The Best Pokemon Battle Decks to Buy, Ranked
Getting into the Pokemon TCG for the first time, or coming back to it after having been away for a while, can be a little overwhelming. To help you out, here’s a list of the best Pokemon Battle Decks that money can buy.
First, what is a Pokemon Battle Deck?
You can think of a Battle Deck as a starter deck. It’s basically just that: a deck that’s intended to get you started – not necessarily the one you are going to end up with.
However, that being said, not all Battle Decks are the same. They come in different grades ranging from your basic Battle Deck to League Battle Decks and even Deluxe Battle decks.
So how do you navigate all of these?
Well, to simplify it a bit, Battle Decks (also called ex Battle decks in the current era) are your most basic form of battle deck. League Battle decks tend to be built a bit more competitively while Deluxe Battle Decks are upgraded Battle decks.
Pokemon Battle Decks tiers
Battle Decks are the most basic form of Pokemon starter deck and easiest to play. They also tend to lack some of the strongest staple cards that competitive decks need in order to be viable.
Deluxe Battle Decks are upgraded versions of your basic Battle Deck and tend to come with more complete strategies. These decks are great for upgrading and building your own competitive Pokemon deck – especially if you are on a budget.
League Battle Decks mostly come complete as they are, meaning you could take them to a local event and compete relatively fairly with who you are likely to run into there.
While all of that is handy to know, don’t worry too much about the differences for now because we are going to be looking at the best Battle Decks to buy regardless of their tier.
Why a Battle Deck?
Actually, a V Battle deck was my very first Pokemon deck. I got the Blastoise V back in 2021 when Evolving Skies was just coming out. Of course, that particular battle deck was not very good at all. Had I known which battle decks were the best to buy and which were only subpar, I would have been a lot better off. But don’t worry: I’ve done the homework so you don’t have to on what the very best Pokemon battle decks are that you can buy.
#5 Chien-Pao ex Battle Deck
Starting this list off we’ll be taking a look at the wildly popular Chien-Pao ex. Chien Pao ex is popular for a reason. It’s a deck that, even at its most competitive level, is relatively easy to play, and it’s surprisingly strong. Unlike most decks out there that have a power cap, you can theoretically hit for as hard as you like with Chien-Pao ex’s Hail Blade. This makes it versatile against any deck out there, whether you are taking on a beefy Charizard ex or a low HP Lost Zone Box deck.
While this Battle Deck may not have everything you need to get to the most competitive level, it certainly has what you need to get started playing Chien-Pao ex. With a few upgrades, you can take this deck to the very top of competition.
Read my complete guide on the Chien-Pao ex deck to get an idea of how you can upgrade this deck.
#4 Koraidon ex Deluxe Battle Deck
While Koraidon ex may not be a meta deck, you’d be surprised how strong it can be. Indeed, it’s one of my favorite decks to play (at the competitive level). It’s fast, strong and no-nonsense.
This prebuilt Koraidon ex deck is a Deleuxe Battle Deck, which means it is a step up from a basic Battle Deck but not quite at the level of a more powerful League Battle Deck, either. This is a great first deck for someone who has already mastered their basic Battle deck and are ready for the next challenge.
While this deck may not be at the level of a League Battle deck, I wouldn’t underestimate it. With just a few minor fixes this deck is easily competitive, and quite strong.
If you like aggressive decks that hit hard, go with this one.
For more info on how to play Koraidon ex, read my custom deck build to get an insight into how this deck can be upgraded.
#3 Gardevoir ex League Battle Deck
The first League Battle Deck we’ll cover on this list is also a very, very strong one. Gardevoir ex has been a mainstay in the competitive Pokemon meta, and this deck gives you most of the pieces to build your own deck, including some very helpful cards like Mew ex and Lumineon V. Also noteworthy is the inclusion of Radiant Greninja which is one of the most played Pokemon cards of all.
While more recent attackers have been added to Gardevoir ex’s roster (like Scream Tail), those are easy enough to come by. As you get more experience with the deck, you can add more attackers and strategies in as you go.
Read my guide on how to play the current most competitive rendition of Gardevoir ex.
#2 Palkia VSTAR League Battle Deck
Palkia VSTAR was once a dominant deck and it will be again, thanks to the new Palkia/Terapagos ex build. Using Terapagos ex with Area Zero Underdepths, you can massively boost Palkia VSTAR’s damage reach.
This Palkia VSTAR League Battle Deck has a lot of the pieces you are going to need in order to build this top tier deck. As for what more you need, you can see my Palkia VSTAR/Terapagos ex deck build.
#1 Charizard ex League Battle Deck
The Charizard ex League Battle Deck has yet to be released, but it’s already hotly anticipated. Charizard ex is one of the strongest deck archetypes of all in the Pokemon TCG, and this deck comes with some noteworthy cards like Prime Catcher that otherwise are expensive to acquire.
While there are some more recent techs that players are using to make Charizard ex even more deadly than its base version (which is essentially included in this deck), here you have everything you need to build your own powerful Charizard ex deck and start winning competitions.
Read my comprehensive guide on how to build the current version of Charizard ex.
