Pokemon TCG Pocket: Best Lucario deck guide

The A2 expansion, Space-Time Smackdown, has brought some powerful additions to Pokemon TCG Pocket, including the formidable Palkia ex. Among these new cards, Lucario has emerged as a game-changer for Fighting-type decks. With its strong synergy and damage-boosting ability, Lucario has quickly become a top-tier pick in competitive play.

If you're looking to build a deck that maximizes Lucario's strengths, this guide will walk you through the best card choices, strategies, and alternatives to consider. Whether you're a seasoned player or just starting, this deck can give you an edge in battle.

Best Pokemon TCG Pocket Lucario deck: Cards you need

To create the best Lucario deck, you'll need a solid mix of attackers, support Pokemon, and trainer cards to ensure consistency. Here’s a breakdown of the key cards you should include:

🚨 Calculate how strong your evolved Pokémon will become with our newly launched Pokemon GO Evolution Calculator 🚨

Cards	Quantity
Hitmonchan	1
Riolu	2
Lucario	2
Marshadow	1
Aerodactyl ex	2
Poke Ball	2
Cyrus	1
Giant Cape	1
Leaf	2
Old Amber	2
Professor’s Research	2
Rocky Helmet	1
Sabrina	1

Also read: Pokemon TCG Pocket Space-Time Smackdown: All cards, types, and rarities

Best Pokemon TCG Pocket Lucario deck: Strategy and gameplay

All Lucario variants as seen in the game (Image via The Pokemon Company)

Lucario enters the metagame alongside other evolved Pokemon with powerful abilities, such as Gardevoir and Greninja. However, what sets it apart is its Fighting Coach ability, which increases the damage of all Fighting-type Pokemon by 20.

Since Lucario only requires a single evolution, this boost comes into play quickly, making Fighting decks significantly stronger.

The deck aims to set up Lucario by turn 2, enhancing the damage of key attackers like Hitmonchan and Aerodactyl ex.

Fighting Coach stacks, meaning if you have two Lucario in play, your Fighting Pokemon receive a massive +40 damage boost, allowing them to take down even tanky opponents with ease.

Also read: Best tips to use Cyrus in Pokemon TCG Pocket

Best cards that synergize with Lucario (Image via The Pokemon Company)

Key attack synergies:

Hitmonchan: A basic card that deals 50 damage for just one Fighting Energy, becoming an efficient early-game attacker with Lucario's boost.
Lucario’s Submarine Blow: Takes full advantage of the increased damage output.
Marshadow: Delivers a total of 140 possible damage if played at the right time.
Aerodactyl ex: With Fighting Coach active, its Land Crush attack jumps from 80 to 100 damage, allowing it to one-shot Druddigon and heavily damage other popular Pokemon ex.

The deck is designed for consistency, with Riolu being the most likely starting Pokemon. Fossil Pokemon, like Aerodactyl ex, cannot start in the Active spot, increasing your chances of drawing Riolu or searching for it early in the game.

This setup ensures that you can get Lucario online quickly and even prepare a second one for additional damage boosts in the late game.

Also read: 10 best cards in Pokemon TCG Pocket Space-Time Smackdown expansion

Best Pokemon TCG Pocket Lucario deck: Alternate Cards

Alternate cards that work best with Lucario (Image via The Pokemon Company)

If you’re looking to experiment with different attackers, here are some alternatives along with their damage calculations:

1) Rampardos – Head Smash deals 130 damage. If it knocks out an opponent’s Pokemon, Rampardos takes 50 damage.

With 1 Lucario: 150 damage
With 2 Lucario: 170 damage

2) Machamp ex–Mega Punch hits for 120.

With 1 Lucario: 140 damage
With 2 Lucario: 160 damage

3) Golem (Genetic Apex) – Deals 150 damage but takes 50 self-damage.

With 1 Lucario: 170 damage
With 2 Lucario: 190 damage

4) Golem (Mythical Island) – Deals 120 damage but takes 30 less damage on the next turn.

With 1 Lucario: 140 damage
With 2 Lucario: 160 damage

5) Gallade ex – Energized Blade does 70 damage plus 20 for each Energy attached to the opponent’s Pokemon.

With 1 Lucario: 90 damage + effect
With 2 Lucario: 110 damage + effect

6) Kabutops – Leech Life does 50 damage and heals the same amount.

With 1 Lucario: 70 damage
With 2 Lucario: 90 damage

Also read: All cards best synergised with Dialga ex from Pokemon TCGP Space-Time Smackdown

Lucario has completely reshaped the way Fighting decks operate in Pokemon TCG Pocket. Its Fighting Coach ability provides an unparalleled damage boost, allowing even low-cost attacks to become major threats.

Paired with strong attackers like Hitmonchan and Aerodactyl ex, this deck is a force to be reckoned with in competitive play.

If you're looking for a deck that is both fast and powerful, Lucario’s synergy makes it one of the best choices in the current meta.

If you are interested in other Pokemon TCG Pocket topics, check out our other articles:

🚨 Calculate how strong your evolved Pokémon will become with our newly launched Pokemon GO Evolution Calculator 🚨

Edited by Aatreyee Aich