Pokémon Checkup

Pokémon Checkup (Japanese: ポケモンチェック Pokémon Check), formerly known as the between-turns step, is a step that occurs between turns in the Pokémon Trading Card Game. Special Conditions are checked during this step. While it has not always had a name, this step has existed since the start of the game.

Name

Originally, this step did not have a specific name. Effects that apply during this step would just state that they are applied "between turns".

The name between-turns step was introduced in the Black & White rulebook. This term continued to be used in official rulebooks throughout the Black & White, XY and Sun & Moon Series, although cards printed during these series usually do not use the term, preferring to simply refer to effects applying between turns. The only cards to use this term are the Sun & Moon era cards Dialga-GX (both the Forbidden Light and Ultra Prism prints) and Togepi & Cleffa & Igglybuff-GX — both of which use it in reminder text to skip this step when taking an extra turn.

The name Pokémon Checkup was introduced in the Sword & Shield rulebook. Since the introduction of this term, it has appeared in the text of many different cards.

Mechanics

Pokémon Checkup occurs between turns, after the previous turn ends but before the next turn starts. However, if an effect gives a player an additional turn, the additional turn immediately begins without conducting Pokémon Checkup.

During Pokémon Checkup, Special Conditions are checked, as well as any other effects that do something during this step. Special Conditions can be checked before or after other effects, but the Special Condition checks must all happen at once.

Special Conditions are checked in the following order:

1. Each player places 1 damage counter on their Active Pokémon if it is Poisoned.
2. Each player places 2 damage counters on the Active Pokémon if it is Burned, and then flips a coin. If heads, the Burned condition is removed.
3. Each player flips a coin if their Active Pokémon is Asleep. If heads, the Asleep condition is removed.
4. If the Active Pokémon of the player who just finished their turn is Paralyzed, the Paralyzed condition is removed.

After all checks (including Special Conditions and other effects) have been completed, any Pokémon that have 0 HP remaining are Knocked Out. If they are, the player moves a new Pokémon into the Active Spot and their opponent takes a prize card.

Outdated mechanics

Starting in the e-Card Series and until this step was given a name, the rulebook states that Pokémon Tools that apply between turns can be applied at any time the player who played the Pokémon it is attached to wants.^[1][2] While this step was known as the "between-turns step" (i.e. during the Black & White, XY and Sun & Moon Series), Special Conditions were required to be checked before applying any other effects.^[3][4] Since this step has been named "Pokémon Checkup" (i.e. starting in Sword & Shield), these effects can now be checked in either order (but Special Conditions must all be checked at once).^[5][6]

Prior to Sun & Moon, if a Pokémon was Burned, the coin toss to cure it would happen first, then the damage would only be inflicted if the Burn was not cured.

Pokémon Trading Card Game Live

In Pokémon Trading Card Game Live, the Battle Log's listing of Pokémon Checkup events use a yellow header, in comparison to events on the player's turn using blue headers and events on the opponents turn using red headers.

Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket

In Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket, Pokémon Checkup mostly functions like in the Pokémon Trading Card Game.

During Pokémon Checkup, Special Conditions are always checked first (in the same order as the TCG), then effects that apply during Pokémon Checkup are applied afterwards (such as Glaceon ex's Snowy Terrain Ability). Pokémon whose HP drop to 0 are Knocked Out after all checks have been completed.

When tossing a coin to check for Burned or Asleep, "Pokémon Checkup — <Condition>" is displayed at the top of the window.

In other languages

This section is incomplete. Please feel free to edit this section to add missing information and complete it. Reason: Korean and Chinese names

References

This article is part of Project TCG, a Bulbapedia project that aims to report on every aspect of the Pokémon Trading Card Game.