The Pokémon Trading Card Game has been around since 1996, and during those decades, there have been some incredibly powerful cards released for the TCG, including many that ended up so overpowered that they have since been banned from tournament play. Pokémon regularly debuts new styles of cards with featured abilities to make sets stand out from each other, and sometimes, this leads to certain cards packing a real Pika Punch over the rest. Tournament-allowed cards are reevaluated yearly and adjusted as needed, but casual games can still use some of the overpowered cards if the player has them and everyone is in agreement.
The newest Pokémon TCG: Scarlet & Violet – 151 set brings back many of the classic favorites by incorporating the original characters of the Kanto region with updated gameplay mechanics. This look back at the history of the TCG brings to mind many of the cards that have debuted in the almost three decades that the game has been around. Here are some of the most powerful cards that have ever been made available for the Pokémon Trading Card Game.
15 Tapu Lele GX From Guardians Rising
Tapu Lele GX is from the Sun & Moon: Guardians Rising set for the Pokémon TCG. This card is very powerful in games due to its ability to let players search their deck and draw a Supporter card when Tapu Lele is played onto a player’s bench. Its special GX power also allows for healing all damage from 2 Benched Pokémon.
14 Cleffa From Call Of Legends
Cleffa is an adorable little Pokémon, with a powerful ability and is very accessible for most decks by being a colorless card. Cleffa is from the Pokémon TCG: Call of Legends set and allows its player to shuffle their hand into their deck and draw 6 new cards, which will then put Cleffa to sleep. As long as Cleffa is Asleep, opponents can do no damage to this cute little Pokémon.
13 Claydol From TCG Celebrations: Classic Collection
Part of the Pokémon TCG Celebrations: Classic Collection, Claydol is an unassuming card that is surprisingly effective in battle. Its Poké-Power lets players tweak their deck to have their supports focus on things other than draw power, as Claydol will let players discard up to two cards from their hand and then draw six new cards every turn. Being able to manipulate a deck in this manner can be a significant boost in the game.
12 Arceus VSTAR From Brilliant Stars
Arceus VSTAR is from the Pokémon TCG: Sword & Shield – Brilliant Stars and is set as a colorless card. Like the above entry for Claydol, Arceus VSTAR lets players search their deck for cards once per game or to get three basic Energy cards. In addition to its strong attack power, this ability to get the cards a player needs can shift the balance of power in a game.
11 M Aggron EX From Primal Clash
For those with luck on their side, Mega Aggron EX, from the Pokémon TCG: XY Primal Clash set, can do some powerful attack damage. Mega Aggron EX’s attack Megaton Slam allows for double the damage to be dealt to its victims if a player’s coin flip lands on heads. Alternatively, if it lands on tails, 20 damage will be caused to each of the player’s Benched Pokémon. If lucky enough to get heads, this will mean Mega Aggron EX will do 240 damage, effectively being able to one-shot most cards in the game.
10 Zoroark GX From Shining Legends
Zoroark GX is one of the powerful cards of the Pokémon TCG: Shining Legends set that lets players discard a card to draw two, letting them easily swap things out to be their ideal hand. Additionally, its Riotous Beating attack provides a strong hit as it can deal 20 damage per Pokémon the player has in play in addition to Zoroark GX. Once per game, the Trickster GX ability can also come in handy by allowing Zoroark GX to use any attack ability of an opponent Pokémon.
9 M Charizard EX (X) From Flashfire
Both the X and Y evolutions for Mega Charizard EX are powerful, but X is slightly more so, with a Wild Blaze attack that can do 300 damage in one hit. While the Y form of this Mega Charizard EX would then also do 50 damage to itself, X will instead cause the player to discard the top 5 cards from their deck. Although losing cards is not fun, it allows for this one-hit powerhouse to take out opposing Pokémon effortlessly without hurting itself. Both cards are from the Pokémon TCG: XY Flashfire set.
8 Lysandre’s Trump Card From Phantom Forces
Lysandre’s Trump Card was part of the Pokémon TCG: XY Phantom Forces set and was quickly banned from competitive matches. This simple support card can essentially reset the entire match by making both players shuffle all of their cards from the discard pile back into their decks. It also takes away the possibility for any player to run out of cards as long as it is able to be used, as discard piles can just be shuffled back into decks, thereby removing one of the possible win conditions.
7 Shaymin EX From Roaring Skies
Pokémon TCG: XY Roaring Skies set also introduced the Shaymin EX card, which was banned from competitive play after a few years. This overpowered card not only lets a player draw until they have six cards in their hand whenever Shaymin EX is placed on the bench but also has a Sky Return ability that lets players then return Shaymin and all cards connected to it back to their hand. This cycle can keep allowing a player to fill their hand repetitively when the ability and move are used strategically.
6 M Gengar EX from Phantom Forces
Mega Gengar EX is from the Pokémon TCG: XY Phantom Forces and is more than just a beautiful and colorful card. This powerhouse card lets players use any attack from an opponent’s Pokémon card to use as their attack at a very low energy cost of only one Psychic energy. Depending on what cards the opposing player has out, this card could potentially be a powerful card for little cost.
5 Copperajah VMAX From Rebel Clash
Likely one of the lesser known Pokémon, Copperajah has a VMAX form in this card from Pokémon TCG: Sword & Shield – Rebel Clash. First to note is the impressive 340 HP that this card holds, making it strong enough to withstand any high-damage hits. Also, its Dangerous Nose attack will do 100 damage, with an additional 100 damage if the opponent’s Active Pokémon is a Basic.
4 Charizard GX From Burning Shadows
Charizard GX from the Pokémon TCG: Sun & Moon – Burning Shadows set is one of many powerful Charizard cards, but this one features a GX move that will make opponents cringe. The Raging Out GX attack causes an opponent to discard the top 10 cards from their deck. It can only be used once per game, but losing ten cards is a massive blow to any player. Additionally, the Crimson Storm can do 300 damage in one attack, and Charizard GX has a high HP of 250 to make it pretty resilient to attacks as well.
3 M Mewtwo EX From BREAKthrough
Mewtwo is already known to be one of the strongest Pokémon, canonically, so making one a Mega Mewtwo EX can make it nearly unbeatable. This Pokémon TCG card is from the XY: BREAKthrough set and can cause incredible damage in its attacks. With its Psychic Infinity power, Mega Mewtwo EX will do 30 more damage multiplied by the amount of Energy that is on both of the Active Pokémon combined and is not affected by any Weakness.
2 Mewtwo & Mew GX Tag Team From Unified Minds
Part of Pokémon TCG: Sun & Moon – Unified Minds set that introduced Tag Teams, the Mewtwo & Mew GX Tag Team is perfect for versatility and power. This card has the ability Perfection that allows it to use any attack from any Pokémon GX or EX card in the player’s Bench or discard pile. Also, the Miraculous Duo GX power, which can only be used once per game, can not only do 200 damage to its victim but if there is an extra Energy attached to the card, it will heal all damage from all the player’s Pokémon.
1 Charizard VSTAR From Brilliant Stars
Between having a healthy 280 HP and two of the strongest attacks in the game, this card from Pokémon TCG: Sword & Shield – Brilliant Stars is a dangerous one to face off against. The one-time use Star Blaze VSTAR power will do a whopping 320 damage, but even the more basic Explosive Fire attack can do 230 damage if there are any damage counters on Charizard VSTAR. These abilities that Charizard VSTAR has can easily make it the most powerful card seen in the decades that the Pokémon Trading Card Game has been around.
