Best Decks for Pokemon TCG Pocket Newbies

Summary

Building a beginner-friendly deck in Pokemon TCG Pocket is vital to learning core mechanics and type matchups without getting overwhelmed.
It's crucial for new players to focus on straightforward strategies with low reliance on complex combos or rare pulls for easy-to-use decks.
Certain beginner-friendly decks like Mewtwo ex, Articuno ex, and Ninetales & Blaine offer strong synergies, powerful moves, and minimal reliance on rare cards.

New players jumping into Pokemon Trading Card Game Pocket may find building a deck intimidating, especially if they lack the cards. However, over time, as players open packs, they will naturally be able to form an idea of their playstyle. Building a strong and easy-to-use deck can make all the difference to newcomers.

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By Ben Painter

These beginner-friendly decks typically feature straightforward strategies and low reliance on complex combos or extremely rare pulls. While some of these decks require a rare pull or two, they will be limited to one or two pack types to focus on. These will allow players to focus on learning core mechanics and type matchups without getting overwhelmed. The following are some of the best beginner-friendly decks to build in Pokemon TCG Pocket.

1 Mewtwo ex Deck

Pushing Psychic Pressure Tactics

mewtwo ex, mew ex, and gardevoir in pokemon tcg pocket.

From: Genetic Apex (Mewtwo) & Celestial Guardians Packs

Key Cards: Mewtwo ex & Gardevoir

2x Mewtwo ex
1x Mew ex
2x Ralts
1x Kirlia
2x Gardevoir
2x Leaf
1x Sabrina
1x Pokemon Communication
2x Giant Cape or 2x Potion
2x Rare Candy or 2x X Speed
2x Poke Ball
2x Professor’s Research

This deck is built around Psychic-types, focusing on a synergy involving Gardevoir and Mewtwo ex. To maximize energy management, players should concentrate on getting Gardevoir out as soon as possible, as this Pokemon allows players to get a free Psychic energy on their active Pokemon once per turn. Rare Candies are most vital in this deck, but if this card isn’t available, Ralts with Teleport and X Speed can help rotate Pokemon.

If players can get Gardevoir on the bench with MewTwo ex in the active spot, MewTwo’s Psydrive can be used more often. Mew ex is a powerful Pokemon with only a single energy cost to retreat, making it a useful Pokemon to rotate in and out.

2 Articuno ex Deck

Control The Field With Water

From: Genetic Apex (MewTwo) & (Pikachu) Packs

Key Cards: Articuno ex & Misty

2x Articuno ex
1x Staryu
1x Starmie ex
2x Potion
2x X Speed
2x Poke Ball
2x Professor’s Research
2x Misty
2x Sabrina
2x Giant Cape or 2x Red
2x Cyrus

Should players find two Articuno exes, or even just one, they can make a powerful Water-type deck. Blizzard is Articuno’s most powerful move that also deals 10 damage to every Pokemon on the bench. Misty will help get a chance at stocking up on energy to make this move happen faster.

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By Grace Black

Staryu and Starmie ex are suggestions for a powerful, low-cost, and high-damage play, but they can be exchanged for other cards like Manaphy or Eevee and Vaporeon if possible. With the limited number of Pokemon in this deck, this remains beginner-friendly by offering straightforward attack tactics.

3 Celebi ex Deck

Luck & Support Grass Deck

From: Mythical Island & Genetic Apex (Charizard) Packs

Key Cards: Celebi ex & Serperior

2x Celebi ex
2x Snivy
2x Servine
2x Serperior
2x Dhelmise
2x Meowth
2x Professor’s Research
2x Sabrina
2x Poke Ball
2x X Speed

The strategy for this deck is simple, hinging on a combination of Serperior’s Jungle Totem ability and Celebi ex’s amazing damage. This deck requires quite a few rare pulls, but if players only have one Celebi ex and Serperior evolution line, they can interchange them for other basic Pokemon or useful items or supporter cards.

Serperior’s best placement on the field is on the bench, where it is safe and able to double all Grass energies. When Serperior is out with Celebi ex in the active position, Celebi’s chance to deal enough damage to 1-hit KO goes up. Basic Dhelmise is a great addition to this deck alongside Serperior if players can’t get Celebi ex on the board.

4 Palkia ex Deck

Water-Type Slow Build Packing A Punch

palkia ex, vaporeon, and manaphy in pokemon tcg pocket.

From: Space-Time Smackdown (Palkia) Pack

Key Cards: Palkia ex & Vaporeon

1x Articuno ex
1x Palkia ex
2x Manaphy
2x Eevee
2x Vaporeon
2x Potion
2x X Speed
2x Leaf
2x Giant’s Cape or 2x Irida
2x Poke Ball
2x Professor’s Research

Palkia ex is capable of being alone in this deck if players don’t have any of the matching cards, as it’s still one of the most powerful cards in Pokemon TCG Pocket. Vaporeon and Manaphy are included as a way to increase Water energy placement, but require a bit of setting up to happen. At the very least, players should utilize Manaphy as soon as possible with Palkia ex or Articuno ex on the bench.

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By Grace Black

This deck all depends on how fast the player can gain energy, with item cards as a way to rotate Pokemon and keep them alive. After dealing damage with Articuno’s Blizzard or Palkia’s Dimensional Storm, Cyrus is an effective card for controlling opponents’ Pokemon placement and getting an edge on points.

5 Ninetales & Blaine Deck

Aggressive Fire With Burning Force

From: Genetic Apex (Charizard) Pack

Key Cards: Ninetales & Blaine

2x Vulpix
2x Ninetales
2x Ponyta
2x Rapidash
2x Blaine
1x Sabrina
2x Giant Cape or 2x Potion
1x Cyrus
2x X Speed
2x Poke Ball
2x Professor’s Research

Ninetales and Rapidash are powerful Pokemon for being basic, and Blaine’s addition to this deck will help players deal more damage. This deck is a great beginner deck for how few rare cards are in it, and being viable against uneven type matchups due to Blaine. Ponyta is a useful early game card for dealing damage, and Vulpix stalls the opponent on a lucky coin toss.

The supporter cards and items will help rotate the deck and Pokemon. Every Pokemon in this deck has low attack and retreat costs, which makes dealing damage and rotating between them all easier. Ninetales can effectively match up against an ex Pokemon or easily take out a weaker basic Pokemon.

6 Lucario ex Deck

Balanced Fighting With Consistent Damage

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From: Shining Revelry & Space-Time Smackdown (Dialga) Packs

Key Cards: Lucario ex & Sudowoodo

1x Marshadow
2x Riolu
2x Lucario
2x Lucario ex
2x Sudowoodo
1x Sabrina
2x Rocky Helmet or 2x Potion
1x Cyrus
2x Red
1x X Speed
2x Poke Ball
Professor’s Research

This deck requires at least one Lucario ex and Sudowoodo with Marshadow as support to function. It’s a very straightforward strategy involving brute force, with Sudowoodo dealing decent damage at the start and super effective against Pokemon ex types, and Lucario & Lucario ex dealing a substantial amount of damage. Basic Lucario’s ability Fighting Coach boosts the active fighting-type Pokemon’s damage.

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By Mohsen Baqery

Marshadow’s Revenge comes in clutch whenever the player’s Pokemon faints. Any missing cards in this deck can be filled with colorless energy Pokemon, so they can help Marshadow when they faint. The Red supporter card gives every Pokemon, especially Sudowoodo, a chance to shine against Pokemon ex types. This deck benefits greatly from Rocky Helmet to apply consistent damage and Cyrus to manipulate the playing field, but Potions will do just fine.

7 Pikachu ex Deck

Fast & Flexible Electric Offense

From: Genetic Apex (Pikachu) Pack

Key Cards: Pikachu ex & Zapdos ex

2x Pikachu ex
2x Zapdos ex
1x Blitzle
1x Zebstrika
1x Voltorb
1x Electrode
2x Potion
2x X Speed
2x Poke Ball
2x Professor’s Research
2x Sabrina
2x Dawn

This deck’s strategy is very easy and involves a straightforward setup centered around Pikachu ex with Zapdos ex as backup and reliable damage. Pikachu ex’s Circle Circuit attack benefits from having the bench full, dealing 30 damage for each benched Electric-type Pokemon. The X Speeds will help Pikachu ex rotate and give space for Zebstrika to deal damage to opponents' benched Pokemon.

Electrode has no retreat cost, so this is the perfect Pokemon to stack up on if players need to fill up their deck. Zapdos ex is a powerful card and benefits from the Dawn supporter card, but its Thundering Hurricane attack can be a little inconsistent. Overall, this deck relies on rushing the opponent and overwhelming them with Pikachu’s speed.

8 Darkrai ex & Weavile ex

Dark-Type Disruption With Speed

From: Space-Time Smackdown Packs

Key Cards: Darkrai ex & Weavile ex

1x Darkrai ex
2x Weavile ex
2x Sneasel
1x Koffing
1x Weezing
1x Spiritbomb
1x Potion
2x Giant Cape
1x Koga
2x X Speed
2x Cyrus
2x Poke Ball
2x Professor’s Research

This is an alternate version of the Koga Deck, utilizing Darkness in the form of Darkrai ex and Weavile ex, supported by Weezing and Koga. Spiritbomb is suggested as a good early start card with its attack capable of applying damage to benched Pokemon, which is a useful setup for Weavile ex. Darkrai ex’s ability is the most important part of this synergy, as it applies free damage to the active opponent Pokemon every turn it’s on the field.

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By Grace Black

Weezing is useful for its Gas Leak ability, and Koga can return it to the player’s hand to keep it safe. Players can exchange Spiritbomb for another Koffing as a way to give Weezing another life, but the Koga/Weezing synergy is mostly for preventing the opponent from scoring. Overall, this deck is extremely effective and versatile, capable of facing off against almost every type.

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