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The Ancient and Future Pokemon took the spotlight inPokemon TCG, but there are cards from Paradox Rift that can shine with their own light: the teracrystallized Ex cards. One of these cards is Garchomp Ex, which is bulky, strong, and has an interesting type as it is Water.
At first sight, Garchomp Ex looks like a decent card that can deal damage to benched Pokemon but doesn’t have enough damage to one-hit-KO other stronger cards. But as strength comes from unity, Garchomp finds great company in Lucario, Radiant Greninja, and the Earthen Vessel. The final result is a powerful and easy-to-play deck.
Garchomp Ex Decklist
This is the full list of cards you’ll use on this deck:
Fighting Energy Card (x10)
Garchomp Ex Deck Key Cards
Let’s take a look at the core cards of this deck.
Garchomp Ex
Garchomp Exis the protagonist of this deck. It has a more-than-decent320 HPand two attacks. The first one isHydro Lander, whichdeals 160 damageand lets youattach up to three Fighting Energy Cardsin yourbenched Pokemonas you wish.
The important thing about this attack is the secondary effect, as 160 damage is not good damage output.
The second attack isSonic Dive.It costs two Energy Cards,deals 120 damage, and forces you todiscard two Energy Cardsfrom Garchomp. The good thing about this attack is thatyou can attack your opponent’s benchwith it, but the format of this deck won’t use this attack at all.
As this is a Teracrystallized card, Garchomp has a special buff that protects it from damage when it’s on the bench.
Lucario
ThisLucariois a special card as it’ll be your main attacker alongside Garchomp andwill put use to Garchomp’s Hydro Lander.It has120 HP, an attack, and an ability.
The ability isRoaring Resolve, which you can use tosearch for a Fighting Energy Card.If you do, you’ll have to put a damage counter on Lucario. In other words, you mustdeal ten damage to it.
Meanwhile, its attack isAura Sphere Volley; it forces you todiscard all Energy Cardsand, as an exchange,deals ten damage plus 60for each card you discard.
Bidoof, Bibarel And Professor’s Research
These two pretty cards are in charge of being theengine of the deck.Without them, you can’t draw cards from the deck.Bidoofcan’t do much; it’s only here to be evolved intoBibarel, which has an ability namedIndustrious Incisors.With it, you candraw cards until you have fivein your hand.
TheProfessor’s Researchis on this deck for the same reason as Bibarel; you need tools to keep drawing cards. In this case, Professor’s Researchlets you discard your handanddraw seven cards.It works wonders with decks that usually have short hands, like this one.
You can discard Energy Cards with Professor’s Research. Take this into consideration when you want to send Energy Cards to the discard pile.
Manaphy
Manaphyis also a utility card, as it has an ability named Wave Veil. With this one, all yourPokemonon the benchwill be immune to damage.
Radiant Greninja
Radiant Greninjais a usual card in these kinds of decks as it’suseful for drawing cardsand discarding Energy Cards. It can do this all withConcealed Cards, its ability, which lets you draw two cards, but only if youdiscard an Energy Card.
Radiant Greninja isa helping handthat will be there in caseyou can’t completely supply Lucariowith all the Energy Cards necessary to One-Hit-KO the target.
Irida
Iridais a great card to start the match as it lets yousearchin your deck fora Water-type Pokemon and an item card.You must use it whenever you don’t find aGarchomp Exduring the early stages of the match.
Ideally, if you are using Iridaon your first turn, you’re able to try to search for aBattle VIP Pass.After that, it’ll depend on how the match develops and your needs, but you’ll usually bedrawing Earthen Vessel or Rare Candycards.
Battle VIP Pass
TheBattle VIP Passis extremely necessary on this deck as it has limited drawing options, and you may get stuck without it. With this card, you cansearch for two Basic Pokemon cards in your deck.But be careful, as itonly works in your first turn.
you may’t search for Lucario or Garchomp with this card; it only works to start setting yourself up.
Earthen Vessel
To discard Energy Cards, you must first have them in your hand. To do this, you have theEarthen Vessel,whichlets you draw two Energy Cardsbut only if youdiscard a card.Again, you’re able to use this card to discard an Energy Card if you need them in the discard pile.
Path To The Peak
If you want to have some extra advantage after setting everything up, you can usePath To The Peak, which, if it’s in play,both players can’t use their Pokemon Cards' abilities.The attacking core of this deck (Garchomp & Lucario)doesn’t use abilities, so you must not worry about them.
Be careful when playing this card, as you can stick yourself by cancelingBibarel’s Industrious Incisors.Be sure you use this card when you set everything up. If you need to draw, useProfessor’s Research.
Rare Candy
As you can see in the Decklist, this deckdoesn’t have a Gabite, it jumps from Gible to Garchomp. This is because you canevolve Gible into Garchompby using theRare Candy. Nonetheless, it has some rules.
If you want to evolve a basic Pokemon (Gible) with this card, you must have the stage 2 Pokemon(Garchomp)in your hand.Also,you’re able to’t use this cardduring your first turnor use iton Pokemon you put into play in the same turnyou are playing this card.
You can also evolve Riolu into Lucario with this card.
Garchomp Ex Deck Strategy
Your aim with this deck is toattack with Garchomp first, then with Lucario.This is because Garchomp will useHydro Lander’s secondary effectof setting Fighting Energy Cards from the discard pile to your benched Pokemon.
All theseEnergy Cardswill go to all the Lucariocards you are setting on your bench. Preferably, you mustset at least two Lucario cards to attack.
But before attacking with Garchomp,you need to send the Energy Cards to the discard pile.You have plenty of options: Radiant Greninja, Earthen Vessel, Professor’s Research, and the Ultra Ball are cards thatlet you discard cards.
So, setthe very first Energy Cardyou haveto your potential Garchomp, and the rest of themwill be sent to the Discard Pilevia these cards.
Remember to use the Earthen Vessel to get more Energy Cards quickly.
As you have several Energy Cards in the discard pile, the rest iscalculating how many Energy CardsLucario needs to discard to defeat your opponent’s strongest Pokemonwith one hit.Then, keep attaching Energy Cards to Lucariountil you have enough.Switch Garchomp for Lucario, andattack with it.
If your opponent switches their strongest Pokemon,bring it back to the field with Boss’s Orders.
Then,you can repeat the processby sending Garchomp back to the fieldwith the Escape Ropeto reattach Energy Cards to Lucarioso it’s ready to attack again.
Garchomp Ex Deck Common Threats
Garchomp is a pillar of this deck.If it falls, thenyou can’t set Lucario up to attack.So, it’s natural thatMiraidon, the best Electric-type deck in the meta,is a big problem for this deck.Thankfully,Lucario isn’t weak to Miraidon,so if you manage toset yourself up quickly, you may defuse Miraidon’s strategy. It’s a hard match-up;luck will define everything.
The same goesfor Chien-Pao, which usesIron Hands Ex, an Electric-type Card.Iron Hands is not this deck’s main attacker, yet it’s a worrying one, as it can deal enough damage to defeat Garchompand take an extra Prize Card in the process.
Again, if you manage toset up quickly, you can have the upper hand. Justdon’t leave Garchomp next to Iron Hands.
