Pokemon TCG Pocket: Ultimate Anti-Meta Decks To Crush The Competition

Summary

TCG Pocket’s meta has shifted significantly post-Triumphant Light, making anti-meta decks essential.
Decks like Mew ex & Dialga ex and Palkia ex have risen to counter the dominating Arceus ex & Dialga ex lineup.
Rampardos & Lucario’s refined deck has become the most popular anti-meta choice, holding a significant influence.

The mini-set known as Triumphant Light brought about substantial modifications to the metagame of the Pokemon Trading Card Game Pocket. The influence of this expansion is so noticeable that it almost overshadows the impact of the previous mini-set, Mythical Island. Now that the Triumphant Light has instigated significant changes in the PvP landscape, a key question emerges: what strategies can players employ to adapt to the new game dynamics?

Luckily, the Triumphant Light mini-set has given rise to several outstanding anti-meta and counter decks in the annals of Pokemon TCG Pocket, with some standout examples detailed as follows: (These decks are expected to remain effective even after the introduction of the Shining Revelry set.)

List Criteria

As a dedicated gamer, I’ve handpicked these decks meticulously, considering their track records (like tournament showings, popularity within the meta, and matchup stats). To put it simply, I’ve gone for up-and-coming decks that outshine the current top-tier setups. I’ve ranked them in order of their effectiveness from least to most impactful.

The data presented for each deck is collected from recent competitions on the Limitless TCG site, which monitors TCG Pocket tournaments.

5. Mew ex & Dialga ex

Perfect for Countering Unexpected Encounters

Tournament Appearance: ~ 1,000
Meta Share: Less than 1%
Favored Matchup: Exeggutor ex & Celebi ex (67% win rate)

Pokemon	Must-Have Trainers
Mew ex Dialga ex Arceus ex Mew ex Shaymin or Skarmory (optional)	Rocky Helmet Giant Cape Mars Cyrus Leaf Giovanni

In the Mythical Island era, Mew ex was the top tech card. But when Triumphant Light came out, it returned to the meta as a strategy against Arceus ex’s rule. This setup is special because it resembles the Arceus ex & Dialga ex combination, with the main difference being the addition of Mew ex.

With the Genome Hack ability, Mew’s special skill allows it to mimic an opponent’s moves using three Colorless Energy. This gives the player the chance to occasionally replicate the enemy’s strongest attack, like Arceus’ Ultimate Force, before the opponent gets a chance to execute it themselves.

It’s important to mention that decks featuring Mew ex and Dialga ex have been dominating in matches against the popular decks from the last expansion. As a result, they’ve shown exceptional performance against decks such as Charizard ex, Moltres ex, Exeggutor ex, Celebi ex, Darkrai ex, and Magnezone.

4. Palkia ex & Origin Forme Palkia

An Easy-to-Draw Setup for a Fast Build-up

Tournament Appearance: ~ 5,500
Meta Share: ~ 3%
Favored Matchup: Gallade ex (70% win rate)

Pokemon	Must-Have Trainers
Manaphy Palkia ex Origin Forme Palkia	Misty Leaf Cyrus Irida Giant Cape Rocky Helmet

An unexpected duo that surfaced following Triumphant Light’s release was pairing Palkia ex with its Origin Forme. The strategy here is simple: the player accelerates either Palkia ex or Origin Forme Palkia using Manaphy, all while utilizing Zone Energy to boost the other. But what sets this deck apart as a counter to the current meta is the addition of a novel Supporter card – Irida.

In the Palkia ex & Origin Forme Palkia deck, Irida plays a vital part. She offers the game board up to 160 points of HP, thus prolonging the active duration of your damage dealer by at least one more round. This is particularly crucial for Palkia ex as it has an Energy-discarding effect, increasing the chances of being defeated if its initial strike fails to defeat the opponent. However, with Irida’s assistance, Palkia ex can absorb one additional hit and hopefully continue dealing damage after a round or two.

When it comes to battles, the combination of Palkia in its Ex and Origin Form has been a top choice against decks featuring Arceus ex and Dialga ex. In fact, data from recent Pokémon duels shows that this Water-type pairing wins approximately 54% of matches against these dominant duos. However, it’s not just limited to that; it has also shown great resilience against Leafeon ex & Celebi ex (winning around 61.5% of the time) and Articuno ex’s 18-Trainer decks, with a win rate of about 55.5%.

In the present game scenario, an advantage of utilizing Palkia ex and Origin Forme Palkia decks lies in the reduced impact of threats from Lightning-type Pokemon. This is because the popularity of Lightning decks has waned following the release of the A2a mini-set.

3. Palkia ex (18-Trainer)

A Basic Strategy with Incredible Consistency

Tournament Appearance: ~ 5,500
Meta Share: ~ 3%
Favored Matchup: Rampardos & Lucario (57% win rate)

Pokemon	Must-Have Trainers
Palkia ex	Misty Cyrus Sabrina Irida Giovanni Rocky Helmet Giant Cape

The Water-themed deck in the Pokemon TCG Pocket version is gaining popularity due to the inclusion of Irida. One deck that has maximized this new Supporter’s potential is the 18-Trainer Palkia ex configuration. It employs Irida to stall the Active Palkia ex, while using Misty to boost it.

Thus far, Palkia’s 18-Trainer deck has been unbeatable against most Grass-type decks, including the latest Leafeon ex and Celebi ex partnership, boasting a victory rate of approximately 60%. However, it has faced challenges when going up against Arceus ex and Dialga ex, the leading deck in the mini-set. Moreover, Palkia’s performance hasn’t been optimal against Magnezone teams due to its vulnerability to Electric-type Pokemon.

2. Gallade ex & Hitmonlee

A Budget Counter for the New Meta

Tournament Appearance: ~ 6,000
Meta Share: ~3%
Favored Matchup: Dialga ex & Arceus ex (61% win rate)

Pokemon	Must-Have Trainers
Ralts Kirlia Gallade ex Hitmonlee Marshadow	Cyrus Mars Sabrina Rocky Helmet

Without Arceus ex’s vulnerability to Fighting-type Pokemon, Gallade ex might have faced difficulties in becoming a top contender. Yet, players are coupling this card with the highly effective sniper from the previous expansion, Hitmonlee, to thwart all Arceus ex strategies. This tactic appears to be successful, as Gallade ex & Hitmonlee decks have a 55% victory rate against both Arceus ex and Dialga ex. Moreover, these combinations have also shown effectiveness against four other prominent decks: Charizard ex & Moltres ex, Leafeon ex & Celebi ex, Darkrai ex & Magnezone, as well as a few others.

Even though the Gallade ex & Hitmonlee combination is ranked second in terms of counter decks within the Triumphant Light meta, it has shown a significant weakness against two 18-Trainer decks: Articuno ex and Palkia ex. This weakness stems from Gallade ex being an evolutionary Stage Two Pokemon, making it difficult to evolve on the Bench. In essence, quick decks such as the 18-Trainer Articuno ex and Palkia ex can swiftly eliminate the pre-evolved forms before they can transform into Gallade ex, causing damage.

1. Rampardos & Lucario (Refined)

The New Meta-Destroyer Lineup

Tournament Appearance: ~ 18,000
Meta Share: ~ 10%
Favored Matchup: Dialga ex & Arceus ex (60% win rate)

Pokemon	Must-Have Trainers
Cranidos Rampardos Riolu Lucario Sudowoodo Marshadow	Skull Fossil Sabrina Cyrus Pokemon Communication

In Triumphant Light’s competitive scene, the Rampardos and Lucario deck stands out as an effective counter to dominant strategies, earning the title of the second most commonly used deck, trailing only Arceus ex & Dialga ex. This is a remarkable shift, as it marks the first time a strategy designed specifically to combat another meta deck has gained such widespread popularity in PvP.

The new Rampardos and Lucario decks have an impressive edge over the current meta, thanks to the inclusion of Sudowoodo. This Fighting-type Pokemon allows players to inflict 70 damage onto Arceus ex with a single Energy card. If a player has two Lucario cards in play, they can boost this damage up to an astounding 110. And if they also use Giovanni, the damage soars to 120.

2025-03-28 03:55