In *Pokemon TCG Pocket*, the Sleep status condition can be a significant obstacle, potentially costing players the game if not addressed promptly. Here's a comprehensive guide on what Sleep means in the game and how to effectively cure it.
What Does Sleep Mean in Pokemon TCG Pocket?
When a Pokemon in *Pokemon TCG Pocket* is afflicted with the Sleep status, it becomes incapacitated, unable to attack, use abilities, or retreat to the bench. This leaves your Pokemon vulnerable in the active spot, essentially turning it into a sitting duck until the condition is resolved.
How to Cure Sleep
There are primarily two ways to cure Sleep in *Pokemon TCG Pocket*: a coin toss at the start of each turn or by evolving the affected Pokemon. The coin toss, which occurs every turn for both players, offers a chance for the Pokemon to wake up, potentially curing the Sleep in as little as one turn. However, consecutive unlucky coin flips can leave your Pokemon asleep for multiple turns, making it a significant disadvantage compared to other status conditions like Paralysis and Poison.
Evolving the Pokemon is another way to cure Sleep, but this requires you to have the next-stage Pokemon ready. While you strategize and set up alternative attackers on your bench or hope to draw the necessary evolution card, your opponent might gain the upper hand by setting up their strategy faster or damaging your sleeping Pokemon enough to knock it out.
A lesser-known method to cure Sleep involves using the Koga Trainer card, which allows you to return a sleeping Weezing or Muk to your hand. However, this method is limited to those specific Pokemon.
All Sleep Cards in Pokemon TCG Pocket
| Sleep Card | Method | How to Get |
|---|---|---|
| Darkrai (A2 109) | Through its attack, Dark Void, as a guaranteed effect | Space-Time Smackdown (Dialga) |
| Flabebe (A1a 036) | Using its move, Hypnotic Gaze, as a guaranteed effect | Mythical Island |
| Frosmoth (A1 093) | With its Powder Snow attack, also a guaranteed status effect | Genetic Apex |
| Hypno (A1 125) | Using its ability, Sleep Pendulum, based on a coin flip | Genetic Apex (Pikachu) |
| Jigglypuff (P-A 022) | The guaranteed effect of its Sing attack | Promo-A |
| Shiinotic (A1a 008) | A guaranteed secondary effect of its Flickering Spores attack | Mythical Island |
| Vileplume (A1 013) | A side effect of using Soothing Scent | Genetic Apex (Charizard) |
| Wigglytuff ex (A1 195) | An additional effect of its Sleepy Song attack | Genetic Apex (Pikachu) |
Among these, Hypno is particularly dangerous due to its ability to inflict Sleep from the bench, making it a versatile support card for Psychic decks. It allows you to set up powerful attackers like Mewtwo ex with its Psydrive, especially when paired with Gardevoir to accelerate your strategy.
While Frosmoth and Wigglytuff ex can also be integrated into various decks, Hypno remains the most competitive Sleep card in the current *Pokemon TCG Pocket* meta, as it does not hinder your overall strategy.
Now that you understand the Sleep status and its cures, consider exploring the best Palkia ex deck in *Pokemon TCG Pocket* to discover other powerful combinations with the latest cards.
