Pokémon TCG Pocket: Magnezone & Skarmory Deck Guide (Card List & Best Strategy)

As the meta of Pokémon TCG Pocketevolves, decks like Magnezone and Skarmory rise to fill an important spot when built correctly. TCG Pocket continues to be a successful venture into the digital trading card game market, with its latest Sinnoh-focused expansion refreshing the game. This expansion will also see the Triumphant Light mini-set release in late March 2025 to bolster its arsenal of cards further.

TCG Pocket has seen a good mix of old decks remaining relevant while new decks form to counter them or take advantage of their own strengths. This has created an overall healthy environment for the digital TCG to thrive in, and hopefully, this continues as more expansions enter. While other decks may not be as strong, they still hold some sense of viability for those who want to use their favorite cards without feeling too disadvantaged.

Magnezone & Skarmory Full Cards List

Taking Advantage Of New Strengths

The Magnezone and Skarmory deck is a simple but inflexible Pokémon TCG Pocket deck that excels in what it does best. Though it doesn't have too many replacement card options, it can be easier to build than other top-tier decks by just opening the two daily packs. The cards needed for this deck and where to find them are as follows:

Cards	Sets
Two Magnemite	Any Space-Time Smackdown
Two Magneton	Genetic Apex Pikachu
Two Magnezone	Any Space-Time Smackdown
Two Skarmory	Any Space-Time Smackdown
One Heatran	Space-Time Smackdown Dialga
Two Sabrina	Genetic Apex Charizard
Two Giant Cape	Space-Time Smackdown Dialga
Two Rocky Helmet	Space-Time Smackdown Palkia
One Cyrus	Space-Time Smackdown Palkia
Two Pokeball	Promo A Shop
Two Professor Oak	Promo A Shop

Of these cards, the only one that you might be able to replace is Heatran. However, this comes with the caveat of replacing him with a Steel or Electric Pokémon card that fulfills the role of being a cheap tank. The rest of these cards are hard requirements that are crucial to this deck's strategy and limit the moves an opponent can make.

Best Strategy To Win WIth a Magnezone & Skarmory

Ramp Up Quickly

Pokemon trainers from tcg pocket with haunter and diglett illustrations behind them

The Magnezone and Skarmory deck excels at countering the abundance of strong Water-type decks while also being strong in neutral situations. Ideally, you need to get Skarmory on the field and equipped with one of the two game-changing Pokémon Tools in this deck. This will allow its ability Metal Armsto do 50 damage and become an early-game threat. Skarmory also has the benefit of being hard to take out in the early game, especially if Giant Cape is attached.

Gyarados, Greninja, and Blastiose from Pokemon.

25 Strongest Water-Type Pokémon, Ranked

Water is one of the most common types in Pokémon. Some Water-type Pocket Monsters have only this typing and can be very strong in battle.

Posts

Once Skarmory is in action, the next step is to get Magnezone going on the bench. Get to Magneton as soon as possible and utilize his Volt Charge ability to stack as much Energy as possible. Ideally, leave Magneton unevolved for as long as possible, as it loses Volt Charge once it goes to Magnezone. Magnezone needs all this energy because its signature move, Thunder Blast, will discard one Energy every time it is used. However, at this point, the opponent should be on their heels and Magnezone can clean up whatever is left.

The most optimal Trainer cards to have ready at this point of the game are Sabrina and Cyrus. Sabrina can help get a threat off the field if your opponent is able to set one up properly, whereas Cyrus, one of the best Supporter Cards, can pull in any damaged Pokémon to finish it off. The other two non-tool Trainer cards are there to just get cards into your hand to speed up any setups.

The last bit to know is about Heatran, who is there to serve as a tank to buy a few tuns. While its attack is strong, it takes three Steel Energy to use and will deal 20 damage to itself. This is why it is the only replaceable card, and while the new card's role can be flexible — say, an ex card to have another heavy hitter — it would be best to have an easy-to-use tank card.

Three Cards and an angry Misty from Pokémon TCG Pocket alongside a downgrade symbol.

Pokémon TCG Pocket: 10 Cards That Desperately Need Nerfs

These Pokémon TCG Pocket cards dominate the meta, making PvP unbalanced. Here are 10 overpowered cards that really need nerfs in upcoming updates.

Posts4

Overall, the Magnezone and Skarmory deck is a strong all-around deck that can help you win battles of any level. It will be able to ramp up quickly most of the time, and once it ramps up there will be few decks that can stop it. This deck may not be one that will reach the top tier, but I've found that it can certainly compete with them if played correctly in Pokémon TCG Pocket.