If you head into Pokemon card discussion forums, you may see the term ‘proxy card’ thrown about a little bit. So, what is a proxy card? How do you use a proxy card? All of your questions will be answered on this page!
First things first, what is a Pokemon proxy card? Well, the best way to describe it is as a substitute card. They are often played when a player doesn’t have all the cards that they need for their deck. Proxy cards are cards that are made to look just like the real card.
Let¨s expand upon what is meant by a Pokemon proxy card. This way you will know a little bit about when you can and you can’t use them.
Are Proxy Cards Fake?
They are fake cards as the fact that they are not real Pokemon cards, though. Each of them is going to be a handmade Pokemon card. You can’t sell them as real Pokemon cards. You can’t use them to play the game in official tournaments. They are fake cards in that respect.
A proxy card is not fake insofar as the fact that the aim of the card is to fool somebody into believing it is real. A proper proxy card is clearly not going to be fake.
To be honest with you, we are more leaning toward the fact that proxy cards are not fake. This is because the intention is not to deceive. It is to help people actually play the Pokemon Trading Card game, even if they do not have the real cards that they need to complete their deck.
In many cases, you will actually find professional Pokemon players using proxy cards in their training to try out new deck combinations without them having to spend an age sourcing cards that they do not actually need to use.
We recommend only buying your Pokemon cards from trusted online retailers like Amazon. To check the current price and availability of Pokemon Booster Boxes, click here to view their selection on Amazon.
How Do You Tell If a Pokemon Card Is a Proxy?
As we said, in most cases, the intention of a Pokemon proxy card isn’t to deceive anybody into thinking that it is going to be a real Pokemon card. So, it should be quite obvious that it is fake. Many of the proxy cards that we have run across are just slightly edited versions of real cards.
Of course, if it is not immediately obvious that it is a proxy card and you expect something untoward, then pay attention to the following:
- The coloring of the card. This is because the Pokemon Trading Card company has access to colors that normal printers can’t easily replicate.
- Whether the text on the card is accurate e.g. no spelling errors, or weird text locations or errors.
- That the proxy card is on proper card stock.
- There is no misalignment on the card.
That is about all you really can do if you are checking to see whether you are dealing with a proxy card or not. However, even if you have a straight fake rather than something designed to be a proxy, in about 99% of cases, it should be pretty easy to tell whether the card is a proxy. If you are familiar with cards in the Pokemon Trading Card game, then you will quickly be able to spot when something is fake. It just won’t feel right to you in the slightest.
If you are struggling, you may also want to compare the card against a card that you know to be real.
Are Proxy Cards Legal?
We are going to be putting the copyright issues to one side here. Technically, it is illegal to produce a Pokemon card on your own. You are really just copying what the Pokemon company produced. Although, if you are not selling the card, then we doubt that you are going to be running into any issues. If you are planning to sell fake proxies, then look elsewhere. This guide isn’t for you.
In terms of using the cards in an official Pokemon Trading Card game tournament, then it is 100% illegal to use the card. If you are caught with a proxy card, then you will be asked to remove it from your deck. There are some unofficial card tournaments that may allow you to use a proxy card, but these seem to be few and far between. The only time we have really seen tournaments slide this rule is if it is a small child.
The main times that people are going to be using their proxy cards is when they are trying out some new deck combinations in the comfort of their own home. For example, we have regularly seen people use proxy cards to play with their friends and family members. As long as everybody agrees that you are all using proxy cards, then we do not really see a huge issue with this. In some cases, being able to use those proxy cards is going to be making things a whole lot more exciting for you anyway.
How Do You Make a Proxy Pokemon Card?
There are a few ways that you can make Pokemon proxy cards. We won’t detail all of them here. We want to give you the absolute basics.
Modify an Existing Pokemon Card
Perhaps the simplest way to create a proxy Pokemon card is to modify an existing Pokemon card. You don’t really need to do much to it. Just cross out a few lines or two and you are ready to go. You just need to know what the proxy does.
Print Out Pokemon Cards
The second option is to print out some Pokemon cards online. This will have all of the information that you need. Of course, you won’t be able to use the Pokemon card like that. Instead, you are going to need to glue the print out to an existing piece of card.
The key here is to ensure that you cannot tell that the card is a proxy card until you turn it over. This is why you are sticking your proxy trading card onto an existing trading card (use a common, since you will be ruining the stock). The second that your proxy card is identifiable in the deck before you turn it over, then you will have ruined the whole purpose of the game.
Remember, there are companies out there that will sell proxy cards to you. However, to be honest with you, it isn’t really worth buying them. Not when you are able to make your own proxy cards in the comfort of your own home with ease.
Final Thoughts
Pokemon proxy cards are designed for those that want to play with certain cards but do not want to spend money on purchasing the most expensive cards.
You will not be able to use the cards to play in official Pokemon Trading Card Game tournaments, but you will be able to use them in tournaments in the comfort of your own home.
You can buy these cards, but the simplest method is to print them of yourself. Glue them to existing trading cards and they are ready to be played with.