Basic Pokemon are essential for any Pokemon TCG Pocket strategy. At the start of every match, you are guaranteed at least one Basic Pokemon in your hand to get you going. While some Basics are necessary to climb into stronger Evolutions, others can hold their own by themselves.
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These cards are incredibly useful since many of them can be used to start attacking as soon as possible. In a game where the first person to land a blow can gain an immediate advantage, it is good to have an idea of which Basic Pokemon are going to put in the most legwork toward acquiring points.
10
Lickitung
Just Keep Hitting
Lickitung is a strong Basic Pokemon since it has the potential to knock out any Pokemon in one hit. Like Misty, this card is a coin flip card with no cap. This means you don’t stop flipping until you hit tails.
Of course, this also means that the ceiling for how much damage you can do is through the roof. At 60 damage per heads, four is all you need to knock out the most powerful Pokemon in the game. However, with no base damage, you also run the risk of doing nothing.
9
Jinx
Punish Energy Hoarders
Believe it or not, Jinx has the potential to be one of the strongest basic Pokemon in Pokemon TCG Pocket. This is because this card’s damage output scales with the amount of Energy your opponent has on their Pokemon plus 30 for the base damage.
With a Retreat Cost of one and Psychic only costing two Energy to perform, this Move can be set up quickly if your opponent is trying to use Energy acceleration. So, if they end up overstepping or getting too many good coin flips on Moltres or Misty, this greed will prove their undoing.
8
Pinsir
The Basic Pokemon Killer
Pinsir follows the same rules as Marowak ex. You get two coin flips, and each time, it does major damage. Pinsir is such a good Grass Pokemon because you don’t need to Evolve it to get this effect.
For two Energy, Double Horn has the potential to do up to 100 damage. This will knock out most Basic Pokemon that don’t have the HP of an ex card. This card also has 90 HP and can benefit from Erika and Butterfree for extra healing.
7
Kangaskhan
The Old One Two
Kangaskhan is a beefy Basic Pokemon with a strong punch. While technically weaker than Pinsir, it has more HP and only requires one Energy to start throwing punches around. Dizzy Punch lets you flip two coins, and for each heads, you do 30 damage.
This can do a maximum of 60 damage and, with a few lucky flips, gains you a lead in the game early on. Kangaskhan is also Colorless, so it can be splashed around into any deck that you want to try running it in.
6
Magmar
Stoke The Flames
Magmar does 50 damage for two Energy, which is a nightmare for Grass-types, and will deal with most of the Steel-types in one hit due to weakness. However, what makes Magmar such an aggressive Fire-type is that it is compatible with Blaine.
This gives Magmar 30 extra damage, and it’s the only Basic Pokemon that can take advantage of this effect without having to Evolve first. Even without using Blaine, Magmar is capable of sending many other Basic Pokemon to the discard pile before they can reach their final form.
5
Farfetch’d
A Consistent Hitter
Many aggressive decks use Farfetch’d because it is a Colorless Pokemon that can coexist with any type of Energy. While it may only have one move, Leek Slap does 40 damage for only one Energy, which is the most damage you can do at such a low and flexible cost.
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This is why Farfetch’d is a fantastic card to see in your opening hand since it immediately lets you start smacking your opponent for 40 damage as soon as you get some Energy on it.
4
Hitmonlee
Kick The Bench Early
Hitmonlee is a strong Basic Pokemon because it is easy to set up and start attacking with. All it takes to start using Stretch Kick is one Energy. So if you have it in your opening hand and get it in the Active Spot right away, your opponent’s Bench is immediately in trouble.
There are so many powerful Pokemon that start off with 60 HP Basic forms. These are the ones that your opponent wants to keep safe. However, if they cannot draw into the right Evolutions in time, Hitmonlee can do away with many of them in only two hits, thus preventing them from getting their board to full power.
3
Zapdos Ex
The Power Of Thunder
Most Pokemon in the game have only one move to use. This keeps the game simple. However, Zapdos ex has two moves it can use. Peck can do 20 damage for only one Energy in the early game, while Thundering Hurricane has the potential to deal up to 200 damage for three.
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This gives Zapdos ex plenty of options, whether you’re opening it in your hand or seeing it later in the game. However, these choices make it an excellent pick for a solo deck focusing on charging up only one Pokemon to quickly deal damage.
2
Articuno Ex
Freeze Your Opponent
Articuno is a solid Pokemon to have on your Bench at the start of the game. This is because it has strong moves that can hit your opponent early on and weaken the Bench. Misty makes this process easier if luck is on your side, with attacks available on your first turn.
This is why Articuno ex is usually the better choice for a bird turbo deck, since it has the potential to close games very quickly as opposed to other birds that need to get one Energy at a time to start collecting points.
1
Mewtwo Ex
Two Powerful Choices
Mewtwo ex has 150 HP, which makes it a powerful Pokemon to have on your Active Spot at the start of the game. At two Energy, it can start hitting for 50 with Psychic Sphere. At full power, it can deal a devastating 150 damage with Psydrive.
Even without Gardevoir providing Energy acceleration, you can always save Mewtwo’s most powerful attack when you need one of your opponent’s best Pokemon gone in a clean sweep. This is why Mewtwo ex is one of the strongest Basic Pokemon in the game.
- Released
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October 30, 2024
- Publisher(s)
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The Pokemon Company
- Multiplayer
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Online Multiplayer