Pokémon TCG Pocket presents an entirely new way to get hooked on Pokémon cards—and the first expansion set is overflowing with incredible cards.
To help you build the best decks possible, we’ve picked the best Genetic Apex cards in Pokémon TCG Pocket to keep an eye out for when you’re ripping packs, including both Pokémon and Trainers.
Best Pokémon cards from Genetic Apex
Before we talk about the best cards, it’s important to highlight the differences between the regular Pokémon Trading Card Game and Pokémon TCG Pocket. They’re incredibly different in terms of competitively viable cards and deck-building.
Cards that are powerful in Pokémon TCG Pocket need to be both Energy efficient and strong, as Pocket only provides one Energy token per turn during a match.
Whereas a typical Charizard deck in the standard Pokémon TCG might have moves that require four or five Energy without causing any issues, for example, a Pocket deck simply does not have the time for this and thrives with more Energy-efficient cards.
Some cards can speed up Energy generation, but the 20-card decks and streamlined style of play mean that the best Pocket cards can get off the ground quickly while providing extra perks and buffs for your other cards in the process.
Alakazam
Besides being one of the best-looking cards in Genetic Apex, this Alakazam offers heaps of potential damage output without being too costly—and the Retreat Cost isn’t too high, either.
Psychic costs one Psychic Energy and two Colorless Energy, and it deals 60 damage, plus an extra 30 damage for each Energy attached to your opponent’s Active Pokémon.
This is a potential one-shot in the late stages of a match, meaning it’s worth swapping in if your opponent is working on setting up a heavy-hitting Stage Two Pokémon with high-demand attacks.
The fact that Alakazam only has one specific Energy requirement is useful, too, meaning a multi-Energy deck won’t cause it to struggle. If you’re running a multi-type deck, your Energy generation will alternate between turns, giving you one Psychic and one Grass,
Articuno ex
Articuno ex is arguably the most impressive out of the Legendary birds currently in Pocket, thanks to its high HP and combination of useful attacks.
Ice Wing is a fairly standard attack, but Blizzard hits hard and doubles up as a Bench multi-attack, dealing 80 damage to the front-line critter and 10 to each backline Benched Pokémon.
Articuno ex can be found in most Starmie ex decks, usually alongside Frosmoth, but it also works as a standalone tank.
Gardevoir
In the standard Pokémon TCG, Gardevoir offers exceptional Energy draw and control, and the Pocket iteration is no different.
The Psy Shadow ability kicks in once every turn, allowing you to pick up one Psychic Energy from your Energy zone and put it on your Active Pokémon. This doesn’t have to be Gardevoir, meaning you can use this card to set itself up or assist an ally instead.
On top of this, Gardevoir is decently durable with 110 HP, and it can deal 60 damage apiece, too. It’s not the hardest-hitting Psychic-type in the game by any means, but it’s currently unmatched in terms of its utility and potential with deck-building,
The downside of relying on Stage Two Pokémon in Pokémon TCG Pocket is having to evolve them—which takes more time—but the power and utility here are worth the wait. Put a tanky Pokémon in your Active Position to give yourself time to evolve Gardevoir safely.
Greninja
In a similar vein to Gardevoir, Greninja is very reminiscent of its typical Pokémon TCG counterparts. It’s decently durable and offers both standard damage and Bench sniping capabilities.
Mist Slash deals 60 damage, only requiring two Energy up front. One of the Energy tokens required here is Colorless, meaning you can slot Greninja into various decks without worrying about not being able to get the necessary resources.
The Water Shuriken ability kicks in once per turn, allowing you to hit one of your opponent’s Pokémon for 20 damage. Theoretically, you could use this to snipe an enemy’s Basic Pokémon and get an easy point without ever tackling the Active Pokémon.
Misty
Out of the Trainers in Genetic Apex, Misty stands out as one of the most effective thanks to her Energy movement ability.
To use this card, you select one of your Water-type Pokémon. Then, you flip a coin until you get tails—for every heads, you can take a Water Energy from the Energy Zone and attach it to the selected Water-type Pokémon.
Lady Luck willing, this is an exceptional way to bring an Energy-demanding Pokémon into your Active Spot with purpose. Additionally, Pokémon like Lapras, which deal extra damage for additional Energy attached to them, can benefit significantly from this card.
Moltres ex
With a striking rainbow border and dynamic design, this card is one for the collectors. It’s one for the players, too, as it offers some serious value in matches.
Inferno Dance lets you flip three coins when using it. For each heads, you take a Fire Energy from the Energy Zone and stick it to any of your Benched Pokémon.
Thanks to its tanky 140 HP, Moltres ex is sturdy enough to take a few hits, meaning this card is an effective way to set up your Bench.
Heat Blast also deals a comfortable 70 damage for just one specific Energy alongside two Colorless Energy. Despite being a rare ex Pokémon, Moltres ex is surprisingly versatile in terms of what decks you can build with it.
Starmie ex
Starmie ex might seem like a random addition to this list, but it’s currently one of the most impressive cards in Pocket, especially when paired with Articuno ex.
One of Starmie’s strengths is its lack of a Retreat Cost. In the standard Pokémon TCG, this wouldn’t be as exciting, but in Pocket, not having to lose Energy is immensely valuable as it’s much more of a rare resource.
Starmie ex also has Hydro Splash, which deals a mighty 90 damage and only costs two Energy. For most Pokémon currently in Pocket, dealing 90 damage would require at least three Energy or be reliant on coin flips.
Victreebel
Finally, this Victreebel is like Boss’s Orders, but slightly more useful. It has a two-Energy attack called Vine Whip, which deals 60 damage apiece. It only requires one specific type of Energy, making it viable for multi-type decks.
The Fragrance Trap ability is the star of the show. Kicking in once per turn when Victreebel is in the Active Position, it allows the user to switch in an opponent’s Benched ‘mon to the Active Spot.
The competitive viability here is high, allowing for the potential use of the game’s weaknesses and resistances to one-shot a weaker opponent.
When you’re deck-building in Pokémon TCG Pocket, make sure to keep your types in mind and build around your most energy-efficient heavy-hitters. There are plenty of routes to take when building quick and deadly decks.
