Pokémon TCG fun format
Vanillamon
An alternative Pokémon TCG format where legal Pokémon attack the old-fashioned way: no printed rules text under the attack name.
Vanilla attacks only
A Pokémon is legal when every printed attack has no text other than the attack name, damage, cost, and GX reminder text.
SUM-on card pool
Any set legal in the SUM-on card pool is in scope for Vanillamon before the format banlist is applied.
Expanded deck rules
Deck size, copy limits, Prize cards, and the usual Pokémon TCG construction rules follow Expanded.
Abilities still matter
Abilities are not attacks. Legal Pokémon with strong abilities are expected to define many decks.
A small rule, a very different card pool.
Vanillamon makes overlooked Pokémon playable again by cutting away text-heavy attacks and asking decks to win with abilities, energy engines, and clean damage math.
The legality test
If an attack has rules text under its name, the Pokémon is not legal. Costs, damage numbers, attack names, and bracketed GX reminder text do not break legality.
What still shapes games
Abilities, Trainers, Energy acceleration, Prize mapping, and deck consistency matter more because attacks are simpler.
Where to start
Start from a known ability engine, then choose attackers that pass the vanilla test. The builder is the fastest way to explore legal cards.
Known legal examples.
These cards from the introductory manifesto show the intended breadth: simple attacks can sit next to powerful abilities and even Rule Box Pokémon.
Ability engines
Flaaffy (EVS 55)Evolving Skies
Metang (TEF 114)Temporal Forces
Inteleon (CRE 43)Chilling Reign
Drizzile (SSH 56)Sword & Shield
Zoroark (EVS 103)Evolving Skies
Cherrim (BST 8)Battle Styles
Rule Box and special cases
Gyarados GX (SHF 16)Hidden Fates
Charizard GX (SHF 9)Hidden Fates
Tapu Koko Prism Star (TEU 51)Team Up
Build from a main shell.
The format is young, so deck pages focus on practical starting points rather than pretending the metagame is solved.