In Pokémon TCG Pocket, the cards can’t just be collected. It is possible to use them to fight against other players or a CPU opponent. MeinMMO shows you the tier list of the best decks in the game.
The article was last updated on January 7, 2025 at 3:50 p.m. We have added Gyarados-ex to the S-tier list and Celebi-ex, Aerodactyl-ex, Mew-ex and Tauboss-ex to the A-tier list. Additionally, the Pikachu-ex and Mewtwo-ex decks have been updated.
How are the decks constructed? The ex cards in Pokémon TCG Pocket are particularly strong Pokémon. They are so powerful that defeating such a pocket monster results in 2 victory points instead of just one. So it’s no wonder that the strongest decks are built around the ex cards.
So that you can assess which decks you should use in fights, we have created a tier list for you here. You can use this to see which decks are suitable for combat and which you should only use in an emergency.
The Tier List is based on our own experiences as well as the lists from game8.co and pokémon-zone.com. If you have had different experiences or have suggestions for improvement, let us know in the comments!
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Tier List of the best decks in Pokémon TCG Pocket
Below you will find the tier list with all decks that were created around an ex card. We write down which cards we would recommend in each deck. There are of course other variations you can try.
We have also summarized ex-cards that would complement each other well in the deck. S-Tier is considered the best classification in this list, D-Tier is considered the worst.
S-tier decks
The deck relies on being able to attack quickly. With Pikachu you can get started right away and deal moderate damage. The energy costs are also very low.
Together with Gardevoir, Mewtwu quickly gets the energy it needs for its strongest attack and can use it every round. However, it takes time until Gardevoir is in the 3rd stage of development.
Gyarados-ex is the strongest Stage 1 Pokémon available in TCG Pocket to date. It has a steady 180 HP and deals a disastrous 140 damage with its attack. This allows it to defeat most Pokémon in one hit, even most ex-Pokémon. When combined with Misty, Gyarados-ex can even unleash devastating attacks in early rounds. Shardrago serves as a placeholder that can deal damage itself during attacks. Thanks to Leaf, it can be easily swapped out when Gyarados-ex is ready on the bench.
A-tier decks
The two ex-Pokémon complement each other perfectly. Starmie doesn’t have a high energy cost and can even retreat straight away as soon as Arktos-ex has enough energy. This can happen quickly just because of Misty. However, the strategy is based on luck.
Once Charizard has built up enough energy, it unleashes a powerful attack. In addition, Charizard and Lavados have different weaknesses. However, Lavados only deals mediocre damage.
Both Venusaur and Kokowei have a lot of HP, making them incredibly good tanks. However, it takes time until Bisaflor is at the 3rd stage of development and Kokowei is at the 2nd stage of development. But if the two Pokémon fully evolve, they will be almost unbeatable.
With its attack, Lapras-ex can heal itself. In addition, it inherently has a lot of HP. This makes it extremely difficult to defeat the Pokémon. However, things look old against decks with Pokémon that deal more than 140 damage.
Celebi-ex allows you to flip a coin per energy applied, which can deal 50 damage if heads. In order to supply Celebi-ex with energy as quickly as possible, the combination with Serpiroyal is essential. Due to jungle domination, every energy invested counts twice. However, the attack is based on luck and upgrading Serpiroyal takes some time.
Mew-ex is a flexible fighter and adapts to the opponent, similar to Ditto. With low retreat costs and the novice adventurer, it can be quickly replaced if danger threatens. However, that is also the disadvantage: with little energy invested, Mew-ex hardly does any damage and it will be difficult to rebuild a Mew-ex that has been taken back.
Aerodactyl’s Primordial Law ability prevents Pokémon in the active position from evolving. That’s why Sabrina is essential as an addition to the deck. But against decks based on Pokémon like Celebi-ex or Pikachu-ex that don’t need to evolve, Aerodactyl-ex loses out.
Pigboss-ex’s ability can increase to 140 damage if the opponent has three Pokémon on the Bench. With the Poké Flute you can also ensure that your opponent’s bench is well filled. However, Tauboss-ex has two precursors and takes a correspondingly long time to develop its full potential. On the other hand, Pigboss-ex’s chances are better the longer it is, as there could be more Pokémon on the opposing bench.
B-tier decks
If the trick with the Misty card works, Turtok can do a lot of damage straight away with its development. With his high HP, he is also difficult to defeat. But the combination of 3 development stages and the high energy costs if Misty doesn’t work make it costly.
If you’re lucky with Knogga’s attack, you can defeat most Pokémon in just one move. If you don’t want to rely on luck, you can still deal a lot of damage with Machomei. However, it takes time for Machomei to be on the field in his final stages.
C-tier decks
Once on the field, Wigglytuff can cause the opponent to sleep longer. This way you can comfortably beat down the HP of your opponent’s Pokémon. A good supplement is Mottineva because it has the same effect.
The Fire Pokémon Arcanine does not require as much energy as other Pokémon of the same element. In addition, it does not lose any tokens once they are created. But Arcane deals damage to itself with every attack, which is probably the deck’s biggest weakness.
D-tier decks
The deck for Gengar-ex is so far the least suitable for PvP. Both Hypno and Gengar take a long time to reach the final stage. The damage is weaker compared to Pokémon that have the same number of evolution levels. But here, thanks to Gengar’s ability, it’s worth including the red card in the deck.
We will continually update the list as new decks are introduced. This way you can always keep an eye on which cards you should work towards to create the perfect deck. Currently only a fraction of the Pokémon that exist in video games are included.
By the way, it doesn’t matter which booster you choose. One player found out that his friend could see before him which cards were in the different boosters: Pokémon TCG Pocket: Your friends can know before you which cards you have in the booster