive deck.
Many decks pair different types of Draw Engines together. This is especially true when combining Pokemon, Items, and Supporters.
Pokemon
Pokemon cards are some of the most common Draw Engines. These can function in various ways. However, the most common way to see a Pokemon utilized as a Draw Engine is through their Ability.
Pidgeot ex is a notable example. This card’sQuick Search Ability will allow you to search your deck for any card. You can do this once per turn overall, unlike other Abilities that you can use once per Pokemon with that Ability.
Quick Search functions in a way quite similar to Forest Seal Stone. However, the main difference is that, while Forest Seal Stone’s Star Alchemy allows you to search for any two cards in your deck, it can only be used once per game.
When choosing the right Pokemon to generate card-drawing in your deck, it is important to consider how different cards may work together, as well as the conditions that must be met in order to draw cards.
Some popular Pokemon used as Draw Enginesrequire you to discard a card before being able to draw. For Refinement Kirlia, this can be any card in your hand. However, for others, such as Radiant Greninja, you’llneed to discard a specific card, such as an Energy.
Along with the above requirements, some Pokemon, such as Raikou V, have a draw Ability like Fleet Footed thatrequires the Pokemon to be in the Active Spot to use their Ability. This can also be seen with Comfey, whose Flower Selecting is only usable in the Active Spot.
There are even some Pokemon, such as Maushold ex, that candraw cards as an effect of their attacks.
Items
Items are popular as a Draw Engine because there is no limit to how many you can play during your turn.Plus, so long as they are in your hand, you often don’t need to achieve any special conditions in order to play these cards.
Some Pokemon, like Banette ex, have attacks or Abilities that can prevent you from playing any Items during your turn.
Supporters
Supporters are unique in that they often pair draw acceleration with disruption. For example, some of the most common Supporter cards used as a Draw Engine include Iono, Judge, and Avery. These cards work to disrupt your opponent’s gameplay while also allowing you to see new cards during your turn.
Because you’re able to only play one Supporter per turn, these cards are often best paired with another type of Draw Engine that can be used during your turn.
Stadiums
For many decks, Stadiums are a common tool used to advance your gameplay. However, they are often used as a Draw Engine. Instead, many decks include Stadiums as a means of disruption (Path to the Peak), Energy Acceleration (Magma Basin), or pivoting Pokemon from the Active Spot (Beach Court).
However, there are Stadiums available that will allow you to search your deck for Pokemon or Energy, or even allow you to draw an entirely new hand.
Examples Of Draw Engines In The Pokemon TCG
Within each type of Draw Engine used in the Pokemon TCG, there are some that are more cards that are more popular than others. These are some of the most used Draw Engines.
Bibarel And Skwovet
While Bibarel and Skwovet may not provide the high-potential attacks of other popular Draw Engines, like Entei V or Radiant Greninja, they come with their own benefits. That is, when you play Bibarel and Skwovet, not only do you have the potential to see up to five entirely new cards each turn, because you may almost always prevent yourself from decking out.
Bibarel’s Industrious Incisors Ability allows you to draw up to five cards per turn. This means that if you already have two cards in hand, you’ll only be able to draw three additional cards. For many decks, if you haven’t been playing many cards from your hand, you may not be able to utilize this Ability. This is because, especially since you start with a hand of seven, you may not be able to get your hand below five cards to draw.
Skwovet helps remedy this common issue of using Bibarel alone.With its Nest Stash Ability, you’ll be able to shuffle your entire hand and put it at the bottom of the deck. Then, you’ll draw one card off the top of your deck.As a result, no matter how many cards you have in hand at the start of your turn, Skwovet will allow you to utilize Bibarel’s Industrious Incisors to see more cards.
Because Skwovet returns cards to your deck, this can be an essential card to prevent yourself from decking out. If you are unable to draw a card from your deck at the start of your turn, it will count as a game loss for you. So long as you have two or more cards left in your deck, Skwovet can help keep your deck in good standing.
Trekking Shoes
As important as drawing is, discarding cards that are no longer useful can also be beneficial. This is especially true later in the game. As a result,the Item card Trekking Shoes allows for you to see a portion of the cards still in your deck, allowing you to keep or discard as needed.
Trekking Shoes only allows you to see the top card of your deck. However, if you choose to discard that card, you can draw a second card, keeping it. Because it is an Item, Trekking Shoes can be played with other Items, Supporters, Pokemon, or Stadiums per turn. You can even play two Trekking Shoes cards back to back.
Professor’s Research
Professor’s Research is one of the most-played Draw Engine Supporters in the Pokemon TCG. However, it can also be one of the riskiest.
This is because Professor’s Research requires you to discard yourentirehand in order to draw seven new cards.Thankfully, for many cards such as Basic Energies, Pokemon, and Supporters, there are ways to retrieve these cards from the discard pile later in the game. However, for Stadiums, Items, and Special Energies, this can be a bit more difficult.
While you may need to make a tough decision when choosing whether or not to play Professor’s Research, it can be a helpful way to see more cards from your deck.
