Best Pokemon Card In The World 2021

One of the greatest joys of the Pokémon TCG is building a collection of pocket monsters. Many players come to the game merely to chase tantalising shinies, expect for rare cards, and rip open up booster packs with giddy excitement. But fifty-fifty if you're determined to catch 'em all, one time you lot've learnt how to play Pokémon cards, you likewise want to win.

And Pokémon are far from equal. Some stand proud equally the near powerful cards to have graced the TCG, making others look little more than than useless deck-fillers. Some are loved, while others are infamous. Some are still in use, while others have been banned.

We've combed the vaults and created this list of the strongest Pokémon cards, spanning contemporary releases that still hold their own, and older cards that were once staples of the meta, merely have since been surpassed or rotated out. Similar many trading carte du jour games, ability creep is very much live in the Pokémon TCG, and the well-nigh powerful cards change with each major release. Keep your optics peeled every bit we update this listing.

Pokéballs at the ready.

Zoroark-GX

Something of a staple of Expanded format decks, Zoroark has become a familiar face in Pokémon battles since its release in the Shining Legends expansion. Its Trade ability, which lets you lot discard a card to describe two more than, is specially useful for removing duds from your hand and finding cardinal Trainer cards. Apply them to boost its already-powerful Riotous Beating attack, dealing twenty damage for each of your Pokémon in play, and be knocking your opponents with ease.

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Capable of dealing massive harm through straightforward abilities that complement a diverseness of decks, many builds that couldn't cater to Zoroark became largely obsolete when this Pokémon came forth. Others focused entirely on countering it, but, either style, Zoroark came to dictate the game. The power creep of newer sets has since meant players can no longer rely on Zoroark for a comfortable win, simply it'southward enjoyed unmatched longevity, and sheer popularity as the go-to powerhouse-Pokémon for years.

Claydol

If any Pokémon has earned the mantle of single-handedly conveying every deck of which it was part, Claydol would be the articulate winner. Released in 2008's Groovy Encounters, the Pokémon was so critical to the meta, if you didn't have a Claydol to stick in your deck, your opponent was guaranteed to run rings around you. Its Cosmic Power ability let y'all discard two cards to the bottom of your deck, and refill your hand upwards to half-dozen cards.

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A fantastic draw engine, Claydol permit yous churn through cards, getting rid of the poorer showings, and slowly amassing the all-time of the bunch in a single hand. All of your opponent'south focus would be drawn to this one Pokémon, every bit they badly try to foreclose you from recycling, letting you speedily cease them off. Later releases tempered Claydol's abilities, and information technology never regained the same importance every bit those earlier years. But when Claydol shined, it really shined.

Shaymin-EX

Released as office of the Roaring Skies expansion, Shaymin-EX quickly became a standard card in Pokémon battles everywhere. Very similar to other famed Pokémon Uxie, its Set Upward ability lets y'all fill your hand with up to six cards when played to your bench. Hugely useful for quickly dull through your deck, handing yourself an advantage, and swarming your enemy before they take a chance to take hold of up.

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Shaymin-EX is all well-nigh speed, instantly tilting the residue of play in your favour, which must be quickly leveraged before your opponent tin recover. Information technology speedily became a prized carte among professional and amateur players akin, but was banned from official Pokémon TCG Expanded format tournaments in 2020, because using Prepare ability in conjunction with the Scoop Up Internet card (which allows you to identify a Pokémon-GX card dorsum into your hand) was deemed to exist as well powerful a combination.

Mewtwo and Mew-GX

Mewtwo might exist a stalwart of Poké-power, but there's one thing that's always better than a unmarried Pokémon in your hand: two, in a unmarried card. Introduced during Sun & Moon's Team Up expansion, Tag Team cards feature two famous Pokémon in a potent duo. There are a lot of competent tag team options out in that location, merely none friction match the sheer power of Mewtwo and Mew-GX.

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This card excels for its versatility. Its Perfection Ability lets you use the attacks of whatsoever Pokémon-GX or Pokémon-EX on your demote, or in your discard pile. Discard a bunch of powerful Pokémon as soon as you can, and you lot'll essentially never be without a good attack selection. Just brand certain to fill your deck with heavy hitters, so yous tin can replicate the best attacks possible. Massively popular when it released, it'due south still prized amongst tournament-goers.

Cleffa

Dorsum in the good former days of second-generation Pokémon , the all-time players in the world wouldn't be seen without the humble Cleffa. Although a cutesy, infant-type, pink blob, don't be fooled by its cuddly appearance. Cleffa could stall an opponent with ease. Its passive power lets y'all flip a coin someday your opponent attacks. If the money lands tails, the set on is cancelled, and your opponent'southward plough ends.

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And its basic attack, hilariously entitled "Eeeeeeek", lets you shuffle your hand into your deck, and draw seven new cards. Cycle through your deck for an optimum hand, all the while preventing your opponent from landing a hit. Combined with no weaknesses, and no retreat cost, information technology's easy to run across why Cleffa was unrivalled in the early days of the Pokémon TCG, and isn't half bad, even at present.

Mewtwo-EX

The most iconic of all the powerful Pokémon, Mewtwo has been a staple of the franchise since Generation I. The Mewtwo-EX card apace came to boss the TCG'due south meta when information technology released as part of the Next Destinies expansion, and with good reason. Unmatched in strength, the merely mode to defeat a Mewtwo-EX was to play one of your ain. Battles soon descended into Mewtwo fights, every bit players tried to hold out long plenty to play their version of the card before their opponent.

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Years later, later on a lot of bittersweet sentiments, Mewtwo-EX doesn't agree the same unrivalled prestige it once did – but some players withal think the card is viable for deckbuilding. Regardless, Mewtwo-EX defined the TCG's meta when it was top of the pile, and has become something of the poster male child for powerful Pokémon cards.

Lysandre's Trump Card

Although not a Pokémon, Lysandre's Trump Card certainly deserves a mention. Infamous and widely hated, it didn't take long for this back up carte to be deemed a little overpowered. Forcing each histrion to shuffle their entire discard piles back into their decks, Lysandre's Trump Carte effectively eliminated the possibility that a player would run out of cards, which would otherwise hateful victory for their opponent.

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With an entire win status removed from the game, matches descended into players racing through their decks as fast equally possible, discarding frivolously in the knowledge that everything would eventually be reset. Information technology'due south no surprise that Lysandre's Trump Card was banned from competitive Pokémon TCG tournaments in 2015 for unbalancing play.