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The Lightning type has gone up and down in popularity in Pokémon TCG Pocket, with each new set release changing how viable this type is for competitive play. Some big cards have fallen out of favor, while more niche pieces of tech have cemented their place in the meta, continuing to pull in strong results from community-led tournaments.
As of the Ruler of the Skies era, Lightning type decks may be on the come-up once again, with a few key decks standing out as competitively viable. Here are the best Lightning type decks to use in Pocket, including key cards and a breakdown on how they work.
Best Lightning decks in Pocket
There are two key cards that sit at the core of almost every strong Lightning type deck in Pocket – Oricorio from Celestial Guardians, and Magnezone from Crimson Blaze.
Despite Lightning type decks typically being aggressive, these two cards are more defense-oriented, with Oricorio mitigating damage from ex cards and Magnezone having the potential to nullify an attack, coin flip willing.
Magnezone – Miraidon ex
The decks in this list have several key variants, and Magnezone-Miraidon is no exception. While substitutions can be made, the core deck focuses are Miraidon ex from Paradox Drive, Zeraora from Extradimensional Crisis, and the aforementioned Magnezone from Crimson Blaze.
Miraidon ex has the ability Legendary Drive, which allows for a smooth swap-in, including a total Energy transfer. This means that you can get another key Pokémon out of position quickly and move in Miraidon ex – potentially with enough Energy in play to pull off a nasty Hadron Ray and score an easy knock out.
Alongside Miraidon ex, Magnezone helps to provide secondary damage and potential move mitigation, Zeraora assists with Energy generation, and Supporters like Professor Turo boost your ability to reset where needed.
Miraidon ex – Magnezone ex
This is a similar deck list to the previous entry, as it includes Miraidon ex as a focal point, but it feels different enough to warrant its own inclusion thanks to the presence of the simple but effective Magnezone ex.
With Miraidon ex sometimes feeling a little too squishy, depending on the opposing deck, Magnezone ex can stand in as a solid and consistent source of damage, soaking up hits when boosted with a card like the Giant Cape.
Draw power can be a concern for decks that feature Stage 2 evolutions, but the presence of cards like Lisia and Clemont help to soothe these anxieties, making it easy to get Magnemite onto the field and start the evolution process.
Oricorio and Magnezone do what they do best in this deck list, helping with damage mitigation, and Zeraora is another common pick for decks that focus on Magnezone ex and Miraidon ex. Energy generation is a lot easier when Zeraora is in play thanks to Thunderclap Flash.
Zeraora – Mega Manectric ex
Out of the Mega Pokémon ex cards in Pokémon TCG Pocket, Mega Manectric ex is arguably one of the most underappreciated. It’s simple and requires a fast style of play, but when paired with the right deck, it can be a powerhouse in battle.
Being a Stage 1 evolution means it’s easier to get Mega Manectric ex onto the field than some other Mega ‘mons in the game, and while its 180 HP pool isn’t as big as it could be, it’s decently sturdy.
Lightning Accelerator is an interesting attack that acts as a way to widen the gap in battle, dealing 80 base damage for two Energy Tokens and stacking 30 damage for each point you’ve gotten so far. Essentially, if you’re storming ahead with a win, you can make it harder for your opponent to catch up.
It’s a fun card to battle with, and it pairs beautifully with the type staples like Zeraora, making for a fast-paced, zappy style of play.
As of Ruler of the Skies in Pokémon TCG Pocket, Lightning type decks are well worth your time. While they may not be right at the top of the competitive meta, they are pulling in decent tournament results – check out Limitless TCG’s Pocket data for more on that – and most importantly, they’re fun to play with.
FAQs
Pokémon TCG Pocket came out on October 30, 2024.
Yes, Pokémon TCG Pocket is well worth your time in 2026. The competitive scene is thriving, there are regular updates, and the meta favors a strong variety of different deck types.
No, Pokémon TCG Pocket is not difficult to get the hang of; in fact, it’s a lot simpler than its standard TCG counterpart. Performing well in competitions is hard, though.
While some folks may disagree, I would class Pocket as a gacha game. It’s not quite as gacha-heavy as a game like Infinity Nikki, but the digital pack openings and currency still make it an unwilling part of the genre.
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