How does retreating work in Pokémon TCG?

Read the cost before paying

The Colorless symbols at the bottom of the card show the ordinary Retreat Cost. You pay using Energy attached to the retreating Pokémon, not Energy from your hand or from a teammate. Card effects can reduce or increase that cost.

If the cost is two and an attached Special Energy currently provides two usable Energy, one physical card may satisfy the payment. The effect on that card determines what it provides; do not count cards without reading them.

You need a Pokémon to bring forward

Choose a legal Benched Pokémon to become Active. Damage counters and attachments normally stay with the retreating Pokémon. Returning to the Bench clears Special Conditions and relevant effects under the game’s rules.

Asleep or Paralyzed Pokémon cannot ordinarily retreat. Paying the printed cost does not bypass that restriction.

Retreating is different from switching by effect

A Trainer card or Ability can move Pokémon according to its own wording. That may let you move a Pokémon that could not make a normal retreat and may not use the once-per-turn retreat allowance.

Read whether the effect switches your Pokémon, the opponent’s Pokémon or both. Similar artwork does not mean the cards solve the same problem.

Plan the next turn

Before retreating, check whether the new Active can attack and whether you just discarded the Energy it would have needed elsewhere. Sometimes attaching to the Bench first creates a better transition.

A free Retreat Cost is useful, but it does not mean the normal retreat action can be repeated indefinitely. Mark the action as used so a long turn does not accidentally contain two ordinary retreats.