One of the best things about Pokémon TCG Pocket is the variety of Rental Decks on offer. These pre-made decks act as the perfect way to hit the ground running and get straight into the action without having to rip too many packs.
While they all have their uses, some are undoubtedly better than others. Here’s a full tier list of every Rental Deck in Pokémon TCG Pocket, ranking them from S to C tier based on how powerful they are and how much effort they take to set up.
Rental Deck list tier list for Pokémon TCG Pocket
Rental Decks either revolve around a specific Pokémon, like Charizard or Pikachu, or they follow the theme of a specific Trainer, like Koga.
If you’re new to the game, it’s worth experimenting with the single-player mode and battling against some of the pre-built decks to get a feel for how they work. There are several missions to complete in this mode which can reward extra Shop Tickets, so it’s worth the time and effort.
We’ve not included the Starter Decks in this tier list (Pinsir, Ponyta, and Sandslash) as they don’t technically fall into the category of Rental Decks.
S tier
The two Rental Decks in this tier are currently stomping the competition in live matches. It’s possible to counter them with some solid strategies, but their card lists are immaculate and they’re relatively easy to set up in battle.
Pikachu ex
Stacking damage, Special Conditions, and cheap attacks. What’s not to love? The Pikachu ex Rental Deck is one of the most impressive pre-mades in the game, offering multiple paths to victory with a wide variety of ‘mons.
Pikachu ex has the attack Circle Circuit, which deals a base 30 damage but deals 30 for each of your Benched Pokémon. It only costs 2 Energy to use, making 90 damage very plausible in the early game. This rivals popular decks like Starmie ex in terms of efficiency.
Additionally, Eelektross has the chance to paralyze an opponent while dealing 80 damage and Zebstrika can help with Bench sniping, too.
This deck does require an aggressive playstyle to succeed, but it’s simple and enjoyable. If you’re keen on the Pikachu ex card, make sure to check out our guide to the best Pikachu ex deck in the game.
Venusaur ex
All the starter-themed Rental Decks have their strengths, but Venusaur ex is the best out of the trio currently, thanks to its damage output and survivability.
It’s durable and can tank a fair few hits once Venusaur ex is in position, and the supporting Pokémon are solid, too—specifically Exeggutor, dealing a potential 60 damage for one Energy.
On top of this, the healing potential from Venusaur ex and Erika mean that it’s hard to get rid of the deck’s main card once it’s set up and in position. It does struggle against Fire-types, but on the whole, it’s a solid deck that’s fun to play.
A tier
The Rental Decks in this tier are powerful and fun to play, but they do have a few small quirks that stops them from being S tier.
Blastoise ex
The combination of Hydro Bazooka and the Misty Supporter card makes this deck lethal. It can be somewhat tricky to get it in position, but once Blastoise ex has been set up with plenty of Energy, it’s deadly.
The other Pokémon in this deck offer plenty of utility, too, like Psyduck with its Supporter block and Lapras with its stacking damage.
The Blastoise ex Rental Deck does struggle with a lack of meaningful secondary attackers, placing a lot of pressure on Blastoise ex to get in position quickly. Despite this, it’s still a behemoth and worth trying once you’ve got it in your collection.
Charizard ex
Charizard ex is a powerhouse in the standard Pokémon TCG, and it’s already standing out as a fan-favorite Rental Deck in Pocket, with good reason. While it may struggle with a lack of Special Conditions or control abilities, this deck hits hard and can survive a fair amount of damage.
Having a 200 damage attack means Charizard ex can knock out almost any other card in the game once it’s Energized.
There aren’t too many other attackers in this deck, with the next strongest being Salazzle with its 2 Energy Fire Claws for 60 damage, so it does feel somewhat like a one-trick pony. Or lizard. Despite this, it’s hard to deny how powerful Charizard ex feels. It’s the perfect deck for beginners.
Lt. Surge
The Lt. Surge pre-made is second to none when it comes to Energy movement—and in Pocket, this is incredibly important. As the games are so short and the decks are so small, being able to Energize a ‘mon quickly is crucial.
Featuring heavy hitters like Raichu and Magneton, who boast powerful (if expensive) attacks, this deck aims for quick evolution and mighty attacks. The Basics do lack power, meaning you need to get them evolved as quickly as possible, but once the Stage Ones are in play, this deck plays incredibly.
Mewtwo ex
Mewtwo ex is one of the highlights of Genetic Apex thanks to its stunning immersive card and potentially lethal damage output.
It shines in this Rental Deck, with the potential to one-shot most opponents using Psydrive and prevent set-up with Psychic Sphere.
It does take a good while to set up, thanks to Psydrive requiring four Energy, but once it’s in motion, Mewtwo ex is hard to stop. The addition of Pokémon like Gengar and Slowbro provides secondary attackers, while cards like X Speed offer extra utility.
B tier
The Rental Decks in this tier aren’t bad by any means, but they don’t quite stack up to the options that we’ve listed in the A and S tiers. They’re worth experimenting with and making variations of if you have the cards, though.
Blaine
If you’re a fan of Fire-type Pokémon and want a fast-paced, relatively simple deck, Blaine is your best bet. This pre-made is simple, with heavy-hitting additions like Ninetales and Arcanine that become even stronger with the addition of the Blaine Trainer card.
The downside of this Rental Deck is that the cards on offer can only attack. Other than Growlithe, there are no Pokémon with secondary skills like trapping an opponent, healing an ally or applying a Special Condition. On top of this, this list struggles against decks like Blastoise ex.
Fossils
While they can take a significant chunk of time to set up, both Omastar and Kabutops are decently powerful. The Fossil Rental Deck is evolution-heavy and takes a bit of practice to perfect, but it has great card synergy and useful supporting Pokémon.
Having both Aerodactyl and Kabutops means that you can disrupt your opponent heavily here, and Omastar helps to offer a level of contro