What is the best deck in Pokemon TCG Pocket?

Is there one deck that stands out as the best deck in all of Pokemon TCG Pocket? It depends on who you ask, but there are definitely a few top candidates.

Pokemon TCG Pocket has taken the world by storm, with publisher The Pokemon Company already claiming tens of millions of downloads for their new game. Combining elements of the traditional Pokemon trading card game with a simple and user-friendly digital interface, the new mobile title has fans playing day and night.

But with all of the cards you might pull out of your fresh and shiny digital packs, the question remains: Which Pokemon TCG Pocket deck is the best to build? The answer depends on a few different factors, but there might be one that stands out above the rest.

Is the Pikachu EX deck the strongest in Pokemon TCG Pocket?

A deck built around Pikachu EX may very well be the best and strongest in all of Pokemon TCG Pocket. It’s appropriate that this deck archetype is so strong, given the prominence of Pikachu in all of Pokemon branding. It may not be a coincidence, either.

Regardless of the reason for it, Pikachu EX’s strength is clear to see. The deck keys in on its titular Pokemon, a lightning-type who benefits from having other lightning Pokemon on the bench. For each such pocket monster, Pikachu deals 30 damage at a mere cost of two energy. That means that, with a few starter Pokemon layered on the bench and just two energy spent, Pikachu EX can almost immediately deliver 90 damage per turn, all while supported by a sturdy 120 hit points of its own.

If that wasn’t enough, the addition of Zapdos EX can make this deck even stronger. As a basic Pokemon, Zapdos EX can be unearthed by Poke Balls and played without the need for evolution. Unlike many others so categorized, Zapdos EX has great strength of its own, providing a solid back-up option should Pikachu EX be knocked out or simply fail to appear in the opening turns of a game.

Mewtwo EX, Strarmie EX among best Pokemon TCG Pocket decks

While Pikachu EX is undeniably strong, Mewtwo EX and Starmie EX headline their own powerful sets that are among the best Pokemon TCG Pocket decks in the game.

Mewtwo EX relies on a powerful engine archetype, with a fully-evolved Gardevoir pumping psychic energy into it each turn with its ability activation. This is important, because Mewtwo EX’s powerful Psydrive attack deals 150 damage but requires four energy and spends two each time it’s utilized. With Gardevoir powering it in addition to the single point of energy provided to players each turn, Mewtwo EX is able to deal 150 damage turn after turn, an onslaught that very few cards in the game can withstand.

Starmie EX doesn’t hit quite as hard as Mewtwo EX, but it stands out in its own strong deck because of how quickly it can be activated. Requiring one evolution and only two energy, Starmie EX is able to blast out 90 damage per turn very early in a game.

Starmie EX is featured in one of the best Pokemon TCG Decks in part because it’s also able to retreat for free. Its low energy requirements mean that players can focus energy investment into powerful Pokemon on the bench while Starmie EX is busy in combat. And by the time Starmie EX has been worn down, it can freely be swapped out for slower and even more powerful option, such as Articuno EX.

The strengths of these various decks are clear to see. Which one is the absolute strongest? That’s up for debate, but for most players, the choice of which to use will just come down to a question of which cards they’re lucky enough to pull from their packs in what is quickly becoming the hottest mobile game of the year.