Honestly, if you told me a month ago that I’d be losing sleep over a Stage 2 Grass-type with a massive retreat cost, I would’ve laughed. Venusaur ex always felt like that one card you keep in your binder because the art is gorgeous, but you never actually bring it to a match. It’s bulky. It’s slow. It gets absolutely cooked by Charizard.
But things have changed.
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The meta in Pokémon TCG Pocket has shifted in a weird, grindy direction, and suddenly, Venusaur ex is looking like a genius pick. It’s not about the speed anymore. It’s about being an unkillable wall that makes your opponent want to throw their phone across the room. If you’re tired of getting rolled by Mewtwo ex and want a deck that actually rewards patience, you’ve gotta look at the big green guy again.
The Venusaur ex Strategy (That Actually Works)
The biggest mistake people make with Venusaur ex is trying to play it like a tempo deck. You can't. You’re not going to outspeed a Pikachu ex. You’re just not.
Instead, the modern build focuses on sustain. Most players are now pairing it with Lilligant (specifically the one from the Mega Rising set) because of its Toughness Aroma ability. Each Lilligant on your bench adds +20 HP to your Grass Pokémon. Stack two of those, and your Venusaur ex isn’t just a 190 HP or 240 HP (if you're running the Mega) threat—it’s a 280 HP monster.
When you combine that bulk with Erika and Lillie, you’re healing off damage faster than most decks can dish it out. I’ve seen matches where a Venusaur ex took 400 total damage over six turns and still didn't go down. It's ridiculous.
Why Critical Bloom is Secretly Broken
Venusaur’s main attack, Critical Bloom, is expensive. Three or four energy is a lot of commitment. But the status effects are what carry the weight here. Dealing 120 damage is fine, but adding Poison and Sleep simultaneously? That’s the real kicker.
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Your opponent has to flip a coin just to attack while their HP ticks down from poison. It forces them to burn their Switch cards or X-Speed early. Once they run out of ways to reset their Active Pokémon, they’re basically stuck in the mud.
How to Build the "Unkillable" Deck
You don't need a "perfect" 1-2-3 list, but there are some non-negotiables if you want to climb the ladder in 2026.
Start with two Bulbasaur and two Ivysaur. Don't get cute with the counts; you need consistency. You definitely want two Venusaur ex, but the real secret sauce is the Quick-Grow Extract. In a game this fast, waiting three turns to evolve naturally is a death sentence. Quick-Grow lets you pull the evolution card straight from the deck. It’s the only reason this deck is even viable in the current meta.
For your support cards, Professor’s Research is the obvious choice for draw power, but I’ve found that Cyrus is actually the MVP in the Venusaur mirror match or against setup decks like Gardevoir. Being able to snipe a key piece off the bench while your Venusaur just sits there and heals is a great feeling.
The Items You're Probably Missing:
- Leaf Cape: This adds another +30 HP. Paired with Lilligant, you’re looking at a Pokémon that can survive a Crimson Storm from Charizard ex (barely, but survival is survival).
- Rocky Helmet: If you're seeing a lot of multi-hit or low-damage decks, this is better than the cape. Make them pay for every chip damage they try to land.
- Erika: If you aren't running two of these, you aren't playing Grass. It’s a 50 HP heal for your entire board. It’s the backbone of the deck.
The Matchups: The Good, The Bad, and The Fire
You’re going to auto-win against Suicune and Greninja decks. They just don’t have the raw output to one-shot you, and you can out-heal their chip damage all day. It’s a very relaxing climb against Water-type players.
Mewtwo ex is a toss-up. If they get their Gardevoir engine running by turn three, it’s tough. But if you can get a Venusaur ex out and land a Critical Bloom, the Sleep status can buy you enough turns to stabilize. Honestly, it’s a coin flip—literally.
Then there’s Charizard ex. Look, I’ll be real with you: it’s a nightmare. Fire weakness in a meta dominated by the lizard is rough. Your only hope is to use Sabrina to force their benched Charmanders into the active spot before they evolve. If you let a Charizard ex get fully powered up, you might as well concede and save yourself the ten minutes.
Is Mega Venusaur ex Worth the Slot?
This is the big debate on Reddit right now. Some people swear by the Mega Venusaur ex from the Crimson Blaze expansion because of the 240 HP base. Others think it’s too clunky.
Personally? I think it’s worth it if you’re running the Leafeon ex energy ramp. Leafeon’s ability to accelerate Grass energy is the only way you can reliably power up a Mega Venusaur before the game ends. If you're not running Leafeon, stick to the standard Venusaur ex. The consistency of a Stage 2 is already hard enough to manage without adding a Mega layer on top.
Actionable Tips for Your Next Match
If you want to master this deck, stop attacking as soon as you have the energy. Think about your board state first.
- Prioritize the Bench: Get your Lilligants out early. A Venusaur with 190 HP is a target; a Venusaur with 230+ HP is a problem.
- Save your Erikas: Don't burn a heal for 20 damage. Wait until you're in the "red zone" where a big attack could actually KO you.
- Manage your Energy: Don't put all your eggs in one basket. If you have a Venusaur ex in the active, start powering up a second one (or a Leafeon) on the bench immediately. This deck's biggest weakness isn't damage—it's losing your only attacker and having nothing to replace it with.
Next time you open the app, try swapping out your "fast" deck for this sustain build. It’s a different way to play the game, and honestly, watching a Mewtwo player struggle to get past a sleeping, healing Venusaur is some of the most fun I've had in TCG Pocket all year.
To get the most out of this, go through your collection and make sure you have at least two Quick-Grow Extracts—without them, the deck just doesn't move fast enough to keep up.