Pokedumb Rules

Pokedumb: Official Rules

1. Core Concept

  • Pokedumb is a TCG where each “Pokedumb” represents a Rock, Paper, Scissors, Lizard, or Spock symbol (RPSLS).
  • Each symbol beats 2 symbols, loses to 2, and ties with itself:
    • Rock beats Scissors & Lizard
    • Paper beats Rock & Spock
    • Scissors beat Paper & Lizard
    • Lizard beats Spock & Paper
    • Spock beats Scissors & Rock

2. Team Composition

  1. Each player starts a Battle with 7 Pokedumbs + up to 18 Pokedumbs for sideboard.
  2. You must include at least 1 of each RPSLS type (5 total), plus 2 extra Pokedumbs (the “wild cards”) of your choice, the only exception is in tied battles.
    • This ensures every player has all 5 symbols available, but with 2 duplicates or special preferences for strategic variety.

3. Match Structure

  • Best-of-3 Battles:
    • A Match consists of up to three Battles. Battles are divided into rounds.
    • The first player to win 2 Battles wins the Match
  • Winning a Battle:
    • Continue playing Rounds within a Battle until one player cannot continue (i.e., they have no remaining Pokedumbs) or one player surrenders.

 

4. Setup & Sequence of a Round

Each Battle is divided into Rounds, repeated as follows:

1. Choose a Pokedumb (20s)

  • Both players simultaneously select 1 Pokedumb from their hand of 7.
  • A suggested time limit is 20 seconds for making this selection, encouraging quick strategy and potential bluffing.

2. Optional Switch (10s)

  • After both have placed their chosen card face down, they each have an additional 10 seconds to decide if they want to switch to a different Pokedumb.
  • To switch, clearly place the new Pokedumb next to or in front of the original face-down card.
  • If you choose not to switch, your original face-down card remains your choice for the Round.

3. Simultaneous Reveal

  • After the 10-second switch phase, both players flip their cards face up simultaneously.
  • Resolve the outcome using RPSLS rules.

4. Round Outcome

  • Winner: Returns the winning Pokedumb card to their hand (they do not keep it in play).
  • Loser: Discards their losing Pokedumb.The discarded cards will remain in a face-up discard pile for that battle so that both players can see and check them whenever they want, each player has their own discard pile.
  • Tie: If both symbols are the same (e.g., Rock vs. Rock), no one discards a card—both return their cards to their hands.

5. Continue to Next Round

  • As long as both players still have at least one Pokedumb left, move to the next Round.
  • This repeats until a player runs out of Pokedumbs or otherwise cannot continue.

5. Winning a Battle & Ties

  • Battle Win: A player wins a Battle if their opponent runs out of Pokedumbs.
  • Best-of-3 Format: The first player to win 2 Battles wins the Match.
  • Tie Scenarios:
  1. If both players reach a point where they can only tie repeatedly (no possible winning combination remains), that Battle is declared a tie. They then proceed to: reduce team size mechanics. And the time of the Tie battles should be reduced in competition to 15+10 or whatever the players feel comfortable to go faster and not become frustrating.
  2. You may reduce team sizes for subsequent attempts and until the match ends (from 7 to 6, 5, etc.) to force a decisive outcome.
  3. Rule From point 2: You must include at least 1 of each RPSLS type (5 total), plus 2 extra Pokedumbs (the “wild cards”) of your choice, the only exception is in tied battles.  For teams of 4 Pokedumbs, at least 3 types must be included, for teams of 3 at least 2 types, for teams of 2 at least 2 types, and for teams of 1, whatever type you want.
  4. Changes, players may again switch up to 3 Pokedumbs (see below point 6). In case a round with only 3 pokedumbs is tied, the next round with 2 pokedumbs, you can switch up to 2 and same with 1 Pokedumb showdown.
  5. Team Reduction Mechanic: Why MATCH Draws Are Impossible
     With the team reduction system in place, a match in Pokedumb cannot end in a tie. Even in the most extreme scenario of both players being reduced to a final 1 vs. 1 showdown where they temporarily tie (e.g., 1v1, they flip the same symbol and tie), a new round will be initiated. At that point, each player may choose a different Pokedumb from their deck + sideboard —a pool of up to 25 cards—ensuring a fresh combination that prevents a perpetual stalemate. This guarantees that eventually one player will triumph, making ties impossible in Pokedumb matches.

 

6. Between Battles: Deck Changes

  • After each Battle (won or lost), players may change up to 3 Pokedumbs from their original 7.
  • These changes can be from the sideboard pool.
  • You are not required to reveal which Pokedumbs you switched to your opponent.

7. Time Control Guidelines

  • The recommended time for each Round is:
    • 20 seconds to choose your face-down Pokedumb.
    • 10 seconds to make a potential switch.
  • Both players make these decisions simultaneously, adding a mind-game and bluffing element.
  • A visible timer or agreed-upon timing method helps enforce fairness, especially in competitive play.

8. Additional Notes

  • Knowledge Advantage: While the Round winner retains their winning card, the loser now gains knowledge of one of the winner’s possible picks. This dynamic fosters strategic adaptation in later Rounds.
  • No Other Abilities: Beyond the RPSLS mechanic, there are no additional powers or effects. All strategy comes from symbol choice, timing, and mind games.Or at least, for the moment…
  • Humor & Style: Pokedumb is designed to be lighthearted, featuring funny creatures and meme-style art. Embrace the fun!

9. Example of a Round

  1. Both players choose a card face down (20s).
  2. After seeing each other’s body language, they might switch in the 10s window or stay put.
  3. Cards are revealed simultaneously.
  4. If Paper vs. Rock, Paper wins; loser discards Rock.
  5. Move to the next Round until someone loses all Pokedumbs or no longer has a viable play.

Victory Condition

  • The Match ends when one player has won 2 Battles out of a maximum of 3 (or more, if repeated tie-breakers occur).
  • The winner is declared the Pokedumb Master of that match!

 

Here I leave you a WORD to make a digital copy yourself! Click here.

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