Pokémon TCG Pocket – Meta decks and essential cards

Following the best Pokémon TCG Pocket decks meta can help you win match after match, fueling the growth of your collection with free pack rewards and shop tokens.

With a pared-down battle system comprised of 20-card stacks, Pokémon TCG Pocket isn’t just about collecting shiny bits of digital cardboard. And by collecting meta decks and cards to use yourself, you’ll stand a better chance of earning those sweet victory rewards.

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 the Core inclusions where you can, then fill any holes in your collection with the Backfill suggestions to create a balance between Basic, Stage 1+, and items 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 rapidly.

Exeguttor exand Venusaur ex

• Energy: Grass
• Core: Exeggutor ex, Venusaur ex, Exeggcute, Bulbasaur, Ivysaur, Erika, Sabrina, Professor’s Research, Potion, Poké Ball
• Backfill: Venonat, Venomoth, Giovanni, Farfetch’d, Sabrina

Moltres ex

• Energy: Fire
• Core: Moltres ex, Growlithe, Arcanine ex, Ponyta, Rapidash, Heatmor, Magmar, Professor’s Research, Poké Ball, X Speed, Potion
• Backfill: Sizzlipede, Centiskorch, Farfetch’d, Red Card, Sabrina, Meowth

In a world where Charizard typically rules the roost, its 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 set of flips each turn. Use that to quickly build a bench of heavy, low-energy attackers like Rapidash, Magmar, and Heatmor, or pile them into Arcanine early for a clean sweep.

To keep the pressure on, X Speed and Potion is great for switching between Basic Pokémon or healing Arcanine’s recoil damage.

Charizard + Moltres ex

• Energy: Fire
• Core: Charmander, Charmeleon, Charizard ex, Moltres ex, Professor’s Research, Sabrina, Potion, X Speed, Poké Ball, Red Card (x2 each)
• Backfill: Farfetch’d, Blaine, Meowth

If you really want to use Charizard ex, pairing it with Moltres ex and little else is the key. Poké Balls are guaranteed to pull Charmander or Moltres ex if you don’t backfill with Basic Pokémon.

In an ideal world, you’ll pull both in the first turn, giving Inferno Dance plenty of time to load 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
• Core: Dratini, Dragonair, Dragonite ex, Koffing, Weezing, Poké Ball, Professor’s Research, X Speed, Koga, Sabrina
• Backfill: Farfetch’d, Giovanni, Meowth, Potion, Sabrina

If you just really want to use that adorable Dragonite ex pull, pairing it with Koffing, Weezing, and Koga can really boost its viability.

Weezing can deal consistent chip damage against powerful opponents like Mewtwo ex while you scramble to find the energy needed to power Dragonite’s intense attack.

Brock’s rocks

• Energy: Fighting
• Core: Marowak EX, Sandslash, Cubone, Sandshrew, Onix, Golem, Graveler, Geodude, Poké Ball, Brock, Professor’s Research, X Speed, Potion
• Backfill: 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 strong and sturdy Basic Pokémon.

If Marowak’s coin flip strategy isn’t looking sound, rely on Golem instead.

Promo Primeape

• Energy: Fighting
• Mankey A, Primeape, Sandshrew, Sandslash, Hitmonlee, Potion, X Speed, Sabrina, Giovanni, Professor’s Research, Poké Ball
• Backfill: Red Card, Farfetch’d, Meowth

One novel way to deal with the popularity of Moltres ex, as demonstrated by 2014 Pokémon Worlds runner-up Jeudy Azzarelli, is to grab a couple promo Mankey cards from the Lapras event and essentially let it punch itself.

Its one energy attack does 30 damage to the opponent and 10 to Mankey. Evolve to Primeape in the next turn, toss another energy on, and you’ll have powered Primeape’s Fight Back move to a whopping 100 damage.

With Giovanni active, you’ll have dealt 140 Damage in two turns with just two Energy, putting Moltres EX down fast and spelling almost certain defeat for the Moltres + Charizard/Arcanine meta.

It’s a first turn strategy that won’t really work if Mankey can’t set up before the opponent does, but it’s a great tool against decks running high energy strategies that take a few turns to come online.

Mewtwo ex

• Energy: Psychic
• Core (two of each): Mewtwo ex, Ralts, Kirlia, Gardevoir, Meowth, Potion, X Speed, Poké Ball, Professor’s Research, Sabrina
• Backfill: Farfetch’d, Golett, Golurk, Giovanni, Jynx

While Mewtwo looks like the start of the show here, Gardevoir does most of the heavy lifting from the sidelines. Use Supporters and Meowth to pull all the Pokémon quickly.

Use X Speed to swap between Mewtwo and Meowth to chip away with its 2 energy attack until you can use Gardevoir’s ability to get a fourth Energy on Mewtwo. The faster you get Gardevoir and Mewtwo, the faster you’ll win.

Just keep feeding him Energy to ensure you’re not caught out by the drawbacks of his powerful attack. Save that for the quick takedown of a threatening opponent.

Blastoise ex

• Energy: Water
• Core: Blastoise ex, Articuno, Lapras, Golduck, Wartortle, Psyduck, Squirtle Pyukumuku, Meowth, Misty, Professor’s Research, Poké Ball, X Speed
• Backfill: Giovanni, Rattata, Raticate, Farfetch’d

While certainly not the strongest about, the core here is simple: Use Items and Supporters like Poké Ball and Professor’s Research to get Blastoise out early.

Meowth can help find Misty to build it up, with Lapras or Articuno there to back things up or bide time.

Articuno ex and Starmie ex

• Energy: Water
• Core: Staryu (x2), Starmie ex (x2), Articuno ex (x2), Misty, Sabrina, Professor’s Research, Poké Ball, X Speed Potion (all x2), Giovanni, Red Card
• Backfill: Meowth, Farfetch’d, Helix Fossil

Taking a recent external tournament by storm and only ever really threatened by its own kind or Pikachu hitting its weakness, this simple Starmie/Articuno setup is a no-brainer.

By using only two Basic Pokemon, Poke Ball has a 100% chance to get Staryu or Articuno. Misty can get either ready for their powerful debut, with Sabrina, Potion, X Speed there to bide time where needed.

Articuno’s bench-hitting Blizzard paired with Sabrina can also make it easy to pick off a final target. X Speed into Starmie and pair with Giovanni to do some very heavy damage at a moment’s notice.

It’s risky, though. With just two ex Pokémon at its core, losing both is a quick lose. Likewise, Pokemon like Hitmonlee or Zebstrika can pick off a benched Staryu, making your ex Pokemon the final line of defense almost immediately.

X Speed and Potion can come in clutch in these situations with some strategic HP management, but it’s not foolproof.

What’s the best deck for the Genetic Apex Emblem event?

For a slightly different take on the Articuno ex/Starmie ex deck above, this time from Gym Leader Challenge and Trainer Tour co-host Andrew Mahone, swap Giovanni and one X Speed for a Helix Fossil and Farfetch’d.

This adds a little more flexibility and can help counter a Sabrina forcing your hand before you can build up your main attackers.

He used this deck to get 45 wins on the day of the Genetic Apex Emblem event’s release.

What are the meta cards in Pokémon TCG Pocket?

At any player level, you’re likely to see the same few cards powering meta Pokémon Pocket decks. These are essentially viewed as meta picks: must-have cards few decks should go without.

If you don’t have any two of the below cards, consider checking out the shop and spending those tokens, looking for them in the Wonder Pick, or opening their respective packs. They could supercharge your deck.

Professor’s Research: There’s no drawback to pulling additional cards. More cards means more room to strategize.

Poké Ball: Basic Pokémon are essential. And with powerful options like Moltres EX and Mewtwo EX among them. Anything that speeds up getting them on the field is a big benefit.

Sabrina: Whether you force a powerful Pokémon out of the Active slot or pull a high retreat cost one in, Sabrina can save you from a tight situation or completely upend your opponent’s whole strategy in a second.

Mewtwo EX: Though you’ll have to focus a whole deck around him, Mewtwo’s two attacks can deliver high chip damage or a powerful OHKO to most Pokémon in a pinch. And being a Basic Pokémon, he’s incredibly easy to play and very hard to take down. Paired with Gardevoir, it’s almost unstoppable.

Farfetch’d: Though not rare by any stretch, Farfetch’d can round out any deck thanks to its Colorless typing, Base Pokémon status, and powerful, single-energy attack.

Meowth: Being able to draw a card from a tiny deck and do damage with a single Energy puts Meowth in a very high tier of power. It makes decks loaded with powerful evolutions a breeze.

Use Poké Balls and Professor’s Research to pull one early, and its attack will help you get your strongest Pokémon out in an instant.

With the Chansey event making it easier than ever to get a couple, it’s worth aiming for.

Fossils: Though you won’t see their real purpose used in many matchups at all, Fossil cards like Helix Fossil and Dome Fossil are a common sight online.

This is because they count as Basic Pokémon when on the bench, but as Trainers otherwise, making them immune to Poké Balls. They can also be discarded at any point during your turn, making them easy for a bait and switch counter for Sabrina.

How to get Mew in Pokémon TCG Pocket

If you’re just looking to build a deck around some of your favourite Pokemon, you may be wondering how to add Mew to that list.

Mew can be obtained for free in Pokémon TCG Pocket simply by collecting a card of all 150 Pokémon from the original Kanto Pokedex. Any one card will do.

Check out the current Pokémon TCG Pocket events. They can sometimes be an easy way to grab some Kanto Pokémon you’re missing.

Got that Pokémon itch? See if you can add to your collection with new Pokémon  TCG Pocket codes. And if you’re not too far in, it might be worth looking into the best starter pack in Pokémon TCG Pocket. That first choice determines more than you might think.