In Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket, several cards dominate the meta due to their strength and potentially overpowered features. While these cards offer benefits in the game, they make PvP unbalanced, allowing players to defeat opponents too easily. Small tweaks could help level the playing field, turning battles into more strategic encounters rather than letting a single card make victory effortless. As it stands, players aren’t rewarded for creating inventive decks or experimenting with lesser-used cards. Instead, they are punished with dramatic losses to dominant meta strategies.

Since the mobile game’s release on October 30, 2024, three major expansions — Genetic Apex, Mythical Island, and Space-Time Smackdown — have launched. Within hours of each expansion’s release, certain cards rise to the top and quickly become common in battles. For example, Celebi ex emerged as a dominant force due to its powerful coin-flipping attack, which became especially frustrating for players going second. It’s important to note that powerful cards shouldn’t be eradicated from the game, but several still need nerfs in updates to make the game more competitive.

10 Celebi Ex Is A Game-Breaking Powerhouse

This Overpowered Mechanic Is Dominating The Meta

Celebi ex quickly emerged as one of the best cards in Pokémon TCG Pocket after its release with the Mythical Island expansion. Its attack, “Powerful Bloom,” allows players to flip a coin for every Energy attached to the card, with each heads equating to 50 damage. This resulted in certain matches ending with 400-plus damage from a single attack. This card’s overpowered nature is pushed even further with the inclusion of Serperior, which doubles every Energy on every card.

This card could easily be nerfed to make it more fair in competitive battles. The amount of coin flips could be altered to make sure that it limits the amount of damage that can be done in one move. For example, it could require two Energy for an additional 50 damage, rather than just one. By doing this, Pokémon TCG Pocket could reduce the huge number of Celebi ex decks used in current PvP battles.

9 Infernape Ex Is Too Strong

The Fire-Type Beast Needs An Attack Adjustment

Released with the latest expansion, Space-Time Smackdown, Infernape ex is the epitome of raw power and damage potential. With just two Fire Energy, Infernape ex can use “Flare Blitz” to inflict 140 damage. This is a huge attack, with its only downside being the fact that it discards all Fire Energy from the card. The card also has a whopping 170 HP, giving it enough endurance to easily see out the battle.

There should be more of a debate regarding Infernape ex, as its potential to quickly end battles once brought into play can be extremely frustrating on the receiving end. One beneficial change would be to make Infernape ex's "Flare Blast” attack require more than two Energy.

Raising the Energy requirement wouldn't stop Infernape ex from being useful, but it would make the card less quick-acting after it's evolved from Monferno. By maintaining the excitement of the card while making it slightly more fair in competitive battles, this simple change could ultimately prove to be a major improvement.

8 Kangaskhan Makes It Too Easy To Stall

This Basic Card Packs More Power Than Expected

Kangaskhan may be overlooked by many as just a colorless Basic card, but it packs impressive strength. Acting as a powerhouse tank, this Pokémon combines high HP with a low-cost attack, making it highly effective. Its “Dizzy Punch” attack costs one colorless Energy for a chance to flip two coins. For each heads, Kangaskhan hits for 30 damage. This card also has 100 HP, giving it resilience. This is also easily boosted with the addition of the Giant Cape or Rocky Helmet Tool cards, making it an even stronger tank card.

Kangaskhan doesn't need a major change, but the game would benefit from reducing the HP of the card to some degree. This would potentially make it slightly more difficult for opponents to set up other cards on the bench and up the pace of the battle overall.

7 Pikachu Ex Is Extremely Quick

Adjusting This Card's Attack Would Make For More Dynamic Gameplay

Pikachu ex, alongside Mewtwo ex, has become the face of Pokémon TCG Pocket, dominating the meta since the game's release. It should be argued, however, that Pikachu ex is maybe too powerful. The Lightning-type Basic card has been at the forefront of competition wins, destroying opponents with a level of ease. Its “Circle Circuit” attack does 30 damage for every Lightning-type card on the bench. This means it is possible to do 90 damage as early as the second turn, with the attack only requiring two Lightning Energy to use.

This card is highly aggressive and quick to use, making it difficult for opponents to counter its relentless offense. This could simply be nerfed by increasing the Energy cost of the card’s attack. This would slow it down slightly, requiring a more strategic approach and adding depth to the tactics needed.

6 Rebalancing Mew Ex Is Necessary

Modifying The Energy Requirements Of Its Attack Could Enhance Fairness

Mew ex, the mascot Pokémon for the Mythical Island expansion, has been highly sought after since its release. Synonymous with the franchise, the strength of this card makes sense to a degree, but it may be too strong. Its attack, “Genome Hacking”, allows the player to choose an opponent's attack and replicate it. Although this is entertaining as a mechanic and should not be changed, the card could benefit from a tweak.

The “Genome Hacking” attack is colorless, meaning Mew ex can be utilized in any deck. It could be argued that both of Mew ex’s attacks should require Psychic Energy. This would create a more balanced approach, as it would limit the card’s versatility and force players to invest more strategically in their deck setup.

5 Alakazam Has Huge Psychic Damage Potential

Its Damage Potential And Attack May Need To Change

Along with Alakazam’s striking Illustrated Rare art comes an intensely powerful Pokémon, making Psychic strategies highly effective. Its attack, “Psychic,” allows the player to do a minimum of 60 damage, with an additional 30 damage for each Energy attached to the opponent's Active Pokémon. This costs three Energy for the Stage 2 Pokémon to use and has the potential to wipe out any opposition.

It should be said that this card is not overly easy to use, as it needs to be evolved twice and charged up. However, the damage potential is slightly too high for this card to be fair. Rather than 30 additional damage, this could be reduced to 20. This would make the card slightly less overpowered while keeping the utility the same.

4 Starmie Ex Needs Energy Adjustments

Balancing Hydro Splash Is A Step Towards Fairness

Starmie ex is included in almost every single Water-type deck due to its simple application and quick-acting attack. With 130 HP, the stage one Pokémon has no problem immediately knocking out the opponent. “Hydro Splash” does 90 damage for a cheap two Water Energy. This means the card can attack as quickly as the second turn and knock out weaker cards.

On its own, this card is powerful, but when paired with Misty, it can knock out most Basic cards on its second move. To make the card fairer, “Hydro Splash” should be more expensive. Making it three Energy rather than two would require more strategy to set the card up, balancing its aggressive power. This change would slow down the card’s ability to dominate early in the game while still allowing it to remain a strong contender in general ability.

3 Marowak Ex Is A Durable Force

Increasing Energy Costs Could Make Bonemerang Fairer

Marowak ex is a stage one, Fighting-type card with a simple setup. Its attack, “Bonemerang”, gives the player a chance to flip two coins. The attack will then do 80 damage for each heads. Though this does rely on RNG and could result in zero damage, the attack remains one of the best in the game. Its 140 HP also makes it a durable option for Fighting-type decks in competitive battles.

This attack also only requires two Fighting Energy, another feature that makes it quick and easy to use. Similarly to Starmie ex, this card's attack may be too quick for the amount of damage it can cause, despite relying on luck. Therefore, the potential 160 damage should require three Energy, rather than two.

2 Eevee Is Has Unlimited Potential

This Card Has An Attack That Needs Capping

Eevee has several different variants in Pokémon TCG Pocket, but there is one that is far stronger than the others. The Mythical Island variant has an attack called “Continuous Steps”. Using this attack results in flipping coins until tails. For each heads, it does 20 damage. This means it has unlimited damage potential, and with favorable luck, it can defeat any Pokémon in the game. On top of this, it only requires one colorless Energy, indicating it can be placed in any deck and attack on its first turn.

Simple and obvious changes would be to either increase the cost of “Continuous Steps” or cap the amount of coins that can be flipped. Other cards limit coin flips to two, similar to Marowak ex.

Implementing a numerical cap would restrict its ability to generate unlimited damage. This would make the Basic card more on par with others that have similar costs and applications.

1 Misty Kills Off The Fun Of Battles

It Should Not Be This Easy To Win A Battle

Misty Pokémon TCG Pocket, making for uninteresting battles that can potentially suck the fun out of the strategy card game. The er card allows players to Choose one of their Water-type Pokémon, and flip a coin until they get tails. For each heads, they can take a Water Energy and attach it to that Pokémon. This means a high-costing Basic card, like Articuno ex, can be charged and used as early as the first turn.

This makes for extremely frustrating gameplay, regardless of the RNG involved. The card should have a cap on the amount of Energy it can produce. This would reduce the number of battles that are ended before they can get started in Pokémon TCG Pocket.