Table of Contents
Introduction
Welcome to my Pikachu ex Deck Guide! a1-285-pikachuex comes with 120 HP and has the ability to deal 90 damage for only two energy, a1-281-pikachuex is both strong and durable.
This write-up has been updated to include new cards from the Mythical Island expansion.
Deck List
Pikachu ex featuring Electrode Deck List
Pikachu ex featuring Zebstrika Deck List
Pikachu ex free-to-play (F2P) Deck List
Core Cards
- a1-96-pikachuex (Irreplaceable)
- a1-100-electrode (has a free retreat cost to render plays useless)
- a1-104-zapdosex (for those who a lucky enough to pull some copies of these)
- a1-112-pincurchin (for the budget friendly or F2P players)
The lists of decks above features a1-96-pikachuex, a1-104-zapdosex, a1-100-electrode, a1-95-raichu and a1-106-zebstrika, though you could easily swap in a1-112-pincurchin or a1-101-electabuzz if you don't have Zapdos. The setup includes key Trainer cards like X-Speeds, Poké balls, Professor’s Research, a1-223-giovanni and a1-225-sabrina.
Deck Guide and Strategy
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As mentioned earlier, a1-96-pikachuex is a versatile and powerful card that deals 90 damage for just two energy when the player's bench is full. With 120 HP, it is durable and can withstand significant attacks.
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a1-96-pikachuex excels in a deck filled with basic Lightning-type Pokémon to maximize its potential. Combined with strong supporting cards, it can consistently deal heavy damage (90 damage per turn is no joke considering this card is a basic card to begin with).
Using Zapdos ex effectively
a1-104-zapdosex is a fantastic starter at the beginning of your tuen. It requires only one energy to begin dealing damage and has a retreat cost of just one, making it easy to switch out. Once your bench is full, a1-285-pikachuex becomes a heavy hitter. This deck also includes a1-223-giovanni to give you that extra push when you need it for a knockout. It’s a strong, strategic option in the game right now.
Raichu as a finisher
Now, let's talk about a1-95-raichu. The strategy here is simple but effective: get a1-95-raichu ready, while your other Pokémon do some work at the Active Spot. This gives a1-95-raichu the ability to deliver a massive attack, perfect for finishing the game. However, you will lose all the energy afterward, so use it as a final strike—your coup de grâce to secure victory. You can also consider including a1-226-lt-surge (at most 1 copy) in your Pikachu ex decks to help power up your finisher.
Building your own Pikachu ex deck advice
As for supporter cards, I recommend using AT LEAST two Poké Balls, two Professor’s Research, and two a1-225-sabrina cards. a1-225-sabrina is particularly useful for clinching close matches—don’t waste her early. Save her for when you're one hit away from winning, and she’ll guarantee a strong finish. Poké Ball helps you draw your Basic Pokémon, including a1-285-pikachuex, and it’s usually a good idea to play Poké Ball before using Professor’s Research to increase your odds of drawing useful cards.
Deck Weaknesses
Even though this deck is strong in the current META, it's not without any blatant weaknesses:
- Running 6 basic Pokémon sometimes bricks your board state, making you unable to setup your bench to take advantage of a1-285-pikachuex ability. The existing community debates that it's best to have 8 basic Pokémon in the deck for consistency.
- Fighting type decks will usually aggro down your pokemon at the Active Spot pretty fast forcing you to retreat and reposition your cards, crippling your attacking phase significantly.
Mythical Island Expansion Update (December 2024)
a1-281-pikachuex remains a dominant force in the Pokémon TCG Pocket META, particularly with new cards from the Mythical Island expansion introducing effective variants. The deck is still very strong for its simplicity, quick setup, low energy requirements for attacks, and minimal retreat costs. However, its main drawbacks include the fragility of its primary attackers (120-130 HP) and struggles against high-HP opponents. Despite these challenges, it remains a reliable and flexible deck. Here are some new decks for our Pikachu ex deck guide:
a1-281-pikachuex decks have largely adopted a1a-73-dedenne from the Mythical Island expansion. This card effectively stalls opponents by paralyzing them with coin flips, requiring only a single energy to do so. Many successful a1a-26-raichu variations have also incorporated a1a-27-electabuzz from the new expansion. a1a-27-electabuzz allows players to reach out and knock out opponent's bench Pokémon.
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This not only cleans up Pokémon that have retreated to safety after taking a 90-point hit from a1-281-pikachuex but also proactively eliminates threats like a1a-17-magikarp, making the matchup against a1a-18-gyarados-ex which is the deck to beat in the current Mythical Island META.
Closing
Thank you for reading our Pikachu ex Deck Guide for the Mythical Island expansion in Pokémon TCG Pocket! a1-285-pikachuex deck variants plays with similar fashion between themselves and aims to whack your opponent for 90 damage very early in the game. The strategies shared above can be used generally across all match-ups until we get some new cards in the next expansion.
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