Arceus ex Dialga ex Full Guide

The A2a-071-A2-119 deck is one of the fastest and strongest strategies in Pokémon Pocket, combining energy acceleration, tankiness, and sustained damage output at an incredible speed, making it the best deck in the game currently.

With A2-119 fueling A2a-071’s attacks, this deck takes control after 3 turns and maintains its momentum from there, overwhelming opponents with its consistent pressure and high damage output.

This guide will help you master A2a-071-A2-119 by covering:

• Strengths
• Weaknesses
• How to Play
• Most Optimal Deck Build

Let’s now dive in and see what makes this deck incredibly powerful!

Pros	Cons
+One of the most consistent decks in the game, with all Pokémon being viable as starters, especially in the A2-111 variant. Considering its power level and synergy, this deck is a dominant force in the meta.	- Due to its extreme power level, it has also led to the rise of one of its strongest counters: A2-089.
+ This deck can start dealing 130 damage consistently for just 3 Energy, all without requiring any evolutions, making it one of the fastest and most efficient attackers in the game.	- Capped at 140 damage with A1-223, but hey, that’s already pretty strong.
+ Highly synergistic, with the sole goal of getting A2a-071 online as quickly as possible, utilizing the two Basic EX Pokémon to accelerate Energy and maintain early-game pressure.	-Powercreeping your favorite decks even more.
+ A perfect combination of consistency, tankiness, and power, making it the best deck in the game.

General Strategy (Tournament Build)

Your primary goal in the early game is to establish Arceus as quickly as possible to dish out it's 130 damage.

1. Starting with A2-119 – The Best Opener

• A2-119 is the ideal starter because Metallic Turbo allows you to accelerate Energy for A2a-071 while also tanking hits in the early game.
• When placing your first Energy on A2-119, do not bench a Pokémon immediately, as you might get hit by A1-225, delaying your setup.
• You can avoid this if you have A1a-068 for the next turn, or else you might be forced to retreat, disrupting your overall momentum.

2. Setting Up A2a-071 for Ultimate Force

• Once A2-119’s Metallic Turbo is online, bench A2a-071 so it can use Ultimate Force on the following turn.
• Assess the board state to determine if you should:
  • KO the opponent’s Active Pokémon immediately with A2a-071.
  • If removing a threat early is more beneficial so you can open up their bench right away.

3. Timing A2a-071’s Entry

• Most opponents won’t be prepared when A2a-071 reaches three Energy, so bringing it out right away is usually a strong move.
• If A2a-071 can’t KO the opponent’s Active Pokémon, using Metallic Turbo again on A2-119 might be the better option, especially if A2-119’s 30 damage helps set up a KO for A2a-071 next turn.

4. Planning for Potential Threats

• If there’s a risk of A2a-071 getting knocked out next turn, or if you don’t need to attack with it immediately, start charging up another A2a-071 or A1a-032 to ensure you’re not left without an attacker.
• This prepares you for potential setbacks and keeps your game plan intact.

5. Using A1a-068 for Smooth Transitions

• Using A1a-068 on A2-119 when you want to bring out A2a-071 is a smart play.
• This allows A2-119 to retain 2 Energy, meaning you can charge it up for Heavy Impact in later turns, keeping A2-119 relevant as a backup attacker.

6. How to Beat the Mirror Match

• Mirror matches are usually decided by who goes second, as they can charge A2a-071 faster.
• You can balance it out by using A1-225 at the right time—specifically when the opponent’s A2-119 has only 1 Energy in the Active Zone.
• This delays their game plan, forcing them to either have A1a-068 in hand or manually attach Energy until they can retreat, slowing their strategy significantly.

Managing HP and Playing Around A1-223

• Healing or using A2-147 is crucial to preventing a one-hit KO from the opponent’s A2a-071.
• By staying above 140 HP, you ensure that A2a-071 or A2-119 survives, allowing you to strike back next turn.
• Be mindful of when your opponent is likely to play A1-223 and position your Bench accordingly to minimize its impact.

General Strategy (Skarmory version)

You still run the same game plan as the tournament build, but this time, you have the option of starting with A2-111.

1. Starting with A2-111 or A2-119

• You usually want to start with A2-111 if you have a Tool in hand or if your opponent is using Water or Fighting Energy.
• Starting with A2-111 is better against Water or Fighting decks because it allows you to apply early pressure and potentially one-hit KO A2-050.
• Starting with A2-119 is better if you already have A2a-071 in hand, as you can immediately begin charging Energy with Metallic Turbo for a faster Arceus setup.
• You also have the option of charging up A2-119 while keeping A2-111 in the Active Spot if you think rushing A2a-071 is the better game plan.
• If you have A1a-068 in hand, you can easily retreat A2-111 when needed.

2. Transitioning from A2-111 to A2a-071

• By Turn 2 or 3, A2-111 will have either fainted or weakened key opponents, allowing you to switch to A2a-071 as your main attacker.
• Ideally, charge up A2-119 first, so it can use Metallic Turbo to fuel A2a-071 right away, ensuring you tank hits while maintaining momentum.

Managing Retreats Efficiently

• If A2-111 is still alive, you can either keep attacking or retreat it safely to the Bench for later use.
• Running two A2-111 is a viable option, maximizing your ability to take 2 points before your opponent can knock out an EX Pokémon.

3. Using Tools in the Right Situation

• Assess whether to attach A2-148 or A2-147, depending on the matchup and game state.
  • A2-148 is best when you want to punish attackers and set up damage for a later A2a-071 KO.
  • A2-147 is useful when you need to survive an extra hit, preventing an opponent’s KO at critical HP thresholds.
• Setting up A2-148 for a 150 HP breakpoint can be game-changing, as it allows A2a-071 to always one-shot key threats.

Tournament Build Deck

1. A2a-071 will be your main win condition, with its 3 Energy attack allowing it to deal consistent, high damage. It can also be charged up quickly by A2-119, making it highly synergistic in this deck.
2. A2-119 is crucial for energy acceleration, as its Metallic Turbo fuels A2a-071 immediately, ensuring early-game tempo while also tanking hits to stall.
3. A1a-032 acts as a backup attacker, allowing you to copy a stronger attack from the opponent or deal consistent damage if A2a-071 is not available.
4. A2-022 provides extra survivability, particularly benefiting A2-119, who is often the main tank.
5. A1a-068 plays a key role in mobility, allowing you to retreat any Pokémon easily and enabling faster access to Metallic Turbo. It also helps counter well-timed A1-225 plays.
6. A1-223 is a staple in mirror matches, letting A2a-071 reach 140 damage instantly. Because of this, many players opt to run two copies.
7. A1-225 is an excellent disruptor, particularly in mirror matches, and also shuts down top decks like A2-050, Fighting decks, and A2-110-A2-053 strategies since they all rely on charging up a main attacker.
8. A2-150 is great for finishing off weakened opponents, synergizing well with A1-225 to pull back retreated Pokémon for an easy KO.
9. PROMO-005 & PROMO-007 are mandatory draw cards, ensuring deck consistency and access to key pieces.
10. PROMO-001 serves as a defensive tool, keeping Pokémon out of KO range and extending their longevity.
11. A2-147 is crucial for surviving longer fights, preventing your Pokémon from falling below KO thresholds.
12. A2-155 is a strong tech for tournaments, especially in mirror match scenarios, where forcing the opponent to play around both A1-225 and A2-155 adds another layer of control.

Skarmory version

1. A2-111 – Helps in certain matchups by providing an aggressive option. It is especially useful against Fighting decks, allowing you to apply pressure immediately. Its ability to one-hit KO A2-050 is incredibly strong, considering that A2-049-A2-050 is a top-tier deck in the current meta.
2. A2-148 – Can punish attackers and set up damage for a one-shot KO by A2-111 or A2a-071. It also opens up the opponent to being vulnerable to A2-150, making it easier to clean up weakened Pokémon.

Final Thoughts

Thank you for reading this guide! This is the best deck in this current format so having knowledge of how to use it or fight against it is really good in this meta especially with ranked format coming later this month too.!