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Pokemon TCG Pocket (PTCGP)

Deck Building Guide

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Pokemon TCG Pocket - Deck Building Guide

You can build and play with 20 card decks for battling in Pokemon Trading Card Game Pocket (PTCG Pocket). Read on for an in-deoth guide on how to build decks in PTCG Pocket, as well as what cards you should be adding!

Deck Guides
Deck Building Guide Deck Builder
Best Meta Decks Tier List

Deck Builder

Pokemon TCG Pocket - Deck Builder Banner.png

Try out our Deck Builder tool to build your own deck, save it, and share it with others!

Pokemon TCG Pocket Deck Builder

How to Build a Pokemon TCG Pocket Deck

Choose 20 Cards

Pokémon TCG Pocket - Deck Building

Players will make use of 20-card decks instead of Pokemon TCG's standard 60, which will consist only of Pokemon and Trainer Cards. The notable exclusion of Energy Cards means that battles in Pokemon TCG Pocket does not need them for games.

Cards with the same name are limited to two per deck instead of the traditional four card limitation of Pokemon TCG.

There is No Limit to How Many Ex Cards You Can Put In a Deck

You can have as many ex cards as you want in a deck as long as it does not go beyond 20 cards and it matches with the deck's energy type.

Along with having only a 20 card limit, a deck can only have up to 3 energy types. This means if you have a deck that has a combination of Fire, Water, and Electric pokemon, your ex cards must only be either Fire, Water, or Electric.

As long as you are following the battle rules, you can input as many ex cards as you want in a deck.

Energy Zone Explained

Pokemon Cards

Pokémon TCG Pocket - Attack

A deck should have a good amount of Pokemon Cards, but should not go too far beyond half of the deck's total count. The rest of the deck should consist of Trainer cards that will support your deck's Pokemon. Having less types in your deck can make it more consistent.

Type disadvantage is less difficult because Weaknesses in Pokemon TCG Pocket are set to +20 instead of the standard x2.

Evolution Lines

Pokémon TCG Pocket - Evolution

Few Evolution Lines can make the deck more consistent, since you're more likely to evolve a Pokemon when you need to. Having multiple Evolution Lines, especially of different types, may make your deck less consistent.

Stage 1 and Stage 2 Pokemon are often more powerful than their pre-evolved counterparts, so take their Abilities and Attacks into consideration when brewing a deck!

Trainer Cards

Pokémon TCG Pocket - Trainer Card

Trainer Cards can support your Pokemon and help you win games! These may prove to be crucial to you winning in Pokemon TCG Pocket!

Sample Deck

Pokémon TCG Pocket - Abilities

Pokemon Cards (12) Trainer Cards (8)
・2 Kangaskhan
・2 Farfetch'd
・2 Mewtwo ex
・2 Ralts
・2 Kirlia
・2 Gardevoir
・2 Pokeball
・2 Professor Oak
・2 Sabrina
・2 Potion
Pokemon TCG Pocket - AttentionAttention! This list is still under construction! Check back soon.

When building a deck, it is important to have a clear strategy in mind. This sample deck aims to evolve Ralts into Gardevoir as soon as possible and accelerate Energy into the active Pokemon, who would ideally be Mewtwo ex.

Kangaskhan and Farfetch'd are Colorless Pokemon with inexpensive and powerful attacks that you can use while powering up a Benched Pokemon!

Additionally, Psychic Pokemon are typically strong against Psychic-weak Fighting Pokemon who may threaten our basic Colorless Pokemon.

Rental Decks

Pokemon TCG Pocket - Charizard ex Rental Deck
Rental Decks are a great way to learn how to play Pokemon TCG Pocket and can help you understand how to effectively deck build. They also save you time, as you are able to use them despite not having the cards in your collection, albeit for a limited number of uses.

List of All Rental Decks

Meta Decks

Some cards naturally have synergy with each other and are always great to put together in a deck. Discover new and powerful combinations to try out for yourself!

Best Meta Deck Tier List

Aggro Decks

Aggro decks, which gets its name from the word aggressive are decks that are strong in the early stages of a game. These decks aim to win before the opponent is able to secure a board state using Pokemon with inexpensive attack costs and cards that accelerate Energy to gain an early advantage.

Pokemon TCG Pocket Related Guides

Decks

Best Meta Decks Tier List

Crimson Blaze Decks

CB Magnezone Deck IconCB Magnezone Mega Lopunny ex Deck Icon Mega Lopunny ex Mega Charizard Y ex Deck IconMega Charizard Y ex Mega Venusaur ex Deck Icon Mega Venusaur ex
CB Heliolisk Deck IconCB Heliolisk Ariados Deck IconAriados Reuniclus Deck IconCB Ditto Mega Blastoise ex Deck Icon Mega Blastoise ex
Mega Steelix ex Deck Icon Mega Steelix ex Reuniclus Deck IconReuniclus - -

Top Decks in the Meta

S Tier Tier
Mega Lopunny ex and CB Magnezone DeckMega Lopunny ex and CB Magnezone Deck Greninja ex and Suicune ex DeckGreninja ex and Suicune ex Deck CB Magnezone and Pom-Pom Oricorio DeckCB Magnezone and Pom-Pom Oricorio Deck -
A+ Tier Tier
Mega Altaria ex and Chingling DeckMega Altaria ex and Chingling Deck Mega Absol ex and Hydreigon DeckMega Absol ex and Hydreigon Deck Decidueye ex DeckDecidueye ex Deck -
A Tier Tier
Mega Charizard Y ex and Moltres ex DeckMega Charizard Y ex and Moltres ex Deck Mega Venusaur ex DeckMega Venusaur ex Deck Ariados and Whimsicott exAriados and Whimsicott ex CB Heliolisk and CB Magnezone DeckCB Heliolisk and CB Magnezone Deck
Mega Blaziken ex and Heatmor DeckMega Blaziken ex and Heatmor Deck - - -
B Tier Tier
Ditto and Rampardos DeckDitto and Rampardos Deck Mega Altaria ex and Greninja DeckMega Altaria ex and Greninja Deck Hitmonchan ex and Lucario DeckHitmonchan ex and Lucario Deck -
C Tier Tier
Mega Blastoise ex and Manaphy DeckMega Blastoise ex and Manaphy Deck Mega Steelix ex DeckMega Steelix ex Deck Reuniclus and Chingling DeckReuniclus and Chingling Deck -
D Tier Tier
Mega Venusaur ex and Leafeon ex DeckMega Venusaur ex and Leafeon ex Deck Reuniclus and Gardevoir DeckReuniclus and Gardevoir Deck - -

List of All Decks

Core Expansion Decks
Mega Rising Logo
(B1a)
Ariados
CB Ditto
CB Heliolisk
CB Magnezone
Mega Blastoise ex
Mega Charizard Y ex
Mega Lopunny ex
Mega Steelix ex
Mega Venusaur ex
Reuniclus
Mega Rising Logo
(B1)
Aegislash
Dragalge ex
Greninja ex
Golurk
Goodra
Hitmonchan ex
Hydreigon
Indeedee ex
Jolteon ex
Luxray
Mega Absol ex
Mega Altaria ex
Mega Ampharos ex
Mega Blaziken ex
Mega Gyarados ex
Mega Pidgeot ex
Mega Pinsir ex
Melmetal ex
Rapidash ex
Tauros ex
Whimsicott ex
Secluded Springs Logo
(A4a)
Altaria
Celebi
Dugtrio
Entei ex
Galarian Cursola
Jumpluff ex
Latios
Miltank
Poliwrath ex
Raikou ex
Slowking
SS Eelektross
Suicune ex
Zoroark
Wisdom of Sea and Sky Logo
(A4)
Crobat ex
Donphan ex
Espeon ex
Ho-oh ex
Kingdra ex
Lanturn ex
Lugia ex
Magcargo
Raikou
Scizor
Shuckle ex
Skarmory ex
Steelix
Umbreon ex
WSS Gyarados
WSS Tyranitar
Xatu
Eevee Grove Logo
(A3b)
Alcremie
Dragonite ex
Espeon
Flareon ex
Glaceon
Jolteon
Leafeon
Primarina ex
Slurpuff
Snorlax ex
Sylveon ex
Umbreon
Vaporeon
Extradimensional Crisis Logo
(A3a)
Alolan Dugtrio ex
Blacephalon
Buzzwole ex
Guzzlord ex
Lycanroc ex
Naganadel
Nihilego
Pheromosa
Shiinotic
Silvally
Stoutland
Tapu Koko ex
Ultra Necrozma ex
Celestial Guardians Logo
(A3)
Alolan Muk ex
Alolan Ninetales
Alolan Raichu ex
Araquanid
Banette
Crabominable ex
Decidueye ex
Dhelmise ex
Incineroar ex
Kommo-o
Lunala ex
Mimikyu
Passimian ex
Pom-Pom Oricorio
Rayquaza ex
Solgaleo ex
Tsareena
Turtonator
Vikavolt
Wishiwashi ex
Shining Revelry Logo
(A2b)
Beedrill ex
Bibarel ex
Dondozo
Gholdengo
Giratina ex
Lucario ex
Meowscarada
Paldean Clodsire ex
Pawmot
SR Charizard ex
SR Pikachu ex
Tinkaton ex
Wugtrio ex
Triumphant Light Logo
(A2a)
Abomasnow
Arceus ex
Bronzong
Carnivine
Crobat
Donphan
Garchomp ex
Gengar
Glaceon ex
Heatran
Houndoom
Leafeon ex
Origin Forme Palkia
Probopass ex
Snorlax
Staraptor
TL Tyranitar
Space-Time Smackdown Logo
(A2)
Bastiodon
Darkrai ex
Dialga ex
Empoleon
Gallade ex
Garchomp
Infernape ex
Lickilicky ex
Lucario
Luxray
Magnezone
Mesprit
Mismagius ex
Pachirisu ex
Palkia ex
Porygon-Z
Rampardos
Rhyperior
Togekiss
Torterra
Weavile ex
Yanmega ex
Mythical Island Logo
(A1a)
Aerodactyl ex
Celebi ex
Golem
Gyarados ex
Mew ex
Pidgeot ex
Scolipede
Genetic Apex Logo
(A1)
Aerodactyl
Alakazam
Arbok
Arcanine ex
Articuno
Articuno ex
Blastoise
Blastoise ex
Centiskorch
Charizard
Dragonite
Exeggutor ex
Frosmoth
GA Charizard ex
GA Gyarados
GA Pikachu ex
Gengar ex
Greninja
Kabutops
Kingler
Lapras ex
Machamp ex
Marowak ex
Melmetal
Mewtwo ex
Moltres ex
Ninetales
Omastar
Pidgeot
Poliwrath
Primeape
Raichu
Starmie ex
Venusaur
Venusaur ex
Weezing
Wigglytuff ex
Zapdos
Zapdos ex

Best Rental Deck Tier List

Deck-Building Guides and Lists

Lists of Decks by Type
Best F2P Beginner Decks Best Non-ex Decks
Which ex Starter Deck Should You Get? List of Rental Decks
Best 18 Trainers Decks Best Trainerless Decks for Solo Battle Missions
List of Meme or Troll Decks List of Ultra Beast Decks
Best Eeveelution Decks Best Baby Pokemon Decks
Deck-Building Guides
Deck Building Guide How Rental Decks Work
Staple Cards for Decks -
Deck Analyses
Deck Matchup Statistics 10 Match Tests vs Pikachu ex Deck - Statistics

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