• Our friends from the Johto Times are hosting a favorite Pokémon poll - and we'd love for you to participate! Click here for information on how to vote for your favorites!
  • Welcome to PokéCommunity! Register now and join one of the best fan communities on the 'net to talk Pokémon and more! We are not affiliated with The Pokémon Company or Nintendo.

Raichu Break Card

Could somebody teach me about this card (and the other break cards),

Why is it a different shape to other cards and what does it do in the game?

https://www.papermoonjapan-annex.com/data/papermoon/product/SNP-R003.jpg

Alright, so, straight from the Bulbapedia page on them:

Pokémon BREAK are a special kind of Evolution card and can be evolved from either Basic Pokémon, Stage 1 Pokémon or Stage 2 Pokémon but they are considered their own separate stage of evolution. As such, cards that affect or search for "Evolution cards", also affect or can be used to search for Pokémon BREAK, while cards that specifically state "Stage 1 Pokémon" or "Stage 2 Pokémon" don't.

Pokémon BREAK are played sideways over their previous stage, covering the illustration box of the Pokémon, providing them with an HP boost and an additional attack or Ability, while maintaining the attacks, Abilities, Weaknesses, Resistances and Retreat Cost of the previous stage, similar to the Pokémon LV.X mechanic featured in the Diamond & Pearl Series. Also, like Pokémon LV.X and Pokémon Prime before, there are no specific drawbacks when playing a Pokémon BREAK.

They get additional HP, plus one more move, but like Lv. X Pokemon, they retain the ability to use any attacks of the card they evolved from, which is the Pokemon pictured on the card. Raichu Break evolves from any card that's just named "Raichu".

I'm not quite sure how they are treated for card count purposes, though. Not sure if they eat a slot for the Pokemon they evolve from like Lv. X cards did, or if they're treated as having a completely different card name.

Worth noting that their backs are identical to the cards of normally vertical cards and they are supposed to be shuffled in the "vertical" orientation that their backs have.
 
I'm not quite sure how they are treated for card count purposes, though. Not sure if they eat a slot for the Pokemon they evolve from like Lv. X cards did, or if they're treated as having a completely different card name.

Unlike Lvl. X, BREAK Pokemon count as having different names than the non-BREAK Pokemon.
 
Thanks for the detailed information. Until I saw this card I had no idea they existed and was curious how they work.

I bought the Raichu one for my collection, just waiting for it to arrive.
 
Back
Top