Gab Hernandez 
With so many flashy item cards in Pokemon TCG Pocket, some players may wonder what those seemingly “weak” fossil cards actually do.
Pokemon fans have met Pokemon TCG Pocket with high praise. The game is surprisingly friendly towards F2P players, with plenty of ways to farm resources and open dozens of packs. Many players can build at least one of the best decks in Pokemon Pocket TCG solely from free pulls, as long as they aren’t hilariously unlucky.
While people are focused on pulling Pokemon-EX cards, some may have ignored the fossil cards. With a paltry 40 HP and no special abilities, these items may seem like a wasted slot for a novice. However, these fossil cards can take any decent deck into a meta menace.
What do fossil cards do in Pokemon Pocket TCG?
Fossils are item cards that count as 40-HP Pokemon when put into play. Players can also discard fossils in play on their turn at any time.
There are currently three different Fossil cards in Pokemon Pocket TCG; Old Amber, Dome Fossil, and Helix Fossil. They all perform the same functions. The key difference is that they all evolve into different Pokemon. As veteran players saw in Pokemon Red and Blue, Old Amber becomes Aerodactyl, the Dome Fossil becomes Kabuto, and the Helix Fossil becomes Omanyte. Kabuto and Omanyte can evolve further, into some of the strongest non-EX Pokemon in Pokemon TCG Pocket.
On the surface, what fossil does isn’t very impressive. After all, there’s no one-shot gimmick damage or rapid energy generation. It’s even worse than basic Pokemon on the Active spot because it literally does nothing. When destroyed by the opponent, fossils will give them a single point because it counts as a Pokemon.
With all these in mind, it’s easy to see why so many avoid putting fossils into their decks. However, that “placeholder” status makes the card incredible for optimizing decks, especially those utilizing Stage-2 evolutions.
Why should I use fossils in Pokemon Pocket TCG?
Fossils increase the chances of the Poke Ball card drawing powerful Pokemon and act as great counters to cards like Sabrina.
In practically every competitive TCG, the smaller a deck is, the more consistent it becomes. In a game like Pokemon Pocket TCG, where drawing the core cards early is key to victory, keeping the deck free of fluff is essential. For example, the Poke Ball card draws a random basic Pokemon from the deck and puts it into the player’s hand.
Whether it’s a Mewtwo EX-Gardevoir or Pikachu EX-Zapdos deck, players must draw the staple cards early to win. However, if a player stuffs those decks with basics like Rattata or Pidgey, the chances of drawing Mewtwo with Poke Ball drastically decrease. However, fossil cards do not count as Pokemon while in the deck. That means Poke Ball will never draw these cards despite being playable “Pokemon.”
In addition, fossils are the perfect counter for cards that move Pokemon around, like Sabrina. When played, Sabrina benches the active Pokemon and forces the player to switch it out with another. Many players have experienced the sting of a Sabrina play, costing them the game. For example, Sabrina may force a Mewtwo EX to the bench and Gardevoir into the active spot, disrupting the deck’s entire game plan.
However, putting a fossil in its place means the opponent didn’t destroy anything valuable. If anything, it’s a waste of Sabrina because the switched Pokemon just comes back to play (unless destroying the fossil grants the winning point). If the fossil somehow survives, players can safely discard it without spending energy or the X Speed item card (this does not give the opponent a point.)
Fossils give the player a cheap sacrificial Pokemon that doesn’t interfere with the Poke Ball draw. The biggest takeaway from fossil cards is that it doesn’t matter if the opponent gets two points, so long as the player gets their third. Learning to sacrifice cards for optimization is a harsh yet crucial lesson for any aspiring TCG player.
