Palkia ex Full Guide (Triumphant Light)

We're revisiting A2-049, one of the strongest cards from the Space Time Smackdown expansion, as it has been dominating the Triumphant Light meta lately. If you want to check out the previous guide, you can find it [here].

This time, we won’t be featuring the A1a-019 deck, but instead, we’ll focus on three powerful builds that have emerged from this expansion.

In this guide, I’ll cover:

• Strengths
• Weaknesses
• How to Play
• Optimal Deck Builds

Let’s break down why A2-049 is such a powerhouse in the current meta.

Pros	Cons
+A2-049 is a self-sufficient attacker with 150 HP, allowing it to stay on the field longer while dishing out 30 or 150 damage. Its ability to consistently apply pressure makes it a reliable win condition in any matchup.	- While Dimensional Storm is powerful, its three-energy discard is a significant drawback. So only use for high profile targets.
+ On an even playing field, A2-049 holds its own against most decks, but when combined with successful A1-220 rolls, it can push ahead and dominate matchups that would otherwise be close.
+ Recent updates show that players are dropping A2-049 partners like A1a-019 and A2-050 in favor of a more consistent build. Without relying on secondary Pokémon, A2-049 executes its game plan more efficiently.
+ While Dimensional Storm is powerful, its three-energy discard is a significant drawback. Only use it for high-profile targets to ensure optimal value from each attack.

How to play Double Palkia

This build focuses on maximizing efficiency, tankiness, and sustained damage. By running both A2-049 and A2a-023, this deck balances aggression and endurance, ensuring consistent pressure while maintaining survivability.

Choosing Between A2a-023 and A2-049 in Your Starting Hand

If both A2a-023 and A2-049 are in your starting hand, your choice should be based on matchup dynamics and available Trainers:

Start with A2a-023 If:

• You’re facing Fighting or A2a-071 decks, where early hits or being blown out by A2a-071 and A2-119 is a concern.
• You lack A2-147, making A2-049 more vulnerable to early pressure.
• You have A2a-072 in hand, ensuring you can sustain A2a-023 longer.

Start with A2-049 If:

• You’re up against Water or Fire decks, where aggression and tempo matter more than survivability.
• You have A1-220 in hand, allowing you to set up energy early.

If Uncertain:

• Bench the other A2a-023 or A2-049 immediately to keep your options open as the game develops.
• If lacking A2a-072, it’s generally safer to start with A2a-023.

This choice dictates the flow of the match, so making the right call can swing the tempo in your favor from the start.

Early Game – Setting Up the Flow of Energy

Manaphy Start (Ideal Scenario)

• If you start with A2-050, you can accelerate energy early, setting up both A2a-023 and A2-049 for the midgame.
• This makes your energy economy smoother, ensuring Dimensional Storm is consistently available.

A2a-023 as an Early Tank

• Instead of rushing A2-049, A2a-023 takes the early hits.
• This keeps A2-049 fresh, ensuring you don’t lose momentum due to its energy discard cost.
• With A2a-072, A2a-023 becomes much tankier, making it harder for opponents to clear it off the board quickly.

---

Mid Game – Setting Up for Dimensional Storm

Sacrificing A2-050, Trading Points Efficiently

• Since A2-050 is often sacrificed early, this lets you trade points with A2a-023 before shifting fully into A2-049 mode.
• You gain energy while maintaining tempo, ensuring you don’t lose momentum when setting up A2-049.

When to Shift to A2-049

• If A2a-023 is KO’d, you should already have A2-049 fully charged and ready to start sweeping.
• Since you saved A2-049 for the midgame, it can now use Dimensional Storm freely without worrying about energy delays.

---

Late Game – Closing Out with A2-049

Dimensional Storm Becomes Your Win Condition

• By this point, A2-049 should be your main attacker, consistently dealing 150 damage while threatening your opponent’s Bench.
• Plan energy attachments carefully to avoid running out of resources after multiple Dimensional Storms.

If Behind, Use A2a-072 & A2-147 to Stall

• If you’re not in a winning position, you can use A2a-072 defensively to keep A2-049 alive longer.
• A2-147 helps A2-049 survive longer, allowing you to take extra turns to reset your strategy.

---

Why This Build Works

• More Energy Control – A2a-023 lets you distribute energy better, avoiding wasted attachments.
• Balanced Between Offense & Defense – You don’t burn out early because A2a-023 takes damage first.
• A2a-072 Makes It More Reliable – The deck’s tanking ability improves, keeping you in control longer.

How to Play Starmie-Palkia

The A1-076-A2-049 build focuses on flexibility, fast damage application, and sustained pressure. A1-076 provides early aggression, dealing quick damage to weaken targets, while A2-049 serves as a strong finisher, allowing you to adapt depending on the opponent’s strategy.

Early Game – Choosing Your Starter

Start with A1-076 or A2-049 Depending on Your Hand

• If you have A1-076 in hand, leading with A1-074 is better since you can evolve next turn and start attacking immediately.
• If you don’t have A1-076, opening with A2-049 gives you a stable start while you search for A1-076.

Apply Early Pressure with A1-076

• A1-076 is effective against low-HP Pokémon, allowing you to take quick points before your opponent sets up.
• If the opponent’s Pokémon survives A1-076’s attack, A2-049 can easily finish them off later.

Focus on Building A2-049 While Using A1-076 to Weaken Opponents

• While A1-076 does early damage, use this time to attach energy to A2-049, ensuring it’s ready when needed.

Bench Management

• Do not bench A2-049 unless you can attach at least one Energy to it immediately.
• If A2-049 is benched without Energy, it becomes an easy target for A1-225, since this deck lacks a retreat cost reducer like A1a-068.
• If A1-225 forces it Active, you’ll be stuck without a way to switch, slowing your tempo significantly.
• Focus on only benching what you need to ensure maximum efficiency and avoid being disrupted.

---

Mid Game – Transitioning to A2-049

Decide When to Switch to A2-049

• If A1-076 has already taken key knockouts, you can bring in A2-049 early to start pressuring bigger threats.
• If A1-076 is still alive and dealing damage, continue using it until you need A2-049 for a heavier hit.

A1-076 Cleans Up, A2-049 Finishes Games

• Against low-HP decks, A1-076 alone can control the game.
• Against bulky decks, weaken them with A1-076, then finish with A2-049’s Dimensional Storm.

---

Late Game – Closing with A2-049

A2-049 Becomes the Main Attacker

• Once A1-076 has weakened enough Pokémon, switch to A2-049 for a game-finishing sweep.
• Dimensional Storm should be fully online, allowing A2-049 to hit big threats for 150 damage while also dealing bench damage.

If Behind, Play for Defensive Options

• If you’re losing board control, focus on stalling with A2-147 and A2a-072 until you can swing the game back.
• If A1-076 is still on board, consider using it for a last hit before transitioning fully to A2-049.

---

Why This Build Works

• More Early-Game Pressure – A1-076 lets you attack quickly, forcing your opponent into defensive playstyles.
• Better Against Low-HP Decks – The ability to pick off weak Pokémon makes this a strong counter to certain decks.

How to Play 18-Trainer Palkia

The 18-Trainer A2-049 build maximizes consistency, adaptability, and control by utilizing a high Trainer count to ensure optimal plays every turn. Unlike other builds that rely on additional Pokémon like A1-076 or A2a-023, this deck focuses solely on A2-049, allowing for more flexibility in-game decisions and stronger Trainer-based support.

---

Early Game – Prioritizing A1-220 for Immediate Attacks

If You Draw A1-220 on Turn 1, Use It Immediately

• A Turn 1 A1-220 activation means you can attack right away, giving you an instant tempo lead.
• This pressures your opponent from the very start, often forcing them into a defensive position while you set up A2-049 freely.

Use Trainers Efficiently to Stabilize

• With 18 Trainers, you will rarely struggle with setup.
• PROMO-005 should be used early to ensure you draw A2-049 right away and not waste a card in case you draw the other A2-049.

---

Mid Game – Controlling the Tempo with Trainers

Double A1-225 & A2-150 for Maximum Control

• Running double A1-225 and A2-150 strategically opens up key plays after using Dimensional Storm.
• After hitting for 150 damage, you can use A2-150 to finish off another low HP Pokémon on the Bench.
• If your opponent retreats their damaged Pokémon, A2-150 forces it back Active, ensuring you don’t waste your recoil damage on something irrelevant.
• This makes it extremely difficult for your opponent to recover, as they have no safe zone against your attacks.

Switching to the Other A2-049 at the Right Time

• If you sense that your current A2-049 will get knocked out immediately, switch energy management to your benched A2-049 right away.
• This ensures you have Dimensional Storm online, instead of losing a turn of setup when your first A2-049 gets KO’d.

Play Around Opponent’s Disruption

• Never bench a A2-049 without at least 1 Energy attached—this avoids getting locked in the Active Spot with no way to retreat since we're not running A1a-068.

---

Why This Build Works

• Most Consistent Version of A2-049 – 18 Trainers ensure you never brick and always have access to your key plays.
• Better Adaptability to Opponent’s Plays – With more access to Trainers, you can adjust your strategy on the fly depending on your opponent’s moves.
• Double A1-225 & A2-150 Secures More Knockouts – Instead of only dealing with the Active Pokémon, this build ensures you can finish off benched Pokémon immediately, leaving no chance for your opponent to stabilize.

Card Choices

Double Palkia

• A2a-023 - Serves as both a tank and energy setup Pokémon, allowing you to soak early damage while preparing for the transition into A2-049 or, in the worst-case scenario, becoming your secondary damage dealer.
• A2-049 - The real win condition, dealing massive damage with Dimensional Storm and applying pressure as soon as it comes online.
• A2-050 - Helps set up energy for both A2a-023 and A2-049, ensuring that you can get attacks off quickly without falling behind in attachments.
• A2a-072 - Extends the life of your Pokémon, particularly helping A2a-023 tank extra hits before transitioning into A2-049 or even allowing a caped A2-050 to survive another turn.
• A1a-068 - Allows easy switching of A2a-023 or A2-049 for retreats.
• A1-225 - Useful for delaying opponents' game plans or ensuring Dimensional Storm is hitting a key threat.
• A2-150 - Becomes almost always online because of Dimensional Storm, as the Bench will also be damaged.
• PROMO-005 & PROMO-007 - Serve as mandatory draw cards for consistency.
• A2-147 - Helps A2-049 survive, especially if the opponent can deal more than 150 damage, or if you want another turn for A2-050, since you ideally want more energy most of the time.

Starmie Palkia

• A1-076 line - Acts as a quick damage dealer, specifically targeting lower HP threats, which helps cover A2-049’s weakness in dealing with smaller targets.
• A2-147 - Also helps A1-076 reach 150 HP, allowing it to survive an A2a-071 attack, making it an essential tool for this deck.
• A2-146 - A single copy helps ensure you always find A1-076 or A2-049, reducing the risk of bricking on A1-076, which is one of the deck’s biggest weaknesses.
• PROMO-001 - Not entirely necessary, but useful for keeping your Pokémon alive longer, which is especially valuable in a deck with a limited number of Pokémon.

Palkia 18T

• A1-223 – Not entirely necessary for this deck, but it adds an unexpected surprise factor, catching opponents off guard since they’ll usually only anticipate attacks for 30 or 150 damage.
• A2-148 – A powerful tool in this deck, especially when attached to a 150 HP Pokémon that can attack and be healed, making every hit more punishing for the opponent.
• A2-155 – Not a must-have and can be replaced with another Poké Ball, but it provides strong disruption, which helps cover this deck’s weakness of being linear. Since A2-049 gives up two points, forcing the opponent to have only one card left can be game-changing.

Final Thoughts

Thank you for reading this guide! The deck is one of the top decks in the current meta, so understanding how to play it or counter it will give you a huge advantage, especially with the ranked format coming later this month!