All item cards in Pokemon TCG Pocket, ranked

Most cards in Pokemon Pocket have strict conditions. Pokemon can only evolve once per turn, and you can't play evolved ones without their base version on the board. Likewise, despite how strong Supporter cards are, they are balanced by the fact that you can only use one each turn.

However, item cards are different. You can empty an entire hand of items in a single turn or keep it hidden for that decisive moment. Cards like the Pokeball are also the foundation of every deck, without them no meta deck works. From card draws to discounted pickups to intel perks, here's what all Pokemon TCG Pocket items can do and which ones are worth putting in your deck.

Updated December 31, 2024 by Asad Kashif: Pokemon TCG Pocket's Mythical Islands expansion has completely changed the meta with cards like Serperior and Celebi ex dominating previously undefeated decks like Mewtwo ex. Along with the powerful Pokemon, Mythical Islands also introduced some new item cards to Pokemon Pocket. We've taken a fresh look at every item in the game to gauge whether Pokemon Flute and Mythic Slab can rank among the best item cards in Pokemon Pocket.

9

Pokedex

See your next draw

Pokemon Pocket is much faster than other TCG games like Hearthstone or Magic: The Gathering. With only 20 cards in each deck, it's easier to figure out what your chances are of getting a card you desperately need in the next draw.

If you don't like what you see in the Pokedex, you can use a Pokeball to shuffle your next draw!

However, if you're unsure of your luck, placing a copy of the Pokedex allows you to look at the top cards of your deck. This helps you plan ahead, allowing you to play more aggressively if you draw a Sabrina later or risk fielding your main Pokemon if you manage to get a Potion or Evolution into the deck.

8

Fossil papers

Technology vs. specific cards

Helix Fossil, Dome Fossil and Old Amber work the same way. They are more like special basic Pokemon than actual items, used primarily to evolve into stronger Pokemon. Not only are these evolved versions rarer than regular cards, but they're not even as good as some of the other Pokemon you can put in your deck.

Since these don't count as Pokemon, Sabrina can't force you to switch to them. Likewise, you can't draw them with Pokeballs.

However, these fossil cards also function as technology for a variety of reasons. First, they are an excellent counter to Sabrina, one of the best cards in Pokemon Pocket. They also make great tanks since you can pick them up for free by discarding them. Additionally, they allow you to have an early game Pokemon to start the game with and take damage without decreasing the consistency of your Pokeballs targeting your combo pieces.

7

Pokemon Flute

Return opposing discarded Pokemon to their Bench

Pokemon Flute is one of the coolest cards released in Pokemon TCG Pocket. Instead of increasing your chances of winning or harming your opponent directly, the Flute Pokemon takes a Pokemon from the enemy's discard pile and puts it on the Bench, seemingly helping them.

The Pokemon Flute synergizes with Pidgeot ex's Scattering Cyclone Ability as it deals 20 more damage for each Pokemon on the enemy's bench.

This item card has its utility in preventing your opponent from benching new and useful Pokemon, but that's not a good enough reason to use this card instead of a better one in your deck.

6

Manual viewfinder

Look at your opponent's hand

Strategic card games are all about information. You can have all your combo pieces on board but still lose if you can't figure out your opponent's response. In games like Yu-Gi-Oh, knowing your opponent's hand is essentially winning the game. This information warfare is much less extreme in Pokemon Pocket, but that doesn't mean it's worthless.

Similar to the Pokedex, knowing what your opponent can do in the next few turns can be of great benefit to your game plan. If they have potions, knowing this can tell you that reducing them might not be a good idea, allowing you to better invest your energy. It is also one of the best counters against red card, as it allows you to protect your hand by dumping your important things the moment you see them in the enemy's hand.

5

Potion

Heals an ally Pokemon

Regardless of how nuanced the combat is in Pokemon Pocket, the strongest decks in the game are the best at one-hitting you. Mewtwo ex, Charizard ex and even fewer explosive cards like Pikachu ex want to make you pass out in a single turn to prevent your energy invested Pokemon from doing anything.

As such, most of the early stages of the game consist of lowering your opponent's HP to bring them into comfortable range. If your opponent's ex cards can't finish you off instantly, they risk losing you two points after their attacks. For this reason, Potions are a great counter, allowing your Pokemon to stay alive for just one more turn, enough to turn the tide and gain two points by giving one or simply to stall while your former Mewtwo or Alakazam is fed while he's on the bench.

4

Red card

Shuffle your opponent's hand into the deck

Pokemon Pocket doesn't have many interruptions. There are cards like Gengar ex that prevent you from playing Supporter, and attacks like Arbok's Corner that force your opponent's active Pokemon to stay on the field, but you have to have those cards active to make any use of them.

The red card directly ruins your enemy's plans by shuffling his hand into his deck. This can single-handedly win you games by using it when your opponent has a lot of cards in their hand or when they seem to be setting up for a late-game turn.

3

Mythical slab

Increases consistency in drawing psychic-type Pokemon

We've already established that cards like Professor's Quest and Pokeball are some of the best cards in the game and are present in every Pokemon Pocket deck without exception. This is because the ability to draw more cards or target and draw specific cards is the best way to increase the consistency of your combo. Since most Pokemon TCG Pocket decks are built on late-game combos, getting your stuff just one turn early can turn the tide of battle.

If Mewtwo decks weren't already good enough, Mythical Slab provides another way to draw your Gardevoir and Mewtwo. The item allows you to see the top card of your deck. If it's a psychic-type Pokemon, you draw it, making the card serve as a targeted Pokeball for psychic Pokemon. However, even if the top card isn't a Psychic-type, Mythical Slab puts the card on the bottom of your deck, increasing the chance that you'll draw a Psychic Pokemon on the next turn.

2

X speed

Discount on collection costs

Games in Pokemon Pocket are about defeating cards. There is no face or connection to hit. Therefore, prioritizing your Pokemon is a bigger deal than in other card games. This is twice true for your former Pokemon, especially those that your opponent can target to quickly end games by scoring two points in one fell swoop.

You can use multiple X Speed ​​​​​​cards in the same turn, allowing you to use Retreat on certain Pokemon for free.

In Pokemon TCG Pocket, you can choose to bench your Pokemon by using Retreat and discarding a certain number of assigned Energy. However, there are cases when you don't have enough energy or need to save it. Playing two copies of X Speed ​​is a necessity in almost every deck for this reason, making it one of the best and most useful cards in Pokemon Pocket.

1

Pokeballs

Draw Basic Pokemon from the deck

The relatively small size of Pokemon Pocket decks makes it very easy to get your combos on board. Therefore, adding extra Pokemon is rarely better than only adding ones that help your game plan. This is largely due to the Pokeball item card, which allows you to draw these specific basic Pokemon from your deck.

Additionally, Pokeballs can be used to increase the consistency of your Professor Oak cards by thinning out your basic Pokemon deck. This can be extremely powerful in decks that use evolved versions of their cards for their main combo, such as an ex-Venusaur deck.