Following the The Best Pocket Pokémon TCG Decks can help you win match after match, boosting your collection growth with rewards of free packs and store tokens.
With a simplified battle system made up of stacks of 20 cards, Pokémon JCC pocket It’s not just about collecting shiny pieces of digital cardboard. And by collecting meta decks and cards to use yourself, you’ll have a better chance of earning those sweet rewards for victory.
What are the best meta decks in Pokémon TCG Pocket?
Here’s a quick breakdown of how to structure some 20-card meta decks in Pokémon Pocket via the Genetix Apex set at launch.
Focus on core inclusions where you can, then fill in the gaps in your collection with Filler suggestions to create a balance of Core, Stage 1+, and item cards that work well together.
We’ll try to keep this updated with new and emerging decks as the game evolves. Meta decks and essential cards can change quickly.
Exeguttor ex and Venusaur ex
- Energy: Grass
- Center: Exeggutor ex, Venusaur ex, Exeggcute, Bulbasaur, Ivysaur, Erika, Sabrina, Professor’s Research, Potion, Poké Ball
- Stuffed: Venonat, Venomoth, Giovanni, Farfetch’d, Sabrina
Moltres ex
- Energy: Fire
- Center: Moltres ex, Growlithe, Arcanine ex, Ponyta, Rapidash, Heatmor, Magmar, Professor’s Research, Poké Ball, X Speed, Potion
- Stuffed: Sizzlipede, Centiskorch, Farfetch’d, Red Card, Sabrina, Meowth
In a world where Charizard typically calls the shots, it’s with Moltres and Arcanine that a Fire deck in Pokémon Pocket really stands out.
Moltres can turn one Energy into three for the team with a good series of spins each turn. Use it to quickly build a bench of heavy, low-energy attackers like Rapidash, Magmar, and Heatmor, or stack them on Arcanine early for a clean sweep.
To keep the pressure up, X Speed and Potion is great for switching between basic Pokémon or healing Arcanine knockback damage.
Charizard + Moltres ex
- Energy: Fire
- Center: Charmander, Charmeleon, Charizard ex, Moltres ex, Professor’s Research, Sabrina, Potion, X Speed, Poké Ball, Red Card (x2 each)
- Stuffed: Farfetch’d, Blaine, Meowth
If you really want to use Charizard ex, combining it with Moltres ex and little else is the key. Poké Balls are guaranteed to attract Charmander or Moltres ex if you don’t fill them with basic Pokémon.
In an ideal world, you’ll draw both on the first turn, giving Inferno Dance enough time to charge up your lizard for its debut.
Red Card, Sabrina, X Speed, and Potion can help you buy time to get Charizard’s Crimson Surge back online.
Dragonite ex
- Energy: Electric, Water, Darkness
- Center: Dratini, Dragonair, Dragonite ex, Koffing, Weezing, Poké Ball, Professor’s Research, X Speed, Koga, Sabrina
- Stuffed: Farfetch’d, Giovanni, Meowth, Potion, Sabrina
If you really want to use that lovely Dragonite ex pull, pairing it with Koffing, Weezing, and Koga can really increase its viability.
Weezing can deal consistent damage against powerful opponents like Mewtwo ex as you struggle to find the energy needed to fuel Dragonite’s intense attack.
Brock’s Rocks
- Energy: Struggle
- Center: Marowak EX, Sandslash, Cubone, Sandshrew, Onix, Golem, Graveler, Geodude, Poké Ball, Brock, Professor’s Research, X Speed, Potion
- Stuffed: Diglett, Dugtrio, Machop, Machoke, Machamp, Red Card, Farfetch’d, Sabrina
With Onix as a powerful base Pokémon and Marowak as a long-term play, this fighting-focused deck uses Brock to quickly power up strong, tough base Pokémon.
If Marowak’s coin flip strategy doesn’t look good, trust Golem.
Primeape Promotion
- Energy: Struggle
- mankey A, Primeape, Sandshrew, Sandslash, Hitmonlee, Potion, X Speed, Sabrina, Giovanni, Professor’s Research, Poké Ball
- Stuffed: Red Card, Farfetch’d, Meowth
A novel way to deal with the popularity of Moltres ex, as demonstrated by 2014 Pokémon World runner-up Jeudy Azzarelli, is to take a couple of Mankey promo cards from the Lapras event and essentially let it beat itself up.
His only energy attack deals 30 damage to the opponent and 10 to Mankey. Evolve into Primeape next turn, cast another energy, and you’ll have boosted Primeape’s Fight Back move to a whopping 100 damage.
With Giovanni active, you will have dealt 140 damage in two turns with just two energy, which will quickly take down Moltres EX and mean an almost certain defeat for the Moltres + Charizard/Arcanine meta.
It’s a turn one strategy that won’t really work if Mankey can’t set up before the opponent, but it’s a great tool against decks that run high energy strategies that take a few turns to connect.
mewtwo ex
- Energy: Psychic
- Core (two of each): Mewtwo ex, Ralts, Kirlia, Gardevoir, Meowth, Potion, X Speed, Poké Ball, Professor’s Research, Sabrina
- Stuffed: Farfetch’d, Golett, Golurk, Giovanni, Jynx
While Mewtwo seems like the start of the show here, Gardevoir does most of the heavy lifting from the sidelines. Use Supporters and Meowth to take out all the Pokémon quickly.
Use The faster you get Gardevoir and Mewtwo, the faster you win.
Keep feeding him energy to make sure you don’t get caught by the drawbacks of his powerful attack. Save it to quickly take down a threatening opponent.
ex-blastoise
- Energy: Water
- Center: Blastoise ex, Articuno, Lapras, Golduck, Wartortle, Psyduck, Squirtle Pyukumuku, Meowth, Misty, Professor’s Research, Poké Ball, X Speed
- Stuffed: Giovanni, Rattata, Raticate, Farfetch’d
While it’s certainly not the strongest, the core here is simple: use items and supporters like the Poké Ball and Professor’s Research to take out Blastoise early.
Meowth can help find Misty to upgrade him, with Lapras or Articuno there to back things up or bide his time.
Articuno ex and Starmie ex
- Energy: Water
- Center: Staryu (x2), Starmie ex (x2), Articuno ex (x2), Misty, Sabrina, Professor’s Research, Poké Ball, X Speed Potion (all x2), Giovanni, Red Card
- Stuffed: Meowth, Farfetch’d, Helix Fossil
Taking a recent outside tournament by storm and only really threatened by his own kind or Pikachu attacking his weakness, this simple Starmie/Articuno setup is a no-brainer.
By using only two basic Pokémon, Poke Ball has a 100% chance of obtaining Staryu or Articuno. Misty can prepare for her powerful debut, with Sabrina, Potion and X Speed there to bide their time when needed.
Blizzard, Articuno’s bench hitter, combined with Sabrina, can also make it easier to choose a final target. X accelerates towards Starmie and join Giovanni to cause very serious damage at any time.
Although it is risky. With only two former Pokémon at its core, losing both is a quick loss. Likewise, Pokémon like Hitmonlee or Zebstrika can take out a benched Staryu, turning your former Pokémon into the last line of defense almost immediately.
X Speed and Potion can be decisive in these situations with some strategic HP management, but it is not foolproof.
What is the best deck for the Genetic Apex Emblem event?
For a slightly different version of the Articuno ex/Starmie ex deck above, this time from Gym Leader Challenge and Trainer Tour co-host Andrew Mahone, he swaps out Giovanni and an X Speed for a Helix Fossil and Farfetch’d.
This adds a bit more flexibility and can help counteract Sabrina forcing your hand before you can develop your main attackers.
He used this deck to score 45 wins on the launch day of the Genetic Apex Emblem event.
What are the meta cards in Pokémon TCG Pocket?
At any level of player, you’ll likely see the same cards in Pokémon Pocket meta decks. Basically, they’re considered meta-picks: must-have cards that few decks should be without.
If you don’t have two of the following cards, consider visiting the store and spending those tokens, searching for them in Wonder Pick, or opening their respective packs. They could enhance your terrace.
professor’s research: There is no harm in drawing additional cards. More cards mean more room to strategize.
Pokéball: Basic Pokémon are essential. And with powerful options like Moltres EX and Mewtwo EX among them. Anything that speeds up your entry into the field is a huge benefit.
Sabrina: Whether you force a powerful Pokémon out of the Active slot or introduce one with a high retreat cost, Sabrina can save you from a sticky situation or completely change your opponent’s strategy in a second.
Mewtwo EX: Although you’ll have to concentrate an entire deck around it, Mewtwo’s two attacks can deal heavy residual damage or a powerful OHKO to most Pokémon in a pinch. And being a Basic Pokémon, it’s incredibly easy to play and very difficult to defeat. Combined with Gardevoir, he is nearly unstoppable.
Farfetch’d: While not rare at all, Farfetch’d can round out any deck thanks to its colorless type, base Pokémon status, and powerful single-energy attack.
meow: Being able to draw a card from a small deck and deal damage with a single Energy puts Meowth at a very high level of power. It makes decks loaded with powerful evolutions a breeze.
Use Poké Balls and Professor’s Research to get one out early, and its attack will help you take out your strongest Pokémon in an instant.
Since the Chansey event makes getting a match easier than ever, it’s worth aiming for.
Fossils: Although you won’t see their actual purpose used in many matchups, Fossil cards like Helix Fossil and Dome Fossil are common online.
This is because they count as Basic Pokémon when banked, but as Trainers otherwise, making them immune to Poké Balls. They can also be discarded at any time during your turn, making them easy as bait and counterattack for Sabrina.
How to get Mew in Pokémon TCG Pocket
If you’re just looking to build a deck around some of your favorite Pokémon, you might be wondering how to add Mew to that list.
Mew can be obtained for free in the Pokémon TCG Pocket by simply collecting a card from all 150 Pokémon from the original Kanto Pokedex. Any card will do.
Check out the current Pokémon TCG Pocket events. Sometimes they can be an easy way to get some Kanto Pokémon that you are missing.
Does that Pokémon bite you? See if you can expand your collection with new Pokémon TCG Pocket Codes. And if you’re not too advanced, it might be worth looking into the best starter pack in Pokémon TCG Pocket. That first choice determines more than you think.
