Top 5 Decks according to a TCG Pro | Pokémon TCG Pocket

Summary

In this video, Andrew Mahone, a competitive Pokémon TCG player and regional champion, reviews his top five decks for Pokémon TCG Pocket. He highlights the strengths and synergies of each deck, including Pikachu EX, Mewtwo EX with Gardevoir, Charizard EX, Blaine's Ninetales & Rapidash, and Articuno EX with Starmie EX. Mahone shares his insights on strategies, key cards, and how these decks can excel in competitive play. Whether you're new to the game or an experienced player, this video offers valuable tips for building and optimizing decks in the current meta.

Takeaways

• 😀 Andrew Mahone is a world-class Pokemon Trading Card Game player and Regional champion who is sharing his top five competitive decks for Pokémon TCG Pocket.
• 😀 The video highlights the top five decks without ranking them from best to worst, as they are all considered competitive and tournament-worthy.
• 😀 Pikachu EX is a popular deck, known for its Circle Circuit attack that deals 30 damage per bench Lightning Pokémon, allowing for consistent early game pressure.
• 😀 Pikachu EX pairs well with Zapdos EX for consistency and Raichu as a powerful finisher, utilizing Lieutenant Surge to move energy onto Raichu for a big Thunderbolt attack.
• 😀 Mewtwo EX with Gardevoir is another top deck, with Mewtwo using its Side Drive attack for strong knockouts, while Gardevoir's Shadow ability helps power up Mewtwo.
• 😀 A key strategy in the Mewtwo EX deck is focusing on only using Mewtwo EX and Ralts for better consistency, avoiding other basics like Meowth.
• 😀 Charizard EX, known for its powerful Crimson Storm attack, is the centerpiece of a deck that uses Moltres EX to accelerate energy with its Inferno Dance attack.
• 😀 The Charizard EX deck is streamlined by only using Charmander and Moltres as basic Pokémon, with the goal of powering up Charizard quickly while protecting key Pokémon with fossils.
• 😀 Blaine's Ninetales and Rapidash deck is budget-friendly yet competitive, relying on Blaine and Giovanni to boost damage and maintain pressure with Rapidash and Ninetales.
• 😀 Articuno EX with Starmie EX is another competitive deck, with Starmie EX acting as the primary attacker. Misty supports the deck by allowing extra energy attachment, giving flexibility for powerful attacks.
• 😀 The Articuno and Starmie deck benefits from Misty's ability to break the game's energy attachment rules, allowing for faster setup and consistency even when behind.
• 😀 Andrew Mahone streams competitive TCG gameplay daily on Twitch, and uploads the streams to the Tricky Jim VODs YouTube channel, where viewers can watch his full gameplay.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the video?

The video focuses on reviewing the top five competitive decks for the Pokémon Trading Card Game: Pocket, highlighting their strengths, strategies, and synergy between cards.

Why is Pikachu EX considered one of the most popular decks?

Pikachu EX is popular due to its consistent performance, low-cost attacks, and high damage output early in the game, especially with its Circle Circuit attack that can deal up to 90 damage as early as the second turn.

Which Pokémon partners are recommended for Pikachu EX?

The recommended partners for Pikachu EX are Zapdos EX and Raichu. Zapdos EX is useful as a sturdy Pokémon with a low Retreat cost, while Raichu serves as a powerful finisher, particularly in mirror matchups.

What is the role of Lieutenant Surge in the Pikachu EX deck?

Lieutenant Surge allows you to move all lightning energy from your bench Pokémon to your Raichu, facilitating quick setup for its Thunderbolt attack and enabling a game-winning play.

What makes the Mewtwo EX and Gardevoir deck effective?

This deck is effective because Gardevoir's Shadow ability helps power up Mewtwo EX's Side Drive attack, enabling consistent back-to-back high-damage attacks, leading to powerful knockouts.

Why is it important to limit Basic Pokémon in the Mewtwo EX deck?

Limiting Basic Pokémon to just Mewtwo EX and Ralts increases the deck's consistency by ensuring that you draw key cards needed for the main strategy and avoids clogging the deck with unnecessary Pokémon.

What synergy does Charizard EX have in its deck?

Charizard EX relies on Moltres EX for energy acceleration, using Moltres's Inferno Dance attack to attach Fire energy to the bench, enabling Charizard EX to use its powerful Crimson Storm attack.

How does Blaine, Ninetales, and Rapidash work together in their deck?

Blaine, Ninetales, and Rapidash form a synergistic combo that maximizes damage. Blaine boosts the damage of Fire-type Pokémon, allowing Rapidash to hit hard with cheap attacks and Ninetales to deal substantial damage with Flamethrower.

What makes the Articuno EX and Starmie EX deck unique?

The Articuno EX and Starmie EX deck is unique due to Starmie EX's ability to deal early pressure with its Hydro Splash attack, and Articuno EX's Blizzard attack that spreads damage across the opponent's bench, in combination with Misty's supporter card for energy acceleration.

How does Misty support the Articuno EX and Starmie EX deck?

Misty allows you to flip coins to attach Water energy from your energy zone to your Pokémon. This accelerates energy attachment, helping Articuno EX and Starmie EX build up their attacks quickly, even with the risk of Misty's 50% failure rate.

What is the advantage of using fossils in some of these decks?

Fossils are used to protect key Pokémon on the bench, like Ralts or Charmander, from being targeted by the opponent's Sabrina, making it harder for them to disrupt your strategy.