Pokemon is a collectible card game designed to entertain young and old. You can buy cards, trade them with friends or create them yourself. However, remember that printing your cards is illegal if you intend to sell them for profit. If you want to do it just for fun, for example by drawing a card of yourself or your cat, you can use a simple online application or learn how to use an image editing program. If you're going to play with your own printed cards, you need to consider many aspects, such as damage balance, energy requirements, health, and monster weaknesses.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Creating a Card on the Internet
Step 1. Look for a website that allows you to create Pokemon cards
Do a search for "Pokemon card maker" and you should find many services online. Two of the most popular sites are mypokecard.com or pokecard.net.
Step 2. Find the pictures for your Pokemon cards
If you want to create realistic paper with the same characteristics as real ones, choose images with bright colors and sharp edges. If you want to make a fun or unique card, you can use a photo of yourself or that of a scary animal. When you have chosen which figure to use, upload it to the site.
Choose an image that is good for the type of Pokemon you are creating. For example, if your monster is a water or fire type, you need to choose an image that fits its nature. So, if you found a photo of an animal shooting water from its mouth, don't use it for a fire Pokemon
Step 3. Choose an evolutionary stage
This choice is similar to giving your monster an age. A basic Pokemon is a child, at the first stage it is a teenager, at the second stage it is an adult.
Step 4. Choose the name of your Pokemon
If you can't find the right one, think about what your monster represents. It is funny? Is it powerful? Is it scary? You could also choose the names of his moves, such as "Flamethrower" or "Lightning Strike".
Step 5. Enter the special features
Each Pokemon has a number of special features, and on a card-making site you will find suggestions on the text to enter. It is these qualities that make it unique and fun. Think about the types of moves and weaknesses the card should have. Enter his attacks, the author's sentence, and the monster's weaknesses.
Part 2 of 3: Designing the Functional Characteristics
Step 1. Put the Pokemon's name at the top of the card
It is important to find one that can represent your monster well. Use the official Pokemon font which you can find with a quick online search.
Step 2. Put your Pokemon's HP number in the upper right corner
The stronger your monster, the higher its health and consequently it can take more hits.
A Pokemon's health depends on its type. For example, water types have a tendency to have a lot of health. Additionally, stage 1 and stage 2 evolutions have more health than previous ones
Step 3. List the Pokemon's moves under its picture
Add 2 or 3 types of attacks. In battles with an opponent you will need to develop a strategy, so choose your moves wisely.
- As with health, the damage done by a Pokemon's attacks depends on its type and its evolutionary stage. The different types of attacks also have different effects (e.g. electric attacks often require coin flips and fire-type attacks usually require you to discard an energy).
- When it's your turn to attack you must choose one of your Pokemon's moves and inflict damage to the opponent's health equal to its power.
- In some cases, if a Pokemon is very weak against a certain type of attack, you should retire it. In others, you may choose to field a monster that can use a very effective attack against your opponent.
- Remember that you can also use potions and trainer cards in addition to your moves. You can only do this once per turn.
Step 4. Next to each move enter the amount of damage dealt
Whenever your Pokemon attacks, be sure to check out the special conditions. Next to the move you will find the amount of damage dealt and under it the status inflicted on the opponent (e.g. sleep, poison, stun) or an indication that asks you to flip a coin to inflict more damage. On the left side you will find the attack attributes.
- Attack attributes often put the defending Pokemon to sleep or continue to deal damage.
- Before starting a fight, always make sure to check the weaknesses and resistances of the Pokemon involved.
Step 5. Draw a short line across the card to enter the Pokedex number
This number corresponds to the one assigned to the Pokemon on the National Pokedex. Offers a brief description of your monster's history and characteristics.
Step 6. Write the Pokemon's type under its picture
Some examples of valid types are Pokemon mushroom, Pokemon mickey, or Pokemon destruction. Also include the height and weight of the monster.
Step 7. Indicate the rarity and importance of the card
In the lower right corner you can find the rarity of a card, useful information for selling or trading Pokemon. You can see a circle, indicating common cards, a diamond for uncommon, a star for rare, and a shining star for very rare.
Step 8. Put your card number on the bottom left
Two numbers in that spot on the card indicate how rare it is. The higher the figure, the rarer the card. If your card has the number 109/108 on it, it means it is very rare.
Step 9. Write a description of the monster at the bottom of the card
In almost all the cards you will find a short description that talks about the Pokemon. For example: "He is very proud, so he hates accepting food from people. His thick fur protects him from stun." Also write in this part the name of the artist, the weaknesses, the resistances and the retreat cost of the Pokemon.
Step 10. Improve your card bill
Some cards are holographic or collectible and have a shiny composition. Therefore, if you decide to imitate this feature, use shiny materials. There are many different types of specialty papers: full image, holographic, reverse holographic and traditional.
Traditional cards are cards that have been reprinted while maintaining their original graphics. They often have different art styles or red health points. If in doubt, check the bottom of the card to find the date. You cannot buy these cards in stores
Part 3 of 3: Creating a Card Similar to the Originals
Step 1. Separate the front image of an original Pokemon card from its back
Pokemon cards consist of two separate sheets glued together. Separate them and save them for the following steps.
Step 2. Scan a real card to create an image file
Upload the file to an image editing program, preferably one that has layer functionality, such as Paintshop Pro, GIMP 2, or Photoshop.
Step 3. Download an image creation program
There are many applications that allow you to create and edit images. Some are paid, like Photoshop, and some are free, like GIMP.
There are also websites dedicated to creating Pokemon images. If you use these sites, just follow the directions you receive
Step 4. Get all the components of a real Pokemon card and combine them using the program
Search for "Pokemon Card Resources", "Pokemon Card Pictures" or use a real card as a template. Change the template using the tools of the image editing program.
Recreate the border, modify the Pokemon image, write the health text, moves and all other elements necessary to make the card authentic
Step 5. Edit the text
It is important to choose the same font used on real cards. You can find it on the internet, but remember that on some sites it is paid.
Step 6. Save your work
Give the file a name that is easy to remember. Click on Export in the main program menu and save the map image as PDF, JPEG or PNG.
Step 7. Resize your image
Open the PDF file with a word processing program (such as Microsoft Word) and resize the image to the aspect ratio of a real paper (6.3 cm wide by 8.8 cm high). Once done, make a note of the pixel size of the paper you are printing to create a suitable spine.
Step 8. Print the card
Make sure you are using high quality color ink for best results. You should also consider the cardboard to use. White cardstock is very suitable.
Consider the card bill
Step 9. Carefully cut out the front of the card and glue it onto its back
Be careful not to create jagged or slanted edges. Use the back of the card to make sure the size is perfect. Glue the front image onto the original spine for a stiff and durable faux paper. Apply clear tape to the cards to make them look more shiny.
- Use a strong glue, such as putty.
- Use the back of a real card of little value.
Advice
- For more realism, look for Japanese names and choose one as an illustrator.
- Use fake cards to create memes, entertain friends or post on forums.
- Make sure your Pokemon's weaknesses and resistances are appropriate to its health points and that it isn't too easy or too hard to defeat.
- The effects of the Pokemon should be compatible with its types and its evolutionary stage. This also applies to negative states that can be inflicted with attacks (for example, a Poison-type Pokemon often has moves capable of poisoning the opponent).
Warnings
- Don't make cards too unbalanced. A Pokemon should have no more than two attacks, deal a lot of damage, have a lot of health, or have too strong abilities. For example, don't create an ability that allows your monster to attack twice in one turn or regenerate 20 HP per turn. The balanced cards have reasonable health points (50 to 100), two attacks, similar to those of other Pokemon, and a beautiful image. They also have a nice name and type, retreat cost, weaknesses, move types, and energy requirements to use them.
- Don't make fake Pokemon cards to sell them. It's illegal.
