In the evolving landscape of Pokemon TCG Pocket, Cynthia can be seen as either an underappreciated Supporter card or as a niche player lacking broader utility. Despite her rocky introduction, where Garchomp briefly dominated before fading from prominence, Cynthia has nonetheless shaped the metagame—at least temporarily. This inconsistency has led to skepticism surrounding her effectiveness in strategic plays.
Since Cynthia’s inception, her reputation took a hit post-Garchomp’s decline, leading many to question her viability. However, through an analysis of recent tournaments and strategic deck evaluations, three optimal deck configurations have been identified where Cynthia truly excels. Before diving into these synergies, let’s take a closer look at her card attributes.
An Overview of Cynthia
- Type: Supporter
- Ability: While active, Garchomp or Togekiss’s attacks inflict an additional 50 damage on the opponent’s Active Pokémon.
- Pack Point Value: 70 for the two-diamond variant, 1, 250 for the two-star version.
- Set & Pack: Available in Space-Time Smackdown’s Palkia Packs.
Cynthia is among the six new Supporter cards introduced in the Space-Time Smackdown expansion. Her distinguishing ability to enhance attack damage by 50 for Garchomp and Togekiss appears potent on paper; nevertheless, due to the challenges faced by these Pokémon in securing wins, her impact on the metagame has diminished.
In our latest assessment, Cynthia was positioned at #4 among Space-Time Smackdown Supporters, largely due to her specific and somewhat limited utility.
“It’s improbable that both Garchomp and Togekiss will sustain a strong foothold in the metagame, implying Cynthia may lose relevance as new sets are introduced.”
The Best-Performing Cynthia Deck
Recent evidence from Pokemon TCG Pocket tournaments indicates that Cynthia’s most successful setup involves pairing her with Garchomp, utilizing Druddigon as a defensive front while leveraging Garchomp for damage.
The strategy employed involves maintaining Druddigon in the Active Spot to absorb damage while simultaneously setting up one or two Garchomp on the Bench. With Cynthia’s capability enhancing attacks, this configuration allows players to deliver consecutive 150-damage strikes.
Players have occasionally substituted Druddigon with Manaphy or Marshadow to take advantage of dual-Energy requirements; however, this alteration can detract from the reliability of Garchomp’s evolution pathway, hence it is generally discouraged.
Cynthia & Garchomp Deck Shell
| Gible | 2 |
| Gabite | 2 |
| Garchomp | 2 |
| Druddigon | 2 |
| Cynthia | 2 |
Best Trainer Cards for the Deck Shell
- Leaf
- X Speed
- Pokemon Communication
- Giant Cape
- Rocky Helmet
- Cyrus
The Highest-Damage Cynthia Deck
To maximize Cynthia’s capability, the optimal pairing is with Togekiss. Togekiss inherently benefits from a +60 damage increase on its second attack, bringing it to 120 damage base. By utilizing Cynthia prior to this attack, the damage amplification escalates to 170, proving damaging enough to topple even the toughest foes with just two Psychic Energies.
A proficient tactic is to ensure Togekiss is ready in the Active Spot along with two Cynthia cards at your disposal. The sequence involves employing the first Cynthia to enhance the attack to 110 damage, followed by using the second Cynthia to achieve the impressive 170 damage on the succeeding turn, capable of taking down resilient Pokémon.
This strategy becomes especially formidable when integrated with Cyrus. If the opponent decides to retreat their Pokémon after the first Togekiss strike, using Cyrus to retrieve that damaged Pokémon allows players to finish the job without wasting the upgraded attack on an untouched foe.
However, a significant obstacle for players is that Togekiss is a Stage Two Pokémon, complicating consistently developing two Togekiss into play, especially against fast-moving decks. To counteract this, synergies with Druddigon can help stall opponents long enough to solidify your setup.
Cynthia & Togekiss Deck Shell
| Togepi | 2 |
| Togetic | 2 |
| Togekiss | 2 |
| Druddigon | 2 |
| Cynthia | 2 |
The Best Trainer Cards for the Deck Shell
- Leaf
- Cyrus
- Sabrina
- Giant Cape
- Rocky Helmet
- Potion
The Best Cynthia Deck for Stalling
For those seeking a more unconventional yet enjoyable Cynthia strategy, the Togekiss-Mismagius ex combination offers a unique approach. This setup gained traction with the introduction of Promo-A Misdreavus, which features a Confusion Ability. While not a dominant contender in the meta, it remains a fun, meme-oriented option.
This deck is designed to bring Promo-A Misdreavus into play as soon as possible, using its Confusion-initiating attack to stall your opponent while you build up your Togekiss on the Bench. Once Mismagius ex enters the field, it can exacerbate the Confusion effect, granting additional turns to prepare another Togekiss.
The advantage of this combo lies in having two potential damage dealers at your disposal. Mismagius ex can confidently inflict 80 damage, softening targets for Togekiss to finish off. However, managing the evolution lines and energy costs can pose a challenge, especially while under pressure from the opponent.
Cynthia & Mismagius ex Deck Shell
| Togepi | 2 |
| Togetic | 2 |
| Togekiss | 2 |
| Misdreavus (P-A) | 2 |
| Mismagius from | 2 |
| Cynthia | 2 |
Best Trainer Cards for the Shell
- Cyrus
- Leaf
- Potion
- Giant Cape
- Pokemon Communication
Cynthia’s Performance in Pocket’s Metagame
Cynthia’s effectiveness relies heavily on the performance of the decks centered around her, particularly Togekiss and Garchomp. Currently, these two Pokémon constitute approximately 2% of the metagame, exhibiting an average win rate of 41.4%.More significantly, their participation in recent tournament matches has dwindled, indicating a decrease in overall popularity.
Among the two, Garchomp emerges as the more competitive choice, boasting a meta share of 1.22% and a win rate of 42.25%.Despite this, neither Pokémon has been able to rival the leading decks on the scene.
Cynthia’s Togekiss builds face significant challenges against top contenders like Darkrai ex and Exeggutor ex, which are currently the highest-performing decks. Similarly, Garchomp-focused strategies are facing unfavorable odds. Unless Cynthia gains more robust synergies in upcoming expansions, her relevance in the game is expected to wane, particularly given the narrowing viability window for both Togekiss and Garchomp.
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