Pokemon TCG: What is Pokemon Checkup?

Like many other trading card games, the Pokemon TCG is a turn-based game. You and your opponent will go back and forth, drawing cards and performing other essential actions with your respective turns. However, while your turn is where the exciting attacks and Abilities take place, there is another phase that is often less known about that occurs in between your and your opponent’s turns.

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Learn more about what Pokemon Checkup is, including when it first became a part of the Pokemon TCG and the different order of events that may occur in this neutral turn.

What is Pokemon Checkup?

The name for Pokemon Checkup is rather new, emerging in 2020 with the debutof the Sword and Shield era. However, the mechanic itself is not. In 2020, the Pokemon TCG adopted the term “Pokemon Checkup” to replace what was once described only by the phrase “between turns”.

Pokemon Checkup is a neutral turn where both players will check the playfield and apply any effects, Abilities, or Special Conditions. It occurs at the end of every turn, whether it is your own turn or your opponent's. In many cases, Pokemon Checkup will occur immediately after you declare your attack for the turn and deal any damage or effects.

However, if you play a card like Radiant Venusaur, you will attack, use Radiant Venusaur’s Sunny Bloom if applicable, and then move into Pokemon Checkup.

Some Pokemon have attacks or Abilities that will skip Pokemon Checkup. For instance, if the effect of Medicham V's Yoga Loop is applied, which allows you to take an additional turn if you Knock Out a Pokemon with this attack, you will skip Pokemon Checkup. Cards that skip this stage will often mention so in the description of the attack or Ability.

Parts of Pokemon Checkup

Oftentimes, you and your opponent will pass turns without realizing the steps that occur during Pokemon Checkup. This is because, in many situations, nothing occurs during this neutral phase of the game. However, even though they may not be visible in every game, several different steps occur during Pokemon Checkup.

This first part of Pokemon Checkup involves checking for any Special Conditions and applying their effects. Checking for Special Conditions is done in a specific order: Poisoned, Burned, Asleep, and Paralyzed. During Pokemon Checkup, you will apply any damage counters, such as for Poisoned, or flip a coin to see if the Special Condition improves, such as with Asleep.

The second step is applying any Abilities or effects of Trainer cards that occur during Pokemon Checkup. Checking for Special Conditions and this step can occur interchangeably. However, only one step can occur at a time. This means that if you choose to apply Abilities and effects first, you may finish this part of Pokemon Checkup completely before checking for any Special Conditions.

As a result of this, you can’t see if your Pokemon is still Asleep, then apply an Ability, then place your damage counters for Poisoned. Instead, you’ll either have to check all Special Conditions first and then check Abilities and effects or vice versa.

The final step, which will always occur at the end of Pokemon Checkup, is to see if any Pokemon were Knocked Out during this stage. This is because at the end of your turn, your Active Pokemon may still have HP. However, once you move into Pokemon Checkup, if your Pokemon has a Special Condition like Poisoned from Brute Bonnet's Ability, the damage counters applied may be enough to Knock Out your Pokemon.

If a Pokemon is Knocked Out during Pokemon Checkup, you or your opponent will take the right number of Prize Cards and then begin the next turn.

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