Deck archetype (TCG)

A deck archetype is a deck, built by players of the, that utilizes one set structure, although various players may have slight differences between their own decks of the same archetype.

An example of a now-defunct archetype is TCG Haymaker, which commonly used TCG Base Set and, and TCG Jungle. While these cards are usually a staple of the Haymaker archetype, they are not required to make a Haymaker deck. For example, instead of using the Jungle Scyther, a player may choose to instead focus on the in the deck, and utilize Fossil. The exact number and kinds of TCG Trainers used with an archetype may also differ, with some users of Haymaker preferring the drawing power of despite its disadvantage of discarding the entire hand, while others would choose  instead.

Deckbuilding guidelines

 * These guidelines apply to building any tournament legal deck of Pokémon cards.

In a standard deck, only four cards of the same name may be included, except for Basic Energy cards and TCG Arceus, of which there can be as many as a player desires to fill the deck to 60. This four-card rule includes cards with the same name but different effects: a player may have three TCG Stormfront and one TCG Majestic Dawn, but only four which have the name "Pikachu". Cards that have a different name ( and, for example) count differently, and thus players may have four of each in their deck. TCG δ Delta Species Pokémon count as the same as their non-δ counterparts.

List of well-known archetypes
This is a list of many of the most competitive decks that were legal during their respective eras of play. ''Note that variants of some archetypes may have been played in multiple seasons of play. These will be listed during the most recent format in which they were viable.''

[[TCG Base Set]]-onward

 * TCG Do the Wave
 * TCG Haymaker
 * TCG Raindance

[[TCG Team Rocket]]-onward

 * TCG Riptide
 * TCG Trapper

[[TCG Neo Genesis]]-onward

 * TCG Arithmetic
 * TCG Babyporter
 * TCG Beat Up
 * TCG Beedrill/Retro Energy/Lure Ball
 * TCG Conductivity
 * TCG EnteiCargo
 * TCG Feraligatr/Parasect
 * TCG Kingdra/Center
 * TCG Kingdra/Steelix
 * TCG Mindgames
 * TCG SMF

[[TCG Expedition]]-onward

 * TCG Blaziken/Delcatty/Rayquaza ex
 * TCG Gardevoir ex/Gardevoir
 * TCG Niniken
 * TCG Shiftry ex
 * TCG Team Magma
 * TCG Walrein/Milotic

[[TCG EX Ruby & Sapphire]]-onward

 * TCG BombTar
 * TCG DragTrode
 * TCG Healix
 * TCG King of the West
 * TCG Bright Aura
 * TCG ZRE
 * TCG Queendom

[[TCG EX Hidden Legends]]-onward

 * TCG 4 Corners
 * TCG Dark Tyranitar/TCG Electrode ex
 * TCG B-L-S (LBS)
 * TCG Suns & Moons
 * TCG Metanite
 * TCG Mewtrick
 * TCG Raieggs

[[TCG EX Deoxys]]-onward

 * TCG Absolutions
 * TCG BanDoom
 * TCG Banette LunaRock
 * TCG Flariados
 * TCG Flyvees
 * TCG Metanite
 * TCG Raieggs
 * TCG Swift Empoleon
 * TCG Infercatty

[[TCG EX Holon Phantoms]]-onward

 * TCG BanBliss
 * TCG Bliss Control
 * TCG Magdol
 * TCG Quicketune
 * TCG RockBand
 * TCG Skittles
 * TCG Speedkrow
 * TCG Torterra/Sceptile
 * TCG Psychic Lock
 * TCG Empotech
 * TCG Intimidation

[[TCG Diamond & Pearl]]-onward

 * TCG AmphyTrick
 * TCG AMU
 * TCG BlazeRay
 * TCG BlastCatty
 * TCG CurseGar
 * TCG Dark Flygon
 * TCG FlyChamp
 * TCG Gardevoir/Gallade
 * TCG Gliscor Lock
 * TCG Kingdra archetype (Kingdra)
 * TCG Leafeon/Magmortar
 * TCG LuxApe
 * TCG LuxPluff
 * TCG Mother Flygon
 * TCG Mother Gengar
 * TCG Scizor/Cherrim
 * TCG Shuppet Donk
 * TCG Speedrill
 * TCG Torterra/Sceptile
 * TCG Toxitank

[[TCG Majestic Dawn]]-onward

 * TCG Charizard archetype (Charizard)
 * TCG DialgaChomp
 * TCG Donkphan
 * TCG Gyarados archetype (Gyarados)
 * TCG LostGar
 * TCG LuxChomp
 * TCG Machamp archetype (Machamp)
 * TCG MagneRock
 * TCG MewPerior
 * TCG Palkia Lock
 * TCG Regigigas archetype (Regigigas)
 * TCG Sablelock
 * TCG VileGar

[[TCG HeartGold & SoulSilver]]-onward

 * TCG CaKE
 * TCG Chindra
 * TCG CMT
 * TCG Darkrai-EX/Mewtwo-EX
 * TCG Darkrai-EX/Terrakion
 * TCG DonDragons
 * TCG Durant Mill
 * TCG EelZone
 * TCG Gothitelle archetype (Gothitelle)
 * TCG Kingdra/Yanmega
 * TCG Klinklang/EXs
 * TCG MagneBoar
 * TCG MegaZone
 * TCG MewLuxe
 * TCG Party of Five
 * TCG Quad Entei
 * TCG Quad Terrakion
 * TCG ReshiBoar
 * TCG Six Corners
 * TCG Speed Darkrai-EX
 * TCG Stage Ones
 * TCG Thunder Fish
 * TCG The Truth
 * TCG TyRam
 * TCG VVV
 * TCG ZekEels
 * TCG ZPST

[[TCG Black & White]]-onward

 * TCG Blastoise/Keldeo-EX
 * TCG Empoleon/Accelgor
 * TCG Garchomp/Altaria
 * TCG Hydreigon/Darkrai-EX
 * TCG Ho-Oh-EX
 * TCG Mew/Accelgor
 * TCG MewtwoEels
 * TCG Old King Chomp
 * TCG Plasmaklang/Cobalion
 * TCG QuadSigilyph
 * TCG RayEels
 * TCG White Tea
 * TCG ZekEels

[[TCG Next Destinies]]-onward

 * TCG Blastoise/Black Kyurem
 * TCG Darkrai/Garbodor
 * TCG Empoleon/Dusknoir
 * TCG Plasma(TDK)
 * TCG Plasma(Yeti)
 * TCG RayBoar/Delphox
 * TCG Tool Drop
 * TCG Trevenant/Accelgor

[[TCG Boundaries Crossed]]-onward

 * TCG Aromatisse/Techs
 * TCG Donphan/Walls
 * TCG Landorus-EX/Crobat
 * TCG Metal/Rayquaza-EX
 * TCG Night March
 * TCG Primal-Groudon-EX
 * TCG Seismitoad-EX
 * TCG Virizion-EX/Genesect-EX
 * TCG Wailord-EX
 * TCG Yveltal-EX/Garbodor

[[TCG XY]]-onwards

 * TCG Trevanent BREAK
 * TCG Greninja BREAK
 * TCG Mega Manectric EX
 * TCG Night March
 * TCG Primal-Groudon-EX
 * TCG Seismitoad-EX
 * TCG Mega Audino EX
 * TCG Wailord-EX
 * TCG Yveltal-EX/Garbodor

[[TCG Primal Clash]]-onwards

 * TCG Mega Mewtwo EX
 * TCG Greninja BREAK
 * TCG Mega Rayquaza EX
 * TCG Vespiquen Toolbox
 * TCG Primal-Groudon-EX
 * TCG Decidueye GX
 * TCG Lurantis-GX
 * TCG Double Volcanion
 * TCG Yveltal-EX/Garbodor
 * TCG Mega Scizor EX

[[TCG BREAKthrough]]-onwards

 * TCG Gardevoir GX/Gallade/Octillery
 * TCG Ultra Necrozma GX/Dawn Wings Necrozma GX/Malamar
 * TCG Buzzwole GX/Lycanroc GX
 * TCG Rayquaza GX
 * TCG Sylveon GX Control
 * TCG ZoroPod

-onwards

 * TCG Espeon GX/Garbodor/Drampa GX
 * TCG Gardevoir GX/Gardevoir
 * TCG Gardevoir GX/Zoroark GX

Unlimited

 * TCG Forretress Donk
 * TCG Muk ex
 * TCG Porydonk
 * TCG Porygon/Shiftry Donk
 * TCG Shiftry Giant Fan Donk