Pokémon TCG Pocket: Venusaur EX Deck Guide

In other Pokémon games, Grass types generally have poor defenses as they’re weak to far too many types. In Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket, each card is only weak to one type of damage, so Grass types have gotten a massive buff, so to speak. This includes the first PokéDex entrant, Bulbasaur, and his special final evolution, Venusaur EX.

As a solid deck for the first-ever Starter Pokémon, Venusaur EX works on building up its star to deal out damage.

This guide goes into great detail of what cards you'll need to get the most out of Venusaur EX, along with its best and worst matchups and even some budget options should you be missing any of the cards.

Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket - Best Venusaur EX Deck

Venusaur EX is a solid B Tier deck alongside Dragonite's own deck. You'll need a few different EX cards to make the most of it, however, so while you'll start by going for Mewtwo booster packs, you'll eventually need to swap.

These are the 20 cards you'll need for the strongest Venusaur EX, which includes Exeggutor EX alongside some help from the Erika Trainer card. which you get from Charizard booster packs. This deck uses Grass energy:

• 2x Bulbasaur EX

• 2x Ivysaur EX

• 2x Venusaur EX

• 2x Exeggcute

• 2x Exeggutor EX

• 1x Giovanni

• 2x Erika

• 2x Professor’s Research

• 1x Sabrina

• 2x Poké Ball

• 2x X Speed

The win condition for this deck is to build up Venusaur EX – a lengthy process as its Giant Bloom attack requires 4 energy – while keeping your opponent on their back foot with Exeggutor EX. Giant Bloom heals 30 damage to Venusaur EX, making him very difficult to knock out, while the Erika Trainer card heals 50 damage from a Grass type Pokémon, further increasing your durability.

Healing Exeggutor EX with Erika isn’t a bad idea either as it can help you stall for time as you build up your Venusaur EX. Giant Bloom also only hits for 100 – fairly low for an EX attack. Therefore, Exeggutor EX’s Tropical Swing, which does 40 damage for only 1 Grass energy and 40 more damage if you flip heads, can immediately put pressure on your opponent and whittle them down for Venusaur EX.

Other versions of this deck run Petilil and Lilligant in place of the Exeggutor EX line as Lilligant’s Leaf Supply attack allows you to place an extra Grass energy on Venusaur, but we found the extra attack and health of Exeggutor EX more potent in our experience.

Venusaur EX Best And Worst Matchups

Venusaur EX is very good against slower decks, with the exception of Charizard EX. It can survive a hit from any other card, deal 100 damage itself, and then heal up 80 damage with the help of Erika. These include Mewtwo EX and Dragonite lists.

That Charizard EX deck, though, is probably its worst matchup, with other not-so-great matchups against faster decks like Pikachu EX and Marowak EX. All of these decks will likely KO your Exeggutor EX and leave you open to losing the game after another KO.

If you’re lucky, Exeggutor EX can put enough pressure on these decks to keep you in the game, but it isn’t likely.

Venusaur EX Budget Options

If you only have one Venusaur EX, your best option is to run 2x Caterpie in your list as they’ll help you draw Grass Pokémon from your deck quicker with their Find a Friend attack.

As for offensive help in case you do not have Exeggutor EX, Pinsir is a decent but risky option as it can deal 100 damage if you flip heads twice. Regular Exeggutor is also an option but a much less powerful one, topping out at 60 damage but always dealing 30.

Venusaur EX alternative - Exeggutor EX deck

If you can't get the Venusaur EX card yet, then Exeggutor EX is a great starting deck that will help you work towards getting that Venusaur deck

Here's a list of cards you'll need to put this deck together:

• 2x Exeggcute
• 2x Exeggutor EX
• 2x Pinsir
• 2x Farfetch’d
• 2x Erika
• 2x Poké Ball
• 2x Potion
• 2x Professor’s Research
• 2x Sabrina
• 2x X Speed

Once again, the Trainer cards, Erika and Sabrina, are difficult to obtain, but they’re both in Charizard packs which you’re going to want to keep opening to find another Exeggutor EX.

Alternate cards to run: 2x Paras and 2x Parasect, 2x Giovanni

Exeggutor EX is an incredibly cheap and powerful card as it can use Tropical Swing for only one Leaf Energy. Tropical Swing does 40 damage and 40 more damage if you flip heads. The Erika Trainer card can keep Exeggutor alive to win the match by resorting 50 health to it. Pinsir also falls into this category, doing 50 damage for each head you flip with its Double Horn attack for two Leaf Energy.

For the gardeners and lovers of nature out there, this should be all you need to know to put together the best Venusaur EX deck in Pokémon TCG Pocket. Let us know how you're getting on, and to get the lowdown on all the best decks, have a look over our TCG Pocket Tier List.