Image credit: The Pokémon Company
Fighting type Pokémon are often thought of as just heavy-handed creatures that like to punch things, but they’re much more than that. They can kick things and spin around on their head, too! An incredibly varied part of the Pokémon world, I’m sure you’ll agree.
In all seriousness, though, Fighting type decks can be a powerful tool in Pokémon TCG Pocket if they’re built up well. To help you win your next battle, here are the best Fighting decks in Pokémon TCG Pocket, based on community tournament data, along with my own testing.
Best Fighting type decks in Pokémon TCG Pocket
As is the case with my Grass type deck round-up, I started off the research process for this article by checking out the Pocket data on Limitless TCG, before moving to my own research. The site is a fantastic way to see which decks are currently performing well in the game.
Mega Lucario ex
Mega Lucario ex decks can be found in multiple iterations, but the Hitmonlee and Hitmontop variations are the best options to take into matches right now.
The standard Mega Lucario ex Hitmonlee deck list features just one copy of the Genetic Apex iteration of Hitmonlee, along with the basic Space-Time Smackdown Lucario and Pulsing Aura Bonsly for good measure.
Hitmonlee provides cheap Bench sniping damage with Stretch Kick, while Lucario can power up Fighting type attacks with its Fighting Coach ability, boosting Fighting type attacks by +20 damage when used against the opponent’s Pokémon.
Bonsly is a strange card, in that it has a low health pool with 30 HP and the Teary Attack move, which deals 10 damage. On its surface, it’s not overly powerful, but Teary Attack applies a -30 damage debuff to attacks used by the defending Pokémon on the next turn. With no Retreat Cost, this provides an easy debuff and switch-out route.
The star of the show is Mega Lucario ex, of course, with its Energy Token-based Fighting Pulse. This attack deals 90 damage for two Energy Tokens on its surface, which is decent enough, but provided there is at least one extra Fighting type Energy Token attached, it stacks an extra 50 damage on top.
Bonsly and the standard Lucario help to set up Mega Lucario ex to tank hits and deal significant damage, while Hitmonlee opens up the playing field for potential Cyrus control via Bench damage.
The Hitmontop variants of the Mega Lucario ex deck function relatively the same, using Hitmontop instead of Hitmonlee to deal Bench damage.
The core difference with the supporting Pokémon is that Hitmontop’s Piercing Spin also deals 20 damage to the Active Pokémon, alongside the Benched target. This is, arguably, even more valuable than Hitmonlee’s Stretch Kick, as it makes two different Pokémon vulnerable to existing damage-dependent cards.
Supporters make up a hugely important part of decks like Mega Lucario ex Hitmontop, with cards like Arena of Antiquity and Korrina both helping to boost the damage output of the Fighting types in play. Rocky Helmet is also commonly found in this deck list, to add a little extra damage output.
Mega Lopunny ex Annihilape
Mega Lopunny ex Annihilape is a unique deck, with Mega Lopunny ex having the potential to deal high damage and inflict Confusion, provided you get lucky with a coin flip. Annihilape is a self-damaging ‘mon, but it can be a great source of back-up damage.
For the titular Mega Pokémon, there’s one attack on offer – Rapid Smashers. For two Energy Tokens, Rapid Smashers will deal 90 damage for each heads, inflicting Confusion on the opponent’s Active Pokémon, too. While the coin flip can be risky, Confusion can help to control the battlefield.
Annihilape plays the supporting role in this deck list, dealing 90 damage in return for just one Energy Token with Dynamite Punch. The downside here is that the Pokémon deals 30 damage to itself, but with 140 HP, it’s not an immediate issue.
One of the most important cards to have in this deck list is Will from Wisdom of Sea and Sky. It guarantees that, when a coin flip is required, the first coin flip will always land on heads. This means that Mega Lopunny ex can always hit for 90 damage and Confusion with Rapid Smashers, removing some of the RNG.
The Space-Time Smackdown version of Lucario can often be found in this deck, too, largely for its Fighting Coach ability. This ability means attacks used by your Fighting type Pokémon hit enemies for +20 damage.
If you’re looking for a deck list that has the potential to hit hard in the early game, Mega Lopunny ex Annihilape is worth considering. For a more reliable deck list, though, the Mega Lucario ex variants are better choices, with a more intuitive style of play and a wider selection of win conditions.
FAQs
All Pokémon types can be viable in Pokémon TCG Pocket to an extent, but the best types are widely thought to be Lightning type, Dark type, and Fire type. This does change from expansion to expansion as the meta evolves.
Yes, the Pokémon TCG Pocket experience for new players is positive. There’s a detailed tutorial process to explain each of the core mechanics, and it’s simple to get your hands on enough Pack Hourglasses to start building decks.
No, Pokémon TCG Pocket is not the same as its standard TCG counterpart. Pocket is much more simplistic than the standard game, with a quicker style of play and pared back rules.
No, Pokémon TCG Pocket is not available on PC. It’s a mobile-exclusive game – but it plays beautifully on tablet, too.
