The 10 best cards in Pokemon TCG Pocket Space-Time Smackdown Ranked
The Pokemon Company/DexertoPokemon TCG Pocket has shaken up its meta with a new set, so we’ve tracked down the 10 best cards in Space-Time Smackdown and ranked them.
It’s a great time to be a Pokemon TCG Pocket player thanks to the introduction of Space-Time Smackdown. The new set has blown the game wide open with a host of rare cards to collect and new strategic archetypes for battling with.
The addition of these cards means it’s time to start cracking packs to shore up your collection. For competitively minded players, we thought it would be prudent to offer a list of pulls that you should keep an eye out for.
Below, we’ve ranked the 10 best cards in Pokemon TCG Pocket’s Space-Time Smackdown set so you can plan out your potential decks.
The Pokemon CompanyPokemon TCG Pocket Space-Time Smackdown card ranks explained
Pokemon TCG Pocket functions very similarly to its physical counterpart and the flashiest cards in the game are powerful EX Pokemon. Thanks to their high HP and damage output, you’ll see a few of them in this list.
Of course, there are multiple facets to the competitive side of the game and while a tanky health pool and big hits are important, there are other things to consider. Even a seemingly weak Pokemon might have a handy ability that pushes it past ones that seem stronger on paper.
Space-Time Smackdown introduces Tool cards that can bolster your team’s strengths or mitigate its weaknesses. There are also some powerful new Supporter cards that can change the momentum of a battle in a big way.
Our ranking of the 10 best cards in Pokemon TCG Pocket’s Space-Time will feature a solid mix of buff EX cards, Pokemon with handy abilities, and trainer cards that should be useful in most competitive decks.
10. Dunsknoir
The Pokemon Company/DexertoDusknoir is a handy defensive Pokemon that can keep the key pieces of your Psychic-type deck safe thanks to an excellent ability. Shadow Void allows you to choose any of your damaged Pokemon and transfer that damage to Dusknoir.
This allows you to have a pseudo wall that doesn’t need to take up your active slot meaning you can keep a damage-dealer up front. Of course, Dusknoir can only mitigate 130 damage before its own HP expires, and losing it will give your opponent a prize card.
With a decent 70-damage attack for three energy in Devour Soul, there’s a case to be made for switching Dusknoir in to take out a weakened foe. Its main drawback is that it’s a Stage 2 Pokemon so there is some setup required to take advantage of everything it offers.
9. Garchomp
The Pokemon Company/DexertoGarchomp might not be an immediately obvious pick for this list but it has some solid potential with the right tools. Its respectable 140 HP pool keeps it alive through many of the game’s stronger attacks and 100 damage from Dragon Claw is fantastic for two Energy. As long as you can pull them that is.
What’s truly useful about Garchomp is its Reckless Shearing ability which allows you to cycle through cards you have no use for in order to draw the ones you need. It’s the only ability of its type in Pokemon TCG Pocket and even if you’re not planning to keep your Garchomp in the active slot, it can be handy for drawing into your Engine.
What makes Garchomp better than average is its ability to search for the Cynthia Supporter card which ratchets up Dragon Claw’s damage to 150. It’s a fun combo, particularly for the NOEX community battles.
8. Giant Cape
The Pokemon Company/DexertoGiant Cape is one of the new Tool-type Trainer cards introduced in Space-Time Smackdown and it is a must-have for most decks in the game. Attaching Giant Cape to a Pokemon gives it an extra 20 HP making it harder to take off the board.
This has a tonne of utility in all phases of the game. For your late-game hitters and powerful EX cards, it can be used to boost their HP out of range of one-shots from certain attacks.
For smaller Basic Pokemon used in your early game set-up or waiting to evolve into a more powerful tool, it keeps them safe from getting knocked out too soon. It’s particularly handy for keeping our next entry in the game longer.
7. Manaphy
The Pokemon Company/DexertoGeneration 4’s Mythical Pokemon Manaphy makes its debut in Space-Time Smackdown and its ability is not to be underestimated. Oceanic Gift is another Energy generation tool for Water-type decks that is more reliable than the famously busted Misty.
What makes Manaphy’s Oceanic Gift particularly useful is its lack of typing restrictions meaning it doesn’t need to be used in a Water-type deck. If you’re running a Dragonite deck, you can use Manaphy as a reliable source to set up two Draco Meteor-capable dragons.
Manaphy has a pretty dismal 50 HP which stops it from earning a higher spot on our ranking for the 10 best cards in Pokemon TCG Pocket’s Space-Time Smackdown set. Its low health means you won’t get too many uses of Oceanic Gift before it’s taken out but a lucky draw into Giant Cape could keep it up for longer.
6. Lucario
The Pokemon Company/DexertoLucario is an auto-include for any Fighting-type deck following the launch of Space-Time Smackdown. Once again, this Pokemon earns a spot in our ranking thanks to its unique ability.
Fighting Coach gives a flat boost of 20 Damage to any Fighting-type attack making the type much more dangerous. It can be used to enhance a bulky Powerhouse like Golem or turn Aerodactyl EX into a more powerful sweeper.
The best part about Lucario’s Fighting Coach ability is that it becomes active even if Lucario is on the bench meaning you can keep it safe. Take into consideration that Lucario is only a Stage 1 Pokemon meaning this ability can be brought online quickly and it’s easy to see why it’s one of the set’s better cards.
5. Rocky Helmet
The Pokemon Company/DexertoThe second Tool card in our ranking, Rocky Helmet is a handy buff for your defensive walls that makes them even more frustrating to deal with. Druddigon is the current favorite for stalling opponents thanks to its Rough Skin ability but this card allows you to give that ability to any Pokemon.
Rocky Helmet causes your opponent’s active Pokemon to take 20 damage if they attack one of yours that has this tool attached. Ideally, you’ll want to attach this to a bulky Pokemon like Snorlax or Bastiodon to make your opponent suffer.
In the meantime, you can focus on giving one of your benched Pokemon the attention it needs to be made viable.
4. Weavile EX
The Pokemon Company/DexertoFinally getting to an EX Pokemon in our ranking of the 10 best cards in Space-Time Smackdown, you can expect to see a few more at the top end of this list. Weavile EX earns its spot thanks to its insane speed and value.
For a single Energy, Weavile EX’s Scratching Nails attack has the potential to deal 70 damage as long as the target is already damaged. This makes it the cheapest and fastest closer in the game.
In a perfect world, you can use its pre-evolved form Sneasel to deal some chip damage before finishing it off with Scratching Nails. It also Synergises perfectly with the Pokemon who has taken out the top spot on this list.
3. Mars
The Pokemon Company/DexertoSpace-Time Smackdown adds a sorely needed disruption tool in the form of Team Galactic Commander Mars. There are a miniscule amount of options to grief your opponent in Pokemon TCG Pocket but Mars has quickly become the best of them.
Acting as a suped-up version of the popular Red Car, Mars forces your opponent to discard their entire hand. They are allowed to draw a new hand but they can only pick up cards equivalent to the amount of points they need to win.
If your opponent is ahead of you and close to victory, you could potentially force them to drop a stacked had of support for a single card. As a Supporter, Mars can only be used once per turn but there’s a lot to be said for a card that punishes your opponent for doing well.
2. Dialga EX
The Pokemon Company/DexertoIt would have been poetic to have one of the poster Pokemon for Space-Time Smackdown take out the top spot on this list but number two is still respectable. Dialga EX is a versatile tool in battle with some terrific stats.
A 150 HP pool makes Dialga EX keeps it in the fight against all but the best attackers in the game which usually take a while to set up. Metallic Turbo allows you to deal decent chip damage as you load your bench up with Energy and there’s always the potential for a few 100-damage shots from Heavy Impact.
Being a basic Pokemon, Dialga EX is instantly ready to go and it finally enables the oft-forgotten Steel type. As an added bonus, it can also be used to set up colorless options like Pidgeot EX or even a Mex EX for some interesting tech.
1. Darkrai EX
The Pokemon Company/DexertoAnyone paying attention to the meta knew this Pokemon would top our ranking of the best cards in Pokemon TCG Pocket’s Space-Time Smackdown set. Also giving love to an undervalued typing, Darkrai EX has made Dark-type decks some of the most viable in the current meta.
Its Nightmare Aura allows you to chip away at foes as you load this card up with Energy. With a Darkrai EX on the Bench and an active Weavile EX in play, you gain access to some menacing synergy.
Once Darkrai EX is sufficiently energized, you can clean up any leftovers with a decent 80 damage from Dark Prism. Add in some disruptive tools from other Dark-types and Trainer cards and the Darkrai EX deck becomes the nastiest in the game.
That’s our complete ranking of the 10 best cards in Pokemon TCG Pocket’s Space-Time Smackdown set. If you’re looking to build a list with our number-one pick, check out our Darkrai EX deck guide.