All the Pokemon TCG Pocket best cards

All the best cards in Pokemon TCG Pocket can make a huge difference in any deck, whether you're building one around them or just out to make a particular splash in a certain type. Often referred to in the community as "chase cards", the best Pokemon TCGP cards aren't necessarily the same thing as the rare ones - there's some overlap, but it's not necessarily one-to-one.

With that in mind, having played a lot of Pokemon TCGP over the last few weeks, we've got all the best cards from the Genetic Apex set listed below, so you know what you're looking for and what will really fill the gaps in your deck with the greatest effect.

Best cards in Pokemon TCG Pocket for every type

Below we've catalogued some of the best cards we've seen for every type of deck, so players who have holes in their line-up (or want new ideas on deck formation) have something to work with, or to know what you should be looking out for when it comes to the time to use the Pokemon TCG Pocket Wonder Pick system to get a card from another player's deck.

If you want a precis on the best cards across all types though, here are 10 cards you should definitely try to get (ideally two of each).

1. Pikachu ex (Electric)
2. Mewtwo ex (Psychic)
3. Misty (Supporter / Water)
4. Zapdos ex (Electric)
5. Sabrina (Supporter)
6. Starmie ex (Water)
7. Moltres ex (Fire)
8. Articuno ex (Water)
9. Charizard ex (Fire)
10. Giovanni (Supporter)

Keep in mind that while there is some overlap between the best cards and all the Pokemon TCG Pocket rare cards, there are still powerful cards that are easy to obtain or at least somewhat common, that we've included. Yes, the "ex" cards tend to be the central point in a deck, but they're often supported by other cards around them that are far less noteworthy, and certain decks (especially Dark-types) can flourish with basic, common cards.

Best Fire cards in Pokemon TCG Pocket

Fire-type cards normally focus on high damage and high energy use, with many of those cards involving discarding energy in the process. The best fire-type cards will either make that sacrifice worth it, or help mitigate it in some way.

• Charizard ex: The most damaging card in the game for raw power, this upgraded Charizard can do 200 damage in a single attack, but discards 2 energy each time. Find out how you can get the most out of this ability with the best build for the Pokemon TCG Pocket Charizard ex deck.
• Moltres ex: This is most notable for the Inferno Dance, which lets you put up to 3 energy on your benched Pokemon - a great early ability.
• Ninetales: A decent mid-game option, Ninetales does 90 damage at the cost of 1 discarded energy. You'll have to evolve Vulpix to get it on the field though.

Best Water cards in Pokemon TCG Pocket

Water-type cards are diverse and often sturdy, with high health pools and some more surprising abilities. The Pokemon TCG Pocket Lapras ex event is focused on fighting water-types, with some Pokemon you'll see in those decks reflected below.

• Articuno ex: The icy legendary bird can be deployed relatively quickly, and has a three-energy Blizzard attack that does minor damage to all the enemy's benched Pokemon too.
• Starmie ex: Two energy for 90 damage is already good, but Starmie's secret power is a zero retreat cost, which allows you amazing battlefield control and reaction.
• Golduck: Golduck might not seem much to look at, but 70 damage for two energy is very solid, and the card is pretty common.
• Greninja: Levelling up Froakie twice is a pain, but Greninja's Water Shuriken is a free ability that lets you snipe any opponent Pokemon - even the benched ones - for 20 damage.

Best Grass cards in Pokemon TCG Pocket

Grass-type cards in TCG are generally built for the long-game, often with proportionally weaker attacks, but higher health pools, energy creation, and even healing powers.

• Venusaur ex: While it's not the most powerful in terms of damage, Venusaur's ability to heal itself while attacking gives it near unrivalled durability. You can even build a deck around it - the sturdy Pokemon TCG Pocket Venusaur ex deck build has a strong place in the meta.
• Lilligant: Lilligant's attack not only does 50 damage, it lets you provide 1 free energy to a benched Pokemon of your choice.
• Exeggutor/Exeggutor ex: Both the "ex" and regular versions of Exeggutor are cheap tanks with single-energy attacks, who double their power if you win a coin flip. Both versions are very valid in Grass decks.

Best Electric cards in Pokemon TCG Pocket

Electric cards are generally focused on speed and striking early, often with low health pools, making a lot of these decks into "Glass Cannon" options. One of the two S-tier options of the Pokemon TCG Pocket best decks is a electric deck, with cards reflected in the list below.

• Pikachu ex: The Poke-mascot couldn't avoid being treated well, as Pikachu's attack is a two-energy strike that does 30 damage for every benched Pokemon you have - meaning you can start doing a reliable 90 damage on turn two of any match. It's become the backbone of the S-tier electric build, and you can make your own Pokemon TCG Pocket Pikachu ex deck here.
• Zapdos ex: Zapdos is probably the most powerful of the three legendary bird "ex" cards, with a cheap 1 energy attack and a 3 energy option that does 50 damage per coin flip… and you flip four coins. That's potentially drawing with Charizard for the game's most powerful attack.
• Pincurchin: A cheap 2 energy attack that has a 50% chance to paralyse each time? That's a good card, especially if you're buying time to power up other cards on your bench.
• Electrode: No special abilities, but two energy for 70 damage is always respectable, plus it's a little tankier than most cards that do that damage. It's also got a free retreat option, so it's very versatile on the field.

Best Psychic cards in Pokemon TCG Pocket

The Psychic-type cards are a mixed bunch with a certain amount of control abilities in there, as well as a general propensity towards defence and negation. However, it also holds one of the most powerful cards in the game - arguably the most iconic legendary of all time.

• Mewtwo ex: The card that shares the top meta spot with Pikachu, we've actually put together a guide on how to build the knockout Pokemon TCG Pocket Mewtwo ex deck.
• Gengar ex: Gengar ex is a hefty tank, and stops your opponent from using Supporter cards when it's in the active slot.
• Gardevoir: Gardevoir might be a third-stage evolution, but its free ability to supply energy to the active Pokemon makes it a powerful support.
• Hypno: Hypno's active power has a 50% chance to put the enemy card to sleep. Even on average, it means your opponent is going to lose about half their chances to attack.
• Jynx: Jynx's attack scales to how much energy is on the enemy Pokemon, doing heavier damage to more powerful foes.

Best Fighting cards in Pokemon TCG Pocket

Fighting-type cards lean towards the chaotic, with a lot of random elements, but many are simply based around raw damage - no frills, and hard to overthink. Amidst that duality are some very good cards.

• Marowak ex: Marowak ex has one attack, a 2 energy strike that does 80 damage for each successful coin flip in a pair. So you might do 160 damage! Or maybe 0. Like we said, random, but very powerful if you're lucky.
• Machamp ex: A third-stage evolution, Machamp ex is rewarded with 180 health and a simple 120 damage attack. Straightforward enough, and its two pre-volutions aren't pushovers.
• Dugtrio: Dugtrio is an amazing mid-game option - with a 1 energy, 40 damage attack that has a 50% chance to leave you immune to all attacks and negative effects for the next turn. I've won whole matches by having Dugtrio evade enemy attacks while I charged benched Pokemon in the process.
• Sandslash: A solid mid-tier damager with a higher-than average health pool.
• Grapploct: A little pricey in terms of energy (3) and its pre-volution isn't great, but its attack forces opponents to bench their opponent, which can easily throw off a strategy.

Best Dark cards in Pokemon TCG Pocket

Dark-type cards are also focused on control, but more status effects, negative qualities and negation of opponent's powers, effectively limiting your foe's options. This is also the deck choice for budget players, who haven't found many rare cards yet and haven't really milked the various Pokemon TCG Pocket currencies for hundreds of pack draws.

• Weezing: It's tanky, it's cheap with a 1 mana attack, it synergises with Koga, and its free ability lets you poison people. There's a strong case for Weezing being the best Dark card in the game.
• Arbok: Comes with a 2 energy attack that prevents your opponent from retreating. If you have the active Pokemon at a disadvantage when you send it out, Arbok all but guarantees it'll end with a defeat. Combine it with Sabrina and Pidgeot for unrivalled board control.

Best Dragon cards in Pokemon TCG Pocket

Right now there's only three Dragon-type cards in all of Pokemon TCGP, and they're all part of the same evolution chain: Dratini, Dragonair, and Dragonite.

It's the last of these that's the powerful one, with a 4 energy attack that randomly distributes 200 damage across the foe's board. It takes a while to set up, but once in play, Dragonite can ruin an opponent quickly. For ideas on deck synergy, we have a page on constructing the best Pokemon TCG Pocket Dragonite deck.

Best Steel cards in Pokemon TCG Pocket

Steel-type cards aren't really a favourite in the meta right now, with not enough of them and few standouts among the few. That'll no doubt change with time as new cards are added to the game, but right now these are the only ones that have potential.

• Melmetal: Evolving from Meltan, Melmetal is a tank that can do 120 damage every turn - but you'll need four energy channelled into it first.
• Mawile: Mawile is an early-game disruptor, as it can be deployed immediately, does 20 damage for 1 energy, and removes 1 energy from the target Pokemon on a successful coin flip.

Best Normal cards in Pokemon TCG Pocket

Filling the gaps of better decks, Normal-type Pokemon have a few worthy additions that can be included if you're looking to support another deck you're working on.

• Kangaskhan: A big tank with a 1 energy attack that does somewhere between 0 and 60 damage, Kangaskhan is a good first card to hold the active spot while you set up other Pokemon and fill your hand.
• Meowth/Persian: Meowth lets you draw a card every time it attacks, which can be great in the early game, while Persian has a 50% chance to force the opponent to discard a card every time it attacks. If you get them to discard something important, it can ruin their chances of winning.
• Farfetch'd: 1 Energy for 40 damage is a simple, reliable card with Oomph, and a good choice to fill gaps in a deck lineup.

Best Item cards in Pokemon TCG Pocket

All Pokemon decks in TCG Pocket should have item cards, and these ones in particular are borderline essential.

• Poke Ball: I've never seen a deck that didn't have the maximum amount of Poke Ball cards, and I don't expect to. Drawing basic Pokemon is an essential quality in both the early and late game.
• X Speed: X Speed lowers the retreat cost for all Pokemon that turn, and it's great for maintaining battlefield control without having to burn energy.
• Potion: When all else fails, recovery is no bad thing. A 20HP heal isn't much, but depending on the attack hitting you, it can be the difference between life and death.

Best Supporter cards in Pokemon TCG Pocket

There are nearly a dozen Supporter cards in Pokemon right now, and unlike items, you can only use one per turn, and they're often a little more situational, playing off specific cards or gameplay elements. Still, these ones remain very potent:

• Professor's Research: Another card as essential as the Poke Ball, drawing two cards for free… that's a no brainer. Fill your deck with the maximum two the moment you start making one.
• Misty: Misty is a supremely chance-based card who can be devastating. You flip a coin and if it's heads, you give 1 energy to a water Pokemon you have out, and get to flip the coin again! That carries on until you get a tails, meaning Misty might do nothing, or you might give 15 energy to a card on turn one. Risky as it is, it's always worth it in Water decks.
• Sabrina: Sabrina forces the opponent to switch out their active Pokemon for one of their benched ones. A good control card that can buy you time to set up strategies, or bring back a damaged Pokemon into play so you can finish it off.
• Koga: Koga's specific to Dark type decks, but it allows you to bring back a Muk or Weezing to your hand, effectively resetting it as a card. A cheap retreat option that also restores it to full health, in essence.

It's not the best card, but it's one of the most unique - the Pokemon TCG Pocket Mew card is the reward for completing a secret challenge, as we've laid out at the attached guide. Or if you want to know all the various Pokemon TCG Pocket Secret Missions, we've got those laid out!

© 12DOVE. Not to be reproduced without permission