Pokemon TCG Pocket’s Mythical Island expansion has a rising star, as Golem is one of the best cards in the set, thanks to its amazing combined offense and defense.
As far as Fighting Pokemon go, the original breakout star of the Mythical Island set was Aerodactyl ex. This was due to the dinosaur’s Primeval Law Ability, preventing Active Pokemon from evolving. Unfortunately, a meta full of powerful Basic Pokemon stopped Aerodactyl ex from soaring too high.
Golem has usurped Aerodactyl ex’s place, thanks to some fantastic tournament results. This big boulder is one of the best cards in Mythical Island, so long as it has the correct deck supporting it.
Pokemon TCG Pocket Golem Best Deck
A Golem deck consists of Fighting Pokemon, along with a duo of Dragon cards that are key to its strategy. These are the best cards for a Golem deck:
| Pokemon | Number Of Cards | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Golem | 2 | Fighting |
| Graveler | 2 | Fighting |
| Geodude | 2 | Fighting |
| Druddigon | 2 | Dragon |
| Marshadow | 2 | Fighting |
| Hitmonlee | 2 | Fighting |
| Potion | 2 | Item |
| Poke Ball | 2 | Item |
| Brock | 2 | Supporter |
| Leaf | 2 | Supporter |
| Professor’s Research | 2 | Supporter |
Golem deck strategies
This deck’s main goal is to get Golem onto the Active spot with four Energy to start firing off Guard Press attacks. Guard Press does a massive 120 damage while reducing the enemy’s next attack by 30 points.
Getting a juiced-up Golem on the field is a tall order, as it’s a Stage 2 Pokemon that needs to survive long enough to get the Energy. This is where Druddigon comes into play, as it’s one of the best stalling Pokemon in the game.
Druddigon’s Rough Skin Ability deals 20 damage to an opponent when they strike. This means weaker Basic Pokemon are at risk when Druddigon is on the field, while even bigger ones are risking chip damage that will ensure Guard Press will OHKO them.
Druddigon also has no weaknesses, so it works against all enemies. The only problem is the Energy cost, as it requires three mixed Energy to perform its own attack, when you should be concentrating on boosting Geodude/Graveler/Golem.
This is where Brock comes into play, as it provides a free Fighting Energy to a Golem or Onix on the field. Brock will hasten Golem’s preparation and his presence is essential in the deck.
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Another vital supporter is Leaf, who reduces a Pokemon’s Retreat Cost by two. This means Druddigon can escape for free, as can Hitmonlee and Marshadow, while Graveler and Golem can retreat for a single Energy.
For the other Pokemon, Hitmonlee is a great follow-up attack, as it can strike an opponent on the Bench for 30 damage with its 1 Fighting Energy Stretch Kick. If the enemy pulls a Pokemon to the Bench because of Guard Press, use Leaf to get Hitmonlee out for the KO blow.
If the opponent does manage to KO Golem, you follow up with Marshadow, whose Revenge deals 100 damage if one of your Pokemon was defeated in the previous turn.
The other cards in the deck are the standard searchers (Poke Ball and Professor’s Research) as well as healing damage with Potions.
Weaknesses
The Golem deck’s biggest counter is a Celebi ex deck. This is due to the Golem line being weak to Grass damage. Celebi ex is a notorious powerhouse, especially when Serperior is on the field. Celebi ex’s Powerful Bloom has the potential to cut through Guard Press’ defenses.
The other counter is Mew ex and Mewtwo ex decks. Not only are Hitmonlee and Marshadow weak to Psychic, but Mew ex’s Genome Hacking lets it copy Guard Press for cheap, as well as use Druddigon’s Dragon Claw without the Energy requirements.
The other Fighting-type deck in Mythical Island can also cause issues for Golem, as Aerodactyl ex’s Primeval Law can stop players from evolving their Active Pokemon. This can potentially shut down Golem if it’s forced into the Active spot by a lack of allies or by Sabrina.
For more information about Pokemon TCG Pocket, check out our guide on trading, or head over and read about every promo card currently available in the game.