Pokémon TCG Pocket: Lucario Deck Guide

One of the standout counter decks in Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket hasn’t been, fittingly, Fighting type decks featuring a combination of Hitmonlee and Marshadow alongside a variety of other iconic Pokémon like Aerodactyl EX and Marowak EX.

With the release of Lucario in the Space-Time Smackdown expansion, Fighting-type decks have gotten all the more fearsome.

Lucario is a Stage 1 Pokémon with a passive ability that grants other Fighting-type Pokémon — particularly fossils — extra damage. However, you can also stack this ability with two Lucario on the board. Combined with some heavy-hitting Fighting types and new tools, Lucario looks like a potent threat.

Below are all the Pokémon you’ll want to have to fight alongside Lucario. What’s more, we’ve included some weakness and matchup predictions based on how the meta is shaping up.

Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket - Best Lucario Deck (Space-Time Smackdown)

Lucario-based decks currently sit in the A Tier for us, but narrowing down the best Lucario deck is incredibly difficult, given we’re entering a new meta and there are so many great Fighting type Pokémon to pair his ability, Fighting Coach, with.

Fighting Coach gives a net +20 damage to all your Fighting type Pokémon when hitting your opponent’s active Pokémon. Stacking with two Lucario give +40 damage.

While Lucario itself is pretty weak with a 2 Fighting energy attack called Submarine Blow for 40 damage, that ramps up to 80 with two Lucario online. Still, Lucario needs a heavy hitter or two to go with it. Look no further than fossil Pokémon. Let’s look at the core cards of a Lucario deck and some variations:

Core Lucario Cards

• 2x Lucario
• 2x Riolu
• 2x Old Amber
• 2x Aerodactyl EX
• 2x Marshadow
• 2x Mankey
• 2x Primeape
• 2x Poké Ball
• 2x Leaf
• 2x Professor’s Research

Flex Lucario Cards

There are so many options to replace Old Amber, Aerodactyl EX, and Marshadow with. We have two different packages from the above:

• 2x Regirock
• 2x Dome Fossil
• 2x Kabuto
• 2x Kabutops

• 2x Giant Cape

This set aims to get Kabutops on the board, which can deal 90 damage with two Lucario behind it while healing back up that same amount of health. With a Giant Cape equipped, it can survive a hit from most EX Pokémon.

• 2x Regirock
• 2x Skull Fossil
• 2x Canidos
• 2x Rampardos

• 2x Rocky Helmet

Last, newcomer Rampardos is a Stage 2 Pokémon but it does a staggering 130 damage for 1 Fighting energy. There’s a catch: it also does 50 damage to itself if it KOs a Pokémon. At 150 HP, it can take a hit to itself, and with Lucario on the board, it can also take down the likes of Dialga EX and Mewtwo EX.

That all said, if you’re running into a lot of Gyarados EX decks, it’s worth swapping in a Hitmonlee for one of the supporter cards, a Marshadow, or a Regirock.

How To Play Lucario

Aerodactyl EX proved a great inclusion during the Mythical Island meta, outputting a consistent 80 damage despite its ability not being all that useful. It’s likely the best bet with Lucario, as two on the board will bump it up to a staggering 120. Mankey and Primeape together are also some of the best Pokémon to have while going second, meaning you likely do not need Regirock as a wall for this list, and can instead run Marshadow for a possible 140 Revenge attack.

Old Amber being an item card also means it’s easier to find your Mankey, Riolu, and Marshadow. As a result, Aerodactyl EX is our go-to for a Lucario deck.

For the other two fossils, Regirock becomes a key component instead of Marshadow as it allows you to tank hits while you find your full Stage 2 line. You do not want to put more than one energy on Regirock because ideally you’re using Leaf to retreat into your attacking Pokémon.

Lucario Best and Worst Matchups

Lucario and its fossil friends have good matchups against Pikachu EX given that deck’s main weakness and a negative one against Mewtwo EX. The latter isn’t unwinnable but all the fossils get one shot by Mewtwo EX, meaning you have to manage your Pokémon carefully in order to knock it out in return. Marshadow helps here.

The Aerodactyl EX version of this list has a positive matchup against Celebi EX and Darkrai EX; however, the Regirock version struggles against Celebi EX as it can’t often get online quick enough.

Finally, Gyarados EX hits this deck hard without a Hitmonlee in it to snipe a Magikarp. Your best bet is to hope they don’t get a Misty high roll and you can clear their two Druddigon with the help of Lucario before Gyarados EX is ready to attack.

Look to see a lot of experimentation with this iconic Fighting type as the meta continues to evolve. In the meantime, have a look at our Tier List to get a feel for all of the best Pokémon TCG Pocket decks.