Poké Ball: Difference between revisions

Several variants of Poké Ball have been released in card form in the [[Pokémon Trading Card Game]], ranging from the standard variants found in the games and other media to variants specific to the TCG. Generally, Poké Balls are depicted as {{TCG|Item}} cards that search the player's [[deck]] for {{TCG|Pokémon}} and put them into the player's [[hand]]. Many Poké Ball cards require some number of successful {{TCG|coin}} flips in order to allow for the search to succeed, but some cards use the order of the player's [[deck]] to create inconsistency instead. There are even Poké Ball cards that are guaranteed to work, but these cards are balanced by only finding specific subsets of Pokémon, requiring some cost to be paid, or having another drawback.

* The standard {{TCG ID|Jungle|Poké Ball|64}} card, which was the first released, debuted in the {{TCG|Jungle}} expansion and has since been featured in many others. If a coin flip is successful, it searches the deck for a {{TCG|Pokémon}} and puts it in the player's hand.

* The Ultra Ball can be seen in the artwork of {{TCG ID|Team Rocket|Rocket's Sneak Attack|16}}, from the {{TCG|Team Rocket}} expansion. The 'H' on this Ultra Ball is derived from its Japanese name, ''Hyper Ball''. The {{TCG ID|Dark Explorers|Ultra Ball|102}} itself would appear in {{TCG|Dark Explorers}}, with its effect requiring the player to discard 2 cards from the hand to search the deck for a Pokémon.

* The {{TCG ID|Gym Challenge|Master Ball|116}}, first appearing in the {{TCG|Gym Challenge}} expansion, and in the games the most powerful of the Poké Balls, provides a vastly different effect than the standard. Rather than searching the entire deck, only the top seven cards may be searched. One {{TCG|Pokémon}} found in these seven can be put into the hand, while the rest must be shuffled back into the deck. In {{TCG|Plasma Blast}}, the {{TCG ID|Plasma Blast|Master Ball|94}} was changed to an {{TCG|ACE SPEC card}} that allowed the player to search the entire deck for any one Pokémon.

* Also debuting in Skyridge, the {{TCG ID|Skyridge|Friend Ball|126}}, another [[Apricorn]] Ball, has a unique effect entirely, allowing the user to search their deck for a Pokémon of the same {{TCG|type}} as one of the opponent's Pokémon, making it effective in decks that typically match up well against their own type. It was also reprinted in Celestial Storm.

* The {{TCG ID|Stormfront|Luxury Ball|86}}, first found in the {{TCG|Stormfront}} expansion, is among the rarest of the Poké Ball varieties in the games, though its catch rate is the same as that of a normal Poké Ball. Likewise it is so with the TCG, allowing a non-{{TCG|Pokémon LV.X|LV.X}} Pokémon to be searched from the deck, but only if another Luxury Ball card is not in the discard pile.

* The {{TCG ID|Mysterious Treasures|Dusk Ball|110}}, also first found in Mysterious Treasures, features an effect somewhat opposite from the Master Ball's: Instead of the top seven cards being searched, only the bottom seven cards may be, and a Pokémon found there may be put into the player's hand.

* The {{TCG ID|Next Destinies|Heavy Ball|88}}, first found in {{TCG|Next Destinies}}, allows the player to search through their deck for a Pokémon who has a retreat cost of 3 or more and put it in their hand, whereas the {{TCG ID|Next Destinies|Level Ball|89}}, also found in {{TCG|Next Destinies}}, allows them to do the same with a Pokémon that has 90 HP or less.

* The {{TCG ID|Primal Clash|Repeat Ball|136}}, found only in {{TCG|Primal Clash}}, allows the player to search their deck for a Pokémon with the same name as one of their Pokémon in play.

* The {{TCG ID|Sun & Moon|Nest Ball|123}}, first found in {{TCG|Sun & Moon}}, allows the player to search their deck for a Basic Pokémon and put it on their bench,

* The {{TCG ID|Sun & Moon|Timer Ball|134}}, first found in {{TCG|Sun & Moon}}, allows the player to search their deck for a number of Evolution Pokémon equal to the number of heads from flipping two coins.

* The {{TCG ID|Lost Thunder|Net Ball|187}}, first found in {{TCG|Lost Thunder}}, allows the player to search their deck for a Basic {{e|Grass}} Pokémon or a {{e|Grass}} Energy card and put it into their hand.

* The {{TCG ID|Celestial Storm|Beast Ball|125}}, first found in {{TCG|Celestial Storm}}, allows the player to look at their Prize Cards, and swap an [[Ultra Beast]] found there with the Beast Ball card.

* The {{TCG ID|Unified Minds|Cherish Ball|191}}, first found in {{TCG|Unified Minds}}, allows the player to search their deck for any {{TCG|Pokémon-GX}} and put it into their hand.

* The {{TCG ID|Evolving Skies|Dream Ball|146}}, first found in {{TCG|Evolving Skies}}, allows the player to search their deck for a Pokémon and put it on their bench, but the card can only be played if the player took it as a face down Prize card.

* The {{TCG ID|Astral Radiance|Feather Ball|141}}, first found in {{TCG|Astral Radiance}}, allows the player to search their deck for a Pokémon with no Retreat Cost and put it into their hand.

* The {{TCG ID|Astral Radiance|Hisuian Heavy Ball|146}}, first found in Astral Radiance, allows the player to look at their Prize cards, and swap a Basic Pokémon found there with the Hisuian Heavy Ball card.

* The {{TCG ID|EX Team Magma vs Team Aqua|Team Magma Ball|80}} is [[Team Magma]]'s Poké Ball variant, found only in the {{TCG|EX Team Magma vs Team Aqua}} expansion. It allows the user to search for a Team Magma's Pokémon, but if a coin flip results in tails, the search is limited to {{TCG|Basic Pokémon|Basic}} Team Magma Pokémon.

* The {{TCG ID|EX Team Magma vs Team Aqua|Team Aqua Ball|75}} is [[Team Aqua]]'s Poké Ball variant, also found only in the {{TCG|EX Team Magma vs Team Aqua}} expansion. It works ''exactly'' the same as the Team Magma Ball, searching for Team Aqua's Pokémon instead.

* The {{TCG ID|EX Team Rocket Returns|Rocket's Poké Ball|89}} is the [[Team Rocket]] variation on the Poké Ball, found in the {{TCG|EX Team Rocket Returns}} expansion. No coin flip is required, and it simply allows the player to search for a {{TCG|Dark Pokémon}}.

* The {{TCG ID|Plasma Freeze|Team Plasma Ball|105}} is the [[Team Plasma]] variant of the Poké Ball, found in the {{TCG|Plasma Freeze}} expansion. It allows the user to search for a Team Plasma Pokémon without a coin flip required.

* The {{TCG ID|Double Crisis|Team Magma's Great Ball|31}} is another Team Magma Poké Ball variant, found in the {{TCG|Double Crisis}} expansion. It searches the deck for a Basic Team Magma Pokémon and a basic {{e|Fighting}} energy.

* The {{TCG ID|Double Crisis|Team Aqua's Great Ball|27}} is another Team Aqua Poké Ball variant, also found in the {{TCG|Double Crisis}} expansion. It searches the deck for a Basic Team Aqua Pokémon and a basic {{e|Water}} energy instead.