Pokemon TCG Pocket: Best Xatu deck guide

Xatu decks have the potential to be the most disruptive new decks in the current Pokemon TCG meta. This new card from the Wisdom of Sea and Sky expansion has a deceptively powerful move called Life Drain, which can lower the opponent's Active Pokemon's HP to 10. While this requires a coin flip to go your way, a new Supporter card, Will, guarantees success.

So, let's see the best way to play a Xatu deck in Pokemon TCG Pocket.

Pokemon TCG Pocket best Xatu deck: Cards you need

Here's a list of cards that a Xatu deck needs to succeed:

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Cards	Quality
Natu	2
Xatu	2
Cyndaquil	1
Quilava	1
Typhlosion	1
Morelull	1
Shiinotic	1
Will	2
Poke Ball	2
Rare Candy	1
Professor's Research	2
Guzma	1
Cyrus	2
Poison Barb	1

Also read: 10 best cards in Pokemon TCG Pocket Wisdom of Sea and Sky expansion, ranked

Pokemon TCG Pocket best Xatu deck: Deck strategy and playstyle

Xatu

HP: 80
Move: Life Drain — For 2 Psychic Energy and a coin landing on heads, your opponent's Active Pokemon's remaining HP becomes 10.

This card has a powerful move in Life Drain. It can drop any Pokemon's HP to 10; however, it needs a coin flip to result in heads to do so. This can be guaranteed with the Supporter card Will, which ensures that any action that needs a coin flip after it's played will land on heads.

Typhlosion

HP: 140
Ability: Fire Breath — You can Burn the opponent's Active Pokemon once per turn.
Move: Magma Punch — 60 damage for 2 Fire Energy.

This Pokemon is meant to provide the remaining 10 damage through Burn. Once Xatu has dropped the opponent's Active Pokemon's HP to 10, the Burn effect from Fire Breath finishes it off.

Shiinotic

HP: 90
Ability: Illuminate — You can draw a random Pokemon into your hand.
Move: Gentle Slap — 40 damage for 2 Colorless Energy.

This Pokemon will help you locate the Typhlosion line a bit more easily.

Key Trainer and Item cards of Xatu decks

Will from Wisdom of Sea and Sky (Image via TPC)

Will: The best card from the Wisdom of Sea and Sky expansion, it enables triggering Xatu's Life Drain without any issues.
Poke Ball: Helps you draw a Pokemon from your deck.
Rare Candy: Can evolve Cyndaquil directly into Typhlosion.
Professor’s Research: Lets you draw two more cards.
Cyrus: Lets you switch out an unfavorable matchup for a favorable one.
Guzma: Discards all of the opponent's Pokemon Tools.
Poison Barb: It's an alternate method of triggering the last 10 HP through Poison.

Alternative options for Xatu decks

Cleffa or Eevee: Instead of Shiinotic, these cards can serve as draw engines instead.
Smoochum: This is an interesting attacking option that can be used against opponents with a lot of Energy attached.

Also read: 6 best-looking cards in Pokemon TCG Pocket Wisdom of Sea and Sky expansion

Check out our other Pokemon TCG Pocket articles here:

About the author

Akash Sil is an Esports and Gaming writer at Sportskeeda with a focus on covering Pokemon — a world he says he wouldn't mind living in, "alongside the wonderful creatures ranging from cute to dangerous."

Despite earning a Masters of Applied Chemistry, a passion for writing and a desire to be part of the gaming industry steered him towards this role. Among industry notables, he is inspired by Jason Schreier's investigative journalism.

In his spare time, Akash enjoys reading comic books.

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Edited by Niladri Roy