Potion (001/P–A) – Promo Series A Vol. 1
Date Reviewed: January 1, 2025
Ratings Summary:
Ratings are based on a 1 to 5 scale. 1 is horrible. 3 is average. 5 is great.
Reviews Below:
We’re back with the Top 5 Cards of Promo Series A Vol. 1!
I should probably clear a few things up. If you’re totally new here, I’ve been reviewing cards on and off again for Pojo.com since 2003. I had to step away again back in 2022, but thanks to the Pokémon TCG Pocket, I have a way to play that works with my current life, and just enough time I can even return to writing Card of the Day articles.
What is the Pokémon TCG Pocket?
Henceforth referred to as just “Pocket”, it’s a new app that lets you play a simplified form of the Pokémon TCG, with its own cardpool. There are already two sets plus a promo series. While most of the promos are reprints of cards you can find from the two sets, eight of them are found no place else and two of those are deck staples. So I’m taking it easy by making a Top 5 out of just eight cards. As for the long name, it wasn’t until an in-app news announcement referred to a recent promo as being from “Promo Series A Vol. 3”, that I realized the first batch of Pocket Promo Series A were “Vol. 1”.
The 5th best card of Promo Series A Vol. 1 is Potion (001/P–A)! If you are familiar with the full TCG, Potion easy to recognize. Though it may also come as a surprise to see it make this countdown. In Pocket, Potion is almost the exact same as in the regular TCG: a Trainer-Item that heals 20 damage from one of your Pokémon. In the full TCG, Potion has been healing 30 damage since it received an errata just before the Black & White set (in 2011). Since its Base Set (1999) debut and until that errata, Potion let you remove up to two damage counters, because “healing” wasn’t a thing back then.
Still talking about the original TCG, Potion has almost never been worthwhile competitively. Useful for beginners, sure. Especially when beginners are facing other beginners with decks meant for teaching the game. The mere 30 potion heals can make a difference under those circumstances. Once you get to competitive play, decks tend to hit too hard and too fast for Potion to make a difference. Even when healing can be helpful, some other healing card will take Potion’s potential place.
In Pocket, things are different. Excluding Pokémon ex, in Pocket Pokémon are only 10 to 30 HP smaller than their full TCG counterparts, if not the same size. Their reliable damage output, especially their fast reliable damage output tends to be noticeably less than their counterparts in the full TCG. Healing 20 damage is just enough to stave off being KO’d for a turn in Pocket. Not all the time, but some of the time.
There also isn’t as much competition… at least, not yet. Potion is the only generic healing and the only healing Item. What about other, non-healing Item cards? I only count 12 total right now, and three of them are Fossil cards you put into play as if they were Basic Pokémon (and can Evolve). As for Supporters, I also only count 12 of those, with five being general use. The others are restricted to Pokémon of a certain Type, or one to three Pokémon (specified by name).
Rating: 3/5
Potion isn’t brilliant, but it is useful for more than just beginners or extreme budget decks. I don’t think it will remain this useful, but for now, Potion is handy. Lastly, let me share that, besides my own firsthand experience, I’ve been using Pokémon Zone as a reference. You can find more in their Decks & Tier List section, which is how I found out that there were Pocket tournaments in the first place.
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