Table of Contents
Your Opponent Ain’t Attacking — Seriously.
A3a-056 has quietly become one of the most annoying and effective walls in the format, stopping opponents in their tracks with just one Ability. Whether you're locking them out with A3a-054 into A3a-056, slowly burning them down with A3-084, or finishing games with A2-095, this deck proves that tempo and pressure win games. In this guide, we’ll break down two standout builds that turn one simple idea—no attacks for you—into a winning strategy.
No hits allowed!
Strengths & Weaknesses
| Pros | Cons |
| + One of the strongest Abilities right now—stalling even one turn can break your opponent’s momentum. | - Falls off hard if you don’t evolve early. |
| + Counters the go-second meta by evolving early with A3-144, letting you shut down A3a-061’s usual advantage and flip the tempo. | |
| + 140 HP survives most threats (except A2-089), while 2 Energy for 70 sets up easy 2-shots. | |
| + Synergizes with attacks that scale with your opponent’s Energy, like A2-095 and A3-084. |
How to Play Tapu Lele Stoutland
You can start with almost anything, but A3-084 is ideal if you don’t have A3-144 yet. A3a-056 stalls your opponent with its Ability while you charge up A2b-035. Meanwhile, A3-084 chips away from the bench and helps fuel your board.
Turn 1 Breakdown
If starting with A3-084
This is usually your safest opener. It only gives up 1 point if knocked out and can become a threat if ignored. It spreads early damage across your opponent’s board, setting up for A2b-035 or A3a-056 to clean up. It also sets up plays with A2-150.
If starting with A2b-035
A strong start going first. It can attack by Turn 3 for 130 damage—enough to apply early pressure. You'll typically prioritize attaching Energy here unless A3a-056 is ready. Be cautious against Darkness decks—if unsure, A3-084 is usually the safer lead.
If the opponent is aggressive, retreat A2b-035 early to preserve it. Its self-charging Ability makes it easy to bring back later.
If starting with A3a-054
Only worth starting with if you already have both A3-144 and A3a-056 in hand. Without both, it risks stalling your setup. In that case, focus on powering up A2b-035 and retreat when you’re ready.
Early Priorities
- Get A2b-035 online unless A3a-056 is ready to evolve.
- If A3a-056 is active with 2 Energy, shift focus to charging A2b-035.
- Evolve A3a-056 early to avoid PROMO-006, A2b-069, or A2-155.
- Use A2-146 to search what you need—either a Stage 2 attacker or the Stoutland line.
- Protect A2b-035 using A2b-070 and A2-147 since it’s worth 2 points.
Hand Reset Tip:
If you're planning a hand reset, bait PROMO-006, A2b-069, or A2-155. Stay at 4+ cards if you're okay being hit, or below 3 to avoid it.
How to Play PROMO-006 and A2-155
If You’re Going First
- Vs non–Stage 2 decks:
Use PROMO-006 immediately. These decks don’t rely on combos, so early disruption is strongest. - Vs Stage 2 decks:
Hold PROMO-006 until they commit PROMO-007 for better disruption.
If You’re Going Second
- If they’ve played all Basics, use PROMO-006—they’re holding something strong.
- If not, hold it—they may already be bricked.
- Against Stage 2 decks, only use PROMO-006 if their hand is 4+ cards.
A2-155 Tips
Best used later in the game. Hold it until after a KO or when the opponent is low on cards.
Midgame Strategy
- At this point, A2b-035 should be pressuring the board. If not, fall back on A3-084 or A3a-056 to stall while you build back up.
- If A2b-035 took early damage, retreat and preserve it. You can bring it back once the board stabilizes.
- PROMO-002 helps reposition, especially when charging A2b-035 on the bench while going first.
- A2-150 becomes lethal once A3-084 chips targets. Pull the right threat and take full control.
- Rotate your attackers to deny easy knockouts. With high HP across your board, you force the opponent to commit A1-225 or A2-150 early. Capitalize on that tempo advantage.
Card Choices
Core
Must-have cards the deck relies on to function.
- A3-084 – Safe and flexible starter. Chips damage and sets up A2-150 plays. Its output scales with Energy, which combos well with A3a-056 delaying turns.
- A2b-035 – Main damage dealer, especially if A3a-056 isn’t online yet. Charges Energy by itself, which can also be used to pivot into A3a-056.
- A3a-056 – Slows your opponent with its Ability, buying time to charge A2b-035 and swing tempo in your favor.
- A3a-054 – Evolves into A3a-056. Fine as a starter only if you already have A3-144 and A3a-056 in hand. Otherwise, it risks slowing your setup.
- A2-146 – Key consistency piece. Lets you search for A2b-035, A3a-056, or other essentials.
- A2-150 – Powerful finisher. Pulls damaged Pokémon from the bench for a knockout, especially after chip from A3-084.
- PROMO-007 and PROMO-005 – Your core draw engine.
Optional
Cards that can be cut without hurting core consistency.
- A2-155 – Slows your opponent’s hand progression. Helps delay their setup but isn't essential.
- PROMO-002 – Lets you retreat without losing Energy. Useful for cycling A2b-035 in and out of the active.
- A2-147 – Boosts HP to keep key attackers alive longer, especially A2b-035.
- A2b-070 – Heals and helps keep A2b-035 or A3a-056 alive for another turn.
Situational
Techs that only matter in specific matchups.
- A1-225 – Helps stall the opponent when A3a-056 is active by forcing bad switch targets, especially if their benched Pokémon have high Retreat Costs.
- Second A2b-070 – Since A2b-035 deals damage to itself, running an extra copy ensures more consistent healing across matchups.
- A2b-071 – A great tech to finish off bulkier threats over 140 HP that A2b-035 can’t quite reach.
How to Play Gallade Stoutland
Ideally, you want to start with A3a-054 and evolve into A3a-056 to stall your opponent. This gives you time to set up A2-095, who can punish overcommitted Energy with massive damage.
Turn 1 Breakdown
If starting with A3a-054
Usually the safer opener over A2-068. Since A2-095 is more impactful later, your early goal is to delay with A3a-056’s Ability—A3a-054 sets that up reliably.
If starting with A2-068
Use its attack to retreat early and preserve its HP and Energy. Let A3a-054 tank instead while A2-068 waits on the bench to evolve.
Early Priorities
- Evolving into A3a-056 is your top priority. You want its Ability active as early as possible to slow down your opponent’s setup.
- If that’s not possible, aim to evolve into A2-095 quickly to start applying pressure.
- Protect A2-068 more than A3a-054—you can always evolve another A3a-054 later and still win through A2-095.
- While A3a-056 can win games solo, it’s best supported by another copy or A2-095 as a finisher.
- Use A2b-069 if your hand is stuck, especially when searching for evolutions or PROMO-007.
- A2-146 helps you find what you need—whether it’s a Stage 2 to use with A3-144, or a Stage 1 to bridge the gap.
Tip: Evolving fast is essential. If you miss your early evolution window, you’ll likely fall behind and struggle to recover.
Midgame Strategy
At this stage, you should have either A3a-056 or A2-095 evolved and applying pressure.
- A3a-056 is typically the first to evolve due to its Ability disrupting your opponent’s tempo. If it gets knocked out, it only gives up 1 point—and ideally, you’ll already have another A3a-054 on the bench.
- A3-149 can be used to reset a damaged A3a-056, healing it while freeing up your bench for A2-095 or another evolution.
Point Management Tip:
Optimal flow is A3a-056 → another A3a-056 → A2-095.
If you start with A2-095 and it’s KO’d, try to evolve into another one for its high HP and consistent damage.
If your opponent is Energy-starved, A3a-056 alone may be enough to win.
- Because of A3a-056’s Ability, opponents often stack Energy on the bench and retreat. This is where A1-225 shines—letting you drag forward the threat and hit it first. It also lets you delay their strategy by forcing up something with a high Retreat Cost.
- Rotating between attackers is vital. With high-HP Pokémon across your board, clean knockouts are difficult for your opponent. This often forces early A1-225 or A2-150 plays—use this pressure to maintain control.
Card Choices
Core
Must-have cards the deck relies on to function.
- A3a-056 – The heart of the deck. Its Ability delays your opponent’s attacks by forcing them to overcommit Energy. Only gives 1 point, making it perfect for early tanking and tempo control.
- A3a-054 – Your usual starter. Evolves into A3a-056 and gives you time to set up. Best when paired with A3-144 and evolution pieces early.
- A2-095 – Your late-game finisher. Deals massive damage for just 2 Energy based on how much Energy your opponent has in play. Ideal follow-up attacker after A3a-056 slows the pace.
- A2-068 – Needs to be protected early, as evolving into A2-095 is key to closing games. Only attach Energy here if you're confident you can evolve.
- A3-144 – Enables your aggressive evolution strategy. Lets you skip Stage 1s and evolve straight into A3a-056 or A2-095, giving you an early board advantage.
Optional
Cards that can be cut without hurting core consistency.
- A2-146 – Helps find your evolution pieces. Still useful even just to grab a Stage 1 if A3-144 isn't available.
- A3-149 – Lets you return a damaged A3a-056 to your hand, heal it, and reuse it. Keeps your board flexible while preserving points.
- A2b-069 – Strong early-game hand reset. Helps you dig for evolution pieces or PROMO-007, while also disrupting opponents with strong setups.
- A1-225 – Midgame control option that pulls key threats from the bench. Especially effective when opponents try to play around A3a-056 by building up Energy in the back.
Situational
Techs that only matter in specific matchups.
- A2-155 – Can disrupt hands and stall momentum, but often cut for consistency. Not essential if you’re focused on fast setup.
- A2-150 – Still viable for targeting benched threats, but generally unnecessary—A2-095 already deals with most attackers directly.
- A3-155 – A niche inclusion to keep A2-095 alive, especially since it gives up 2 points. Can swing close games or prolong your damage output.
Final Thoughts
Both builds show how A3a-056 can shut down momentum and give you full control.
The Tapu Lele version spreads chip damage with A3-084 and finishes with A2b-035, while the Gallade version uses A3-144 to evolve fast and punish Energy stacking with A2-095.
Whether you prefer pressure or control, both decks reward smart play and punish anyone who dares to attack.
You can also check out our other guides for more insights! With the ranked format here, now is the perfect time to master these strategies, climb the leaderboard, and dominate matchups!
