Kash Top 30 List: Favourite Pokemon Cards

Since I'll be turning 30 soon, I thought why not create a few Top 30 lists of things that I like or have done so I've done a few list that covers my interest in Motorsports, Pokemon, Wrestling and also some general things I've done throughout this decade.

This time I thought I'd do one for my all time favourite Pokemon Cards. They don't have to be ranked by playability mainly, some of them are on here for collection reasons and some also for the memories attached to them. I've played the game ever since it first came out in 1999, took a break during my secondary school days and got back into it back in 2016 and have started playing the game more competitively since this year. So here's my top 30 favourite Pokemon cards. I did put some thought into ranking the 30 this time. Most of the cards here will be from recent times.


30) Hitmonchan, Hitmonlee and Hitmontop all from Team Up

I'll cheat a bit for the first one. I loved the idea that a Hitmonchan attack leads to an attack from Hitmonlee and finally Hitmontop. This strategy could work really well if not for the fact that Mew came out in the same set as Hitmontop and made the Combo attack useless.

29) Ninetales from Team Up

I always knew this Ninetales was good. I'd always find ways to sneak it into decks like ReshiZard, Blace-GX and even Charizard TEU. Still the best guster in the game. Also my best friend's favourite so I'm adding this for her.

28) Rosa from Cosmic Eclipse

It's Teammates remade, and that was always my favourite supporter card. But not just that, I can get three cards out of it. Perfect for my Stage 2 decks needing to find Rare Candies and the pokemon I need.

27) Brigette from BREAKthrough

Another supporter that I used often. Set up decks are one pf my favourite kinds to play so I often found myself playing Brigette in most of them. Nothing was more satisfying than a Turn 1 Tapu Lele search for Brigette to fill up another 3 more spots. 

26) Alolan Vulpix from Guardians Rising

BEACON! One of my favourite attacks ever, and this Vulpix has helped me in so many games. It's so good for set-up decks (as I've said, I love playing set up decks) and it was always a gurantee in my Metagross-GX decks, sometimes even two of them. And look at how cute the Vulpix is, why would anyone want to KO it?

25) Latias ex from EX Dragon

This one is pretty simple. It's the very first ex card I ever pulled and always liked it. I still have it with me too! Back then it wasn't easy to pull one of these ex cards so the fact that I was lucky enough to get one, I was pretty happy with it even if I couldn't find a space for it in most of my fun decks back then.

24) Zoroark-GX from Shining Legends

The card that everyone wanted when it got really popular but the funny thing is I was already looking for a playset of this when it came out, this card was just too good. I found funny ways to using it in decks like Metagross-GX and Gardevoir-GX before the norm of ZoroGolispod was created. Pretty much played it for the most part it was legal.


23) Shiny Kabutops from Neo Destiny

Another card that is on the list mainly for collection reason because this may be the rarest cards I ever pulled. When I got it I lost my mind, because neither my friends nor I have ever seen a Shining card. And yes I still have it with me, framed up in my room.

22) Meganium from Lost Thunder

I always knew this card was good. A free evolution for Stage 2 decks, count me in! I tried every possible combination for Meganium and other Stage 2s, be it Decidueye-GX, Swampert, Charizard TEU, Nidoqueen and much more. And until this card rotates, I will continue to experiment ideas involving Meganium to find the most fun Stage 2 possible.

21) Gengar from Fossil

An oldie but a goldie! I did have this card back in the day but it's in here more of how good it was to me in the early days, especially the Game Boy version of Pokemon Trading Card Game. My Gengar/Hitmonlee deck has answers to almost anything, and the ability was so good too.

20) Trevenant BREAK from BREAKpoint

Yes I do like set-up decks and energy acceleration decks but I also do like playing spread decks (it's somewhat of a set-up right?). And the first proper deck I made when I got back into the game was Gengar BKT with Trevenant BREAK to help with the damage spread and sometimes even try to take down smaller pokemon. I was still trying to make this work just before it was rotated, that's how much I enjoyed playing this.

19) Yveltal-EX from XY Base Set

The first good deck I ever had, but sadly I was a few months off the meta. I brought along an Yveltal-EX deck to my very first proper tournament, the Singapore SPE, and got my butt whooped. But I did enjoy playing the deck months before it, it made me understand the game in another level.

18) Gardevoir-GX from Burning Shadows

When this was revelaed, everyone wanted it because it was supposed to be the next BDIF. Me as usual, wanted to stay away from the BDIF. But I kept pulling Gardevoir-GX so I gave up the ghost and gave it a try, and enjoyed playing it ever since. A Stage 2 deck that has an energy acceleration? Yup I like this!

17) Hitmonlee from Sword & Shield Base Set

This card hasn't even been released in English and I already know I will like it. With Snorlax V-Max hyped up as the next BDIF, be sure to see me try to make this work as a counter to it, or just try to make the deck work against anything. 160 for possibly two energies and keeping in mind that number could go up to 170 or even 210, I have to make this work somehow. Also the artwork is amazing.

16) Tapu Koko from Sun & Moon Promo

This card was just nuts. Free spread attacker for just two colourless energies in a format where a bench barrier style Pokemon was absent? Yup I tried my best to fit this into every deck I played. And the truth is, I think I actually did do just that.

15) Decidueye-GX from Sun & Moon Base Set

A spread attacker on a Stage 2. Where's there not to like about Decidueye-GX? It ruled the game when it was first released but at that time I wasn't able to fork out four of these. I did get them in time for it's return with Zoroark-GX and Alolan Ninetales-GX and it was one of the most fun I had playing a deck. 

14) Viridian Forest from Team Up

Maybe my most favourite stadium ever printed. A free energy search? Yup count me in. I tried to play this in as many decks as I could and I honestly still do (unless I'm playing Giant Hearth in that deck).

13) Rare Candy from Celestial Storm

Self explanatory. I love Stage 2 decks, need I say more?

12) Vikavolt from Sun & Moon Base Set

The first holo card I pulled in the Sun & Moon era and it would end up being one of my most played cards in that era. The energy acceleration was the biggest selling point for me so I jumped onto the Bulu bandwagon. Shame I couldn't afford Rayquaza-GXes, I would have been on that as well.

11) Malamar from Forbidden Light

The moment they revealed this, I just knew I would end up playing this alongside Ultra Necrozma-GX and I have and to some success too. The feeling of setting up 3 Malamars almost feels like a win most of the time, knowing you can set up any big attack at any time. And yes I'm still playing Malamar. 

10) Teammates from XY Primal Clash

KO my pokemon? No worries, I'll just get any two cards I need to get a return KO next turn. I absolutely loved Teammates, and tried putting it in almost every deck I played when I first got back into the game. And now it's successor Rosa is seeing play in more of my decks for the same reason I would play Teammates, the ability to find the pieces you need cannot be ignored. 

9) Zygarde-GX from Forbidden Light

This card was just so good. My friend Rauf introduced the concept of Zygarde-GX/Lycanroc-GX and I was hooked. I never liked playing Buzzwole-GX but Zygarde-GX felt so much different, being able to take early KOs while accelerating a few more energies on yourself felt way better to me. The deck got me my first CP, a final placement in the monthly Pokebeach tournament and of course, Klive brought it all the way to a top 4 finish at the World Championships.

8) Jirachi from Team Up

Tapu Lele was good but I always liked Jirachi more. The fact that you could get ANY trainer was more appealing to me then a guaranteed Supporter of choice. Need a Rare Candy? Jirachi should get it for you. Need a Welder? Need a Poke Comm? Yup Jirachi is a real saviour these days.  

7) Welder from Unbroken Bonds

Anyone who knows me knows of my love for Fire pokemon so when they introduced this, I was hyped! Right away I was trying to figure out all possible ideas to be used with Welder and of course the main two were Reshiram & Charizard-GX to help speed up it's costly but huge attacks and of course, Charizard TEU to kill off any Tag Teams. I will say this, I will play a deck with Welder in it until it's rotated.

6) Ultra Necrozma-GX from Forbidden Light

Necrozma-GX's GX move was always my favourite GX attack and then this was revealed and I thought this could be even better despite the prize condition. Not just that, the attack for Ultra Necrozma was alot better, possibly being able to KO almost any pokemon with the right amount of Psychic energies. It got me my first good result in the game with a Top 32 finish at the Singapore SPE back in 2018. Yes I'm still playing it these days. Sky Scorching Light might as well be the most used GX I've used.

5) Metagross-GX from Guardians Rising

Metagross-GX will always hold a special place for me as it's the deck that got me my first ever first place finish at my weekly leagues after months of trying (and failing most of the time). A tanky attacker that can keep accelerating energy to itself once everything is set up sounds too good to be true. This deck made me learn the game a lot quicker than most things and for that I'll always be very grateful to it.

4) Hitmonlee from Fossil

One of the very first holo Pokemon cards I ever pulled and it was one of my favourite Pokemon too and yes I still have it with me. Not just that, Hitmonlee had an awesome attack to snipe benched pokemons and I enjoyed that even at an early age. Even in the Game Boy Pokemon TCG game, my best deck was Hitmonlee/Gengar trying to combine the idea of attacking the bench and moving damage around and it worked a lot of time.

3) Reshiram & Charizard-GX from Unbroken Bonds

What can I say about this card? It's easily my most successful card I've played in the Pokemon TCG scene. I went out of my way to spend close to $120 on three of them and well, the investment from back then has paid off. Top 8 at the Singapore SPE back in May, my first League Challenge win, Singapore Pro Circuit Invitational winner, all achieved with this deck. Just happy there's a playable Charizard card I can use to play competitively. I'll likely continue playing this come 2020.

2) Gengar from BREAKthrough

This is the card I based my first deck around since I got back into the game and had a lot of fun playing it even if I wasn't very good at the game. Most guys in Singapore at that time will see the Gengar and know it's me. Creep Show was my favourite attack, and I honestly wished an attack like this was still around, it'd be so amazing. I still keep my playset of Gengars with me to remind me the fun I had when I first got back into the game.

1) Charizard from Team Up

Easily my favourite card in the entire game. Where's there not to love about this? A stage 2 attacker that accelerates it's own energy! And it's a Charizard! The moment it was revealed, I was already trying to think of ideas to make this card work in any deck possible and I found early success with it, winning local leagues a few times early on in the TEU format. This deck might as well have made me more well known in the community, locally and overseas too, more well known people would ask me about the deck. A couple of Top 8 finishes in the Singapore Pro Circuit Invitational in all I have to my name with this deck so far but I won't stop trying. I brought along with me for my first ever regional and if not for some bad matchups and bad luck, perhaps I could have added to the 10CP I got with this deck at the League Challenge during the Singapore SPE weekend. As the Sword and Shield set is about to be released, you can be sure I will try to find a way to make this work.