Feebas Deck Archetypes: Optimal Builds for the Pokémon TCG

Feebas card art from Hidden Legends ex5-61 by Tomokazu Komiya

Image courtesy of TCGdex.net

Feebas in the Pokémon TCG: Optimal Deck Archetypes and Builds

Feebas has long been the quiet swimmer of the Water type family, a Basic that seems modest at first glance but can fuel clever, tempo-rich archetypes when you lean into its Ascension attack. In the Hidden Legends era (ex5) illustrated by the talented Tomokazu Komiya, this little fish with a big potential invites players to craft archetypes around a single, efficient evolution line. The card’s rarity is Common, but its strategic value is anything but ordinary ⚡. With HP a modest 30 and a vulnerability to Lightning, Feebas asks for careful boss-prayer planning: pick the right Milotic evolution and a tight support package, and you’re off to a steady draw engine and late-game control that can outlast bulkier opponents.

Card at a glance

Name: Feebas
Set: Hidden Legends (ex5)
Rarity: Common
HP: 30
Type: Water
Stage: Basic
Attacks: Tackle (Colorless, 10) and Ascension (Water) Effect: Search your deck for a card that evolves from Feebas and put it on Feebas. This counts as evolving Feebas. Shuffle your deck afterward.
Weakness: Lightning ×2
Illustrator: Tomokazu Komiya
Notable rarity in the era: Common, but a catalyst for evolution-based engines

What makes Feebas sing in this era is not raw power but its bespoke evolution tutor—Ascension—turning a humble basic into a stepping stone for Milotic. In decks that aim to out-resource opponents, Feebas becomes the steady tempo engine: you invest in early game survivability with Tackle while you locate Milotic or other impactful evolutions to swing the mid-to-late game. And because Milotic variants in the era often carried strong draw and disruption, Feebas gives you a reliable way to access those late-game outs while keeping your bench flexible. 🎴🔥

Optimal archetypes around Feebas

1) Milotic Evolution Engine: The Draw and Control Engine

Leaning into Ascension, this archetype treats Feebas as the tutor that unlocks Milotic’s bigger weapons. The plan is simple: survive the opening turns with modest removal or stall tools, then hit the Milotic evolution at the right moment. Milotic, historically a centerpiece for card-draw strategies, often turns a lean deck into a river of options—allowing you to refill your hand after each disruption and set up favorable prizes or late-game finishing combos. The Feebas line shortens the path to Milotic, making your evolution timing less dependent on rare Candy-style accelerants and more about disciplined bench management. In practice, you’ll want a lean support suite—energy acceleration, basic draw, and a couple of tech attacks that secure early trades while Feebas fishes for its upgrade. ⚡🎨

2) Budget Milotic Loadout: Accessibility Meets Function

Feebas’s Common rarity makes it an appealing entry point for budget players aiming to explore Milotic-centered decks without a heavy collection. The Ascension search for an evolution card means you can run a tightly curated deck that focuses on few, high-coverage evolutions. This approach emphasizes consistency over flashy combos, leveraging Milotic’s abilities to draw, slow down, and outpace standard aggro lists. The budget frame is reinforced by modern market dynamics (see market snapshot below), showing that even small-cost cards can unlock meaningful play patterns in patient, control-oriented builds. 💎

3) Draw-Drive and Tempo: Utilizing Feebas as a Pivotal Poke-Engine

Beyond Milotic, Feebas can be part of a broader draw-heavy plan where Ascension doubles as a tutor for a prized evolution that grinds your opponent into submission. Pair Feebas with supportive trainers that preserve hand size and extend turns, ensuring you reach the moment when the evolution hits and you gain a steady stream of new options. The result is a deck that thrives on tempo—trade efficiently, search when needed, and unleash a Milotic-powered engine that keeps the board state favorable as the game unfolds. This style is especially potent in meta spaces where quick, disruptive turns can decide the match before damage accumulates too heavily. 🔥🎴

Market snapshot and collector insight

Feebas is a fan-favorite for its cute artwork and its role in an evolution-focused narrative. The current market data reflects its approachable price tag, while holo variants show more fluctuation. CardMarket data as of late 2025 shows an average price around €0.58, with holo variants trending higher, reflecting demand for the stronger foil aesthetics (avg-holo around €5–€9, depending on condition). Across TCGPlayer, the standard non-holo price sits around $1.00–$1.50, with reverse-holo values climbing into the $10–$15 range for notable copies. These figures highlight Feebas as a sensible target for casual collectors and budget traders who want to kit out a Milotic-centered engine without breaking the bank. The tiny HP and fragile stats are offset by the strategic payoff of Ascension, making Feebas a “tutor-on-a-float” in the TCG ecosystem. 📈💎

For enthusiasts who like a little lore with their liquidity, the Tomokazu Komiya artwork adds a soft, oceanic charm to the card that fans recognize and celebrate. The Milotic evolution line becomes a storytelling thread in your binder, connecting the humble Feebas to a graceful, late-game finisher that epitomizes patience in a fast-paced hobby. And if you’re thinking about desk décor while you play, the Neon Aesthetic Mouse Pad you see below is a stylish companion for long TCG sessions—the kind of product that makes you feel like you’re admiring a polished, collectible spread as you plan your next move. ⚡🎨

Tip for players: always plan your Ascension timing around the moment you expect to draw Milotic or a comparable evolution card. Feebas’s Tackle can serve as a filler attack while you set up, but the engine really shines when you can reveal the upgrade and start stacking advantage over a couple of turns. The strength of this archetype lies in consistent access to an evolution that changes the momentum of the game, not in raw numbers on a single attack.

To complement your strategy, consider supporting lines that extend your hand and smooth your transitions—these are the kinds of decisions that transform a humble Feebas into a meaningful, patient build that pays off in the mid and late game. And if you’re after a desk companion that echoes your collector’s spirit, the Neon Aesthetic Mouse Pad is a perfect match—bold, modern, and ready for long, strategic sessions. 🏆

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