Pokémon TCG: Sword and Shield—Brilliant Stars

Parent wanting to get into TCG. Is it a bad idea?

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YooperDude

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Hey all,

I'm 38 and have an 8 year old and a 5 year old. I've played Magic in the past and generally like trading card games. I'm also a collecting freak. I wanted to get into Pokemon TCG because I can get the best of both worlds - I can collect cards, play a game, and also play it with my kids. I like how it challenges them to think, use math, read, develop strategy, make independent decisions, etc. My issue is I feel like a creep for wanting to play and I'm going to be viewed as "creepy old dude". I went to our local comic shop which is sanctioned for tournaments and it was 99% kids under 10. I was told that it's mostly older people in their 20s for the tournaments, but the league is the younger crowd. My dilemma is I don't know if I should just focus on Magic and not play with my kids, or stick with Pokemon and just look the other way. So far, we've had a blast playing at home and my daughter is excited to check out the local league play this week.

Also, I've been addicted to playing Pokemon X on the 3ds as of late since it ties in with TCG.

Any honest (potentially brutal) opinions are appreciated.

Thanks in advance,
YooperDude
 
There are plenty of Pokedads at tournaments. You definitely won't be the only one. :p As for leagues, just relax and play with the other kids. Chances are, the kids don't care that you're 30 years older than them.
 
The only real drawback that my husband and I have seen in wanting to compete along with our kids (now a junior and a senior) is that the masters parts of events tend to carry on a LOT longer than for the kids. It can leave you with a dilemma. You could drop out when they're done, but if you're playing well, you don't want to do that. If your kids are responsible, you can have them bring their DS, book or other activity and hang out until you're done, but it can be up to an hour for smaller events and much longer for large events - plus, not every venue has space where they can spread out. Or, if you have another non-playing adult along, you can ask for "kid-sitting" until you're finished (or too tired to play anymore)! We run a league and love to see families coming in together. We usually try to encourage the parents to at least sit down and try, and have lots of middle school kids who get a kick out of playing adults to try to test themselves.

Good luck and welcome to POKEMON!
 
FincastlePokemon2 said:
The only real drawback that my husband and I have seen in wanting to compete along with our kids (now a junior and a senior) is that the masters parts of events tend to carry on a LOT longer than for the kids. It can leave you with a dilemma. You could drop out when they're done, but if you're playing well, you don't want to do that. If your kids are responsible, you can have them bring their DS, book or other activity and hang out until you're done, but it can be up to an hour for smaller events and much longer for large events - plus, not every venue has space where they can spread out. Or, if you have another non-playing adult along, you can ask for "kid-sitting" until you're finished (or too tired to play anymore)! We run a league and love to see families coming in together. We usually try to encourage the parents to at least sit down and try, and have lots of middle school kids who get a kick out of playing adults to try to test themselves.

Good luck and welcome to POKEMON!
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Do some parents get "caught up" in the collecting aspect as well? Collecting is quite enjoyable for me. Like I said I feel like there's more adults playing magic, but it's a) VERY competitive and b) the cards are inappropriate for my kids. They'd give them nightmares. :)

Thanks for the responses! Keep 'em coming!
 
Each league has its own player ages and skill levels. Time and day have an impact on this. At my weekend league, with an average of 15-25 players, the attendance is split evenly between 14/younger and 15/older (includes players in their 20s and parents) and the level of play from all ages is mildly competitive. At my Friday league, with an average of 30 players, it is about 1/3 15/older but those are players in their early 20s who attend college in the area or have been attending league a long time. It is dominantly elementary and middle school players and the level of play is casual even from the older players.

Parents also play in the tournaments, as FincastlePokemon2 described. A benefit of the parent playing is you will actively be able to monitor how your children are doing. A question I get from some parents is "how is my kid doing? Is he keeping up?" It also allows you to monitor trading. Parents who don't play don't know if a card is good, valuable, both, or neither.

Parents do get "caught up" in collecting. Some of them approach it from a collector's mentality. Some of them seem like it is more about organization. The parents put everything in binders and know where the cards are; the kids couldn't tell you what they have.
 
The reason I got involved with this game is because of my kids. They have moved on, I have not.

Collecting is the main thing that I do anymore, other than judge. Nothing wrong with the little cardboard cards driving you made to 'Catch 'em all!!!!!'
 
Salutations, and welcome to the game! Were you to visit the League I help run, I'd mention a few things.

Pokemon is one of the easier competitive TCGs to help younger players make strategic decisions. Rarely, if ever, are there things that occur during a player's turn that allow their opponent to interrupt what they are doing (vs. trap cards, etc.) allowing players to usually keep their train of thought during their turn.

There are two major ways to address deck building: Find a strategy that you want (do a lot of damage, keep your opponent from doing X, etc.) and find the best balance of cards to do that, or try to find a strategy from the cards that you have. The former can end up more expensive, while the latter can be more frustrating if you know that J does something better than the X you have.

A parent who knows the rules (and more complex strategies) of the game can help their child/children better than one who doesn't. With the background in Magic, I presume you know the concept of having combo cards in a deck. With this, you can help your children see ideas and strategies they might not come up with themselves. I gladly offer my services to any player who wants me to look at their deck and make some recommendations on how to make it better. I have some players ask if I can make a good deck out of the cards they have in their binder, shoebox, or other storage area. I show them why, explain why I'm doing what I'm doing, and ask if this fits their playstyle or not.

However, I also find it important to let younger players find their own way in certain areas. While some more competitive players might criticize some of the decks I've seen at my League, I've been charmed to see players who experiment with unusual combinations of cards to try to achieve a goal. One recent example was a Heatmor-focused deck using Ultra Ball, Blacksmith, Pal Pad, Random Receiver, and Super Rod to try and outspeed Pokemon-ex and take quick Prizes. While it might not be a deck I would play, I encourage players to try to find something that works how they want it to. After all, at the end of the day, it is their deck. What should matter most is that they're happy with it (or at least happy enough with it compared to whatever budget you put aside for such things)!
 
Trust me. I remember playing some games when I was in my single digit years. Playing adults is 1) a "challenge" 2) fun. Win, and YESSS I'VE BEAT AN ADULT :D Lose, it was fun playing a worthy opponent! Honestly, I'd say join them. Pokemon Leagues vary in ages everywhere. I'd do it :D
 
And the League Leader will probably appreciate someone else who can "help out" a little bit!
 
Ohio Pokedad, here. I absolutely LOVE pokemon! Got into it from a league! It's a great way to play with your kid. They have local leagues that can be WONDERFUL! That's how I got wrapped up in the game. They also have tournaments and they do such a great job giving away stuff to little kids. My son and I have gone to the last two National tournaments held in Indianapolis. We are skipping this year to go to the actual WORLD'S championship being held in DC!

holler if you need any help!

ken

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Ohio Pokedad, here. I absolutely LOVE pokemon! Got into it from a league! It's a great way to play with your kid. They have local leagues that can be WONDERFUL! That's how I got wrapped up in the game. They also have tournaments and they do such a great job giving away stuff to little kids. My son and I have gone to the last two National tournaments held in Indianapolis. We are skipping this year to go to the actual WORLD'S championship being held in DC!

holler if you need any help!

ken
 
Even though I'm finally retired from the trading card game at this point, I look back on my time spent with my kids with pokemon and have some great memories. Perhaps I could have expressed that first sentence better, but you get my point, I'm sure.

I started out as just a collector. Certainly no shame there, YooperDude. It took a while to realize about the gaming aspect of the cards, but once we started out on that path, both my son and daughter loved that here was something that we all could do together - a game we could all share. Mind you, my wife wasn't interested, so eventually my daughter lost interest as well. However by that time I was actually running my own league - with both moms and dads coming along to play with the kids. I certainly encouraged it, and found many parents, even some considerably older than myself enjoyed getting in on the action. When I started - well ...... I suppose I was somewhere around 40. Now, if you grow to love it as much as I did, maybe you'll get a chance to share that with other adults around the area and you'll end up with a thriving pokemon community. I've had tons of great memories of games played with both children and adults, all of which I consider my friends. It's certainly worth it to get into the pokemon trading card game, ALONG WITH the video game. It may seem strange at first, but in time it will be an experience you'll be glad to share.

Just a bit of advice though: don't pay too much attention to the demographics of a particular league. It ebbs and flows, and one day there are more kids and you look around and the next day you might find more teenagers and adults playing than kids.

You never know where it may take you either. In my experience, I wound up being a league leader, then a judge, a tournament organizer, a Nationals judge, a PTO, and was even offered a chance to judge in another country. My son was the youngest ever professor (before the age requirement), and the youngest Master professor. He also judged Nationals (both before and after he came of age) and became a very well respected member of the Ontario Canada pokemon community. Coming from a young and shy fellow to a confident and trustworthy adult - I know that transformation was at least in part a gift that sharing pokemon with my son gave. You just never know what might happen. I hope your experience can be just as eventful. Good luck.

EDIT: I'm still into the video game - just like my son (who is now 25), so if there's ever anything I can help you with, please let me know.

EDIT2: You might want to add your friend code to the FC thread here on the gym. We'd love to have a chance to trade or get new safari pokemon. Give it a try.
 
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Not a dad (yet), but I am an "old" player (turned 43 recently).
Just like the fun nature of the game, and try to "help out" my league as much as I can (usually just giving a bunch of common/uncommon cards to the "trade" box).
Or teaching the "little folks" how to play.

I also try to make decks that aren't super "serious" (but can win if they do well).
 
Leap in, have fun, bond with the other PokeParents. I joined a league for the exact same reason as you about two years ago and now I'm a league leader and an on again off again judge. Simple fact of the matter is that engaged adults are needed to keep this going for the kids. Welcome aboard.
 
If you were to join in make sure you have the time for it. Some Pokedads play only because they have nothing better to do while their kids play.. This cause them to not fully know the rules, slow play and dropping the tournament because the lower age classes finish early. All this can be frustrating for a serious Master player.
It may seam backwards, but if you don't have the free time to invest, I'd say it is better for everyone if you apply to become a Tournament Organizer and study for the Professor Exam. The judges can always use an extra set of hands.
 
I can not disagree more! SERIOUSLY. This is TOTALLY not the spirit of the game.

Enjoy the game at your own pace. ALL pokemon players are slow when we begin. ALL of us are still learning the rules when we start out. NOT EVERYBODY has a fun and helpful league to participate in before they get to a tournament.

Any "serious master player" should encourage others to play and help them learn the game. We need to be helping one another. NOT discouraging parents from playing.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk
 
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MarUlberg said:
If you were to join in make sure you have the time for it. Some Pokedads play only because they have nothing better to do while their kids play.. This cause them to not fully know the rules, slow play and dropping the tournament because the lower age classes finish early. All this can be frustrating for a serious Master player.
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This is antiquated thinking.

Now that Master's have to pay to play this year, the ones who "don't fully know the rules" aren't going to spend money just to lose. But if you do happen to run into one of them, you should be glad you'll be able to win 2-0 against them in Best of 3 instead of perhaps a 1-1 tie against a formidable player. That's because opponent's win % (resistance) plays less of a factor this year for determining who makes top cut, which is the objection you have to former opponents dropping early with a losing record.

tl;dr what keniselvis said.
 
MarUlberg, I'm sorry you seem to have an aversion for poke-parents getting involved with the game. Perhaps you had some bad experience in an earlier event which soured you, but for the most part, it's way better for parents to get involved with the game with the kids. You may be right on one point - the tournament organizers could usually use some extra help, even if it's just as results runners. However that's not the point. I have less tolerance for people who discourage parents from playing even if they give seemingly legitimate concerns to justify their reasoning. Consider if you were in their shoes - What would be the most encouraging thing to say? "Nah, get lost pokeparent, us serious Masters players would rather you help judge." Sorry, but I don't think that's very encouraging. On the contrary, "By all means! Play on! The kids will love having a chance to play an adult at leagues, and as you gain experience you may be able to help them with their decks. At events your kids will run up to you and tell you all sorts of stories of how they did with their battles, and it'll be an exciting time for both you and your kids." Something like that might be a bit more encouraging.

Good posts keniselvis and losjackal.
 
YooperDude said:
My issue is I feel like a creep for wanting to play and I'm going to be viewed as "creepy old dude".
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On the other hand, you could be thought of as a really "cool old dude" as many players have said to me (most did leave off the "old" part though).

I am probably the OLDEST player in the Midwest playing competitively and I'm 60+ years young. I also starting collecting sets from day 1. I started playing shortly after my kids started showing interest in the game some 15+ years ago when they were just elementary/junior high school age. As time passed, between incremental school demands, part-time jobs, high school, college, work, etc., they all stopped playing; but, I continued - for the love of the game.

As others may have noted, my kids' math, reading, problem-solving, decision making and social skills were enhanced as a direct result of playing the game. In addition, either on solo trips with with my kid(s) or as a family outing/vacation, we enjoyed some great times together going to/from tournaments - those times were invaluable. This game provided me another opportunity to stay "connected" to my kids as they grew up (when your kids hit the pre-teen/teenage years, you'll understand - lol).

In the Midwest, there are still quite a few Poké Dads and Moms who share similar backgrounds as myself. So, you are definitely not alone as a 30-yo playing the game. Personally, I'm surprised that more parents are not taking advantage of sharing the experience with their kids. Be that as it may, it has been a great privilege and experience to have seen lots of players "grow up" into fine young adults (including my kids). The game is fun and competitive which makes it an ongoing great experience. It will also afford you great opportunities to share time, fun and learning experiences with your kids too - that's priceless IMO.

Lastly, it's a fantastic idea for parents to play Pokémon. But be forewarned; it can get a bit "competitive" too at the house. For example, my youngest (1st year grad student) still has more 1st place tournament trophies than I do (which she reminds me of at times) and I just can't have that... Rlol.
 
How many chances do you get to do something with your kids? Do it! I started out just playing because I was bored just waiting and sitting and also wanted to understand the game. My first tournament was Nationals with the old rai-eggs deck! I didn't understand the rules too well but then again a lot of the "real" masters I played didn't know them too well either :) I ran into a few of Marulberg's but always shook hands with them (even if they refused) after I beat them! Eight years of a pokemon family and I wouldn't change it for anything! And you meet great people like Tuxedoblack!
 
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