Switch (Japanese: ポケモンいれかえPokémon Substitution) is an Item card. It was first released in the Base Set as a Trainer card.
Card text
Original Series prints
You can't have more than 1 ACE SPEC card in your deck.
You can't have more than 1 ACE SPEC card in your deck.
Team Plasma
Team Plasma
You can't have more than 1 ACE SPEC card in your deck.
FLARE
(Prism Star) Rule You can't have more than 1 card with the same name in your deck. If a card would go to the discard pile, put it in the Lost Zone instead.
TAG TEAM
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display:none;
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{{{ruletext}}}
VSTAR Power
Switch 1 of your Benched Pokémon with your Active Pokémon.
Do Nothing
At the beginning of your turn, flip a coin. If heads, you can do nothing during your turn. If tails, your opponent can do nothing during his or her next turn.
Do Nothing
At the beginning of your turn, flip a coin. If heads, you can do nothing during your turn. If tails, your opponent can do nothing during his or her next turn.
Do Nothing
At the beginning of your turn, flip a coin. If heads, you can do nothing during your turn. If tails, your opponent can do nothing during his or her next turn.
VS Era and e-Card Series prints
You can't have more than 1 ACE SPEC card in your deck.
You can't have more than 1 ACE SPEC card in your deck.
Team Plasma
Team Plasma
You can't have more than 1 ACE SPEC card in your deck.
FLARE
(Prism Star) Rule You can't have more than 1 card with the same name in your deck. If a card would go to the discard pile, put it in the Lost Zone instead.
TAG TEAM
display:none;
display:none;
display:none;
display:none;
display:none;
{{{ruletext}}}
VSTAR Power
Switch your Active Pokémon with 1 of your Benched Pokémon.
Do Nothing
At the beginning of your turn, flip a coin. If heads, you can do nothing during your turn. If tails, your opponent can do nothing during his or her next turn.
Do Nothing
At the beginning of your turn, flip a coin. If heads, you can do nothing during your turn. If tails, your opponent can do nothing during his or her next turn.
Do Nothing
At the beginning of your turn, flip a coin. If heads, you can do nothing during your turn. If tails, your opponent can do nothing during his or her next turn.
EX Series through HeartGold & SoulSilver Series prints
You can't have more than 1 ACE SPEC card in your deck.
You can't have more than 1 ACE SPEC card in your deck.
Team Plasma
Team Plasma
You can't have more than 1 ACE SPEC card in your deck.
FLARE
(Prism Star) Rule You can't have more than 1 card with the same name in your deck. If a card would go to the discard pile, put it in the Lost Zone instead.
TAG TEAM
display:none;
display:none;
display:none;
display:none;
display:none;
{{{ruletext}}}
VSTAR Power
Switch 1 of your Active Pokémon with 1 of your Benched Pokémon.
Do Nothing
At the beginning of your turn, flip a coin. If heads, you can do nothing during your turn. If tails, your opponent can do nothing during his or her next turn.
Do Nothing
At the beginning of your turn, flip a coin. If heads, you can do nothing during your turn. If tails, your opponent can do nothing during his or her next turn.
Do Nothing
At the beginning of your turn, flip a coin. If heads, you can do nothing during your turn. If tails, your opponent can do nothing during his or her next turn.
Black & White Series through Sun & Moon Series prints
You can't have more than 1 ACE SPEC card in your deck.
You can't have more than 1 ACE SPEC card in your deck.
Team Plasma
Team Plasma
You can't have more than 1 ACE SPEC card in your deck.
FLARE
(Prism Star) Rule You can't have more than 1 card with the same name in your deck. If a card would go to the discard pile, put it in the Lost Zone instead.
TAG TEAM
display:none;
display:none;
display:none;
display:none;
display:none;
{{{ruletext}}}
VSTAR Power
Switch your Active Pokémon with 1 of your Benched Pokémon.
Do Nothing
At the beginning of your turn, flip a coin. If heads, you can do nothing during your turn. If tails, your opponent can do nothing during his or her next turn.
Do Nothing
At the beginning of your turn, flip a coin. If heads, you can do nothing during your turn. If tails, your opponent can do nothing during his or her next turn.
Do Nothing
At the beginning of your turn, flip a coin. If heads, you can do nothing during your turn. If tails, your opponent can do nothing during his or her next turn.
You may play as many Item cards as you like during your turn (before your attack).
Sword & Shield Series and Scarlet & Violet Series prints
You can't have more than 1 ACE SPEC card in your deck.
You can't have more than 1 ACE SPEC card in your deck.
Team Plasma
Team Plasma
You can't have more than 1 ACE SPEC card in your deck.
FLARE
(Prism Star) Rule You can't have more than 1 card with the same name in your deck. If a card would go to the discard pile, put it in the Lost Zone instead.
TAG TEAM
display:none;
display:none;
display:none;
display:none;
display:none;
{{{ruletext}}}
VSTAR Power
Switch your Active Pokémon with 1 of your Benched Pokémon.
Do Nothing
At the beginning of your turn, flip a coin. If heads, you can do nothing during your turn. If tails, your opponent can do nothing during his or her next turn.
Do Nothing
At the beginning of your turn, flip a coin. If heads, you can do nothing during your turn. If tails, your opponent can do nothing during his or her next turn.
Do Nothing
At the beginning of your turn, flip a coin. If heads, you can do nothing during your turn. If tails, your opponent can do nothing during his or her next turn.
You may play any number of Item cards during your turn.
Back (Creatures Deck print)
All prints
You can't have more than 1 ACE SPEC card in your deck.
You can't have more than 1 ACE SPEC card in your deck.
Team Plasma
Team Plasma
You can't have more than 1 ACE SPEC card in your deck.
FLARE
(Prism Star) Rule You can't have more than 1 card with the same name in your deck. If a card would go to the discard pile, put it in the Lost Zone instead.
The reason for inviting Mr. Tanaka to be president ————.
Tanaka: The main reason was that Mr. Ishihara established The Pokémon Company, and became the president of the company.
Ishihara: When I thought about who I would entrust Creatures to, Mr. Tanaka was the first person who came to mind. He has a feeling of mischievousness, and is someone who can think of answers that I haven't thought of.
Tanaka: Mr. Ishihara called me into the president's office and said, "Mr. Tanaka, you're the president." I didn't expect it at all, so I said, "I have to buy a suit...I have to wear leather shoes..." (laughs). Long before that, I had consulted with Mr. Ishihara at an izakaya in Kanda. At the time, I had no idea I would become president of the company, but at that izakaya counter, unconsciously and quietly, I had somehow made a decision about my future.
Do Nothing
At the beginning of your turn, flip a coin. If heads, you can do nothing during your turn. If tails, your opponent can do nothing during his or her next turn.
Do Nothing
At the beginning of your turn, flip a coin. If heads, you can do nothing during your turn. If tails, your opponent can do nothing during his or her next turn.
Do Nothing
At the beginning of your turn, flip a coin. If heads, you can do nothing during your turn. If tails, your opponent can do nothing during his or her next turn.
e-Reader data
The Expedition Base Set and Theater Limited VS Pack prints include a Dot Code strip for use with the e-Reader, and have the card ID A-27-#. The short strip contains a brief card summary. There is no long strip for this card.
Switch was reprinted during the Neo Series in the Japanese Intro Pack Neo and was included as part of the product's Chikorita Side Deck.
VS Era and e-Card Series
This card was reprinted with new artwork by Keiji Kinebuchi in the Japanese Tyranitar Half Deck, which was soon followed by a release in the Japanese Pokémon VS expansion. This print was also included in a slightly altered version of the Tyranitar Half Deck, which was distributed to players at the 2001 Tropical Mega Battle and was printed in several languages. It received a more general release outside Japan in the Expedition Base Set, which originated from the Japanese Pokémon-e Starter Deck. It was reprinted again in Japan in the Theater Limited VS Pack.
Switch was reprinted during the XY Series in the Kalos Starter Set with new artwork by 5ban Graphics, first released in the Japanese XY Beginning Set. This print was later reprinted in the Japanese Xerneas and Yveltal Half Decks, both Half Decks of the English XY Trainer Kit, and the Japanese M Charizard-EX Mega Battle Deck and Hyper Metal Chain Deck. An unnumbered XY-P Promotional print of this card was one of five Trainer cards available in conjunction with the Pokémon Card Game Deck Building Seminar event held as part of the Pokémon Center Pokémon Card Game School. This was present at participating Pokémon Centers in Japan from October 25 to November 16, 2014 and was open to elementary school-aged children. A 20-card set comprising two copies each of five Trainer cards plus 10 Energy cards could be purchased at Pokémon Centers during the event for ¥100. Another reprint was then included in the Super Legend Set: Xerneas-EX & Yveltal-EX in Japan.
During the Scarlet & Violet Series, Switch was reprinted with new artwork by Studio Bora Inc. Its initial print of this Series was in the Scarlet & Violet expansion, with its first Japanese iterations appearing in each of the ex Starter Sets, in the Premium Trainer Box ex, and as two different SV-P Promotional cards. One of these was available in the Energy Card Set from January 20, 2023. This print has the collection number 011/SV-P. The other was one of nine cards that could be found in 2023 Endorsed Independent Event Trainers Packs. Certified Event Organizers distributed these packs at events they oversaw in January 2023. This print has the collection number 017/SV-P and features the Event Organizer logo. The 017/SV-P print was subsequently available in 2024 Endorsed Independent Event Trainers Packs, which began to be distributed by Event Organizers at events from January 2024.
Unnumbered versions of the Scarlet & Violet print were included in the My First Battle Deck Kits, stamped on the bottom-right with silhouettes of Pikachu, Bulbasaur, Charmander, or Squirtle that correspond to each mini deck. These prints lack a regulation mark and have a different card back, making them illegal for tournament play. The Scarlet & Violet print of Switch was reprinted in Holofoil for the high-end Pokémon Trading Card Game Classic deck kit, which was released in October 2023. This reprint also lacks a regulation mark and is thus not legal for tournament play.
In Japan, the Regular print was reprinted three more times as SV-P Promotional cards. The first of these, numbered 126/SV-P, was one of seven cards available in Pokémon Card Gym Promo Card Pack 5, which was distributed at Pokémon Card Gym venues able to do so from January 26, 2024.[1] This print features the Pokémon Card Gym logo. The next print, numbered 248/SV-P, was one of eight cards that could be found in 2025 Endorsed Independent Event Trainers Packs. Certified Event Organizers distributed these packs at events they oversaw starting March 1, 2025.[2] This print features the Event Organizer logo like its counterpart available in the 2023 and 2024 packs. The last print, numbered 276/SV-P, was one of eight cards that could be found in Victini BWR Competition Promo Card Packs. One pack was given to people participating in Victini BWR Competition events, which were held at participating locations between June 14 and August 31, 2025.[3] This print features the Victini BWR Competition logo.
This card's number in the Pokémon Card Game 25th Anniversary Creatures Deck, 011/008, is a reference to Creatures' founding date of November 8th, 1995.