Pokémon TCG Pocket Beginner's Guide (Eevee Grove update)

New cards, new gameplay— Pokémon TCG Pocket offers a completely fresh experience, and it can be hard to figure out the most efficient strategies when starting the game.

That's why we created this beginner's guide to help you navigate your first steps. It's written primarily for free-to-play (f2p) players aiming to build a solid deck and use their resources efficiently.

NOTE: This guide will be updated soon to account for the new set Celestial Guardians.

Choosing the very first pack!

You have to choose between three booster packs from Genetic Apex when you start the game. This choice determines the content of the pack + your starter deck. Find all the details about each option in our article.

We currently recommended the first Charizard pack. It comes with Exeggutor ex, one of the best Pokémon. Exeggutor EX decks are often ranked in the tier list, between Middle and High tiers. Later on, by opening more Charizard packs, you could get a second Exeggutor EX as well as two Erika if you want to play the deck.

But first, read the next section to make a better informed decision.

Make your first Wonder Pick, and complete your first missions. The early game is generous with Pack Hourglasses, so open more booster packs. It earns experience to level up and get even more Pack Hourglasses. By completing beginner missions, you'll be able to open a dozen booster packs in no time.

What's the best booster pack in TCG Pocket?

In Pokémon TCG Pocket, each booster pack includes specific cards in addition to a common pool.

Our evaluation for each of the booster packs currently available:

Genetic Apex

• The Charizard pack contains cards such as Moltres ex, Charizard ex, Exeggutor ex and Erika, the Greninja line, the budget Blaine deck, the universally good supporter Sabrina...
• The Pikachu pack contains the Pikachu ex deck, Arcanine ex, Misty as well as the popular Magneton.
• The Mewtwo pack used to be one the best pick to have the most options in deckbuilding, but it got entirely powercrept.

Mythical Island

• The Mew pack used to have cards for a lot of good decks: Leaf, Druddigon, Gyarados ex, Celebi ex, Marshadow... Unfortunately, it got generally powercrept and is hardly worth considering nowadays.

Space-Time Smackdown

• The Dialga pack contains a lot of good cards for strong archetypes: Darkrai ex, Rampardos, Dialga ex, Gallade ex, Pachirisu ex, Lucario, as well as staples such as Giant Cape, Pokémon Communication, Dawn...
• The Palkia pack contains the best "Boss's Orders" card from TCG Pocket in Cyrus. It also contains cards like Palkia ex, Weavile ex, Manaphy, Infernape ex, Rocky Helmet...

Both contain Magnezone, one of the most powerful 1-point Pokémon printed in Pokémon TCG Pocket.

Triumphant Light

• The Arceus pack contains Arceus ex, a generic Basic beater with a good amount of HP, essential in decks such as Dialga ex. This pack also contains support such as Leafeon ex, Irida... but not a full-fledged deck.

Shining Revelry

• The Shining Revelry pack contains Giratina ex, Red, Meowscarada, and a bunch of decent Pokémon ex such as Charizard ex. Giratina ex is arguably one of the strongest Pokémon ever printed, played in the most powerful decks of the metagame, either in combination with Darkrai ex or with other supportive Pokémon such as Greninja.

Celestial Guardians

• The Solgaleo pack contains Solgaeo ex, Oricorio , Lillie and decent Pokémon ex.
• The Lunala pack contains Decidueye ex, Tapu Lele and Guzma

Both contain Rare Candy, one of the most important Item to collect as it's required in any deck running stage 2 Pokémon.

Extradimensional Crisis

• The Extradimensional Crisis pack contains the base for the Buzzwole ex deck and Guzzlord ex deck, both strong competitive decks. It also contains Silvally, arguably the strongest stage 1 Pokémon in the game

Eevee Grove

• The Eevee Grove pack contains Sylveon ex, a staple in many deck thanks to its drawing ability, Eevee Bag and Flareon ex.

Pokémon TCG Pocket - Pack tier list

Check the updated deck ranking to make a more informed decision.

Use trading

Trading is a very efficient way to get to cards from certain packs without having to open them: staples such as Leaf, Cyrus, etc. If you're a new player, you should look into trading to collect these isolated cards. Join the Pokémon Zone Discord to find players to trade with. Older players should have a few extra of these Supporters that they'll happily trade to help you.

Keep in mind that you can trade cards from all sets except the latest released set.

How to open more booster packs?

Complete missions

Beginner missions and Advanced missions will keep you busy for a while and provide great rewards, though unfortunately, they can only be completed once.

Battle guides

Head to Solo mode to start the Battle Guides and learn the basics of Pokémon matches. While only the first six guides are mandatory, completing Guides 8–12 is highly recommended as they reward valuable Items like X Speed and a Wigglytuff ex Rental Deck. For a deeper understanding of the gameplay mechanics in Pokémon TCG Pocket, check out our complete guide on how to play.

There are three ranks of Step-up battles (Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced) and an Expert Solo Mode where you face decks of seven different types that progressively get stronger. In addition to earning extra Pack Hourglasses when you defeat them for the first time, you can also collect shop tickets by completing certain actions during the game (for example: playing with a deck that is strong or weak against the AI deck, not losing any points, or dealing 100 or more damage in a single attack)

To help you complete the intermediate and advanced battles as well as the extra actions, use the Rental Decks you obtain by pulling specific cards from booster packs:

• Cards from the Charizard pack: Charizard ex, Machamp ex, Blaine
• Cards from the Pikachu pack : Blastoise ex, Pikachu ex, Nidoking and Nidoqueen, Lt. Surge, Brock
• Cards from the Mewtwo pack: Venusaur ex, Mewtwo ex, Koga
• Cards from all Genetic Apex pack: Omastar, Kabutops and Aerodactyl
• Cards from the Mew pack: Celebi ex, Gyarados ex, Mew ex, Aerodactyl ex, Blue & Pidgeot ex
• Cards from the Palkia pack: Infernape ex, Palkia ex, Cynthia, Supreme Blast (Mesprit, Uxie and Azelf), Mismagius ex, Lickilicky ex, Weavile ex
• Cards from the Dialga pack: Volkner, Pachirisu ex, Gallade ex, Darkrai ex, Team Galactic Grunt, Dialga ex
• Special, by going through all the Battle Guides: Wigglytuff ex

These Rental Decks can be used up to ten times. They're useful to complete the additional quests and earn more shop tickets.

Buy from the Shop

Once you've collected enough shop tickets, head to the shop. It offers multiple packs of:

• 10 Pack Hourglass
• 10 Pack Hourglass x6 6
• 10 Wonder Hourglass
• 10 Wonder Hourglass x6 6

This roughly translates to 7 extra booster packs and 6 extra Wonder stamina.

Go for the Refreshed Monthly offers first (3 shop tickets per hourglass) as they're limited in time, unlike the others. After completing these offer, you can aim for the one-time deals. It comes at a better rate of 2 shop tickets per hourglass but it never refreshes.

Level-up

Leveling up gives you 12 Pack Hourglass and 1 Poké gold per level (2 every 5 levels). Once you’ve collected 6 Poké gold, you can trade them for a booster pack. To accumulate the necessary experience to level-up, check our guide.

Daily Missions

Don’t forget to complete your daily missions and claim 4 Pack Hourglass every day. Get the daily gift bundle in the shop and check Wonder Pick frequently. You can try your luck when you need a specific card to complete your deck or when a pack has two potential good cards.

When to stop opening a certain type of booster pack?

When you’re deep into a pack and have already pulled two of multiple chase cards, there are diminishing returns in the quality of your openings. Although duplicates provide shinedust and can be converted into flair cosmetics and special shop tickets, this likely isn’t what you’re after the most. Our advice: Collect the batch with booster pack openings, and complete the rest with Wonder Picks, unless you really need it then you can use Pack Points.

Wonder Pick

Check the Wonder Pick board to fill the gaps. You can easily identify which pack to prioritize by looking for the icon in the corner of each Wonder Pick. With Wonder Picking, you should aim for Pokémon ex first as they offer the most cost-efficient option.

Pack Points

You can use Pack Points to craft any card you want, but it's best to reserve this option for cards as they're generally the hardest to get and emergencies.

Save your resources

Don’t ever feel pressured to use your resources (Poké Gold and Pack Hourglasses) to open booster packs. Once you’ve built the decks you were aiming for, there’s no need to continue. Pack hourglasses can be hoarded for later use and the two booster packs you receive daily (three with a Premium Pass) will be more than enough to diversify your options.

What are the best cards to collect?

In TCGs, we call staples cards that are good in most decks, usually thanks to their universally good effects. Here are some of these best cards in Pokémon TCG Pocket:

Poké Ball

Currently the only Trainer capable of searching your deck for a Pokémon and add it to your hand.

Starter decks include 2 of them.

Professor’s Research

Taking Bill's effect from the TCG, Professor's Research is a staple in all decks.

Starter decks include 2 of them

Potion

Potion can keep your Pokémon out of harm's way for a huge tempo swing.

Sold for 2 shop tickets each at the store

Giant Cape

Giant Cape makes your Pokémon bulkier, which can be the difference between a knockout and a win.

Found in Dialga Pack (Space-Time Smackdown)

X Speed

Retreating protects a Pokémon from getting knocked out and allows to promote a stronger one.

Sold for 2 shop tickets each at the store

Leaf

For important Pokémon with bigger retreat cost, Leaf enables to retreat a turn earlier.

Found in Mew pack (Mythical Island)

Sabrina

Sabrina disrupts your opponent’s setup and can secure an easy knockout by forcing them to bring a weaker Pokémon from their bench into the active spot.

Found in Charizard pack (Genetic Apex)

Cyrus

Cyrus acts as a Sabrina that lets you target the Pokémon you want to force to the Active Spot, as long as it has damage on it

Found in Palkia Pack (Space-Time Smackdown)

Pokémon Communication

For decks running a stage 2 Evolution line, Pokémon Communication is a very good one-of to increase your chances to get the pieces on time

Found in Dialga Pack (Space-Time Smackdown)

Iono

Iono is a big help to decks running evolved Pokémon to give more chances to hit them on curve.

Found in Shining Revelry

Pokémon Center Lady

Pokémon Center Lady is the biggest universal healing Trainer in the game currently, also curing status conditions.

Found in Shining Revelry

Rare Candy

Rare Candy is a mandatory item to play in any deck playing stage 2 Pokémon to bring it faster on the field and use its attack and/or ability.

Found in Celestial Guardians

There are many other excellent Supporters and Pokémon that help certain types of decks (such as Misty for , Moltres ex for ) and strategies (Magneton from Genetic Apex to charge Magnezone regardless of the Energy in your Energy Zone). These however commit you to a certain type of deck, so you should make sure to have the basics before investing in more specific cards.

Be sure to check the list of archetypes to understand their strategies and find tips to build the best decks in Pokémon TCG Pocket.