Tag Team cards are a variation in the Pokemon TCG of GX cards that depict 2 pokemon who usually share at least 1 type. To make things a bit less chaotic, all Tag Team cards are considered Basic pokemon, even if the card depicts an evolved monster.
These TCG duos, and sometimes trios, have greater HP and better attacks, though if they are knocked out, one's opponent gets to take a whopping 3 Prize cards. With only 6 Prize cards each, trainers need to be wary of when they decide to send in one of their mighty Tag Team cards.
Updated on April 5, 2021, by Reyadh Rahaman: In addition to needing to know the right timing to make use of these powerful allies, trainers are advised to think about what deck to use them in since some have very specific strategies tied to them and require sufficient planning to be put to proper use.
10 Arceus & Dialga & Palkia
This trio of legendary pokemon from the Cosmic Eclipse expansion is unique as it is one of the few that houses 3 pokemon instead of 2 and is also one that is better to be played at the beginning of a battle. Such powerhouses are usually saved for the last parts of a battle as a trump card but this trio has some attacks that benefit more from early play.
Their Ultimate Ray is an excellent way to do damage while simultaneously attaching energy cards from the deck directly onto one's Benched pokemon. And their GX attack, Altered Creation, increases damage done by their trainer's pokemon for the rest of the battle; a serious buff that can start things off to one's advantage.
Those seeking to use this tremendous trio are recommended to include Arceus & Dialga & Palkia in a Dragon-type deck. One that includes Water and Metal energy cards that have access to a way to search for energy so that one can use this GX card's attacks that require a variety of such resources.
9 Latias & Latios
Latias & Latios are a formidable pair from the Team Up expansion that has great synergy between their normal and GX attacks. Their Buster Purge move can dish out a massive 240 points of damage, though it causes them to discard 3 Energies. Thankfully, their Aero Unit GX attack allows them to retrieve these, and then some, in addition to preventing all damage taken during the opponent's next turn.
This is another card well suited to a Dragon-type deck, though one that possesses both Water and Psychic energy cards. As Dragon-type cards often require multiple types of energies, they can be time-consuming to set up, though are usually worth the effort. Be sure to pack energy search cards to alleviate some of the delays while powering up one's dragons.
8 Reshiram & Zekrom
Reshiram & Zekrom from the Cosmic Eclipse expansion can ravage an opposing team and even has some compatibility with a certain Supporter card. Their normal attack, Fabled Flarebolts, require them to discard a fair number of Energies, though at the maximum potential can unleash 270 damage on the Active foe.
However, Benched pokemon are not safe either as the Cross Break GX attack can slam up to 2 Benched adversaries with 170 damage each if the trainer has played N's Resolve that turn. Worth noting that N's Resolve gives the player a chance to attach milled energy cards from their deck to this legendary draconic pair, further fueling Fabled Flarebolts.
Dragon-type cards don't always need to be in a dragon-themed deck, as this Reshiram & Zekrom card would be quite at home in many dual-type Fire and Lighting decks. Since Fire decks often possess cards with lots of energy-burning, players should use some energy recovery tactics from these kinds of decks to aid this mighty duo in battle.
7 Pikachu & Zekrom
Zekrom appears once more, though this time accompanied by a franchise mascot and fellow Lightning-type Pikachu. This card was released for the Team Up expansion and epitomizes what Tag Team cards are all about. With some of the best synergy between attacks in the TCG, along with relatively low energy costs, this dynamic duo can sunder many foes with ease.
Full Blitz lets them deal decent damage while stacking themselves, or an ally, with more Lightning Energies. On the next turn, if one attached the 3 new energy cards to this duo, the trainer can unpack Tag Bolt GX for huge damage against the foe's Active pokemon as well as one of their Benched monsters.
Obviously, this card would be the best in a pure Lightning deck due to the energy costs of its moves. Such decks can sometimes prioritize attacking the opponent's rear lines in order to take out threats before they can evolve or enter the Active position. This Pikachu & Zekrom card can make this tactic even more deadly and crippling to the adversary.
6 Reshiram & Charizard
Reshiram & Charizard began burning up the scene when this card was released with the Unbroken Bonds expansion. Their Flare Strike attack, although it cannot be used on consecutive turns, can sufficiently scorch foes. During turns when they can't, they can use Outrage instead, which increases in damage as Reshiram & Charizard lose health, potentially doing a maximum of 290. Last but not least, their Double Blaze GX move can decimate the opposing pokemon's HP with 300 damage, which is enough to knock out most adversaries in a single turn.
Pure Fire-type decks would love to have this card, as it embodies the most popular tactic for this type: unleashing an unrelenting offense. Few can stand up to the burning intensity of Reshiram & Charizard together, which can put their trainer in a position to knock out one of the foe's Active pokemon each turn.
5 Mewtwo & Mew
A legendary Psychic-type duo from the Unified Minds expansion that scratches a huge nostalgia itch for many long-time fans of this franchise. With one of the better Abilities out of all Tag Team cards, Mewtwo & Mew's Perfection gives them access to all attacks from their allies on the Bench or in the discard pile. Though, the energy requirements for those attacks still need to be met.
If one is running this Tag Team duo in a Psychic deck, it may be the only card that one needs to play in the Active position, as they can essentially channel the strength of an entire team. Furthermore, if one's pokemon are running low on health, the Miraculous Duo GX attack can dish out great damage while fully healing all friendly pokemon, including themselves.
4 Trevenant & Dusknoir
This Ghost-type duo from the SM Black Star Promos expansion is a tricky pair that confounds and disables the opponent in the usual fashion that Ghost-types do. With Night Watch, they can hit the foe's Active pokemon while causing the opposing trainer to send 2 of the cards in their hand back into their deck. If the opponent doesn't have any cards to help them draw additional ones, Trevenant & Dusknoir can essentially starve the foe's strategies of required components.
Pale Moon GX is even stronger in that it knocks out the adversary's Active pokemon upon the end of their next turn. If played with the additional energy requirement, it can prevent that Defending pokemon from retreating, ensuring their demise.
Although this card can be quite useful in many Psychic-type decks, ones that feature spookier allies would be more suitable, as messing with an opponent's hand, deck, and Benched pokemon are a common theme with spectral pocket monsters. Players who combine these chaotic maneuvers can cause enough trouble for the foe to keep them from setting up any of their best plays.
3 Garchomp & Giratina
These fierce companions were released in the Unified Minds expansion and are a great card for any Dragon-type deck fueled by Psychic and Fighting energy. The Linear Attack is not remarkable by itself but opens up the foe to the effects of Calamitous Slash, which deals an extra 80 damage to injured foes on top of the base 160 damage.
In the Pokemon TCG, if a player does not have any pokemon on their side of the field, they automatically lose. Garchomp & Giratina's final attack, GG End GX, forces the opposing trainer to discard up to 2 of their pokemon and all attached cards. If the foe only has 2 pokemon on the field, this attack will win the battle. The "GG" stands for "Garchomp & Giratina", however, due to this duo's battle-ending potential, it can very well also stand for "Good Game".
2 Naganadel & Guzzlord
These deadly dragons were released as a Tag Team card during the Cosmic Eclipse expansion and boast traits appropriate for their Ultra Beast identities. Their Ability, Violent Appetite, lets their trainer heal them for 60 HP when discarding a pokemon card from one's hand, allowing Naganadel & Guzzlord to stay on the field even longer than normal.
Their Jet Pierce is a decent move with low energy cost, though this card's true strength is in their GX attack. Chaotic Order GX forces all of their trainer's Prize cards to be flipped face-up and can let them take 2 of these valued treasures. If one only needs 2 more to win the battle, this will seize the game for them in a way that the opponent cannot counter.
The low energy costs of both moves grant Naganadel & Guzzlord great viability in dual Psychic and Darkness-type decks, many of which are built around low-resource usage and energy efficiency. It is advised to stick this Tag Team GX card into such a deck and save it for the later stages of the battle to snatch a quick and decisive victory.
1 Pheromosa & Buzzwole
Another Ultra Beast duo with tremendous might, Pheromosa & Buzzwole appeared with the Unbroken Bonds expansion. Their normal moves Jet Punch and Elegant Sole are both lackluster compared to the attacks of many other Tag Team cards, though their GX attack is monstrously overpowered and more than makes up for their weaker normal moves. If the trainer meets the high additional energy cost of Beast Game GX, and they knock out a foe with it, they can claim up to 4 Prize cards, potentially securing the entire battle in a single turn.
This finishing blow will take some time to set up, even with energy search cards, however, the Grass-typing of this Ultra Beast duo grants trainers some great ways to build up energy relatively quickly. Pokemon cards of this type sometimes carry abilities that can attach energy cards from one's deck, hand, or discard pile to an ally with little to no effort, so a Grass deck themed around this should be able to bring out Pheromosa & Buzzwole's true potential.