The Fiery Gamble: Best Magcargo Decks and Top Counters in ‘Pokémon TCG Pocket’

The highly anticipated launch of ‘Pokémon TCG Pocket’ has brought a fresh wave of excitement to the world of digital card games. With the introduction of the latest card sets, the meta has been in constant flux, and few cards have created as much buzz and division as the new Magcargo. This Stage 1 Fire-type Pokémon has quickly become a fan favorite for its unique, high-risk, high-reward attack, ‘Spurt Fire,’ which can either obliterate an opponent’s field or leave the user in a precarious position. Understanding how to build a powerful Magcargo deck and, more importantly, how to counter it, is now essential for climbing the competitive ladder and achieving the coveted Master Ball rank. This article will provide a comprehensive guide to mastering this fiery Pokémon and extinguishing its reign of terror.

Magcargo: The Core of the Deck

Magcargo is a Stage 1 Pokémon with 120 HP, a weakness to Water-type Pokémon, and a Retreat Cost of three. While its stats are modest, its attack, ‘Spurt Fire,’ is where the real power lies. For two Fire Energy and one Colorless Energy, ‘Spurt Fire’ deals 150 damage to a random Pokémon on the opponent’s side of the field. This includes Benched Pokémon and the Active Pokémon. The unpredictable nature of this attack is both its greatest strength and its most significant weakness. A single, well-timed ‘Spurt Fire’ can knock out a key support Pokémon or a fully-powered ex card on the opponent’s Bench, winning you the game on the spot. Conversely, it can hit a low-priority target, leaving your opponent’s main attacker untouched and ready to deliver a knockout blow to your relatively frail Magcargo.

To mitigate the risk and maximize the reward, the best Magcargo decks are built around controlling the opponent’s board and ensuring that the random nature of ‘Spurt Fire’ works in your favor. This means keeping the opponent’s Bench as empty as possible and getting Magcargo online as quickly as you can. These decks are often referred to as “meme decks” or “anti-meta decks” due to their unorthodox strategy, but when piloted correctly, they can be devastatingly effective.

Best Magcargo Deck Builds and Strategies

A successful Magcargo deck is a lean, fast-paced machine designed to get your Magcargo into the Active Spot and start attacking before your opponent can set up a counter-strategy. The deck list is often centered around a high number of Trainer cards to ensure consistency and speed.

• Core Pokémon: You’ll need at least two copies of Magcargo and two of its Basic form, Slugma. Some players run a third of each to ensure they can find them quickly. A few decks might include a secondary attacker as a fallback plan, such as a Pokémon with a low Energy cost attack, but the best builds are often single-minded in their focus on Magcargo.
• Essential Trainer Cards: This is where the deck shines. To find your Magcargo quickly, you’ll need a high count of drawing and searching cards. Professor’s Research and Poke Ball are staples. Pokémon Communication is a key card, allowing you to swap a Slugma from your hand for a guaranteed Magcargo from your deck.
• Disruption and Control: Since your goal is to limit the number of Pokémon on your opponent’s Bench, disruption cards are crucial. Iono is a fantastic card for this, as it forces your opponent to shuffle their hand into their deck and draw a new one, potentially getting rid of their setup cards. Other valuable Supporters include Cyrus, which can also disrupt the opponent’s strategy by forcing them to shuffle cards back into their deck.
• Protective Items: To help Magcargo survive long enough to land multiple attacks, you’ll want to use cards that provide a defensive boost. Rocky Helmet is a great choice, as it can reduce the damage Magcargo takes. Pokémon Center Lady can also be a lifesaver, allowing you to heal Magcargo and buy another turn to attack.
• The “Lone Wolf” Strategy: Many successful Magcargo players adopt a “lone wolf” or “kamikaze” strategy. They aim to have only Magcargo in play, with no Pokémon on the Bench. This guarantees that ‘Spurt Fire’ will only hit the opponent’s Active Pokémon, turning Magcargo into a focused, high-damage attacker. The trade-off is that if Magcargo is knocked out, you lose the game instantly.

This deck is all about the early game. The goal is to evolve a Slugma and start attacking with Magcargo before the opponent has a chance to set up a powerful Stage 2 or ex Pokémon. If you can take out a key Basic Pokémon on their Bench, such as a Charmander or a Froakie, you can cripple their entire strategy before it even begins.

Top Counters and How to Beat a Magcargo Deck

While a well-piloted Magcargo deck can feel unstoppable, it has very distinct and exploitable weaknesses. The key to defeating it is to recognize the strategy and punish it relentlessly. The most obvious counter is to exploit its Water-type weakness, but there are other, more strategic ways to win.

• Water-Type Pokémon: This is the most direct and effective counter. Any powerful Water-type Pokémon, especially ex cards, can one-shot Magcargo. Cards like Starmie ex or Primarina ex can make quick work of a Magcargo. Even a simple, fully-powered Blastoise can often deliver a knockout blow in a single turn.
• Spread Damage Decks: The Magcargo player wants to keep their Bench empty, but if you have a deck that can hit multiple targets, you can force them to put down more Pokémon. Cards that deal damage to the opponent’s Bench are particularly effective. If a Magcargo player is forced to put another Pokémon on their Bench, the effectiveness of ‘Spurt Fire’ is reduced significantly, as the damage is now split between two Pokémon.
• Disruption and Trainer Denial: Magcargo decks are heavily reliant on their Trainer cards to find Magcargo and keep it alive. A deck that can disrupt their hand and discard their key cards will completely shut them down. Cards like Silver, which lets you look at your opponent’s hand and discard a Supporter card, can be a game-winner. A well-timed Iono can also be devastating, forcing them to shuffle away their carefully curated hand and hope for a better draw.
• Don’t Overextend Your Bench: As the old saying goes, “know your enemy.” If you’re playing against a Magcargo deck, be mindful of how many Pokémon you put on your Bench. Try to set up only one or two main attackers and keep your Bench as empty as possible in the early game. This forces the Magcargo player to hit your most valuable Pokémon, and if you have a high-HP card, it can survive the hit and take out Magcargo on the next turn.
• Energy Denial: Magcargo requires two Fire Energy to attack. Decks that can remove Energy from the opponent’s Pokémon can be an effective counter, as they can slow down the Magcargo player’s momentum and prevent them from attacking.

In conclusion, Magcargo is a thrilling, high-stakes card that has added a new layer of strategy to ‘Pokémon TCG Pocket.’ While it can be an incredibly fun and rewarding card to play, its unique vulnerabilities make it a fascinating puzzle for competitive players to solve. Whether you choose to embrace the chaos and play with this fiery Pokémon or meticulously plan to counter it, the Magcargo meta is here to stay, and understanding its intricacies is key to becoming a master of the game.