Summary
- Celestial Guardians brought new decks to the forefront, pushing aside DarkTina duo.
- Unexpected choices like Oricorio emerged as reliable stall options against strong ex cards.
- Promising decks like Crabominable ex & Greninja surged to the top of the meta.
Pokemon TCG Pocket's sixth expansion, Celestial Guardians, quickly shook up the metagame. Soon after its release, the once-dominant DarkTina duo from the previous set saw a sharp decline in usage, while new contenders like the Solgaleo ex & Skarmory combo surged to the top of the PvP charts. Unexpected picks like Oricorio, a tiny, yellow, bird-like Pokemon, also emerged, proving to be one of the most reliable stall options against the game's strongest ex cards. In short, Celestial Guardians deserves to be recognized as one of the most impactful expansions Pokemon TCG Pocket has seen so far.
Pokemon TCG Pocket: 8 Unreleased Item Cards That Could Shake the Meta
These unreleased Item Cards from the physical Pokemon TCG could potentially mend, shake, or break Pokemon TCG Pocket’s metagame if introduced.
Among all the new and emerging decks in the Celestial Guardians era, the following stand out as the most promising. These lineups boast high win rates and notable meta shares and are being used by pro players in competitive tournaments.
The estimated meta share and win rate for each deck are based on recent Pokemon TCG Pocket tournaments tracked by LimitlessTCG. These numbers may vary by the time you read this, as the meta is constantly evolving.
While decks like Giratina ex and Snorlax are popular in the current meta, they've been excluded from this list as they primarily consist of cards from older expansions.
5 Crabominable ex & Greninja
Best Feature: Unexpectedly High Damage
- Current Meta Share: ~ 1%
- Estimated Win Rate: ~ 54%
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One of the unexpected rising stars in Pokemon TCG Pocket' s Celestial Guardians era is the oddball fury crab, Crabominable. On its own, this crustacean might struggle against the meta's top-tier lineups—but when paired with its Water-type ally, Greninja, it becomes a serious threat to nearly any deck.
The combo works in a simple but effective way: the player aims to evolve Crabominable in the Active Spot as early as possible. Meanwhile, on the Bench, they use Pokemon TCG Pocket' s new Item Card, Rare Candy, to quickly evolve Greninja and set up sniping plays early. With two Greninjas and one Crabominable working together, the trio can dish out 120 to 140 damage, which is enough to bring down most of the game's notorious Pokemon.
Crabominable ex and Greninja also benefit from strong synergy with Irida, which has played a key role in their success. Since both Pokemon rely on Water-type Energy, Irida can grant a board-wide HP boost by healing up to 40 damage from each, making the duo noticeably more durable.
4 Decidueye ex & Meowscarada
Best Feature: Low-Risk Burst Damage and Snipping
- Current Meta Share: ~ 2.5%
- Estimated Win Rate: ~ 50%
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Pokemon TCG Pocket' s latest Grass-type stars, Decidueye ex and Meowscarada, have formed a highly tactical duo. Meowscarada targets opposing ex Pokemon with a solid 130 damage to disrupt power plays, while Decidueye ex acts as the deck's main sniper, picking off weaker Pokemon hiding on the Bench.
The Decidueye ex & Meowscarada combo gives players two high-damage attackers across separate evolution lines. The advantage is that Meowscarada, the deck's main frontline Pokemon, is a non-ex card, making it a safer option to lead with. The risk is further reduced thanks to the Leaf Cape, a new Grass-exclusive Pokemon Tool that boosts the HP of the lineup's attackers by 30.
Pokemon TCG Pocket: Best Counter Decks
These counter decks are the best bet for Pokemon TCG Pocket players to go anti-meta and defeat most of the currently dominant setups.
Recent data from Pokemon TCG Pocket' s tournaments shows that the Grass-type deck has surpassed the previous expansion's top performer, Darkrai ex & Giratina ex (DarkTina). However, the duo has faced challenges against the rising Fire-type variants, particularly the new Charizard ex & Incineroar ex setups.
3 Charizard ex & Incineroar ex
Best Feature: Early-Game Disruption and Durability
- Current Meta Share: ~ 7%
- Estimated Win Rate: ~ 52%
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The addition of Rare Candy to Pokemon TCG Pocket has boosted the performance of Stage Two-focused decks, particularly those with one-Energy attacks. Charizard ex & Incineroar ex is a prime example. The deck features two Stage Two Pokemon, each with a primary attack that requires only a single Fire-type Energy.
When Rare Candy is used to accelerate Charizard ex or Incineroar ex's evolutions, they become formidable early-game threats. Charizard ex can quickly charge itself to deliver a massive 150 damage, while Incineroar ex applies the disruptive Burned Special Condition, easily taking out the enemy's early-stage Pokemon.
Pokemon TCG Pocket Decks Enhanced by Triumphant Light
TCG Pocket’s Triumphant Light has been the most impactful miniset so far, elevating several established decks to a dominant position in the meta.
The duo of Charizard ex and Incineroar ex is a high-risk, high-reward setup. By playing two ex Pokemon, the player takes on a significant risk. However, both attackers are durable enough to give the player a chance to finish the game early, which can lead to a sweet reward. Additionally, the new Supporter card, Lillie, offers a substantial HP boost for the team, helping mitigate the risk of having both Charizard ex and Incineroar ex in play at the same time.
2 Solgaleo ex & Skarmory
Best Feature: Easy Setup and Versatility
- Current Meta Share: ~ 7%
- Estimated Win Rate: ~ 50%
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Currently holding one of the largest shares of the metagame, the Solgaleo ex & Skarmory combo is the most popular deck in the Celestial Guardians era. Its success is largely due to versatility, a result of Solgaleo ex's ability. With the Rising Road move, this Legendary Pokemon can swap into the Active Spot regardless of the retreat cost of the current active card.
The Solgaleo ex & Skarmory meta is straightforward: ideally, the player starts with Skarmory and boosts its attack using a Pokemon Tool—typically a Rocky Helmet. This setup lets them counter the opponent's early damage dealers, especially any potential Oricorio plays. Meanwhile, they use Rare Candy to evolve Solgaleo ex on the Bench, which requires just two Energies. Once ready, they utilize Solgaleo ex's ability to bring it into the Active Spot and begin dealing 120 to 140 damage.
Thanks to Skarmory, the deck is also regarded as one of the best counters to Oricorio in Pokemon TCG Pocket. However, it has struggled against the previous expansion's champion, DarkTina. And this could become problematic if the Darkness-Psychic duo doesn't eventually fade from the meta.
1 Magnezone & Oricorio
Best Feature: Anti-Meta Properties
- Current Meta Share: ~ 2.5%
- Estimated Win Rate: ~ 52%
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Some call it a toxic deck, while others consider it one of the best anti-meta decks in Pokemon TCG Pocket. Regardless of the label, the Magnezone and Oricorio duo has one of the highest win rates in the current metagame against dominant lineups, making it a top-tier option for PvP.
Pokemon TCG Pocket: Best Supporter Cards, Ranked
The fan-favorite mobile game has some potent supporter cards to help with Pokemon card battles.
Magnezone enjoyed its time at the top of the meta with the support of Darkrai ex, but it faded when the Psychic-type powerhouse, Giratina ex, took its place in the Shining Revelry era. Now, with Oricorio's new Lightning-type addition to the game, Magnezone is getting a second chance to become a top-tier Pokemon.
Oricorio has proven to be one of the best stallers, and its synergy with Magnezone has been especially rewarding. Given that much of the meta revolves around ex Pokemon and that Rare Candy encourages early ex card plays, Oricorio can effectively become an indestructible wall. Magnezone benefits from this setup, as it can quickly charge itself in its Magneton form and begin dealing 110 to 130.
Of course, the duo isn't without its weaknesses and currently fears Rampardos and Lucario decks. It's also relatively fragile against the Giratina ex & Snorlax combo, though this combination hasn't yet become common in the meta. Regardless, the Magnezone & Oricorio duo remains one of the most promising decks of the new expansion due to its effectiveness against most other lineups.
- Released
- October 30, 2024
- Developer(s)
- DeNA, Creatures Inc.
- Publisher(s)
- The Pokemon Company
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer
- Cross-Platform Play
- Yes
WHERE TO PLAY
Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket lets you easily collect Pokémon cards. Creatures Inc. Has created exciting new visual effects for cards that are only possible digitally.
Pokémon cards, played with by people in 89 countries, are now closer to you than ever!
Enjoy Pokémon cards anytime, anywhere, on your mobile device!
■ You can open packs every day to get cards!
Collect cards every day! You can open two booster packs every day at no cost to collect Pokémon cards featuring heartwarming illustrations from the past as well as all-new cards exclusive to this game.
■ New Pokémon cards!
Immersive cards, a brand-new kind of card, make their debut here! With new illustrations that have a 3D feel, immersive cards will make you feel like you’ve leapt into the world of the card’s illustration!
■ Trade cards with friends!
You can trade certain cards with friends. Use the trade feature to collect even more cards!
■ Show off your collection!
You can use binders or display boards to showcase your cards and share them with the world!
■ Casual battles—alone or with friends!
You can enjoy casual battles during quick breaks in your day! Ranked matches are now available for players who'd like to battle even more.
- Genre(s)
- Digital Card Game
