Space-Time Smackdown is the latest expansion pack to land in Pokemon TCG Pocket, inviting players to the region of Sinnoh to collect all of their favourite Generation IV Pokemon. Starter Pokemon Chimchar, Piplup, and Turtwig are all here with their impressive evolutions, as well as fan-favourite legendary Pokemon Palkia and Dialga.
On this page, we’re discussing Palkia ex specifically, who threatens to make already frustrating decks to battle against — Misty and Articuno decks — even more of a nuisance. To help you do just that and wind up your opponents, here’s our Palkia ex deck guide and card list for Pokemon TCG Pocket.
Pokemon TCG Pocket Palkia ex deck guide and card list
Water-type decks in Pokemon TCG Pocket are already quite a nuisance to go against. We’re all more than familiar with the Misty Supporter card by now and just how much Energy it is capable of attaching to Water-type ‘mons. Well, it’s going to get worse, with or without Misty.
Space-Time Smackdown’s Palkia ex card, as well as Manaphy, are set to make these types of decks all the more troubling to go against.
- 2x Palkia ex
- 2x Articuno ex
- 2x Eevee
- 2x Vaporeon
- 2x Manaphy
- 2x Poke Ball
- 2x Professor’s Research
- 2x Misty
- 1x Sabrina
- 1x Giovanni
- 2x X Speed (or Leaf)
First things first, Manaphy is a Basic Pokemon who — using just one Energy — allows us to choose two Benched Pokemon and attach a Water-type Energy to either of them, so you ideally want them in your Active Spot first. Use Trainer cards such as the Poke Ball and Professor’s Research to try and secure this!
Manaphy is great for setting up, with their main role in our deck being stacking our ex Pokemon with Energy quickly. Pair Manaphy with Palkia ex, whose main attack — Dimensional Storm — means they must discard three Energy to deal 150 damage to the opposing Pokemon, and you’ve got quite the synergy provided Manaphy can stack Palkia ex with five or more Energy quickly. Overall, Manaphy functions the same way a Moltres ex would in a Charizard ex deck, though they lack any damaging attacks.
Now, what do you do when Palkia ex is low on Energy or HP? You move another Palkia ex or Articuno ex from your bench — which you’ll hopefully have been slowly attaching Energy to each turn or loaded with Energy using the Misty Supporter card — into the Active Spot and then use Vaporeon to transfer all of your Energy to them.
Vaporeon’s Wash Out Ability allows them to move as much Energy as they want from Benched Pokemon onto the Active Pokemon, so you can easily transfer all Benched Energy onto your Active Palkia ex or Articuno ex and continue attacking.
If you can afford to lose a Prize Point, you could even put Manaphy back into the Active Spot temporarily, allowing you to stack three Energy in one turn. Use an X Speed Item card or Leaf Supporter card (I recommend X Speed if you’re already taking Sabrina and Giovanni Supporter cards) to retreat Manaphy and put one of your ex Pokemon into the Active Spot, and you can then use Vaporeon to move around.
Last, but not least, we’re bringing along Sabrina to switch our opponent’s Active Pokemon, allowing Palkia ex or Articuno ex to quickly finish off low-HP Pokemon if there is the opportunity to. Then we’re also going to bring along Giovanni for an additional 10 damage, as this can make all the difference when coming up against strong ex Pokemon. You could swap Giovanni for Blue, though, who saves us from 10 incoming damage, but I find Giovanni to be of more use, more often personally.
For more on Pokemon TCG Pocket, take a look at our list of the best decks in the game, as well as our guide to all Secret Missions, which can bag you some decent rewards.