Best decks in Pokémon TCG Pocket, ranked

Building a deck in Pokémon TCG Pocket is completely different from the standard TCG, as the strategy, card quantity, and playstyle are unique to the mobile app.

Here’s a tier list for the best decks in Pokémon TCG Pocket post-Triumphant Light. We’ve also included the best solo decks in Pocket to help you speed through the game’s solo battle feature and claim plenty of prizes in Drop Events, along with essential cards for the current meta.

Pokémon TCG Pocket best decks tier list

Building the best Pocket deck requires an understanding of how to manage Energy Tokens, set up the board in your favor, and disrupt your opponent. While every deck has its perks, there are some that are undeniably stronger than others.

We’ve picked out 10 of the strongest decks in Pocket right now, with our rankings being based on the following criteria:

• S Tier. These decks are currently performing incredibly well in the competitive scene, with the ability to meet many meta opponents favorably.
• A Tier. These decks are strong and performing well, although they can be steamrolled by the right opponent.
• B Tier. These decks are in a good spot but may need a particular opening hand or opponent to perform well.
• C Tier. These decks are solid and fun to play, but they have their issues and do not outperform the competition.

To help you choose which deck to take to your next match, we’ve included popular builds and links to our deck guides, along with recommendations on top cards that every competitive player should have in their collection.

10) Infernape ex (C Tier)

Infernape ex only requires two Energy Tokens to deal 140 damage, with the only downside being a total Energy discard. With two copies of Moltres ex and Dawn on hand, this becomes a non-issue, providing plenty of ways to get Energy onto the board.

Compared to other Fire-type decks in Pocket, like Arcanine ex and Charizard ex, Infernape ex is beautifully simple. All you need to do is Energize Infernape ex, hit Flare Blitz, rely on its lack of a Retreat Cost, then set back up again to rinse and repeat.

With the addition of a Pokémon Tool like Rocky Helmet, Moltres ex is the ideal set-up tool. Placing Moltres ex with either a Rocky Helmet to deal damage or Giant Cape to gain extra health can give you enough time to evolve comfortably.

Grass-type decks are storming ahead in the competitive meta right now with Celebi ex and Leafeon ex, so you’ll be in a good spot with this list in terms of type pairings. It’s not as popular as when it came out initially, but it’s still a powerful deck when paired with the right support.

9) Scolipede Weezing (C Tier)

Not every deck in Pocket requires a handful of ex cards to succeed. Scolipede Weezing is one of the most unique decks to pop up in the meta since the game’s release, catching the community’s attention thanks to its use of Special Conditions.

The general premise for a Scolipede Weezing deck is to Poison the enemy’s Active as quickly as possible using Weezing’s Gas Leak Ability to allow Scolipede to swoop in with a damage-boosted Venoshock for an easy Knock Out.

Most decks usually include a Colorless critter like Tauros to help mitigate any ex cards they’re facing, with some variants including Mew ex for its Genome Hacking attack.

What this deck lacks in bulk, it makes up for in flexibility and movement. The addition of Koga helps to get Weezing into play as quickly as possible, while cards like Cyrus, Mars, and Sabrina can throw plenty of chaos into the mix and disrupt an opponent.

Pokémon Tools can be extremely beneficial in a Scolipede Weezing deck. If you’re looking to play this deck, consider adding a card like Giant Cape to give your critters an extra sliver of HP and get out of Knock Out range.

8) Mewtwo ex (B Tier)

With a similar ability to its standard Pokémon TCG counterpart, Gardevoir is one of the most interesting Stage Two Pokémon you can add to a Psychic-type deck. It does take a minute to set up, thanks to it being a Stage Two, but once it’s in motion, it’s a fantastic tool.

It fits into the Mewtwo ex deck list perfectly, offering unparalleled control and easy set-up. You’ll also find it in a Mew ex list, but currently, Mewtwo ex feels slightly more powerful than Mew ex because of the Psydrive attack.

Gardevoir isn’t the most lethal in terms of damage, but being able to move Energy around so freely every turn makes setting up attacks like Psydrive a breeze.

If you plan to play this deck, we’d suggest keeping it as simple as possible, utilizing the Gardevoir line to get Mewtwo ex in position to dish out heavy attacks. Mew ex can be a worthy addition to this deck as mentioned, but if you don’t have it, a solo Mewtwo ex deck still works wonders.

7) Gyarados ex (B Tier)

A typical Gyarados ex deck can be slow to set up, especially with unlucky coin flips, but once it’s in motion, it becomes almost unstoppable. Whereas some meta decks might prefer to steam ahead and set up fast, Gyarados ex rewards patience and planning.

To help get Gyarados ex into play and avoid losing via squishy fish mishaps, Druddigon is essential. The Rough Skin Ability means that any attacking critter will take 20 damage each time they hit Druddigon, making setting up in the early stages of a match easier.

For additional damage and Bench sniping, Greninja is essential. The Water Shuriken Ability allows it to hit one of your opponent’s Pokemon for 20 damage, which can prevent them from achieving any meaningful evolutions.

Some decks use Vaporeon for additional Energy Token management or Tentacruel for a source of Poison. Having extra evolutions to manage can make this deck clunkier, but it’s worth looking at if you struggle with the standard list.

Supporters are essential to keep tabs on in a Gyarados ex deck, with Misty being one of the stars of the show. With enough luck in the coin flips, this card can get Gyarados ex into play even quicker, easily managing most opponents with Rampaging Whirlpool’s devastating 140 damage.

6) Starmie ex (B Tier)

While it may not be as popular as it once was, Starmie ex is still one of the best Water-type decks in the game. With no Retreat Cost and a remarkably cheap 90-damage attack, this strange aquatic critter is a lethal weapon on the battlefield.

Pairing it with Articuno ex—and sometimes the Greninja line for Bench sniping—makes this deck incredibly aggressive. Articuno ex can whittle away at Benched Pokémon while dealing 80 damage to the Active, and it’s sturdy enough to survive a few hits.

Misty is an invaluable addition to this deck, being one of the most impressive Supporters in the game alongside Sabrina and Cyrus. Despite being RNG-dependent with the coin flipping, this Trainer can theoretically set up either Starmie ex or Articuno ex in an instant.

Alongside Misty and Cyrus, this deck usually features the combination of Rocky Helmet and Mars to disrupt the opponent.

5) Pikachu ex (A Tier)

Pikachu ex has managed to remain one of the biggest decks in Pocket since the game came out. It’s quick, it hits hard, and it’s enjoyable to play as well. Zapdos ex, Magneton, and Pikachu ex may seem like a strange combination, but they have exceptional synergy.

This trio of zappy critters has the potential to one-shot a large portion of opponents thanks to the Circle Circuit and Thundering Hurricane attacks. Magneton is an easy set-up choice, too, thanks to its Volt Charge ability, and Supporters like Lt. Surge help to make Energy movement painless.

The addition of Supporters like Leaf and Dawn help to make movement and Energy management even more effective. We’d recommend bringing a copy or two of Giant Cape to help avoid getting Knocked Out easily, as this isn’t the tankiest deck in the game.

It’s a lot of fun to bring to a battle, though, and it’s not overly complex or heavy on set-up requirements. If you’re just getting started with Pocket, this is arguably the best deck you can start off building.

4) Palkia ex (A Tier)

Both Dialga and Palkia made their debuts with Space-Time Smackdown, but the Spatial Pokemon came out on top thanks to its killer Dimensional Storm attack, and it’s still performing beautifully with Shining Revelry on the horizon.

Paired with Vaporeon and Manaphy for easy Energy management, this attack can Knock Out most opponents in one go. Dimensional Storm is expensive, hence why two support ‘mons are needed, but it deals 150 damage up top and 20 damage to each Benched opponent.

Palkia ex also has the Slash attack, dealing 30 damage for one Energy Token. This is meaningful in the early stages of a match, potentially disrupting an opponent from setting up.

Solid Supporters are needed to make Palkia ex effective. Misty can help with Energy requirements, while Leaf can get Palkia ex out of harm’s way if needed. You can disrupt your opponent easily with other cards like Cyrus and Mars, giving you time to gear up for Dimensional Storm.

3) Dialga ex and Arceus ex (S Tier)

Dialga ex was already high on our list after Space-Time Smackdown, paired with Lickilicky ex, but its performance since Triumphant Light has made it an almost unstoppable force thanks to Arceus ex.

Metallic Turbo is the most important attack here, allowing the user to move two Metal-type Energy Tokens to a Benched ‘mon while dealing 30 damage. This may seem underwhelming at first, considering it only deals 30 damage, but the wording means that the target critter does not have to be a Metal-type.

This makes it the perfect tool for Energizing heavy-hitting Colorless Pokemon, which is where Arceus ex comes in with Ultimate Force. This deals 70 base damage but stacks for 20 per Benched ‘mon, meaning Arceus ex can quickly Knock Out or neutralize most opponents.

Shaymin helps to keep Dialga ex and Arceus ex just out of reach for opponents with potential O.H.K.O. moves, thanks to Fragrant Flower Garden.

While Dialga ex and Lickilicky ex are still viable post-Triumphant Light, we’d suggest pairing the Metal-type with Arceus ex and Shaymin for some seriously destructive results. It can be a little slow to set up, but once it’s rolling, it’s a behemoth.

2) Darkrai ex and Weavile ex (S Tier)

Appearing in various formats and variants, the core duo of Weavile ex and Darkrai ex is almost unstoppable in the current Pocket meta. Whether it’s paired with just Spiritomb, Mew ex, or the Magnezone line, this pairing has unmatched synergy.

Darkrai ex has the Nightmare Aura Ability, meaning that whenever it gets a Dark-type Energy Token, 20 damage is dealt to the Active opponent.

Weavile ex has the attack Scratching Nails, which plays with Nightmare Aura. It deals 30 base damage, but if the opponent’s Active already has damage on it, the damage jumps up to 70. In the earlier stages of a match, this can be an easy Knock Out.

The addition of Spiritomb helps to bring out chip damage, whittling away at opponents with 10 damage to every enemy via Swirling Disaster. Combining this with Rocky Helmet can be an exceptional starting play, leading straight into Weavile ex with Scratching Nails.

1) Celebi ex (S Tier)

Celebi ex is the best Grass-type deck in Pocket, and right now, it’s looking like the best deck out of the bunch, too.

It focuses on the stacking attack Powerful Bloom, which lets the user flip a coin for every Energy Token attached to Celebi ex. It deals 50 damage for every heads, with the potential to deal lethal damage.

The other Pokémon in this deck usually include Dhelmise and the Serperior line, although the Leafeon ex build is sharply rising in popularity. Dhelmise can deal a potential 90 damage for just one Energy Token, which can be a Knock Out in the early game.

Serperior has Energy efficiency for days with Jungle Totem, claiming double Energy Tokens to help it set up for Solar Beam easier. In our best Celebi ex deck list, we opted to scrap Dhelmise and focus exclusively on the Serperior line, as it’s performing beautifully in competitive matches right now.

To complement the heavy-hitters in this list, there are plenty of useful supporting cards to help get Celebi ex set up and into position. Erika helps with healing Grass-type ‘mons and Sabrina offers control over the opponent’s Pokémon.

Despite relying on coin flips to enter Knock Out territory, Celebi ex is still a surprisingly consistent deck.

Best solo decks in Pokémon TCG Pocket

It’s not just PvP matches in Pocket that require you to have a good deck list at your disposal. The solo mode features various matches of Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced, and Expert difficulty, and having the right card list is crucial.

The deck that you face off against in these matches will vary each time—for example, the first two decks you battle in the Beginner mode for Genetic Apex are starter decks featuring Ivysaur, Charmeleon, and Wartortle—so the best deck for each match will vary based on type.

Each battle’s Battle Tasks (small missions or quests) will also vary. If you’re hoping to get as many Shop Tickets and other rewards out of the solo mode as possible, pay attention to these—they’re visible in the top section of the solo battle screen, next to the deck preview image.

Some may task you with achieving a Knock Out with a Fire-type Pokémon specifically, for example, or winning the battle by a particular turn. The best decks that we’d suggest for Pocket‘s solo mode or Drop Events are:

• Gyarados ex, with Greninja or Tentacruel
• Mewtwo ex, with Gardevoir
• Starmie ex, either solo or with Articuno ex
• Pikachu ex, with Zapdos ex
• Marowak ex, with Hitmonlee
• Infernape ex, with Moltres ex

We’d suggest using different decks throughout your solo adventure, though, to maximize rewards and complete the Battle Tasks as quickly as possible. Pay attention to Battle Tasks with specific type requirements or rarities when choosing your deck.

Essential cards for competitive Pocket players

While builds vary drastically depending on your favored deck and playstyle, there are some cards which we’d class as essential for PvP matches in Pocket. If you’re looking to spend your Pack Points, add these cards to your collection:

• Drudiggon, from Mythical Island
• Mew ex, from Mythical Island
• Manaphy, from Space-Time Smackdown
• Leaf, from Mythical Island
• Gardevoir, from Genetic Apex

These cards make up the foundation of several meta decks in Pocket, so if you don’t have them in your collection yet, they’re worth spending your resources on.