Top 5 Cards That Boost Marill for Your Pokémon TCG Deck

Marill card art from Paldea Evolved set by Atsuya Uki

Image courtesy of TCGdex.net

Powering Up Marill: Top Five Supporting Cards for a Resilient Water Deck

Marill is a charming underdog with a solid start in the Paldea Evolved era. As a Basic Water Pokémon with 70 HP and the Bubble Drain attack that heals 20 damage from this very Pokémon, it invites a strategy built on sustaining its presence while you set up a bigger threat. The card art by Atsuya Uki sings with a playful, sea-spark energy, matching Marill’s buoyant personality. In a world of big evolutions and flashy attacks, Marill can still shine when paired with the right supporting cast. Here are five proven cards to boost Marill's role in your deck, whether you’re climbing the ladder in Standard or exploring a more relaxed, collector-friendly build ⚡🔥.

First, let’s remember why Marill matters. Its Bubble Drain gives you a small healing tempo edge, helping you stall a bit longer while you set up Azumarill (its evolution) or pivot to a different plan. The beauty of Marill in Paldea Evolved lies in its accessibility and the ability to evolve into Azumarill as soon as you find the right moment. The set itself is a treasure trove for Water fans, and the holo foil adds an eye-catching flourish to a collection that already celebrates Atsuya Uki’s vivid illustrated style 💎🎴.

1) Quick Ball — find your Basic Marill when you need it most

Quick Ball is a staple search card that helps you grab Marill from your deck on the turn you need to deploy it. In a deck built around a fast setup, Quick Ball accelerates Marill onto the bench so Bubble Drain can start healing and setting up your turns ahead of your opponent’s tempo. As a reliable first-step tool, it keeps your early game clean and consistent ⚡.

2) Level Ball — perfect for your low-HP Basic Pokémon

Marill’s modest 70 HP makes Level Ball a natural fit. This card searches for Basic Pokémon with 90 HP or less, which includes Marill and many of its early-game companions. Level Ball ensures you can rebuild your bench quickly after a knock, maintaining pressure while you prepare your evolution path to Azumarill 🎯.

3) Evolution Incense — fetch Azumarill for a timely evolution

Evolution Incense brings in the evolution you’re aiming for: Azumarill. Having Azumarill on the bench can swing the board state with stronger attacks and firmer defensive lines. By accelerating your evolution timing, you transform Marill from a sturdy early-game anchor into a more versatile threat, leveraging Azumarill’s potential to swing trades in your favor 🎴.

4) Melanie — energize and extend your Water strategy

Melanie is a powerful Water-focused Supporter that lets you draw cards and attach Water energy from your discard to a Water Pokémon. In Marill builds, Melanie can keep your Energy flow flowing, letting Marill sustain Bubble Drain longer while you search for the next piece of your plan. The synergy with a deck that aims to evolve into Azumarill and pressure with Water-type synergy is a natural fit, and Melanie’s tempo is hard to beat when you’re trying to out-draw and outlast your opponent 🔥.

5) Boss’s Orders — manage the battlefield and target weakness on your terms

Boss’s Orders is a classic supportive tool that lets you rearrange your opponent’s board by switching their Benched Pokémon with their Active Pokémon. In Marill’s deck, this card helps you line up favorable matchups, force opponent plays into your path, and buy crucial turns to set up Azumarill or stall with Bubble Drain. It’s a strategic inclusion that makes your board state less predictable and more punishing to opponents who overcommit on the wrong target 🎮.

“Water-types aren’t just about big bursts; they’re about steady stewardship of tempo. Marill thrives when you balance healing, tempo, and evolution—letting you weather the storm while you blossom into Azumarill.”

From a collector’s viewpoint, Marill (sv02-204) stands out as an Illustration Rare holo with Atsuya Uki’s distinctive art. The Paldea Evolved set showcases 193 official cards in this line, with a total of 279 in its broader print run. Marill’s pricing on CardMarket has tended to stay quite accessible, with a non-holo average around €0.03 and holo variants hovering higher, around €0.09 on recent readings. This mix of gameplay value and approachable price makes it a compelling pick for both players building a focused Marill deck and collectors chasing a well-presented holo card for display 💎.

In terms of gameplay strategy, Marill’s Bubble Drain is the star here. Healing 20 damage on a single attack creates a reliable sustain technique, especially when paired with Energy acceleration like Melanie and a quick pivot into Azumarill. The Water-type core can leverage Evolution Incense to bring Azumarill into play, which typically carries more robust attacks and greater staying power. The set’s legal status—standard and expanded—means you can explore different formats and find the balance that suits your playstyle, whether you favor a quick, aggressive opening or a longer, attrition-based approach ⚡🎨.

For collectors and lore-minded fans, Atsuya Uki’s representation of Marill adds charm to the card’s presentation, aligning with the playful, aquatic vibe of Water Pokémon. It’s a reminder that the TCG is as much about the story told by the art as the numbers on the card. The Paldea Evolved era continues to give players a chance to craft decks that feel both nostalgic and fresh, with Marill serving as a friendly gateway into more complex Water strategies and the Azumarill evolutions that lie beyond.

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