Top Decks and Meta Tier List for Pokémon TCG Pocket (December 2025)
December 17, 2025: New decks have emerged following the release of the Crimson Blaze booster set, featuring exciting options for Mega Charizard Y ex and Mega Blastoise ex.
The competitive landscape of the Pokémon TCG Pocket is shifting with the introduction of the Crimson Blaze (B1A) booster set, which brings a host of new cards to explore, including mega evolutions of the original starters: Venusaur, Blastoise, and Charizard Y. Additionally, there are impactful new cards like the tutor Serena and the Quick Grow extract that are making waves.
The effects of these new cards are still being assessed in the meta, but fresh deck builds are already surfacing. Below, we’ll dive into the top decks in PTCGP and what you need to know for competitive play.
Here’s the current tier list showcasing the best decks in Pokémon TCG Pocket.
As we explore these decks further, remember that there are plenty of strong cards in Pokémon TCG Pocket that may not be represented in the top builds. The meta is dynamic, and no deck is infallible; factors like type disadvantage, a poor opening hand, or clever plays from your opponent can turn the tide, even against the strongest decks. If you’re aiming for the highest ranked rewards, keep in mind that these decks are designed to maximize your win rate, but skillful play is essential.
It’s worth noting that many of these decks feature some of the rarest cards in Pokémon TCG Pocket, so building them right away may require a significant investment or a stroke of luck in your pack openings.
The decks inspired by the Crimson Blaze expansion are currently under evaluation, but they’re already showing great potential!
Mega Charizard Y ex boasts an attack that can knock out nearly any Pokémon unless they have specific abilities to protect themselves, making it a prime candidate for deck construction.
Energy: Fire
There’s potential in swapping out Moltres ex for either Entei ex or the Flame Patches, but this variant has demonstrated real promise. The strategy is straightforward: evolve into Mega Charizard as quickly as possible and obliterate any Pokémon in your path. Entei and Serena will help accelerate this process, and while you could replace Chameleon with Rare Candy, the extra Fire energy from the evolution is a nice bonus.
The mega evolution of the series’ coolest starter, Blastoise ex, requires a hefty amount of energy to unleash its full power, so this deck focuses on energy generation.
Energy: Water
Start with either Mantyke, Manaphy, or Eiscue, while you evolve Squirtle on your bench and load it with energy. Once that’s set, bring in Blastoise to unleash devastating attacks, dealing 50 damage to benched Pokémon with six energy attached. Surviving until then is key, but once you do, you’ll be a formidable force. For variation, consider adding Lillie or swapping Rare Candies for Wartortle for added protection against Oricorio.
Below are the top decks in Pokémon TCG Pocket, capable of winning multiple matches in a row with impressive win rates.
This Mega Blaziken deck focuses on delivering heavy fire damage, supported by the reliable draw power of Entei.
Energy: Fire
This deck is all about setting up Entei early for quick draws and early damage while building Mega Blaziken ex on the bench. Once ready, swap them around, using Flame Patch to transfer fire energy from Entei’s retreat to Blaziken, allowing it to unleash powerful attacks and inflict burns on opponents.
Mega Altaria ex synergizes with a range of low-energy cards for rapid impact.
Energy: Psychic
This deck emphasizes quick setup and strong impact. Altaria serves as the heavy hitter, relying on a full bench for maximum effectiveness. Low-energy cards like Chingling and Jirachi ensure you never run out of options, allowing those lower-level cards to soften targets for Altaria.
Suicune ex is the centerpiece of this strong early-game deck, paired with Mantyke and both versions of Greninja.
Energy: Water
This pure water deck updates the classic Greninja build, focusing on control and low-energy costs, with Giratina as the main attacker. Suicune’s passive card draw provides a strong hand, while Irida and the Cape enhance survivability.
Sylveon ex fits well into various decks, but here it takes center stage, paired with Mega Rising’s powerful psychic cards.
Energy: Psychic
Sylveon’s card-drawing ability complements an evolution-friendly deck, while Mega Altaria benefits from a full bench. Dusknoir allows for damage manipulation, letting Altaria or Sylveon absorb damage, with Indeedee providing healing to your active Pokémon.
The Electric Oricorio has been a powerhouse since its debut, and when combined with the high-damage Magnezone, it creates a formidable duo.
Energy: Electric
This deck operates in two ways: Oricorio resists damage from powerful cards, while Magnezone can deal massive damage to nearly any non-ex card in one hit. By alternating between the two, players can effectively counter most strategies.
However, reaching that point can be tricky. Depending on evolutions, Magnezone may not hit the field until late in the game, which could be too late. Oricorio also struggles against non-ex cards, and since it’s common in many sets, players often include at least one powerful non-ex card to counter it.
A-tier decks can still perform strongly but may rely more on luck or complex strategies than those in higher tiers.
Several variants of the Mega Absol deck are circulating, but this version with Electric Oricorio is currently a community favorite.
Energy: Dark
Despite featuring Electric types, this deck runs on Dark energy, as Pichu generates energy for Oricorio. The strategy is straightforward: deploy Absol early to disrupt your opponent before they can set up, while Darkrai chips away at their health. If they bring out an ex Pokémon, Oricorio can come in and turn the tables.
There are many attempts to make Mega Gyarados work, and while it hasn’t reached S-tier success yet, it pairs well with Milotic’s healing ability.
Energy: Water
The challenge lies in getting Gyarados operational before Magikarp is knocked out. Instead of filling the deck with Mantykes and Misty cards, this build includes Milotic, which can heal Gyarados while you load it with energy and deal with any Oricorios that appear. Once in play, Gyarados can mill your opponent’s deck, dismantling their strategies.
Giratina has been a powerful card since its release, but the current meta has made Nihilego’s potent poison a game-changer.
Energy: Dark
Giratina is psychic but generates its own energy. While it does that, Nihilego and Darkrai continuously inflict damage, dealing at least 40 damage per turn without even attacking.
The downsides include a lack of early-game punch and expensive withdrawal costs for Darkrai and Giratina, limiting versatility. However, by keeping opponents on the bench from the start, you can ensure they have a tough time.
Raikou ex fits seamlessly into this electric deck, which is a compilation of the best electric-type cards.
Energy: Electric
This deck focuses on solid cards that provide options against any opponent. Raikou’s card draw and low-cost attacks are great early-game options, while you work towards Magnezone’s high-damage attacks on the bench. A variety of Supporter cards add versatility, and Oricorio can secure wins against players relying solely on ex cards.
This PTCGP deck combines Lugia ex and Ho-Oh ex, allowing the latter to power up the former for devastating attacks.
Energy: Electric
The strategy involves deploying Ho-Oh ex and using its Phoenix Turbo to charge Lugia ex’s powerful attack, which can be accelerated with Zeraora or Pichu along with the Elemental Switch item trainer card. Quickly generating the necessary energy is crucial, so aim to get Ho-Oh operational as soon as possible. After it attacks, you can swap in Lugia to potentially knock out nearly any opponent.
Espeon ex in PTCGP is best utilized in the following deck build:
Energy: Psychic
This deck is straightforward: a psychic build that allows you to cycle through your deck quickly to get Espeon ex, which can heal and deal solid damage for two energy. Speed is key, building up offense before your opponent can retaliate, while mitigating smaller chip damage in the meantime. The downside is a lack of heavy offensive power, but if you can start dealing damage early, it may not matter.
This early build based on the Celestial Guardians’ Solgaleo card is a Metal deck featuring the following:
Energy: Metal
Multiple deck builds around Solgaleo ex have emerged since the Celestial Guardians release, but this one has risen to the top. The legendary’s ability to deal heavy damage with just two energy means that if you can set it up quickly, many opposing decks won’t have time to establish their strategies before you start smashing through them. Solgaleo also serves as a strong tank.
What you pair Solgaleo with can vary, but the Extradimensional Crisis deck has proven powerful by incorporating Shiinotic, which allows for rapid card draw.
This deck based on the Eevee Grove Primarina focuses on utilizing this ex card’s impressive durability.
Energy: Water
Primarina ex boasts 180 HP and a self-heal ability, enhancing its survivability. Support cards like Lillie and Irina further bolster its durability. With any water deck, having Greninja on the bench provides potent support for picking off enemies.
This deck doesn’t lack firepower either, as Hau can boost Primarina’s damage to a total of 130. However, the initial setup can be tricky, as a Stage 2 Pokémon always carries some risk, even with Rare Candy streamlining the transition.
B-tier decks are strong and can secure wins, potentially even against certain S-tier decks. However, they may be slightly outdated, more reliant on luck, or face numerous counter-decks.
Guzzlord ex is a nasty Dark-type deck that hampers your opponent’s ability to retaliate while inflicting poison.
Energy: Dark
Celesteela allows for supreme control by flipping between Nihilego and Guzzlord ex, leading to the primary tactic: poisoning foes with Nihilego and letting Guzzlord drain their energy, limiting their options until they’re either knocked out or Guzzlord is ready to hit for 120 damage.
The downside is that this strategy takes time, and while Guzzlord is tanky, it may not withstand all attacks, especially if you don’t draw the Pokémon Center Lady. Still, a bit of luck and cunning can lead to more victories than losses.
The Extradimensional Crisis expansion has introduced this Dark deck focused on inflicting powerful poison with Nihilego.
Energy: Dark
This deck emphasizes passive, toxic play, inflicting chip damage and poison on foes to gradually wear them down. Nihilego is the main asset, able to poison enemies and increase poison damage, while Naganadel and the Toxic Barb can also inflict poison. There are other builds that incorporate Nihilego, such as Clodsire or Wheezing, but this one is efficient, especially with Dawn and Leaf speeding up transitions and powering up.
The downsides are clear: this deck lacks significant power output, and poison can be cured quickly by switching out. However, clever play and a bit of luck can help mitigate these weaknesses.
This Arceus ex deck focuses on rapid energy generation in collaboration with Dialga ex.
Energy: Metal
As a standout from the Pokémon TCG Pocket Triumphant Light expansion, Arceus ex has several strong deck variants, but the most effective pairs it with Dialga ex. The strategy involves sending out Dialga ex first and quickly transferring energy to a benched Arceus. The two Shaymin provide passive health buffs and reduced retreat costs, enhancing flexibility and survivability.
The downside is a slow start and a weak early game, especially if Dialga doesn’t appear quickly. You’ll need to stay alive until mid-game, using trainer cards, tools, and healing to keep your team intact until Arceus and Dialga can unleash their powerful moves. Survive the rough early phase, and you’ll be hard to stop.
Lunala ex empowers other psychic heavy-hitters like Mewtwo and Giratina. Here’s the optimal deck build:
Energy: Psychic
Lunala’s main ability allows it to transfer all Psychic energy from a benched Pokémon to the active one, enabling Giratina to charge up from the back row and unleash powerful attacks from the front.
This advantage is designed to start delivering major damage by mid-game, but it relies on getting Lunala out in a timely manner. Including both Cosmoem and Rare Candy can help ensure the evolution, but don’t rely solely on this method for victory.
This Dark-type poison-focused deck is currently very strong in Pokémon TCG Pocket.
Energy: Dark
Emerging from the Pokémon TCG Pocket Shining Revelry expansion, this deck’s strategy is straightforward: poison the opponent early, then focus on survival and control while using Clodsire’s 120 damage attack to break through foes. The ability to hit with that attack on your second turn is a significant advantage, and Grafaiai ensures a steady supply of poison to wear down enemies.
The downside is that some setup is required, but not excessively so, leaving you vulnerable to fast fighting-type decks like the Rampardos/Sudowoodo build. Additionally, Arceus ex, a popular card, is immune to poison. However, with careful battlefield control, you can still secure victories.
This modified Celebi ex deck includes the Triumphant Light Leafeon ex to enhance energy production for higher damage output.
Energy: Grass
Celebi ex gains power from the energy attached to it, making a pairing with an energy generation card like Leafeon a natural fit. Leafeon’s ability allows it to provide free energy to any active card, meaning if you have two in play, you can use Forest Breath, retreat, and then use the other Leafeon’s Forest Breath. This can allow Celebi to potentially gain three energy in a single turn, leading to devastating attacks.
The downsides are evident: Fire types pose a significant threat, and if you can’t find Celebi in your deck, Leafeon’s power won’t be much help. However, Shaymin’s ability to facilitate rapid retreats can help you adapt in a pinch.
This fighting-type deck may seem unassuming, but it’s yielding impressive results following the Triumphant Light expansion.
Energy: Fighting
I’ve been playing this deck frequently and have seen more wins than losses. The strategy is to counter high-power ex decks that dominate the meta. Sudowoodo can deal 50 damage to an ex card with just one energy, while Rampardos can hit for 130 damage! Additionally, Lucario provides a permanent +20 damage boost, increasing to +40 if both are on the board.
The downsides are straightforward: it’s a glass cannon build focused on early-game aggression, lacking in survivability. You can adjust with some tweaks, but it’s often smarter to double down on speed and outpace opponents. Deploy Sudowoodo early while building towards Rampardos and Lucario on the bench.
Dialga ex has carved out a niche in PTCGP as a way to rapidly fuel other cards with Steel energy, and Shining Revelry’s Gholdengo is a strong contender.
Energy: Metal
The plan is simple: send out Dialga first while building Gholdengo on the bench, using control and defense cards to keep Dialga alive. Once Gholdengo has accumulated energy, bring it out for a massive attack.
Gholdengo operates similarly to Celebi, with damage scaling based on energy, but with the added randomness of coin flips. Assuming a typical 50% success rate, achieving six energy should yield 150 damage, enough to take down most cards in one hit. However, this deck struggles against Fire types, and if Dialga doesn’t appear early, building up to that power can be challenging. Survive into mid-game, and you’re likely to win.
A fast grass deck, Meowscarada teams up with Arceus and Carnavine to hit hard against ex cards.
Energy: Grass
This deck is designed to counter the prevalence of ex decks, particularly those that take time to set up. Meowscarada can deal a staggering 130 damage to ex Pokémon, potentially reaching 170 if you exploit weaknesses and trigger Red simultaneously. You can potentially knock out an ex card in a single blow.
However, it requires some setup to achieve that. Meowscarada needs two energy, but as a Stage 2 Pokémon, you’ll need to filter your deck to find it. Otherwise, you’ll rely on Arceus and Carnavine, both of whom are powerful and can be deployed quickly. Facing a non-ex deck can leave you at a disadvantage.
This Wugtrio ex deck harnesses the unpredictable power of Wugtrio, supported by none other than the god of space.
Energy: Water
Wugtrio’s high power comes with randomness, dealing three hits of 50 damage to random targets. To amplify that unpredictability, Misty is included to either enhance or disrupt your setup.
The strategy is straightforward: deploy Manaphy to quickly fuel either Palkia or Wugtrio, then swap out to unleash a series of devastating attacks that even benched Pokémon can’t escape. If you find yourself in danger, Irida can buy you time to regroup.
We anticipated Palkia ex would dominate the meta in Pokémon TCG Pocket after the Space-Time Smackdown, and it has indeed become one of the top water decks.
Energy: Water
Water decks have consistently been strong contenders in the meta, largely due to Misty, and Palkia ex is riding that wave. The focus is on setting up Palkia’s devastating Dimensional Storm attack, which deals 150 damage to the active enemy Pokémon and 20 damage to all benched ones. The downside is that it costs four energy and discards three in the process.
Fortunately, your supporting team is designed to assist with that—Misty and Manaphy provide a flood of energy, while Vaporeon helps control energy placement. This deck may struggle in the early game to establish a foothold and could be vulnerable to Pikachu and Electric decks, but items like Giant Cape and Pokémon Communication are included to help mitigate those challenges.
The big bug from the Extradimensional Crisis set is incredibly powerful in PTCGP when used correctly in this Grass-type deck.
Energy: Grass
The strategy is relatively straightforward: leverage the durability and healing of Grass cards, combined with the mobility and control offered by Celesteela. Hit hard with Buzzwole’s Big Beat, then use Celesteela to withdraw it for a second assault, while Pheromosa can target backline opponents. Lusamine allows for rapid fueling of new cards for sudden, devastating attacks.
The downside is that this is likely the slowest deck in the S-tier meta, as Buzzwole requires time to ramp up before the assault can truly begin. However, clever play and effective use of healing powers can help maintain pace until the offensive can commence.
Here, Entei ex is integrated into the established Charizard ex build, creating a fire deck focused on high-energy attacks.
Energy: Fire
The setup is straightforward: ideally, Magby powers up your bench early, allowing you to switch in Entei ex for rapid card draws. From there, you can decide whether to power Entei to four energy for 120 Fire Damage per turn or bring in Charizard to utilize Stoke for a massive energy influx. Elemental Switch and Dawn will help you move energy to where it’s most needed.
Magcargo in PTCGP has become quite powerful (if chaotic) in Wisdom of Sea and Sky. Here’s how to build a deck around it.
Energy: Fire
This unconventional deck is effective in the early game but risks backfiring. Magcargo deals 150 damage for two energy, but it’s distributed randomly as 50 damage attacks across both teams. Only Magcargo itself is safe, making bench management crucial.
To run it, get Slugma out and quickly mill through your deck for Magcargo. Only place a second one when you’re ready to evolve it to minimize the risk of a KO, and use Gladion to Silvally to Pokémon Communication for the exact cards you need.
This PTCGP deck is a Dark-energy poison focus that gradually wears down enemies.
Energy: Dark
This build revolves around the More Poison ability of Crobat ex and Nihilego, which can be set up quickly under the right conditions to deal significant damage within a few turns. Use the Rare Candy item trainer card to evolve from Zubat to Crobat ex early, and Sylveon ex can help you find the necessary cards to complete your setup.
The Eevee Grove booster set has inspired this interesting build for Umbreon, modifying the existing Darkrai/Giratina deck.
Energy: Dark
This variant of the proven Giratina deck incorporates Umbreon, whose main attack prevents basic Pokémon from attacking for the next turn. This effectively disarms many decks that rely on such cards, including the original Giratina and Darkrai build.
The strengths of this deck should be clear to those familiar with the original: use Darkrai and Giratina to rapidly build energy and inflict chip damage, while ensuring Umbreon is ready to counter many ex cards.
The Pokémon TCG Pocket Space-Time Smackdown expansion has introduced a host of strong new cards, leading to this Dark-type deck centered around Weavile ex and Darkrai ex.
Energy: Dark
This high-power deck focuses on relentless offense from the start, along with energy control to keep Darkrai ex’s ability active. A supporting cast of control cards like Cyrus and Pokémon Communication allows you to maintain that offensive pressure, dragging damaged Pokémon back into play or even damaging benched Pokémon directly with Spiritomb.
The downside is a lack of significant killer attacks—tanky Pokémon like Blastoise can withstand your hits for a while, so you need to prevent them from reaching the late game. If an opponent can survive your onslaught, like Mewtwo ex, nothing in your arsenal is durable enough to withstand a prolonged assault. Still, a powerful early game has been a staple of the meta, and Weavile ex’s potency, combined with Dawn’s energy control, means you can come out swinging.
For more detailed strategies and gameplay tips for this build, there’s a comprehensive guide available on the Pokémon TCG Pocket Darkrai ex and Weavile ex deck.
The new Shining Revelry Charizard ex has revitalized fire decks in Pokémon TCG Pocket. To create this deck, use the following:
Energy: Fire/Water
The strategy is simple: Druddigon holds the active spot while you build up to Charizard ex and fuel it with energy, then swap them around to unleash powerful attacks on your opponent.
Until then, you’re playing for time—like any deck requiring two evolutions, it’s on the slower side. Use Irida, the Cape, and the Helmet to buy time while filtering through your deck for the Charmander line. Quicker decks can pose a threat, so disrupt them as much as possible along the way. If you’re inclined, consider swapping in Moltres ex to speed up Charizard’s energy accumulation.
The Mewtwo ex deck is currently one of the best in the meta, composed of the following:
Energy: Psychic
Getting Mewtwo EX onto the battlefield has never been easier thanks to the new Mythical Slab card, which allows for more effective cycling through your cards. Mythical Slab takes the top card of your deck; if it’s a psychic Pokémon, it goes into your hand, while anything else is sent to the bottom.
Once Mewtwo is active, you can rely on Gardevoir’s “Psy Shadow” ability to provide free energy each turn. Set it up correctly, and Mewtwo’s Psydrive attack can deal 150 damage every turn at no cost to you.
Previously, setting up two Ralts evolutions was a risky endeavor. Now, you have multiple options for obtaining the necessary cards beyond Mythical Slab, including Professor’s Research and Poké Ball.
With new Mythical Island decks seemingly targeting Pikachu, the ex deck has lost some of its edge, but it remains one of the best in play right now, boasting a strong early game despite losing its previous dominance. You can build it using the following cards:
The Pokémon TCG Pocket bent packs have fueled rumors about their potential to yield rarer cards, and we’ve been investigating to see if there’s any truth to that…
Energy: Electric
This aggressive “glass cannon” deck focuses on getting powerful Pokémon onto the field and dealing high damage quickly. Pikachu ex and Zapdos ex can both inflict significant damage in their first few turns, potentially securing a victory as early as turn six, if luck is on your side.
However, if you don’t win by then and give your opponent time to set up, things will become more challenging. Both cards have relatively low health for “ex” cards, meaning if one is knocked out, you lose two points instead of one. Additionally, luck plays a role: Pikachu’s damage scales with the number of benched Pokémon, and Zapdos’ big attack relies on coin flips, which could result in no damage at all. With new threats like Pidgeot EX and Tauros now emerging, the risk factor has increased.
For more information on building and playing this deck, as well as alternative builds, there’s a full guide available for the perfect Pokémon TCG Pocket Pikachu ex deck.
C-tier decks may be a bit outdated, overly focused, or utilize strategies that opponents can easily disrupt. Success is still possible, but it may require some luck or clever tactics.
Sweets Relay is a special move shared by many cards in the Eevee Grove booster set. This is the strongest build for it currently in Pokémon TCG Pocket.
Energy: Water
Sweets Relay gains a buff if any card on your team used it last turn, so maintaining its use keeps it powerful. All these cards provide that attack, except for Alcremie, which has a one-energy move called Sweets Overload that deals 40 damage for every time you’ve used Sweets Relay. That’s your heavy-hitting attack, as you’ll be relying solely on Sweets Relay throughout the game.
The downside is fragility. None of these cards are tanks, and you’re primarily using quick, early damage to hinder the opponent until Alcremie can come in and secure the win. Use Irida for support, but swapping in Penny might also be beneficial. Healing isn’t as crucial in a deck where many cards can be taken down in one hit.
Just below the top two decks, the Starmie ex deck focuses on getting powerful water Pokémon onto the field and dealing damage quickly. Here’s the most widely-used and effective version:
Energy: Water
This combination of Starmie and Articuno ex can potentially win you the game on turn one, if you’re lucky with your draws. If you can get Articuno and achieve a favorable result with Misty, you can unleash Blizzard for 80 damage right at the start, potentially wiping out your opponent’s board and securing an incredibly early victory. Admittedly, Misty relies on chance, so there are no guarantees, but when it works, it’s devastating.
The new Vaporeon variant also enhances Misty in rare cases where you land more coin tosses than needed. Wash Out allows you to move water energy from your benched Pokémon to your active Pokémon as many times as you like during your turn. You can use X Speed to swap out a heavily stacked Pokémon needing healing and replace it with one that can attack immediately after moving some energy around.
This Gyarados ex deck emphasizes defensive play, keeping Magikarp on the bench while using Druddigon and Greninja to hold back foes.
Energy: Water
There’s a strong case for removing the dragon-type Druddigon, which would make this a dual-fire/water type deck, but it’s worth the risk, as it’s a superb tank that damages Pokémon that attack it. Keep Druddigon active while evolving Froakie and Magikarp on the bench as quickly as possible.
Once you’re ready to counterattack, use Leaf to bring Druddigon off the field and bring in Gyarados ex. Very few attacks can take it down, and its attack strips a random Pokémon of energy while dealing a massive 140 damage—no issue for Greninja’s active ability. If the enemy tries to pull damaged Pokémon back to safety, you can use Greninja to snipe them.
D-tier decks can secure victories in Solo battles in PTCGP and may yield some wins in matchmaking, but they’ll struggle to maintain winning streaks against the stronger decks in higher tiers.
Venusaur ex and grass decks are the only options in Pokémon TCG Pocket for significant healing and recovery. If that appeals to you, here’s the build:
Energy: Grass
You can adjust the exact numbers of items to your liking, but the goal is to get Lilligant active to provide energy to the Bulbasaur on the bench. Play defensively, healing and controlling while evolving Bulbasaur into Venusaur ex. Once that’s done, swap them around and bring in the big grass frog.
Venusaur ex’s Giant Bloom deals 100 damage while healing it for 30 every turn—not to mention its solid 190 HP. Unless your opponent is running a Charizard deck, it should be nearly impossible to one-shot your team mascot. For alternate variants, consider bringing in Exeggutor ex early or using Caterpie for quicker card draws.
This budget-friendly and beginner-friendly fighting-type Marowak ex deck is simple in concept and execution.
Energy: Fighting
Several variants of this deck have circulated, utilizing regular Marowaks, Kabutops, Primeape, and Hitmonlee, but this is our preferred build. Both Dugtrio and Marowak ex perform well early on, but they rely heavily on chance, with many coin flips involved. Marowak ex deals 80 damage for each head in two coin flips (ranging from 0 to 160), while Dugtrio has a 50% chance to become invulnerable to all damage and effects for a turn, every turn. I’ve won games solely on the strength of that ability. Additionally, with many players using Pikachu ex and electric-type decks, this serves as a solid counter.
It’s not without flaws. Marowak ex’s reliance on chance can lead to disastrous outcomes, and the deck lacks consistent firepower. The key is to deal heavy damage early and hope your opponent can’t recover.
This dark-type poison deck is budget-friendly but requires a veteran’s experience, focusing on control and careful battlefield manipulation, poisoning opponents and whittling them down instead of relying on single-hit super-attacks. Here’s the most commonly used deck build in the current meta:
Energy: Dark
This deck can be tricky to master, but it holds significant potential, especially against the prevalent Mewtwo psychic deck dominating the meta. Start with Koffing and Weezing for a strong, cheap early-game tank that poisons the enemy, then use Koga to pull them back to your hand for free when you’re ready (healing them in the process). With the enemy poisoned, bring in Arbok, forcing them to remain active, as Arbok’s “Corner” attack disables their ability to retreat.
This deck is heavily focused on control, and if the opponent manages to bring their wounded Pokémon back to the bench, you can use Sabrina to bring them back out. It excels at disrupting strategies, but it lacks heavy damage and often falters in the late game. Some players have experimented with a variant that replaces Koga, Weezing, and Koffing with Pidgey, Pidgeotto, and Pidgeot, controlling the field with the latter’s ability and locking Pokémon in place with Arbok.
If you’re more interested in aesthetics than strategy, you can explore how the Pokémon TCG Pocket flair system works and how to add cosmetics to your cards!
