Pokémon TCG: 10 Greatest Coin-Flip Cards You Need in Your Deck, Ranked

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Unlike many other trading card games, the mechanics of the Pokémon Trading Card Game are remarkably simple because the game is designed to appeal to fans of all ages. The main goal of the game is to knock out enough of the opponent’s Pokémon so that players secure 6 prize cards throughout a game, and this task is completed by attaching energy to Pokémon so they can use their powerful attacks. While most of the game’s attacks are guaranteed to be at least moderately successful, some of them have a bit of a luck factor to them, and flipping a coin is occasionally required for a card.

Coin flips are usually reserved for subpar cards or strange items and supporters that have niche applications throughout the game. From cards that focus on status effects like Cradily, which requires a fossil, to bench pieces with extra prize potential like Togekiss, there are a plethora of coin flip cards in the Pokémon TCG. Overall, luck is a factor in every trading card game, and the cards in a player’s hand are entirely determined by luck at the beginning of a match, but some cards add a bit of extra luck to what is already a chaotic game.

10 Chansey is a Unique Hidden Bonus For Success

An Intriguing Interaction After a Knockout

Games in the Pokémon TCG very rarely end before one player takes 6 prize cards, as the other ways of winning a game require a player not to have a second Pokémon on their bench or not have a card left in their deck to draw. Therefore, any card that allows players to speed up this process is incredibly useful, which is why Chansey is one of the most versatile coin flip-focused cards in the game.

Chansey is not a Pokémon that players will ever use as an attacker, and its application is so niche that it very rarely sees competitive play. However, when it is taken as a prize card, players can immediately place it on the bench and flip a coin. If the coin flip is heads, players get to take an additional prize card, which helps them get to their victory condition faster than the opponent. Chansey might not be as good as other cards that can be found as a prize card, but its ability makes it an intriguing option in a variety of decks.

9 Gholdengo Has Massive Damage Potential

Making Use of Energy Acceleration

Gholdengo is one of the most popular Pokémon in the current meta because Gholdengo ex is an incredible deck with immense damage potential that it gains by discarding numerous energy cards from the hand. However, not every version of this Pokémon is focused on discarding energy, and some other versions of Gholdengo are built around coin flipping to deal damage.

Gholdengo’s first attack allows players to attach Metal energy from the hand to Pokémon on the board in any way they choose, which makes the card great for energy acceleration. Its second attack takes advantage of this, as it makes players flip a coin for each Metal energy attached to it, and it deals 80 damage for each coin that flips heads. While this is probably the worst version of Gholdengo in the current format, its damage potential makes it an incredibly fun option for a more casual environment.

8 Goldeen Can Easily Disrupt an Opponent's Resources

Discarding Energy to Slow Down Attacks

Festival Lead is one of the most interesting mechanics in the game, as it is an ability given to select Pokémon that interact with the Festival Grounds stadium. Most of these decks are built with Dipplin as their main attacker and Grookey as a supportive engine that allows players to search for cards in the deck. However, Goldeen is also a viable option in the deck, and its coin flip attack has the potential to slow down a game considerably.

Goldeen’s attack lacks damage, as 10 damage is very rarely enough to do much of anything to the opponent. However, the effect of its attack is intriguing enough that it will occasionally attack. When it attacks, players flip a coin, and if the coin lands on heads, players can discard an energy card from the opponent’s Pokémon, which makes Goldeen a disruptive option for slowing down the game if the Festival Lead game plan falters at any point.

7 Yveltal Strategically Places Damage Counters

Methodical Gameplay With a Disruptive Twist

When a Pokémon has a coin flip attack, that is usually its only attack, and that makes those cards luck-dependent to be impactful throughout a match. However, some coin flip-focused Pokémon have multiple disruptive attacks, and these cards occasionally see competitive play because of their synergies with other cards. One of these viable options is Yveltal, and its ability to synergize with other single-prize Pokémon that place damage counters makes it an intriguing option.

Yveltal’s first attack places two damage counters on anything that already has a damage counter on it, which makes it useful when paired with Froslass or Dusknoir. However, its second attack is where it truly shines, as it deals 100 damage and, if the coin flip ends up being heads, discards an energy card from the opponent’s active Pokémon. Overall, Yveltal might not be good enough to be the main attacker in a deck, but it has unique synergy that makes it occasionally appealing.

6 Zeraora Can Lock the Opponent's Pokémon in Place

A Shocking Control Tool

Over the years, Lightning-type Pokémon have often been printed with disruptive effects, and these attacks can usually stall a game until a player has the proper board state to take control of a match. While these cards are not as obnoxious as Budew, they are still incredible at controlling the pace of a game, and many players use these cards to set up a board. One of the best cards at fulfilling this purpose is Zeraora, and its coin flip attack is also energy efficient.

Zeraora’s first attack deals 20 damage, but that isn’t the important part about it, as it cannot easily knock out the opponent’s Pokémon. However, the attack also has a coin flip part that, when successful, causes the opponent’s active Pokémon to be inflicted with the Paralyze status condition, which stops them from attacking or retreating. While other cards might be more effective at controlling the pace of a game, Zeroara is still a viable option in Lightning-type decks.

5 Cradily Can Cause a Variety of Status Effects

A Powerful Fossil

Status effects in the Pokémon Trading Card Game are meant to be disruptive and force the opponent to keep track of different factors that can force their Pokémon to be knocked out before they are set up. While these conditions are usually applied with attacks or supporter cards, some Pokémon have abilities that can apply status conditions, and Cradily is one of the most versatile of these cards.

Cradily’s ability has players flip a coin, and if it ends up being heads, players can apply the burned, confused, or poisoned status effect to the opponent’s active Pokémon. Cradily’s attack only costs 1 energy, and it deals 100 damage for each status condition on the opponent’s Pokémon. When paired with cards like Brute Bonnet, Cradily can easily take early knockouts, making it an incredibly versatile coin flip card.

4 Togekiss Allows Players To Take Extra Prize Cards

A Versatile Part of a Bench Setup

Many decks in the current format can struggle to take more than 2 prize cards in a turn, which can make them fall behind decks like Dragapult, Gardevoir, and Tera Box, all of which can disrupt the board easily through multi-prize turns. However, some cards can be played in nearly every deck to mitigate against this issue, and one of these amazing cards is Togekiss.

Togekiss is a Stage 2 Pokémon, which can make it slow to set up on occasion, but cards like Rare Candy can speed up this process, which makes it an incredible card to place on the bench. Whenever a player takes a prize card while they have Togekiss on the board, players can flip a coin and, if it lands on heads, they take an extra prize card. Evening the prize trade can often be difficult, but Togekiss allows some strategies to fix this problem if they are willing to take a chance.

3 Froslass ex is a Risk For the Opponent To Knock Out

An Ability That Works Around Game Mechanics

Ex Pokémon are worth two prize cards when they are knocked out, which means that players usually need to secure only 3 knockouts to win a game and acquire the necessary 6 prize cards. However, there are some cards in the game that make ex Pokémon worth more or less prize cards, and these cards can greatly change the pace of a match. One of these cards is Froslass ex, which has a chance to make the opponent take fewer prize cards.

Froslass ex’s ability forces the player to flip a coin when it is knocked out, and if the coin lands on heads, the opponent takes one less prize card for knocking it out. When paired with Froslass ex’s surprisingly sturdy 250 HP, this can be incredibly frustrating for the opponent, and throwing the prize trade-off while still being able to attack with an ex Pokémon is the main reason why Froslass ex is among the best coin flip cards in the game.

2 Lugia ex Disrupts the Opponent's Energy

A Risky Attack With a Worthwhile Payoff

Throughout the history of the Pokémon Trading Card Game, Lugia has routinely been one of the most intriguing cards in the format because of its unique interactions with other cards. While the best Lugia card of all time recently left the format, there is still another option for fans of the Pokémon, as Lugia ex is an incredibly disruptive card that has the chance to break through an entire setup.

When Lugia ex attacks, it deals 140 damage, and players flip a coin until it lands on tails. For each heads, players can discard an energy card from the opponent’s Active Pokémon, which can make the opponent completely unable to attack on the following turn. While Lugia ex might not be as strong as other versions of the Pokémon, it is still one of the best coin flip cards in the game.

1 Alolan Exeggutor ex is the Best Coin Flip Card

Instant Knockouts Are Easy to Acquire

When trying to knock out the opponent’s Pokémon, players often need to be methodical and think out their actions, as being careless about the card that they knock out, or taking too long to knock out a Pokémon, can cost them the game. Because of this, cards that instantly knock out an opponent’s Pokémon are incredibly strong, and one of the best of these cards is Alolan Exeggutor ex.

Alolan Exeggutor’s second attack is among the most intriguing attacks in the game, as it allows players to flip a coin and knock out a specific Pokémon depending on the coin flip result. If the coin flip is heads, players can knock out the opponent’s active Basic Pokémon, but if it is tails, they can knock out any of the opponent’s benched Basic Pokémon. Overall, Alolan Exeggutor might be rather situational, but it is still the best coin flip card in the Pokémon Trading Card Game.

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