M Alzamora 
Pokemon TCG Pocket players spent the first month of the game figuring out the best decks, but Mythical Island may upend the current meta.
Competitive battling is one of the main components of Pokemon TCG Pocket. The simplified system it uses relative to the original Pokemon TCG made it so some combinations quickly stood out as superior. The best competitive Genetic Apex decks include the brutal Mewtwo ex and Gardevoir deck and Pikachu ex deck. Also near the top of the meta have been the easier-to-build Articuno ex and Starmie ex deck, and the risky Charizard ex and Moltres ex deck. New cards from the Mythical Island set could boost some established decks while providing effective counters to others.
While it will take some time for a full meta to form, Mythical Island offers a few stand-out options for best decks, if players have the right cards.
Celebi ex and Serperior deck
The Celebi ex and Serperior cards work together in a similar fashion to Mewtwo ex and Gardevoir, just with grass-type Pokemon rather than psychic. Celebi ex relies on coin flips to do damage, with each additional grass energy providing another coin. Although potentially powerful, there’s plenty of chance involved here.
Serperior has a passive ability called Jungle Totem that turns each grass energy attached to Pokemon on its side of the field into two grass energies. Using the two in tandem lets Celebi build up a hoard of grass energy and help it beat the odds of the coin. With enough energy cards and average-or-better luck, it can knock out anything in the game with one move.
Serperior provides a similar benefit to Venusaur ex, which needs four grass energy but can deal massive damage. Players who want to see this deck in action before trying it out can check out the new Mythical Island solo battles.
- Celebi ex x2
- Snivy x2
- Servine x2
- Serperior x2
- Pokeball x2
- Professor’s Research x2
- Potion x2
- Erika x2
- Leaf x2
- Sabrina x2
Vaporeon and Misty deck
Misty is well-known among Pokemon TCG Pocket players for being a menace, and the new Mythical Island expansion may make her even worse. Playing Misty lets the player flip a coin and attach water energy to a selected Pokemon until it lands on tails.
In Genetic Apex, this let her power up one Pokemon. However, Vaporeon’s new card has a passive ability called Wash Out. This lets players move a water energy from a benched Pokemon to their active Pokemon. In turn, this means Misty can boost up an entire team rather than just a single Pokemon.
Importantly, this deck only works with the Vaporeon from Mythical Island. Genetic Apex’s Vaporeon lacks Wash Out.
While there are a number of ways to add Vaporeon and Misty to a water deck, the two are an especially good addition to the already overpowered Starmie ex/Articuno ex deck. Misty is already essential for Articuno, and Vaporeon can power up both ex cards.
- Eevee x2
- Vaporeon x2
- Staryu x2
- Starmie ex x2
- Articuno ex x2
- Pokeball x2
- Professor’s Research x2
- Potion x2
- Misty x2
- Sabrina x2
Mew ex is a strong add-in to multiple decks
From the moment it was revealed, players have been talking about Mew ex’s move Genome Hacking. With three energy of any type, Mew ex can choose a move from the opponent’s Active Pokemon and use it. The opposing Pokemon doesn’t need to have enough energy to attack, either.
While not necessarily enough to base an entire meta deck around, Mew ex is best used as a powerful counter. If players turn off the deck’s Psychic energy, it can easily be added into any lineup. This is a game changer against Pokemon like Charizard, who have to discard energy when they want to use their main move. Meanwhile, unless Mew ex is in a fire deck, it can keep all of its energy. Players should anticipate seeing Mew ex make its way into “best Pokemon TCG Pocket deck” lists far beyond Mythical Island.
Anyone looking to build up a potential best deck from Mythical Island cards should be prepared to spend a lot of time pulling from packs. Mew ex and Celebi ex are two of the rarest cards in the set, and Vaporeon isn’t a most common pull either.
Will any of these new decks based around Mythical Island be able to beat out the Mewtwo ex or Articuno ex decks? Time, and a lot of trial and error, will tell.
