These are the best decks in Pokemon Trading Card Game Pocket (PTCG Pocket) as of the Triumphant Light Mini-Set! Check out our best decks tier list to learn the best decks to use in battles and an in-depth explanation of their strengths and why you should build them!

Best Decks Tier List

Tier	Deck
Tier
Tier
Tier
Tier
Tier

The current best decks in Pokemon TCG Pocket are Arceus ex and Dialga ex as well as Leafeon ex and Celebi ex. Our tier list is based on both the winrates of decks within tournament style play, as well as overall effectiveness for clearing events such as Emblem Events within TCG Pocket.

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Comment Section (57)

S Tier Decks (Top Tier)

Arceus ex Deck

Deck	Commentary
Arceus ex Deck Types:	Strengths: • Has synergy with lots of Pokemon in Triumphant Light • Can be slotted in with any of them because it is a Colorless type. • Powerful Ultimate Force Attack which maxes out at 130. Weaknesses: • Weak to Fighting, a common offensive type. • Needs 3 Energy to attack. • Has a hefty 2 Retreat Cost.
Card List

Arceus ex Deck Strategy Guide and Card List

A+ Tier Decks (Nearly Top Tier)

Carnivine Deck

Deck	Commentary
Carnivine Deck Deck Type:	Strengths: • Carnivine can deal 50 damage with one energy and an active Power Link • Easily switch between attacking Pokemon due to retreat cost reductions Weaknesses: • Not drawing Arceus ex early can put you at a great disadvantage

Carnivine Deck Strategy Guide and Card List

Rampardos Deck

Deck	Commentary
Rampardos Deck Types:	Strengths: • Rampardos's low-cost attack can OHKO Arceus ex and deal meaningful damage to Pokemon who can tank it. • Lucario can help Rampardos get important KOs. • Very energy-efficient with low-cost Attacks. Weaknesses: • May struggle to find the Pokemon it needs because Rampardos is a Stage 2 • Weak to Grass.

Rampardos Deck Strategy Guide and Card List

Crobat Deck

Deck

Commentary

Crobat Deck Types:

Strengths: • Dialga ex can effectively power up Arceus ex, who can then attack with its Colorless-costing Ultimate Force. • Crobat can deal 30 damage using its Cunning Link Ability if Arceus ex is in play. • Arceus ex is a solid attacker with an attack that can max out at 130 damage. Weaknesses: • Crobat is difficult to set up because it is a Stage 2. • May sometimes miss KOs on 140 HP Pokemon without damage modifiers.

Crobat Deck Strategy Guide and Card List

Magnezone and Skarmory Deck

Deck	Commentary
Magnezone and Skarmory Deck Types:	Strengths: • Pokemon in the deck are all single-point attackers/ • Skarmory can consistently deal 50 damage if it has a Tool attached. • Magneton's Volt Charge can get Lightning Energy from the Energy Zone, even if you set your Energy Zone to only Metal. Weaknesses: • Setting up Magnezone may take a few turns because it is a Stage 2. • Pokemon in the deck have low HP.

Magnezone and Skarmory Deck Strategy Guide and Card List

Exeggutor ex Deck

Deck	Commentary
Exeggutor ex Deck Deck Type:	Strengths: • Exeggutor ex can evolve and attack as early as turn 2 since it's a Stage 1 and single-energy attacker. • Can be difficult to KO because of its high HP. • Is able to consistently deal 40 to 80 damage. Weaknesses: • Weak to Fire-type decks. • Lacks necessary damage output to KO higher HP threats.

Exeggutor ex Deck Strategy Guide and Card List

Heatran Deck

Deck

Commentary

Heatran Deck Deck Type:

Strengths: • Infernape ex can finish off enemies damaged by Heatran • Low energy requirements for both main attackers • Arceus ex can be a backup attacker while waiting to draw Infernape Weaknesses: • Heatran can be an easy point for the opponent without Arceus ex or Leaf's Retreat cost reduction • Weak against Water-type decks, especially Palkia ex or Gyarados ex decks, as they can snipe Infernape ex with Sabrina or Cyrus • Getting points could be difficult if Infernape ex is out of the board

Heatran Deck Strategy Guide and Card List

Charizard ex Deck

Deck	Commentary
Charizard ex Deck Deck Type:	Strengths: • Charizard can take multiple points once set up. • Moltres ex is a great starter that can ramp Energy onto Benched Pokemon. • Charizard ex and Moltres ex have different weaknesses. Weaknesses: • Charizard ex requires setup with lots of Energy. • Moltres ex is a mediocre attacker by itself.

Charizard ex Deck Strategy Guide and Card List

Palkia ex Deck

Deck

Commentary

Palkia ex Deck Types:

Strengths: • Usually has access to Manaphy, which can set Palkia ex up for offense later in the game. • Palkia ex is still great in the early game because of its 30 damage Slash. • Has access to Misty, which may give it the capability to immediately attack after lucky flips. Weaknesses: • May have difficulty taking on speedy Lightning decks. • A Water deck that is not solely reliant on Misty for acceleration.

Palkia ex Deck Strategy Guide and Card List

Darkrai ex Deck

Deck

Commentary

Darkrai ex Deck Types:

Strengths: • Magnezone is able to hit important HP benchmarks with the help of Darkrai's Nightmare Aura. • Magnezone has an important type advantage over the likes of Palkia ex and Yanmega ex. • Magneton's Volt Charge can get Lightning Energy from the Energy Zone, even if you set your Energy Zone to only Dark. Weaknesses: • Setting up Magnezone may take a few turns because it is a Stage 2. • Besides Magneton's Ability, there are no other ways to attach Lightning Energy to your Magnezone line.

Darkrai ex Deck Strategy Guide and Card List

Weavile ex Deck

Deck	Commentary
Weavile ex Deck Types:	Strengths: • Very Energy-efficient, being effective with only one Energy attachment. • Darkrai ex synergizes with Cyrus, allowing you to gust out a damaged Pokemon for a decisive KO. • Sufficiently speedy because Weavile ex is a Stage 1. Weaknesses: • May struggle against Grass-types with low costing Attacks like Exeggutor ex.

Weavile ex Deck Strategy Guide and Card List

Yanmega ex Deck

Deck

Commentary

Yanmega ex Deck Types:

Strengths: • Yanmega can easily be added to decks since its attack doesn't require any specific type of Energy. • Dialga ex is an amazing Energy Accelerator providing two energies while dishing out damage. • Yanmega ex and Dialga ex can both be found in the Space-Time Smackdown (Dialga) pack. Weaknesses: • Struggles against decks that can quickly set-up like Pikachu ex. • May be inconsistent because of its Attack cost.

Yanmega ex Deck Strategy Guide and Card List

A Tier Decks (High Tier)

Leafeon ex Deck

Deck

Commentary

Leafeon ex Deck Types:

Strengths: • Leafeon ex can load its partners with lots of Energy easily. • All the Grass-type attackers in the deck are live threats as long as Leafeon ex is able to accelerate Energy onto them. • Leafeon ex can start attacking in just two turns, with its 70 damage Solar Beam being able to 2HKO most ex Pokemon, or low HP Basics. Weaknesses: • Does not have the capability to consistently OHKO a Pokemon.

Leafeon ex Deck Strategy Guide and Card List

Garchomp ex Deck

Deck	Commentary
Garchomp ex Deck Types:	Strengths: • Has a positive type matchup against Arceus ex. • Has an Energy-efficent snipe option with Linear Attack. • Can use Gibles and Gabites from Space-Time Smackdown who don't share a weakness with Garchomp. Weaknesses: • Requires time to set up because it is a Stage 2. • Can reliably 2HKO most exs and OHKO low HP Basics.

Garchomp ex Deck Strategy Guide and Card List

Probopass ex Deck

Deck	Commentary
Probopass ex Deck Types:	Strengths: • Is easily set up by Dialga ex. • Can be difficult to KO thanks to its Attack and Adaman. Weaknesses: • Pokemon in the deck are difficult to retreat. • Pokemon in the deck have a shared weakness to Fire. • Lacks damage output for decisive KOs.

Probopass ex Deck Strategy Guide and Card List

Infernape ex Deck

Deck	Commentary
Infernape ex Deck Types:	Strengths: • Deals a powerful 140 damage for only two Energy and synergizes with Dawn. • Can keep attacking consistently if you're able to attach Energy to other Pokemon and use Dawn. • Has a positive matchup against Grass and Metal decks. Weaknesses: • Difficult to set up a second attack after it uses Flare Blitz once. • May have trouble against efficient Water-type decks.

Infernape ex Deck Strategy Guide and Card List

Pachirisu ex Deck

Deck

Commentary

Pachirisu ex Deck Types:

Strengths: • Attackers in the deck are all Energy-efficient, costing only two to three Energies. • The Pokemon in the deck don't all have the same Weaknesses with Zapdos ex being weak to Lightning. • Consistent high damage that can 2HKO most threats. Weaknesses: • Does not have the capability to consistently OHKO an ex Pokemon. • Has a difficult time against Fighting-types as 4/6 Pokemon in the deck are weak to Fighting.

Pachirisu ex Deck Strategy Guide and Card List

Gyarados ex and Greninja Deck

Deck	Commentary
Gyarados ex and Greninja Deck Types:	Strengths: • Gyarados ex's 180 HP can withstand heavy hits. • Gyarados ex's Rampaging Whirlpool can discard Energy from the opponent's pokemon. • Greninja can damage any of the opponent's Pokemon with Water Shuriken. Weaknesses: • Weak against aggro Lightning decks. • Takes time to set up.

Gyarados ex and Greninja Deck Strategy Guide and Card List

Pikachu ex Deck

Deck	Commentary
Pikachu ex Deck Deck Type:	Strengths: • Easy to set up and attack with. • Efficient attack and retreat costs. • Positive matchup against Palkia ex decks. Weaknesses: • Weak to Fighting-type decks. • May lack the necessary damage output against high-HP Pokemon.

Pikachu ex Deck Strategy Guide and Card List

Dialga ex Deck

Deck	Commentary
Dialga ex Deck Types:	Strengths: • Dialga ex can effectively power up Pokemon with Colorless or Metal Attack costs. • Dialga ex can also be an attacker itself if it is able to set up with 4 Energy. Weaknesses: • Needs two Energy attachments to use Metallic Turbo. • Its usual partners often share its Fire weakness,

Dialga ex Deck Strategy Guide and Card List

Articuno ex Deck

Deck	Commentary
Articuno ex Deck Deck Type:	Strengths: • Can sweep through teams after a successful Misty. • Has access to all the best Trainer cards. Weaknesses: • Weak to Lightning-type decks. • Difficult to recover if Misty usage is unsuccessful.

Articuno ex Deck Strategy Guide and Card List

Gallade ex Deck

Deck	Commentary
Gallade ex Deck Types:	Strengths: • Can punish Energy-heavy Attackers with Energized Blade. • Has a valuable type advantage over Lightning-type decks. • Two Energy is an efficient cost for an Attack, even for its base 70 damage. Weaknesses: • Weak to Psychic-types. • May be difficult to set up because it is a Stage 2 deck.

Gallade ex Deck Strategy Guide and Card List

Abomasnow Deck

Deck	Commentary
Abomasnow Deck Types:	Strengths: • Abomasnow can be set up quicker as long as Arceus is on the field. • Both Palkia and Arceus can deal an immense amount of damage once set up. Weaknesses: • Abomasnow can't fully utilize its ability if Arceus is drawn late.

Abomasnow Deck Strategy Guide and Card List

Celebi ex Deck

Deck	Commentary
Celebi ex Deck Types:	Strengths: • Celebi ex can deal huge damage on lucky heads flips. • Serperior can double the amount of flips that Celebi does with Powerful Bloom. • Positive matchup against Darkrai ex decks. Weaknesses: • Very weak to fast Fire decks like Blaine. • Reliant on Celebi flipping heads. • May be difficult to reliably set up Serperior.

Celebi ex Deck Strategy Guide and Card List

Origin Forme Palkia Deck

Deck	Commentary
Origin Forme Palkia Deck Deck Type:	Strengths: • Has Manaphy to set up the deck's attackers. • Origin Forme Palkia is available as a single-point attacker that doesn't require you to discard Energy. • Palkia ex for big KOs in the late-game. Weaknesses: • Heavily dependent on Manaphy as a starter. • Attackers in the deck require lots of setup.

Origin Forme Palkia Deck Strategy Guide and Card List

Off Meta Decks

List of Decks

Core Expansion	Decks
(A2)	・Dialga ex and Lickilicky ex Deck ・Lake Trio Deck ・Rhyperior Deck ・Togekiss Deck
(A1a)	・Gyarados ex and Vaporeon Deck ・Mew ex and Weezing Deck ・Vaporeon and Articuno ex Deck
(A1)	・Arbok Lock Deck ・Brock Deck ・Cinccino Deck ・Frosmoth Deck ・Kingler and Articuno ex Deck ・Lt. Surge Deck ・Melmetal Deck ・Mewtwo ex and Weezing Deck ・Primeape Deck ・Venusaur ex and Weezing Deck ・Victreebel and Exeggutor ex Deck

The table above lists the different decks that had varying degrees of viability and success in Pokemon TCG Pocket. While these aren't among the best decks anymore, you may review any that interest you by checking out their pages.

Tier List Criteria

Consistency Valued Heavily

Powerful decks are able to implement a strategy consistently and effectively. Its ability to be effective at all times is a consideration for a deck's placing on this list.

Energy efficiency and damage all contribute to a deck's overall consistency.

Versatile Decks Place Higher

Facing off against specific deck archetypes would require you to strategize and modify strategies to suit different situations. A deck's ability to pivot to different options is considered for its tier list placing.

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