Legal Sets
Official Rules
- •60-card decks exactly
- •Maximum 4 copies of any card with the same name (Basic Energy exempt)
- •Must include at least 1 Basic Pokémon
- •First official "Modified" (Standard) format in TCG history
- •Sneasel (Neo Genesis) — BANNED (first card ever banned from Modified play)
- •Slowking (Neo Genesis) — errata applied (Mind Games works from Active position only)
- •Base Set, Jungle, and Fossil rotated out — Energy Removal, Super Energy Removal, Professor Oak, Computer Search, Item Finder, Gust of Wind all gone
Format Overview
Rocket-On was the first official Modified format in Pokémon TCG history, introduced in September 2001. Modeled after Magic: The Gathering's Standard rotation, it rotated out Base Set, Jungle, and Fossil — removing the broken Trainer engine that had defined the game since launch. Energy Removal, Super Energy Removal, Professor Oak, Computer Search, Item Finder, and Gust of Wind were all gone overnight.
This single rotation changed the entire game. Without cheap Energy denial, evolved Pokémon could actually stick around long enough to attack. Feraligatr's Riptide became the dominant strategy — its damage scaled with Water Energy in the discard pile, and without Energy Removal to slow it down, it could one-shot anything. Feraligatr took 6 of 8 Top 8 spots at the West Coast Super Trainer Showdown Day 2.
Cleffa (Neo Genesis) became the universal draw engine, replacing Professor Oak. Its Eeeeeeek attack shuffled your hand into your deck and drew 7 cards — worse than Oak but still the best available draw. Professor Elm replaced Bill as the primary Supporter-style search card. The game had slowed down, evolved Pokémon mattered, and strategy became more important than raw Trainer speed.
Key Cards
Top Decks (10)
Feraligatr (Riptide)
Dominated 2001 WCSTS Day 2 — 6 of 8 Top 8 spots
The best deck of the format by a wide margin. Feraligatr's Riptide attack scaled with Water Energy in the discard pile, which Misty's Wrath and Trash Exchange helped fill. With Energy Removal gone, Feraligatr could power up reliably and deal 100+ damage in the mid-game.
Steelix (Metal Wall)
Steelix used Metal Energy's damage reduction to become nearly unkillable. Each Metal Energy reduced incoming damage by 10, and with 4 Metal Energy attached, Steelix took 40 less damage from every attack. Gold Berry healed it, and the deck stalled opponents out while chipping away with Steelix's attacks.
Typhlosion / Blaine's Arcanine
Typhlosion's Firestarter Pokémon Power attaches Fire Energy from the discard pile to benched Pokémon each turn, fueling Blaine's Arcanine's devastating Firestorm attack (120 damage, discard 4 Energy). Firestorm can one-hit KO virtually anything in the format. Chaos Gym protects against disruption.
Crobat
The premier anti-Feraligatr deck. Crobat's Cross Attack hits Feraligatr for Weakness and confuses high-retreat-cost evolved Pokémon. All Pokémon have free retreat, allowing seamless switching. Pichu clears Baby Pokémon from benches.
Dark Gengar / Noctowl
Dark Gengar's Pull In attack yanks benched Pokémon to the Active position and deals damage, while its Deep Sleep Pokémon Power makes the opponent's Pokémon stay Asleep unless they flip heads. Noctowl's Glaring Gaze strips Double Gust and Warp Point from the opponent's hand.
Kingdra
Kingdra attacks with Genetic Memory for a single Colorless Energy, copying Seadra's attacks at 90 HP. Focus Band gives extra survivability, and Pokémon Center heals all damage. Consistent and efficient, a top-tier threat in the first Modified format.
Dark Muk
Designed as a fast counter to Feraligatr. Dark Muk's Sludge Punch poisons targets, KOing Baby Pokémon even through Focus Band. EXP.ALL ensures you keep building new Dark Muks as they go down. Rocket's Sneak Attack and Imposter Oak's Revenge cripple the opponent's hand.
Donphan / Dark Dugtrio / Dark Vileplume
Donphan's Rapid Spin forces both Active Pokémon to switch, disrupting the opponent's setup. Dark Dugtrio's Sinkhole damages Pokémon that retreat. Dark Vileplume locks Trainers, preventing Double Gust from targeting your bench. A unique disruption/lock combo.
Giovanni's Machamp
Giovanni's Machamp's Fortitude Pokémon Power prevents KOs from attacks that leave it with HP remaining — requiring the opponent to land an exact KO. Combined with Focus Band for double coin-flip protection. Resistance Gym reduces Psychic weakness.
Dark Weezing (Mass Explosion)
Dark Weezing's Mass Explosion does 20 damage times the number of Koffing and Weezing in play, then KOs all of them — landing massive one-hit KOs for just two Energy. Brock's Ninetales uses Shapeshift to count as additional copies. Nightly Garbage Run recovers for the next wave.
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