Pokémon TCG Pocket: best common cards

These are the top-tier common cards in Pokémon TCG Pocket

Pokémon TCG Pocket / The Pokémon Company

While everyone is saving up their pack points in the hopes of finally getting Mewtwo EX or Gardevoir to complete their decks, the cards they really need might already be in their collections. Rare cards aren’t the only strong ones in Pokémon TCG Pocket and you can build something strong mostly using common cards. Here are the best common cards in TCG Pocket.

Caterpie

Pokémon TCG Pocket / The Pokémon Company

The main weakness of the Venusaur EX deck is that if you don’t pull an Ivysaur or Venusaur when you need it, then you lose on the spot. Caterpie patches up this weakness with Find A Friend, which pulls a random Grass-type from your deck. It can pull you out of some tough spots, and if you got the Butterfree cards from taking part in the Lapras EX event, then you can heal up your team later on.

Read more: Pokémon TCG Pocket meta deck tier list

Petilil/Lilligant

Pokémon TCG Pocket / The Pokémon Company

Lilligant is one of the best cards in TCG Pocket, and it’s also very common in all Genetic Apex packs. It’s an energy generator, meaning you can double the amount of Grass-type energy you can attach each turn when Lilligant is in the active spot. This is perfect for setting up Venusaur EX in the back, and with its respectable 100HP, it can tank a few early-game hits. It also only has one retreat cost, and needs just two energy to reach its full power.

Blitzle/Zebstrika

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These are great supporters for Electric-type decks, including the fearsome Pikachu EX, which is top of our meta deck tier list. Zebstrika requires just one energy to attack, and also only costs one energy to retreat, and it’s perfect for cleaning up in the end game. It can do 30 damage to any of your opponent’s Pokémon, even those on the bench, so you can snipe the K.O. on Pokémon your opponent is trying to protect to grab the win.

Hitmonlee

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Hitmonlee functions the same as Zebstrika, though it’s a little easier to set up, and a little weaker. As a single-stage Pokémon, you can get it set up on your first turn, but it can only hit Pokémon on the bench. This means your opponent can protect its weaker Pokémon by putting it in the active, whereas Zebstrika can still hit it directly.

Clobbopus/Grapploct

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Grapploct is difficult to play, but if you can position it well, it can stop your opponent in their tracks. Its attack Knock Back not only does 70 damage, but forces your opponent to switch Pokémon. This means that they can’t set up Pokémon on the bench, unless they want to risk an early K.O. The weakness is that it needs three energy to get going, and your opponent might get their sweeper set up by then.

Ekans/Arbok

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Arbok is part of a particularly scary poison block archetype when used with Weezing. Arbok’s ability Corner not only does 60 damage, but it prevents your opponent from switching on the next turn. This can trap a weakened Pokémon in the active spot, meaning it can’t switch out to protect it from the K.O.

Koffing/Weezing

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As mentioned above, Weezing works particularly well with Arbok in a strategy that involves switching frequently. Weezing’s ability Gas Leak allows it to poison the Pokémon in the Active Spot, while still allowing it to retreat into Arbok to Corner. Poison deals 20 damage per turn, and can’t be healed unless the Pokémon is moved to the bench. It’s a very difficult strategy with a lot of positioning, but a good strategy if you only have common cards.

Meowth

Pokémon TCG Pocket / The Pokémon Company

Meowth is one of the strongest common cards in the game, and fits well on every team. It requires just one energy, and the move Pay Day to deal a little damage and allow you to draw an extra card. Given that people run two Professor’s Research in every deck, drawing an extra card per turn is extremely valuable, especially as you can’t deck out in TCG Pocket. Just be careful of Red Cards, which ruin the strategy.