Punch Upon a Time Pocket Items Encyclopedia
40+ Pocket Items, sorted by role, with the strongest picks for every mode.
Punch Upon a Time ships 40+ Pocket Items that pilots carry into Squad Saga rounds. Every item has a one-use effect that triggers when you press the Pocket Item button, and many items have a secondary effect that triggers on a longer cooldown. This hub connects to the Item List for the complete catalogue and the Best Items page for tier rankings.
How Pocket Items work
Between rounds, your squad returns to the sky galleon. Each pilot chooses one Pocket Item to carry into the next round. The Pocket Item button is bound to L1 / LB / L / Q by default; see the Controls page for full bindings. Press the button to use the carried item, or hold the button to swap to the reserve slot.
Pocket Items fall into four broad categories:
- Defensive items — shield, freeze, or healing effects that protect your squad.
- Offensive items — damage, area denial, or knock-off effects that pressure the opposing squad.
- Utility items — speed boosts, teleports, or vision tools that open up new strategies.
- Pocket chaos items — random effects that can swing a round in either direction.
Defensive vs offensive loadouts
The strongest Squad Saga squads carry a mix of defensive and offensive items. A common 3-item loadout is:
- Carrier: Freeze Wand (defensive panic button).
- Reserve: Big Top Hat (offensive area denial).
- Third pilot: Medkit (squad healing).
Loadouts change per mode. For Long Live the King, swap the Medkit for a Shield Charm. For Basketball, swap the Medkit for a Speed Boost. The Best Items page ranks every item by current meta.
Reserve slot etiquette
You can bind two Pocket Items per match — one carried, one in reserve. The swap has a 0.6-second cooldown during which you cannot attack. Use the swap sparingly: most pilots should keep a long-cooldown item (Freeze Wand, Big Top Hat) in reserve for clutch moments.
Item synergies
Some Pocket Items synergise with specific characters. Merlin + Big Top Hat is the strongest defensive combo because Merlin’s wand attacks at mid-range and the Big Top Hat pushes opposing pilots backwards. Pinocchio + Puppet String is the strongest offensive combo because Pinocchio’s puppet ultimate locks down an opposing pilot and the Puppet String pulls them off ledges. The Item List page covers every character synergy.
Future updates
The studio ships new Pocket Items every season. The Patch Notes page tracks every addition, and the Item List updates with new entries as they join the launch roster.
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the most common questions.
How many Pocket Items are in the launch build?
40+ items across the launch roster. New items are added every season.
Can I carry two Pocket Items at once?
You can carry one Pocket Item and bind one reserve item per match. Swap between them with the Pocket Item button.
Do Pocket Items carry over between Squad Saga matches?
No — Pocket Items reset at the start of every new Saga. You choose your loadout fresh each match.