Pokemon TCG Pocket (PTCGP)

Best Zapdos Decks and Card List

Pokemon TCG Pocket (PTCGP) Walkthrough Team

Last updated on: December 17, 2025 06:05 AM

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Pokemon TGC Pocket - Zapdos Best Deck Build and How to Play

This guide will show you how to build some of the strongest Zapdos Decks. We'll cover the best Zapdos Deck builds, how to use them, as well how to beat Zapdos Decks, and more!

The decks on this page reflect the meta around the Shining Revelry Expansion.

List of Contents

Best Zapdos Decks
Zapdos Deck Strategy Guide
How to Beat Zapdos Decks
Related Guides

Best Zapdos Decks

Zapdos Deck Variants	Strengths and Weaknesses
Zapdos and 18 Trainers Deck [★ Best ★]	Strengths: • Has access to all the best Trainer cards. • Only gives up one point when KOd. • Can deal a solid 100 damage but will deal 30 damage to your Benched Pokemon. Weaknesses: • Weak to Lightning-type decks. • Can't attack until turn 3. • Outclassed by its ex counterpart.

Zapdos and 18 Trainers Deck

Zapdos ×2	Giovanni ×1	Sabrina ×2	Cyrus ×1
Mars ×1	Iono ×2	Pokemon Center Lady ×2	Red ×1
Potion ×2	X Speed ×2	Poke Ball ×2	Professor's Research ×2
Energy Used

Zapdos serves as the primary attacker of the deck, being its sole option for Pokemon. The Trainer Cards in the deck function as either support to Zapdos or as a disruption to the opponent.

Expansions	Cards to Get and Packs to Open
Genetic Apex (A1)	Zapdos x 2 (Pikachu Pack) Giovanni x 1 (Mewtwo Pack) Sabrina x 2 (Charizard Pack)
Mythical Island (A1a)	No cards needed from this expansion.
Spacetime Smackdown (A2)	Cyrus x 1 (Palkia Pack) Mars x 1 (Palkia Pack)
Triumphant Light (A2a)	No cards needed from this expansion.
Shining Revelry (A2b)	Iono x 2 (Shiny Charizard Pack) Pokemon Center Lady x 2 (Shiny Charizard Pack) Red x 1 (Shiny Charizard Pack)
Celestial Guardians	No cards needed from this expansion.
Extradimensional Crisis	No cards needed from this expansion.
Eevee Grove	No cards needed from this expansion.
Wisdom of Sky and Sea	No cards needed from this expansion.
Secluded Springs	No cards needed from this expansion.
Mega Rising	No cards needed from this expansion.
Crimson Blaze	No cards needed from this expansion.
Promo-A	Potion x 2 (Promo-A Pack) X Speed x 2 (Promo-A Pack) Poke Ball x 2 (Promo-A Pack) Professor's Research x 2 (Promo-A Pack)

Zapdos Deck Strategy Guide

Limit the Opponent's Evolution and Support Options

While Zapdos is being set up, you can disrupt the opponent by changing the cards in their hand. These Trainer Cards can be used to limit their evolution and healing.

Have Healing Cards Ready

It is ideal to keep Zapdos healthy while it is unable to attack yet. Potion and Pokemon Center Lady can help it stay outside KO range.

HP Recovery and Healing Cards List

Have an Empty Bench

Raging Thunder damages one of your Benched Pokemon. It is good to keep your Bench empty unless the Zapdos in your Active Spot is about to be knocked out.

How to Beat Zapdos Decks

Fast and Consistent Lightning Decks

Lightning-type decks that do not require much setup can be effective in dealing with Zapdos. In addition to the type advantage, they can also attack quickly for consistent damage.

Best Lightning Type Deck and Cards Tier List

Energy Denial

Zapdos has a steep Attack Cost, so you may prevent it from attacking by removing its Energy. Beedrill ex can remove one Energy per turn while attacking. You can also opt to use Team Rocket Grunt, as lucky flips can allow you to remove all of Zapdos's Energy at once.

Pokemon TCG Pocket Related Guides

Decks

Best Meta Decks Tier List

Crimson Blaze Decks

CB Magnezone	Mega Lopunny ex	Mega Charizard Y ex	Mega Venusaur ex
CB Heliolisk	Ariados	CB Ditto	Mega Blastoise ex
Mega Steelix ex	Reuniclus	-	-

Top Decks in the Meta

Tier
Mega Lopunny ex and CB Magnezone Deck	Greninja ex and Suicune ex Deck	CB Magnezone and Pom-Pom Oricorio Deck	-
Tier
Mega Altaria ex and Chingling Deck	Mega Absol ex and Hydreigon Deck	Decidueye ex Deck	-
Tier
Mega Charizard Y ex and Moltres ex Deck	Mega Venusaur ex Deck	Ariados and Whimsicott ex	CB Heliolisk and CB Magnezone Deck
Mega Blaziken ex and Heatmor Deck	-	-	-
Tier
Ditto and Rampardos Deck	Mega Altaria ex and Greninja Deck	Hitmonchan ex and Lucario Deck	-
Tier
Mega Blastoise ex and Manaphy Deck	Mega Steelix ex Deck	Reuniclus and Chingling Deck	-
Tier
Mega Venusaur ex and Leafeon ex Deck	Reuniclus and Gardevoir Deck	-	-

List of All Decks

Core Expansion	Decks
(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
(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
(A4a)	・Altaria ・Celebi ・Dugtrio ・Entei ex ・Galarian Cursola ・Jumpluff ex ・Latios ・Miltank ・Poliwrath ex ・Raikou ex ・Slowking ・SS Eelektross ・Suicune ex ・Zoroark
(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
(A3b)	・Alcremie ・Dragonite ex ・Espeon ・Flareon ex ・Glaceon ・Jolteon ・Leafeon ・Primarina ex ・Slurpuff ・Snorlax ex ・Sylveon ex ・Umbreon ・Vaporeon
(A3a)	・Alolan Dugtrio ex ・Blacephalon ・Buzzwole ex ・Guzzlord ex ・Lycanroc ex ・Naganadel ・Nihilego ・Pheromosa ・Shiinotic ・Silvally ・Stoutland ・Tapu Koko ex ・Ultra Necrozma ex
(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
(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
(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
(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
(A1a)	・Aerodactyl ex ・Celebi ex ・Golem ・Gyarados ex ・Mew ex ・Pidgeot ex ・Scolipede
(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

Comment

Anonymous about 1 year

do these decks just have old amber to take hits while setting up ?

Post (1 Comments)

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Best Zapdos Decks and Card List

Best Zapdos Decks

Zapdos and 18 Trainers Deck

Zapdos Deck Strategy Guide

Limit the Opponent's Evolution and Support Options

Have Healing Cards Ready

Have an Empty Bench

How to Beat Zapdos Decks

Fast and Consistent Lightning Decks

Energy Denial

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Crimson Blaze Decks

Top Decks in the Meta

List of All Decks

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