Pokémon's popularity is nearly unrivaled across its anime series, video games, and even the TCG, thanks to its wealth of noteworthy cards. First introduced in 1998, the Pokémon Trading Card Game replicated the experience of catching and battling Pokémon in a tabletop format. Over the years, fans have spent enormous amounts of money collecting the trading cards.

The Pokémon TCG is among the top-rated trading card games of all time. Players compete at local and global tournaments, and there have been some powerful cards printed over the years. As with any trading card game, these powerful cards quickly become sought-after by casual fans and competitive players, from the various Mewtwo variants to Mega Charizard X.

Updated April 4, 2024, by Guillermo Kurten: The Pokémon TCG is still one of the most lucrative card games available, and it's seen many incredibly strong cards over the years. Each expansion features a variety of powerful cards that fill unique roles in a player's deck. This list is being updated to include more information on what made these cards rare and useful in battle.

30 Coalossal VMAX Is A Powerful And Bulky Card

The first thing to note about the Coalossal VMAX card is the astonishing 330 HP that it marches into battle with. It has a basic Eruption Shot attack that does 40 damage with an additional 90 damage on the table if the player successfully pulls an energy card from the top of the deck.

That energy card is then attached to the Pokémon to help barrel the card towards the unbelievable G-Max Boulder attack. Doing a ridiculous 240 damage, it requires 3 fighting and 1 other type of energy to use. This card is arguably among the best introduced during the Pokémon TCG's Sword & Shield generation.

29 Black Kyurem EX Is A Powerful Basic Card

On the surface, deeming the Black Kyurem EX card a formidable card might seem like an odd choice given its relatively low 180 HP and solid but not outstanding attack list. The reason for its inclusion centers on it being a basic card, meaning it can be used from the jump without evolving into this form first.

Black Kyurem EX has two attacks, including Dragon Fang, which does 60 damage and has a chance to paralyze based on the flip of a coin. Its major attack is Freeze Shock, which has a chance to stun in addition to the 150 damage that it does.

28 Mega Rayquaza EX Is Daunting With A Single Attack

Mega Rayquaza EX is a well-rounded card that offers attacking and defensive capabilities in relatively equal measure. It comes with 230 HP and is resistant to Water, Fire, Grass, and Electric attacks. Any incoming damage from those sources gets reduced by 20.

Mega Rayquaza EX has one attack, which can be awkward during play but deals devastating damage. Dragon Ascent costs five energy in total (including three fire, one electric, and one colorless) but it does a ridiculous 300 damage on hit. Even though two energy cards must be discarded after use, it's still powerful enough to take down opponents.

27 Gyarados VMAX Is A Great Balance Of Defense And Offense

Evolving for the Gyarados V card, the VMAX version is a very tanky option when sitting at 330 HP. In addition, both of its attacks are very potent and without any significant drawbacks that render the card less useful in battle.

The first of these is Hyper Beam (two water and one colorless energy required), an attack that does 120 damage and removes an energy card from the opponent's active Pokémon. Max Tyrant is the Pokémon's major attack, dealing 240 damage to its opponent.

26 Charizard VSTAR Is A Uniquely Powerful Variant Of This Pokémon

Arguably the most iconic Pokémon in the entire series, the Charizard VSTAR card is one of the most powerful ever. Carrying a hefty 280 HP, this card's attacks set it apart from other versions of the Pokémon from other expansions.

The first of these is Explosive Fire which does 130 damage as standard, increasing to 230 if the Pokémon that the ability targets has damage counters on it. Then there is the bonkers VSTAR Power Star Blaze that does 320 points of damage and is enough to one-shot nearly any enemy in the game.

25 Cleffa Is Surprisingly Useful And Versatile

Cleffa may look cute, but its iteration in the Call of Legends set is a surprising nuisance. The Pokémon's typing is a contributing factor as a colorless card, meaning it's easy to fit it into essentially any deck without sacrificing too much.

Cleffa's meager thirty HP might make it look fragile, but its moves are key to its staying power. "Eeeeeeek" allows players to shuffle their hand into their deck before drawing six cards, with Cleffa falling asleep afterward. The Poké-Body ability prevents Cleffa from taking damage while asleep.

24 Shadow Lugia Is A Rare And Powerful Media Tie-In Card

Shadow Lugia is a Flying and Psychic legendary Pokémon that appears in an alternate form in the spinoff game Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness. While never receiving a tournament-legal card, it did get a promotional incarnation that boasts some daunting defensive and offensive stats.

At 300 HP, Shadow Lugia already rivals some of the bulkiest Pokémon cards ever. Adding to this is an equally massive attack in "Shadow Storm," which for five energy deals 1,000 damage to anything unlucky enough to face it, knocking out something like Skeledirge ex three times over — itself tied for the highest HP of any Pokémon card.

23 Comfey Can Be A Valuable Complement To Other Pokémon

At first glance, nothing seems especially impressive about Comfey. With only 70 HP and an attack that deals a meager 30 damage, it certainly won't be winning any fights. Rather, its strength lies in its "Flower Selecting" ability, which allows the player to pick up two cards from their deck and send one to the lost zone.

Filling up the lost zone is normally a detriment, but the card decks Comfey fuels are filled with powerful cards that depend on it. Pokémon like Giratina VSTAR can only use their best attacks when the lost zone is suitably full, and the powerful "Mirage Gate" item can't be used until at least 10 cards are "lost."

22 Double Colorless Energy Is Still Useful Today

Double Colorless Energy was the very first "special" energy card printed, all the way back in the original base set. At release, it was unique in being the only energy limited to four copies per deck, but dozens of others would join it as the game grew and matured.

It has plenty of competition in the modern game, but the Double Colorless Energy still manages to hold its own. The ability to pay for a two-cost attack with a single card is just that good, and there's always been a tempting target any time it receives a new reprint, whether for controlling the match or a lightning-fast start.

21 Claydol Makes Great Use Of Its Poké-Power

This Claydol was released as part of the TCG Celebrations: Classic Collection. It might not look like much at first glance, but its Poké-Power makes it incredibly strong. Typically, supporters in the Pokémon TCG have a heavy focus on draw power, letting players salvage a bad hand and gain access to their stronger cards if needed.

However, Claydol eliminated this need and allowed supporter cards to focus on other things. This is thanks to Claydol's ability, "Cosmic Power," which lets players discard up to two cards of their choice before drawing six from their deck. This can be done once per turn before attacking, making it very powerful.

20 Mega Gengar EX Turns An Opponent's Strength Into A Weakness

Mega Gengar EX has an attack called Phantom Gate which allows the player to choose one attack from the opponent's Pokémon cards and use it against them. This attack lets the player eliminate one of their opponent's attacks at the cost of just one Psychic energy card.

Mega Gengar EX can be deadly for opponents with overpowered cards such as Mega Mewtwo X or Shadow Lugia. Both of these cards have extremely high damage potential, so being able to hit an opponent with them is extremely strong.

19 Mewtwo EX Was Nearly Insurmountable In Its Day

Not every meta-dominating Pokémon card can stay strong forever, but they will be forever remembered by the fans who played throughout its reign. Such is the case for cards like Mewtwo-EX, part of the Black & White Legendary Treasures set, which used to be an unbeatable bully card.

Mewtwo-EX is a tank with nearly 200 health, but its moves make it even more powerful. X Ball deals 20 damage times the number of energy cards attached to him, though the drawback is that it injures Mewtwo alongside the defending Pokémon. Meanwhile, Psydrive does a staggering 120 damage. The only drawback is having to discard energy.

18 Mega Aggron EX Has The Potential For Devastating Damage

Mega Aggron EX has an attack called Megaton Slam that allows the player to flip a coin. If the coin lands on heads, it adds 120 damage to the already high 120 base attack. If the coin lands on tails, it does 20 damage to the cardholder's benched Pokémon.

If luck is on the cardholder's side, the overlooked Mega Aggron EX has the potential to one-shot any of the opponent's Pokémon. The damage output is worth it, even if the player might have to risk hurting their own benched cards.

17 Zoroark GX Has A Great Ability And Move Combo

Zoroark-GX is part of the Shining Legends set and effortlessly made its way into almost anyone's deck unless they were running something designed to counter it. Its Trade ability and Riotous Beating move work well together to ensure Zoroark can always pack a powerful punch.

Trade lets players discard one card they don't need and obtain two more, while Riotous Beating deals twenty damage for each Pokémon the player has in play. These two easily combine to ensure that Zoroark inflicts high damage consistently. With over two hundred health, it's not easy to take down either.

16 Mega Venusaur EX Has A Highly Restricting Attack For Opponents

Mega Venusaur EX is a dangerous card for any opponent. Its special attack is called Crisis Vine, and it paralyzes and poisons the opponent's active Pokémon, inflicting a duo of two debilitating debuffs at once.

Although Mega Venusaur EX only has a 120 damage output, it's best used for locking down an opponent's strongest Pokémon so the player's other cards can easily defeat them. Mega Venusaur EX proves that damage output doesn't equal how deadly a card can be.

15 Lucario & Melmetal GX Are An Unlikely But Strong Duo

It's not often that one of the most popular Pokémon gets paired up with one of the least popular, but that doesn't mean it can't work. Lucario & Melmetal-GX, from the Unbroken Bonds set, is an incredibly beefy tank that stands at a whopping 266 HP.

Combined with its Full Metal Wall-GX skill, Lucario & Melmetal-GX is hard to take down and will provide a solid defense to any team. Steel Fist allows it to obtain energy for its final blow. Heavy Impact can knock out any card with 150 HP or less.

14 Malamar EX Has A Powerful Range Between Its Ability And Attack

Although Malamar is underrated, the Malamar EX card in the TCG is one that fans shouldn't overlook. The main attack on this card is Maxmar, and it has the player flip a coin for every energy card attached to this Pokémon, dealing 60 damage every time the coin lands on heads.

This attack has the potential to fail, but Malamar EX's second attack is more reliable. When a new Energy card is played, it can put the opponent's active Pokémon to sleep. Both of these abilities make Malamar EX a powerhouse in the Pokémon TCG.

13 Mewtwo & Mew Tag Team-GX Is A Dream-Team Combination

It's hard not to appreciate a card where Mew and Mewtwo can come together and fight on the same side, even if Mewtwo looks less than amused. Mewtwo & Mew Tag Team-GX, part of the fittingly named Unified Minds set, boasts nearly 300 HP and a powerful moveset.

Their ability Perfection lets the duo use the attacks of any other GX or EX Pokémon on the player's bench or discard pile. If that wasn't enough, Miraculous Duo GX deals a stunning 200 damage and has the potential to heal all damage dealt to all the player's Pokémon.

12 Mega Gardevoir-EX Offers High Damage For A Risk

Mega Gardevoir-EX has an attack called the Brilliant Arrow that does 30 damage times the amount of energy attached to all the players' Pokémon. This attack has no damage cap, meaning it can potentially deal 400 damage and one-shot any of the opponent's Pokémon if set up correctly.

One downside to Mega Gardevoir-EX is the energy needed and the difficulty of building it up. But the possible damage output makes this card worth it despite the time and risks involved.

11 Tapu Lele-GX Has An Invaluable Ability

Released in the Sun & Moon Guardians Rising set, Tapu Lele-GX has been a staple Pokémon in many decks since, thanks to its Wonder Tag Ability. Whenever Tapu Lele-GX is played onto a player's bench from their hand, they can search for and draw a Supporter card.

Gaining access to a chosen Supporter on-demand is too good to pass up in many cases. Tapu Cure-GX can also be used in a pinch to fully heal two other Pokémon, though something like Mewtwo and Mew would fulfill this role better.