Table of Contents
Machamp ex packs a serious punch, often knocking out opponents' Pokemon before they can even respond. This deck relies heavily on Fighting Energy, as Machamp ex needs three Fighting Energy to unleash its powerful attacks. Therefore, when choosing supporting Pokemon, it’s best to stick with Fighting or Colorless types to ensure you can keep giving a1-146-machampex Energy.
In this guide, we’ll dive into the mechanics of a1-146-machampex, learn the general game plan, and explore which Pokemon pair best with a1-146-machampex to maximize its potential.
Gameplan
a1-146-machampex is a Stage 2 Pokemon, so it's a slow process to get it into play and start carrying the game. So we need to pair a1-146-machampex with Pokemon that can join the battle early and stick around for a couple of turns as we set up our win condition.
Early Stalling
a1-140-dugtrio doesn't have the highest health, but its Dig attack is where it shines. Dig only needs 1 Fighting Energy, so you won't be taking away too much Energy from the a1-146-machampex condition.
a1-140-dugtrio's Dig attack deals 40 damage and will flip a coin. If you get heads, a1-140-dugtrio will prevent all damage done to it on the opponent's upcoming turn. This is where a1-140-dugtrio is great for stalling out games, giving you a 50% chance at preventing the opponent from knocking it out, buying you time until a1-146-machampex is ready to join in.
Additionally, a1-140-dugtrio has only 1 Energy as a retreat cost, so it's easy to get him back to the safety of the Bench without needing to attach more Energy.
Machamp ex Carry
a1-146-machampex is a Stage 2 Pokemon so we'll need to play a1-143-machop as early as possible on the Bench and start evolving! The downside is a1-143-machop's retreat cost is 2 Energy, so we can't promo-2-x-speed to safety in the early game if he starts in the Active spot.
a1-143-machop's Knuckle Punche isn't pushing much damage, but once we evolve it to a1-144-machoke, we can activate Strength for 2 Fighting Energy and start dealing 50 damage to the opponent's Pokemon. The 100 Health on a1-144-machoke is great to have him stick in play until a1-146-machampex joins in.
a1-146-machampex is the main carry you'll rely on to win games, with 180 HP, he's a buffy Pokemon that doesn't get knocked out easily. Mega Punch deals 120 damage, capable of knocking out any normal Basic Pokemon, and will need at max two attacks to knock out high-health Pokemon.
The retreat cost being a 3 Energy is rough as you'll struggle to retreat him to safety and get 3 Fighting Energy back on him for one final attack.
Alternative Pokemon
a1-153-marowakex is another win condition to add to the deck. Being a Stage 1 Pokemon, you'll only need to evolve him from a1-151-cubone to start going for the Bonemerang attacks. a1-153-marowakex's Bonemerang flips 2 coins, dealing 80 damage for each heads. Every time you activate Bonemerang, you'll get one of three outcomes: 0 damage (25%), 80 damage (50%), or 160 damage (255). So the outcome with the highest chances is 80 damage, but hitting 160 on a high-health Pokemon can be a game changer, potentially winning you the game on the spot.
However, there's still a good chance to hit the 25% 0 damage outcome. The 0 damage can put you behind in the game and be a major reason for the loss.
a1-142-primeape is another Stage 1 Pokemon to include, dealing 40 damage with Fight Back. However, if a1-142-primeape is damaged, you'll deal an extra 60 damage, pushing a total of 100 damage with your attack. a1-142-primeape's Fight Back does need 2 Fighting Energy to activate, which can slow you down from getting a1-146-machampex's Mega Punch online.
a1-142-primeape doesn't have the stalling capabilities, but it can knock out a Pokemon and secure a match point before a1-146-machampex joins in.
a1-154-hitmonlee is another consideration to include in the list. His Stretch Kick can reach the opponent's Benched Pokemon, allowing you to knockout a damaged Pokemon to win the game.
Machamp ex Weaknesses
- a1-146-machampex is a Stage 2 Pokemon, so he'll take a couple of turns to join the battle and carry the game. You also might find yourself missing one part of the evolving strategy, slowing you down even more.
- Fighting-type decks don't have any Energy accelerators like Water-type with a1-220-misty and Fire-type with a1-47-moltresex. So it can be a slow process to get your attacks ready, and even worse if your Pokemon has a high retreat cost.
- a1-146-machampex struggles against Psychic type decks, so the popular Mewtwo ex deck can crush it.
Closing Words
If you're looking for an off-meta deck to test out and love slamming opponents with heavy punches, then the a1-146-machampex might be just the deck for you!
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