Gengar’s Surprise Rise: How a ‘Fringe’ Pokemon TCG Pocket Card Dominated the Tournament Scene

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Summary

  • Gengar has risen to the top decks in Pokemon TCG Pocket after a recent tournament.
  • Gengar’s Asleep effect allows for potential double damage output.
  • Despite challenges, Gengar’s success hints at diverse competitive strategies in the meta.

In a significant Pokemon Trading Card Game (TCG) tournament, Gengar has managed to establish itself as one of the top decks. This Pokemon has faced challenges ever since the introduction of the Genetic Apex expansion for the Pokemon TCG Pocket, often failing to prove effective in both Player versus Player (PvP) and competitive gameplay.

Despite the debut of Pokemon TCG Pocket’s Triumphant Light featuring a fresh Gengar variant, the Pokemon didn’t see much action in the competitive scene. Many players considered Gengar A2a 033 as a marginal card, due to its Stage 2 status and relatively low damage output of 70. However, a recent tournament outcome suggests that this version could develop into a game-defining card within its archetype.

In a $10,000 tournament boasting over 2,800 competitors, a player known as HydraPika steered a Gengar deck to a fourth-place finish in the Swiss rounds, before being knocked out. Remarkably, this non-ex version of Gengar hadn’t previously garnered such success, sparking curiosity within the Pokémon TCG community. On Reddit, analysts have pointed out that it could be the Asleep condition triggered by Gengar A2a 033 in ‘Pokemon TCG Pocket’ that is responsible for the deck’s sudden rise to prominence.

Fans Theorize Why Gengar A2a 033 Is Suddenly Meta

As a devoted Pokémon Trainer, I’ve noticed an intriguing discussion among fellow gamers about the tricky nature of Gengar A2a 033, particularly its Asleep effect. They claim that this sleepy state can potentially double the impact of its 70-damage attack, striking twice before my opponent even gets a chance to react. Essentially, they believe that Gengar’s Triumphant Light variant isn’t just dishing out 70 damage, but a formidable 140!

However, they also highlighted some factors that can disrupt its damage output, such as the unpredictable coin flip following Gengar’s attack or my opponent’s strategic use of Pokemon Center Lady to eliminate the Asleep condition. Some even attribute Gengar’s recent victories to the new Item card in Pokémon TCG Pocket, Rare Candy, which boosts its evolution speed, transforming Gengar into a Stage 1 Pokémon.

HydraPika’s deck, which was eliminated from Ursiiday’s $10,000 tournament, has two important backup attackers: Oricorio A3 077 and Tapu Lele A3 084. These cards were first introduced in the Pokemon TCG Pocket’s Celestial Guardians set and play significant roles in enhancing Gengar’s gameplan. Oricorio serves as a retaliation attacker, jumping in to deal the final blows when the primary attacker has been defeated. Meanwhile, Tapu Lele is a potent counter to the Giratina ex and Darkrai ex strategies, inflicting heavy damage on Pokemon that accumulate energy rapidly.

Regardless of the introduction of anti-expansion cards such as Oricorio in the latest metagame of Pokemon TCG Pocket, Giratina EX continues to have a strong grip over the PvP scene. At present, it appears that Gengar may not establish itself as a consistent or top-tier deck foundation. However, its recent victories offer hope to enthusiasts, indicating that competitive decks do not always require cards that strictly adhere to the meta and define it.

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2025-05-19 10:44