Pokémon Power (TCG)

A Pokémon Power (Japanese: 特殊能力 special ability) is a special Ability held by some Pokémon in the Pokémon Trading Card Game.

Pokémon Power redirects here. For the mini-magazines featured in Nintendo Power, see Pokémon Power (magazine).

Typically, Pokémon Powers are additional effects that the card's player can trigger once or multiple times during their turn, before they attack. However, before the Expedition Base Set, some cards, such as Base Set Charizard, had Pokémon Powers that were always active. For example, all Energy cards attached to Charizard provided Fire Energy at all times. The player did not have to announce that they were using the power or do anything to trigger it, as it was always active.

After the release of Expedition, Pokémon Powers were split into two groups: Poké-Powers (Japanese: ポケパワー Poké-Power) and Poké-Bodies (Japanese: ポケボディー Poké-Body). Poké-Powers are special effects that the player must trigger or announce using. A Poké-Body's effect is one that is in effect regardless. The player does not need to announce the use of a Poké-Body, since it is always active. In essence, a Poké-Power's effect is not always active, while a Poké-Body's effect is.

With the release of Black & White, Pokémon Powers were combined into one mechanic once again and renamed Abilities (Japanese: 特性 special characteristic), after the analogous element in the main series games.

With the release of Evolutions, a commemorative expansion created to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the TCG, a new card with a Pokémon Power was printed: Imakuni?'s Doduo