Pokémon TCG Pocket: Best Toxicroak Deck (Best Strategy & Cards)

A powerful new Toxicroak deck has emerged in Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket, leveraging a clever mechanic to outplay and defeat opponents. Since the release of the Space-Time Smackdown expansion for the mobile game, several ex cards quickly started appearing in competitive decks. However, this left several underrated yet strong cards unnoticed and underused. Toxicroak is a prime example of this, serving as a Pokémon with effective damage potential that can efficiently take down opposing ex cards.

This deck uses a potentially underused TCG Pocket mechanic to boost Toxicroak’s damage output. Fossil cards are more commonly used to evolve into Pokémon such as Aerodactyl; however, they can also be used in other ways, serving as basic 40 HP Pokémon. This can be taken advantage of in this deck, contributing to its consistent power.

Why Toxicroak’s Attack Is a Game-Changer In TCG Pocket

Group Beatdown Can Inflict Huge Amounts Of Damage

Toxicroak is an underrated card in Pokémon TCG Pocket, boasting an impressive attack and solid HP. The Darkness-type Pokémon is a Stage One card and is available in the Dialga pack from the Space-Time Smackdown expansion. Its attack, Group Beatdown, gives you an opportunity to do some serious damage with coin flips. When using this attack, you flip a coin for each Pokémon you have in play, and it then does 40 damage for each heads flipped. Though this does rely heavily on RNG, the opportunity to potentially hit for 160 damage is unmissable.

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Group Beatdown also only costs two Darkness Energy to use, meaning it has a simple set up. Toxicroak also boasts 90 HP, allowing you to confidently place Toxicroak in your Active Spot, knowing it’s unlikely to be knocked out in a single hit. This is also something that can be boosted by the Giant Cape tool card, which increases Toxicroak’s HP by 20. For me, it was particularly helpful when facing Pickachu ex decks that easily hit for 90 damage.

Use Professor’s Research and Poké Ball to cycle through your deck and quickly find the cards needed to set up the Toxicroak evolution line.

Its pre-evolution, Croagunk, is also a solid card, allowing you to comfortably place it in the Active Spot in the first turn. Its 60 HP is enough to withstand the majority of early attacks, such as the Leek Slap attack from Farfetch’d. As well as this, it has its own version of Group Beatdown, where it instead does 20 damage for each heads, rather than Toxicroak’s 40.

Toxicroak Deck Cards List

Darkrai Ex & Several Supporter Cards Allow Toxicroak To Shine

Another key Pokémon in the Toxicroak deck is Darkrai ex, which significantly boosts the deck’s damage output. This is pivotal for the effectiveness of the deck, especially against meta decks such as Celebi ex. Darkrai ex has an ability called Nightmare Aura, which deals 20 damage to your opponent’s Active Pokémon every time you attach a Darkness Energy to this card. This will chip away at the opponent while Toxicroak is in the Active Spot, and while consistently causing damage, you are also setting up its attack, Dark Prism, which deals 80 damage.

Card Name	Quantity	Card Type	Attacks + Abilities
Toxicroak	2	Stage 1	Group Beatdown: 40x Damage + Flip a coin for each Pokémon you have in play. This attack does 40 damage for each heads.
Croagunk	2	Basic	Group Beatdown: 20x Damage + Flip a coin for each Pokémon you have in play. This attack does 20 damage for each heads.
Darkrai ex	1	Basic	Nightmare Aura: Whenever you attach a Darkness Energy from your Energy Zone to this Pokémon, do 20 damage to your opponent’s Active Pokémon.
Potion	2	Item	Heal 20 damage from 1 of your Pokémon.
Poké Ball	1	Item	Put a random Basic Pokémon from your deck into your hand.
Old Amber	2	Item	Play this card as if it were a 40-HP Basic Pokémon. At any time during your turn, you may discard this card from play. This card can’t retreat.
Skull Fossil	2	Item	Play this card as if it were a 40-HP Basic Pokémon. At any time during your turn, you may discard this card from play. This card can’t retreat.
Giant Cape	2	Tool	The Pokémon this card is attached to gets +20 HP.
Professor’s Research	2	Supporter	Draw 2 cards.
Dawn	2	Supporter	Move an Energy from 1 of your Benched Pokémon to your Active Pokémon.
Leaf	1	Supporter	During this turn, the Retreat Cost of your Active Pokémon is 2 less.
Cyrus	1	Supporter	Switch in 1 of your opponent’s Benched Pokémon that has damage on it to the Active Spot.

This Toxicroak deck also relies on several Tool, Supporter, and Item cards to achieve success in Pokémon TCG Pocket. Firstly, Dawn is used to move energy from a benched Pokémon to the Active Spot, allowing you to transfer energy onto Darkrai ex if Toxicroak needs to retreat, or vice versa. The Leaf Supporter card further enhances the deck’s fluidity by reducing a retreat cost by two, enabling you to quickly swap out your Pokémon and protect them from being knocked out. This is especially important to Darkrai ex, as its defeat would give the opponent two points.

Best Strategy To Win With a Toxicroak Deck

By Using Fossil Cards, You Can Ramp Up Damage Potential

The best strategy is primarily down to the use of the Old Amber and Skull Fossil item cards. This unique system means that you will be able to maximize your chances of hitting for consistent damage. Croagunk should be placed in the Active Spot from the very first turn, with Darkrai ex placed on the bench. You can then use the Poké Ball and Professor’s Research trainer cards to cycle through your deck and pull the remaining cards you need – the Fossil cards and Toxicroak.

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From here, place the Fossil cards onto the bench, filling every available spot in play. By doing so, you create an ideal setup that enables Toxicroak, which should be evolved at the earliest opportunity, to flip the maximum of four coins, potentially dealing up to 160 damage. This setup maximizes Toxicroak’s attack potential, making it a formidable force in the battle. With the bench filled, each successful coin flip contributes to substantial damage output, putting pressure on your opponent and increasing the likelihood of a swift victory in Pokémon TCG Pocket.