Wugtrio ex Best Decks & Guide

Welcome to a spotlight on an interesting card this time: A2b-019. Surprisingly, it's strong enough to hold its own against today’s top meta decks and is incredibly fast, making it perfect for ladder play. While it does benefit from the powerful Water engine, we’ll explore why A2b-019 is still a solid card on its own. And of course, it’s also a lot of fun to play.

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

Let’s jump in and see why this deck is causing chaos in the meta!

Strengths & Weaknesses

Pros	Cons
+ With just 3 Energy, A2b-019 can deal up to 150 damage. While the damage is randomly spread, hitting early makes it incredibly punishing for decks that rely on setting up.	- A2b-019’s attack doesn’t let you choose your targets. That lack of control can hurt—if the damage misses key threats or gets split inefficiently, it may stall your momentum.
+ Thanks to support from cards like A1-220 and A2-050, A2b-019 can get online very quickly. This synergy boosts its potential by allowing it to deal big damage a full turn earlier than usual, putting immediate pressure on the opponent.	- The deck’s power ceiling is heavily tied to A1-220 and A2b-072 flips. When they hit, the deck can feel unstoppable. When they miss, your pressure drops significantly.
+ While the damage isn't targeted, hitting at random can work in your favor. It bypasses tanky Active Pokémon and can sometimes knock out benched threats unexpectedly, turning close games into sudden wins.	- Since A2b-019 only needs Water Energy and is just a Stage 1, A1-185 becomes a much less favorable option—more of a 'just for fun' pick at that point.

How to Play Wugtrio Manaphy

The goal of this deck is to get A2b-019 attacking as early as possible—either by using A1-220, or by using A2-050 to ramp Energy and then A2-154 to transfer it from another Pokémon. This allows A2b-019 to start applying pressure immediately with its random 150 spread damage. While the damage isn’t targeted, it adds up quickly—especially against evolving decks or fragile setups.

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1. Opening Hand Priorities

• Start with A2-050 whenever possible. Its ability lets you ramp Energy immediately, setting up A2b-019 or A2-049 right away, with the potential for a A2-154 burst on the next turn.
• If you start with A2b-018 and don’t have A2-050 or PROMO-002, it’s usually better to load Energy onto it right away and evolve into A2b-019 as soon as possible. The earlier you attack, the better.
• If you don’t see A2b-019 early, A2-049 can serve as a solid backup attacker while you continue to set up.
• Use draw cards like PROMO-007, PROMO-005, and A2b-069 to dig for your ideal setup.
• Keeping you hand as large as possible can be possible especially if you want to search more with A2b-069 later on.

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2. Power Spike

• Use A1-220 as early as you can, ideally on Turn 1. Any attack you get from it is useful for ramping, softening the board, or disrupting your opponent’s plan.
• If you started with A2-050 while charging A2b-018 and another Water Pokémon, you can use A2-154 on the next turn to move the Energy and fully power A2b-019.
• If you also have PROMO-002, you can reuse the Energy spent on A2-050’s attack to make the process even more efficient.
• This combo lets A2b-019 unleash its 150 spread damage attack as early as Turn 2, creating a huge momentum shift.

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3. Mid-Game Control

• Use A2a-072 and A2-147 to keep your Pokémon, especially A2b-018, alive longer. Healing and bulk are crucial for surviving early pressure.
• Keep attacking with A2b-019. The spread damage builds up quickly and can knock out multiple targets across a few turns.
• If you retreat A2-050, it’s a great time to bench another A2b-018 and start prepping your second A2b-019.
• Don’t underestimate the power of randomness. A2b-019 can easily create surprise knockouts, turning a losing game into a win if you play it out.

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Card Choices

Pokémon

• A2b-019 – Your main attacker. For just 3 Energy, this card deals 150 random spread damage, which can wipe out evolving Basics or soften multiple threats. It’s unpredictable, but when it hits right, it swings games hard. As a Stage 1, it's also faster to set up than bulkier attackers like A1-185.
• A2b-018 – Your main Basic to start with, especially if you don’t open A2-050. It needs protection early, so timing your evolution is key.
• A2-050 – A core part of your early game. This card accelerates Energy right away and helps you reach the Turn 2 power spike. It also pairs perfectly with A2-154 to shift that Energy straight into an attacker.
• A2-049 – Backup attacker if A2b-019 doesn’t come online early. It uses the same Water engine and has the potential to deal 150 damage consistently.

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Trainer Cards

• A2-154 – Turns passive Energy setups into burst plays. After ramping with A2-050, this card moves Energy to A2b-019 or A2-049, enabling early attacks. Especially strong with PROMO-002.
• PROMO-002 – Reuses the Energy spent on A2-050’s attack. With the right sequencing, it helps you hit 3 Energy on A2b-019 by Turn 2.
• A1-220 – Important for burst potential. Increases A2b-019’s attack power with a successful flip, which can decide games early.
• A2b-069 – Strong early draw and disruption. Recommended over A2-146 due to the deck’s low Pokémon count—you won’t always have extra Pokémon to trade.
• A2-147 – Essential for raising A2b-019’s HP to 160. Helps avoid key damage from cards like A2b-035 and A2-095 when paired with A2b-071.
• A2a-072 – Only one copy is played. It’s useful for early-game survivability, especially to protect A2b-018 or extend A2b-019’s time on board.
• PROMO-007 & PROMO-005 – Straightforward draw and search power. Helps you dig for evolution pieces and combo parts like A2-154 and PROMO-002.

Alternative Options

• A1-083 – A solid replacement for A2-049. Can be easily retreated with PROMO-002 due to its 1 Retreat Cost, but you lose the strong, reliable damage option and must rely on A2b-019 to close games.

How to Play Pure Wugtrio

This version of the deck focuses purely on A2b-019 as the sole attacker, aiming to apply early pressure and force fast games. Every card is selected to either speed up your setup or ensure A2b-018 safely evolves. The deck has a clear identity: hit early or lose fast—it thrives on speed, not grindy games.

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1. Turn 1 Plays

• Use A1-220 immediately, especially if you go first. Getting a free 30-damage attack is a strong opener and can help trigger combos or soften threats early.
• You’re always starting with A2b-018, so your first priority is making sure it survives long enough to evolve. Use cards like A2a-072, PROMO-001, and A2-147 to extend its survivability and protect your setup.

2. Turn 2 Plays

• If you didn’t start with PROMO-007, using A2b-069 here is a solid play. It helps you draw into PROMO-007 or other key pieces like A1-220 or A2b-019.
• A2b-072 is especially effective on this turn if your opponent already has an Energy in play. A successful flip can stall their setup and buy you time for A2b-019 to come online.

3. Turn 3 Plays

• This is your key power turn. Find and evolve into A2b-019—this is non-negotiable. You want to start attacking with 3 Energy immediately.
• If your opponent has already built up some damage or is threatening your A2b-018, make sure to use A2b-069 or any draw option to secure your A2b-019 line.
• Keep A2b-019 alive using A2a-072, PROMO-001, and A2-147. Healing and surviving one extra hit can be game-winning in fast matchups.
• If A2b-019 gets knocked out, be ready to reload by setting up another A2b-018.

Card Choices

Pokémon

• A2b-019 – Your main attacker. For just 3 Energy, A2b-019 deals 150 random spread damage, which can wipe out evolving Basics or soften up multiple threats. It’s unpredictable, but when it hits right, it swings games hard. As a Stage 1, it's also faster to set up than bulkier attackers like A1-185.
• A2b-018 – Always your starting Pokémon. Your whole plan is to protect it for two turns until it evolves. It’s fragile, so your deck is built to keep it alive at all costs.

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Trainer Cards

• A1-220 – Even more important in this version, since you rely on getting A2b-019 online as fast as possible without the help of A2-154.
• A2b-069 – This deck needs to hit specific cards quickly: A2b-019, A1-220, and healing tools. Helps dig when PROMO-007 isn’t in hand and supports comebacks if you fall behind early.
• A2-147 – Crucial for keeping A2b-019 alive, but also helps make sure A2b-018 doesn’t get knocked out too early.
• A2a-072 – Two copies are included here because A2b-018’s survival is more important than in other builds. Keeping it alive means the difference between staying in the game or folding early.
• PROMO-001 – Simple but effective. Helps A2b-018 survive the early turns or keeps A2b-019 swinging for one more attack. Especially helpful when A2-147 isn’t enough.
• A2b-072 – Your other tempo tool. A successful flip stalls your opponent’s Energy and slows their development, giving you more time to pressure with A2b-019.
• PROMO-007 & PROMO-005 – Core draw and search support. Helps you dig into your evolution line and find the pieces you need to keep your tempo going.

Final Thoughts

A2b-019 is fast, fun, and surprisingly powerful. Whether you go all-in with the pure A2b-019 build or play the A2-050 engine with support from A2-154 and A2-049, the goal is the same—hit early and pressure hard.

The all-in build wins fast or loses fast, perfect for ladder. The A2-050 version gives you more flexibility and sustain. Either way, A2b-019 thrives on tempo and chaos, and when it lands right, it can take over games out of nowhere.

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!