I thought it would be a good idea to expand on my article about teams from last week and tell you how to get on an existing team instead of creating one yourself.
The truth is, you don’t have to be a great player to get on a good Pokémon TCG team or find a well accomplished testing partner. While it can help to have the reputation of being a solid player, it is not the biggest reason people choose their teammates.
The main factor that plays into whether you will be accepted into a team is trust. I eluded to this in my first article about this topic, but in all this is what it boils down to. The two questions to think about are “How well do you know the persons you want to work with?” and “How well do they know you?” It’s all about familiarity.
In the past, I have worked with players who were world class (Jeremy and Pablo), but I have also been part of teams with players who are/were not recognized outside of my area (bendingspoons, quaziko, and Xicious among others). After working with such well regarded players, why did I choose to collaborate with these “lesser” players?
These were people who I saw at tournaments all the time and hung out with. I was friends with all of these people before I started to work on Pokémon TCG ideas with them. I used to be considered one of the better players out there (maybe I still am, not sure anymore haha), but I chose to make these players part of my team only because I thought they were cool people.
I think all of the lesser known people that I’ve worked with started off as maybe not great players, but rapidly improved and I would definitely call those teams successful.
If you want to become part of the inner circle of Pokémon TCG gurus, all you have to do is becomes friends with them; it’s not all that difficult.
Through Facebook, Twitter, Skype, and message boards (or even simply in person), it’s easier than ever to get in contact with these people. Get to know them! Becomes friends with them! I advise against bringing up the subject of Pokémon right away. I would only bring up the topic once you know the person well enough. You don’t want to come off as someone who just wants to get Pokémon TCG info; you should genuinely want to learn about the person and develop a friendship.
Nobody, especially good players, want random people asking them for deck help or to playtest. It’s not rocket science; just put yourself in their position.
Let me know what you guys think about this. If you disagree, feel free to let me know. :)
This is good advice Adam- exactly how you should go about finding some person/people to play with consistently.
Completely agreed.
B-Side is 100% people who all want to talk, be around, and play with each other. Can’t get much more simple than that.
Completely agreed.
B-Side is 100% people who all want to talk, be around, and play with each other. Can’t get much more simple than that.
team R.
that is all.
team R.
that is all.
This is good advice Adam- exactly how you should go about finding some person/people to play with consistently.
What I have seen, a lot of teams require you to be at least “good” at the game. I enjoy making friends all the time but I am quite shy at first so I guess that just kills my chances? But I will still be friendly and maybe one be on a team of some sort.
Im sorry if I am the only one but I dont like these articles.
Teams are a joke in card games and I say that being on team Estrada.Lol. This consists of three of us that do the most play testing and traveling together.
I just dont beleive this should be made into such a big deal.
Articles on how to become friends and get on a team I mean.
Play the game, make friends and form your own team. Being on a team doesnt make you any better or worse. The best way to get better is to keep playing and most people will help you.
It’s pokemon what do poeple have to hide.Especially the way the game is right now.Most of the know players have been playing the same stuff for over a year now.
Being on a team doesnt accomplish anything.
I see what you’re saying in that you don’t NEED a team and that they aren’t the only way to get better at competitive Pokemon, but I still think they help you improve.
Sure, you don’t need the secrecy and exclusiveness, but forming an official team helps everyone feel more connected to the game as well as motivates people to play more consistently.
The best way to get better is to battle someone better than you. Learn your weaknesses.
@saturn: Nah man it doesn’t matter if you are shy at first, I know you can still become good friends with people. It’s something that takes time anyway. :)
Also I should have mentioned this, a team of simply “good” players does not mean it will function well. I was part of a “super team” for a very short while but we weren’t all that great of friends, so it died off pretty quickly. A team of people who know each other well will fair much better.
What I have seen, a lot of teams require you to be at least “good” at the game. I enjoy making friends all the time but I am quite shy at first so I guess that just kills my chances? But I will still be friendly and maybe one be on a team of some sort.
Im sorry if I am the only one but I dont like these articles.
Teams are a joke in card games and I say that being on team Estrada.Lol. This consists of three of us that do the most play testing and traveling together.
I just dont beleive this should be made into such a big deal.
Articles on how to become friends and get on a team I mean.
Play the game, make friends and form your own team. Being on a team doesnt make you any better or worse. The best way to get better is to keep playing and most people will help you.
It’s pokemon what do poeple have to hide.Especially the way the game is right now.Most of the know players have been playing the same stuff for over a year now.
Being on a team doesnt accomplish anything.
I see what you’re saying in that you don’t NEED a team and that they aren’t the only way to get better at competitive Pokemon, but I still think they help you improve.
Sure, you don’t need the secrecy and exclusiveness, but forming an official team helps everyone feel more connected to the game as well as motivates people to play more consistently.
The best way to get better is to battle someone better than you. Learn your weaknesses.
@saturn: Nah man it doesn’t matter if you are shy at first, I know you can still become good friends with people. It’s something that takes time anyway. :)
Also I should have mentioned this, a team of simply “good” players does not mean it will function well. I was part of a “super team” for a very short while but we weren’t all that great of friends, so it died off pretty quickly. A team of people who know each other well will fair much better.
@jeremy: I only write about this stuff because it isn’t obvious to a lot of people…they think you need to be a great player in order to find other good players to test with, and it just isn’t that case.
I won’t name any names, but I have a friend who is a really good player but has a ton of trouble finding people to playtest with. He doesn’t realize that people like to interact with people that they are familiar and comfortable with, not just people that are good.
Like in the earlier comment.
Im sorry if it came across the wrong way.I still dont feel like i explain it the way i was thinkin it but it was just something i felt i had to put my 2 cents in.
It’s just my opinion thats this shouldnt be something that is given so much attention, thats all.
Pokemon is a way to make friends, that shouldnt have to amount to eventually bein on a team.
I do get where you are all coming from though with the article.
Nah man no hard feelings at all, you are entitled to express your opinion. :)
@jeremy: I only write about this stuff because it isn’t obvious to a lot of people…they think you need to be a great player in order to find other good players to test with, and it just isn’t that case.
I won’t name any names, but I have a friend who is a really good player but has a ton of trouble finding people to playtest with. He doesn’t realize that people like to interact with people that they are familiar and comfortable with, not just people that are good.
Like in the earlier comment.
Im sorry if it came across the wrong way.I still dont feel like i explain it the way i was thinkin it but it was just something i felt i had to put my 2 cents in.
It’s just my opinion thats this shouldnt be something that is given so much attention, thats all.
Pokemon is a way to make friends, that shouldnt have to amount to eventually bein on a team.
I do get where you are all coming from though with the article.
Nah man no hard feelings at all, you are entitled to express your opinion. :)
awesome i wanna make a team!!