Bellibolt ex
Pack Points – 500
Since many top decks use Bellibolt ex to great effect, it makes sense that new ex cards are going to dominate the list of any given set release. For Paldean Wonders, Bellibolt ex has come in to shake things up, and can get set up really quickly to deal 140 damage.
Decks using Beliibolt ex benefit from tempo-based items and tutors, so you can quickly evolve your Tadbulb into Bellibolt EX and start cranking out 140 damage consistently.
The only real downside is that it costs 500 pack points (along with the other exs), so if you don’t pull any, it might be a long road until you can earn the points to buy one copy.
Electric Generator
Pack Points – 70
A staple of any lightning-based deck, Electric Generator will help your tempo considerably. Adapted directly from the TCG proper with modifications for Pocket, this card was introduced in the Scarlet & Violet era.
It reads: “Flip a coin. If heads, take a (lighting) energy from your Energy Zone and attach it to one of your benched (lightning) Pokemon.”
It’s as simple as you get, and specialization cards can be extremely strong, especially given that Bellibolt ex is a current meta card. Plus, 70 pack points isn’t too pricey: If you don’t pull these naturally, you can spend a cool 140 points to get a full playset.
Chien-Pao ex
Pack Points – 500
Chien-Pao ex is a fantastic starter for any deck, since it’s an incredibly strong basic Pokémon that can get started immediately. It can poke enemies for 20 damage or deal 130 outright to any of your opponent’s Pokémon for three (water) energy, though you have to discard all the water energy attached to it.
That said, one key stat for Chien-Pao ex is its low retreat cost of one. Some decks can benefit from using the Inflatable Boat Pokémon Tool, which can attach to any (water) Pokémon to decrease their retreat cost by one.
Gholdengo ex
Pack Points – 500
Much to my delight as a fan of this String Cheese-like Pokémon, Gholdengo ex is in Pocket, and it’s been used pretty heavily at many levels of play. It has a simple one-energy ability called Spending Rush:
“1 of your opponent’s Pokémon is chosen at random for each (steel) energy attached to this Pokémon. For each time a Pokémon was chosen, do 40 damage to it.”
Gholdengo ex has some synergy, too: you can also use the Metal Core Barrier Pokémon Tool to take 50 less damage (albeit for one turn). Metal Core Barrier can be found in Fantastical Parade packs.
Meowscarada ex
Pack Points – 500
Ex cards continue to dominate the list, but this time, a starter Pokémon is getting into the mix. You’ll need to evolve the Meowscarada through Sprigatito and Floragato, but once you do, it’s a beast.
For one grass energy, you can choose a spot from among your opponent’s active spot and bench, and deal 70 damage to it at the end of their next turn. Plus, solar beam for 80 damage and two grass energy isn’t too shabby.
The idea here is similar to a lot of other sniping strategies: take out weak Pokémon on your opponent’s bench. Since there’s a smaller bench in the TCG compared to the physical game, it’s not as effective as it could have been, but 160 HP is pretty sturdy and should give you time to take out three Pokémon for the win.
Armarouge ex
Pack Points – 500
Finally, we’re onto an ex Pokémon that has a passive ability. Armarouge sports the armor ability, which lets it take 30 less damage from attacks across the board. Unless you’re in a weakness-based matchup with water, Armarogue can command the board here, as many Pokémon in TCG Pocket can’t deal large swaths of damage until they’re fully set up.
Use Boss’ Orders here to swap in weaker Pokémon on your opponent’s side, and steadily deal 120 damage by refueling Armarogue to use Armor Cannon. It goes without saying that Flame Patch can really help Armararouge replenish its energy while simultaneously building up your bench, and Rocky Helmet can add some thorn damage to your tankiness.
Arven
Pack Points – 70
Although Arven isn’t quite as good as his physical TCG counterpart (which allows you to search for an item card and a tool), this version is still pretty consistent. In TCG Pocket, you’ll flip a coin. With heads, you’ll put a random item card from your deck into your hand. With tails, you’ll put a Pokémon Tool card from your deck into your hand.
If you build your deck accordingly, it’s a win-win. You’ll be able to fetch useful cards whenever you need them, and there’s no random chance that you’ll fail and get nothing. Two copies is a great idea for decks that use both item types, and 70 pack points helps make picking it up that much easier.
Skeledirge
Pack Points – 150
Skeledirge is a very impactful card, and although it may not be as popular as some of the ex choices, it’s still a three-stage starter Pokémon with a pretty damaging ability.
Once per turn, you can discard one (fire) energy from it to use its ability, which makes attacks used by your fire Pokémon do 50 more damage to your opponent’s active Pokémon. Since it only needs two energy to use its 70 damage Heat Crash ability, you can essentially get it up to 120 for three energy.
Flame Patch can help you power up this ability while you tank damage with 150HP. Just know that, like many ex cards, you’ll need to build up from Fuecoco to Skeledirge. Rare Candies to skip a step help, and many decks in TCG Pocket don’t even run the stage 1 evolution of Crocalor.
Pawmot
Pack Points – 100
Pawmot is a very simple deck that takes advantage of some of the lightning-based tools that were provided in TCG Pocket with the Paldean Wonders set.
You’ll need to evolve it from Pawmi into Pawmo (and finally Pawmot), and/or utilize Rare Candies to get the job done. Once you’re there, you can consistently deal 100 lightning damage for two energy, which is a great trade. Replenishing its energy is fairly easy, as this Pokémon serves as an early game tempo machine and a closer in some cases.
Baxcalibur
Pack Points – 150
Baxcalibur is in, and although it has a pretty hefty retreat cost of three energy, it can deal a lot of damage before it goes down, or even win games. Once during your turn, you can use its ability to take a water energy from the energy zone and attach it to the water Pokémon in the active spot.
This can be used on the bench and can help set up your team consistently in just about every game. You can also attach that water energy to Baxcalibur, which grants you access to the 90-damage Buster Tail attack for three energy.
No matter what strategy you use in Pokémon TCG Pocket, there are a lot of options for you in the Paldean Wonders set. Consider building a deck around a few cards you open, and get the last tools you need through Pack Points.
- Released
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October 30, 2024
- Developer(s)
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DeNA, Creatures Inc.
- Publisher(s)
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The Pokemon Company
- Multiplayer
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Online Multiplayer
- Cross-Platform Play
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Yes
- Cross Save
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Yes