Pokémon rules are much too complicated for an impatient boy of 5 years, so I invented an easier way to play. My rules allow for a more fast-paced action and an overall simpler, less complex game.

The Basics

Start with 7 cards each.
Use the standard game board/layout and turn flow: Draw, Use Cards, Attack.
Players can attach one energy per turn.
All Pokémon do 10 damage per attached energy card.
All Pokémon have 50 health.
All attacks require a coin flip for success.

The Fun Part

The excitement for Elliot is found in the coin flip. He loves using the coin that came with his Ice Shock theme deck. The second best part is using the Pokémon that looks the coolest to him, without worrying about stats, numbers, or special abilities. In this game, all Pokémon are equal.

Additional Rules

From there you can choose whether you want to use Trainers and Item cards. You can tweak the decks and only use the cards that fit your little person. We have some healing cards and some of the cards that let you dig through your deck and find extra energy or Pokémon. We don’t use evolution rules, a Pokémon can be put into play as the active attacker regardless of stage.