Best non-EX Decks from TCG Pocket Space-Time Smackdown Expansions

EX cards are usually the highlights in Pokémon TCG Pocket when it comes to battles and yes, the Space-Time Smackdown expansion brought strong ones such as Darkrai EX, Dialga EX, and Palkia EX.

However, there are certain decks in this meta tahat don’t require a single EX card to be as powerful. These non-EX sets can take the fight to any deck, EX or not, and give you a definitive victory. 

So, let’s explore the big four non-EX decks that are dominating the current Space-Time Smackdown.

Cynthia | Garchomp | Druddigon Deck

I had covered this deck in my best Cynthia decks article and am sharing the same here:

• The aim of this deck is to evolve Gible all the way to Garchomp as quickly as possible, while also having Cynthia in your Hand (ideally both Cynthia cards).
• Gible should take up the Bench while Druddigon or Kangaskhan take up the Active Spot. Attach Rocky Helmet to your Active card.
• If you have to choose between the two, go with Kangaskhan if you want to deliver damage (60 DMG if you get 2 heads, 30 DMG on 1 head, and 0 DMG if both tails) along with 20 DMG from Rocky Helmet. On the other hand, Druddigon can consistently deliver 40 DMG with Rocky Helmet.
• Remember that your opponent may choose to not attack at all if they want to avoid Rocky Helmet damage. In such cases, go with Kangaskhan.
• The challenge of obtaining Garchomp is not the Energy requirement as it’s only two. Rather, it is getting one each of both Energy types: Water and Fighting.
• Once Garchomp is ready to go, bring it to the Active Spot, use Cynthia, and hit the opponent with a mean 150 DMG Dragon Claw. Remember that if the Active Spot card has 100 HP or less thanks to damage from Druddigon or Kangaskhan, don’t waste the Cynthia card and use the base 100 DMG of Dragon Claw instead.
• When dealing 100 DMG, you can use Cyrus to pull in a weakened EX card and score the KO with Garchomp.
• You can choose to dump Kangaskhan and include a Trainer card like Giovanni, Dawn, or Potion. However, we recommend adding Kangaskhan to this Dragon deck.
• This is an excellent non-EX deck with Garchomp functioning like a powerful EX card courtesy of Cynthia.

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Rampardos | Regirock | Druddigon Deck

• Rampardos ‘head’lines this deck with the move Head Smash, dealing 130 DMG at only 1 Energy!
• Head Smash loses 50 HP if the opponent is KO’d with it, which isn’t so bad since Rampardos has an impressive 150 HP that can be increased to 170 HP with Giant Cape.
• Giovanni is a great addition to ramp up Head Smash to 140 DMG. With Druddigon around, attach the trust Rocky Helmet to cut 40 HP from the opponent each time the dragon is hit, thanks to Rough Skin.
• While you can stick to 2 Druddigon, you can drop one to go with Regirock. With 120 HP and the Exoskeleton Ability that makes it take 20 less damage from attacks, it can hang around the Active Spot and wall your side, while you build Rampardos. The Exoskeleton ability makes Regirock a great Pokémon to stall with.
• Cranidos evolves from the Skull Fossil card. Remember that while Skull Fossil is treated as a Basic card, it cannot be drawn using a Poké Ball card. So, you’re guaranteed to draw either Druddigon or Regirock at the beginning of the game.
• Since Rampardos requires only 1 Energy for its attack, you can keep it on the Bench and use up to 4 Energy gains to attack with Regirock. You can also build a second Rampardos.
• Cyrus pulls out cards weakened by Druddigon/Regirock. Rampardos is strong enough to OHKO most cards and with such brutality against EX cards, getting the win is hardly ever a challenge.
• Two Cyrus cards are fine but you may ditch one for Sabrina, who might be of greater help if you end up leading with Regirock.
• Rampardos is an insanely powerful Pokémon that can delete the opponent in no time. With room for 12 Trainer cards in this deck, feel free to experiment!

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Magnezone | Dragonite Deck

• Magnezone has established itself as one of the strongest cards with its 110 DMG and 140 HP, but the credit for that goes to Magneton (Genetic Apex), whose Volt Charge Ability takes 1 Lightning Energy from your Energy zone and attaches it to Magneton every time it’s used.
• Evolve Magneton to Magnezone only when you have collected a satisfactory amount of Lightning Energy since Magnezone discards 1 Lightning Energy on using its Thunder Blast attack (3 Energy: 1 Lightning, 3 Colorless). With more Lightning Energy stored, you’ll be able to use Thunder Blast as many times. For instance, if you have 3 Lightning Energy from Magneton’s Volt Charge, you’ll be able to use Thunder Blast thrice.
• It’s important to note that the deck doesn’t need to have Lightning Energy designated to it at all! Even if a deck is, say, Darkness Energy, Magnezone’s Ability still pulls in Lightning Energy!
• This brings us to the Energy type you should use in this deck: Water.
• 1 Lightning, 1 Water, and 2 Colorless Energy make up one of the strongest moves in TCG Pocket: Draco Meteor, hailed by the iconic Dragonite (Genetic Apex). This devastating move picks 1 of your opponent’s Pokémon at random 4 times and does 50 DMG each time.
• You may choose to go with both Lightning and Water Energies for this deck, or simply stick with Water alone. The 1 Lightning Energy Dragonite needs can be supplied by Dawn, transferring the said Lightning Energy from Magnezone/Magneton.
• If you go with Lightning and Water, you may drop the Dawn card and instead opt for a Pokémon Tool like Giant Cape (preferably on Dragonite) or Rocky Helmet (preferably on Magnezone).
• In situations wherein you’re attacking with Magnezone and the opponent retreats their damaged Pokémon to the Bench, use Cyrus to pull them out.
• This is one of the most unpredictable decks to face and is honestly as strong as an EX deck. Your opponent will never know what’s going to hit them and when.

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Lucario | Marshadow | Primeape Deck

• Lucario is key to making this deck frightening and it’s not even meant to attack. Its Fighting Coach Ability adds 20 DMG to attacks done by your Active Fighting-type Pokémon. Also, this effect stacks, meaning that if you have 2 Lucario on your Bench, they add 40 DMG to attacks done by your Active Fighting-type Pokémon!
• Try to get Primeape in the Active Spot ASAP. With the Fight Back attack (2 Energy), it does 40 DMG normally but 100 DMG if it has damage on it. With Lucario, this goes to 140 DMG!
• If Primeape is KO’d, bring in Marshadow. This Pokémon is a deadly revenge killer, who does 100 DMG if any of your Pokémon were KO’d in the previous turn. Again, 2 Lucario contribute +40 DMG for 140 DMG!
• Primeape (basically whatever is in the Active Spot) should have Rocky Helmet attached. Giovanni can ramp up these numbers to make them 150 DMG, enough to OHKO many EX cards.
• The Pokémon Communication card helps get to your desired card quicker while Cyrus can bring in damaged Pokémon for KOs.
• A rather simple strategy but one that’s supremely effective. Again, you can experiment with the Trainer cards for more/other tricks up your sleeve!

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It looks like Dragon Pokémon (Dragonite, Garchomp, and Druddigon) form the crux of non-EX decks and even the Fighting type since non-EX cards appear to be more useful than the EX variants (Gallade EX, Aerodactyl EX, and Machamp EX).

Either way, it’s always nice to not lose 2 points when getting KO’d, right?! These non-EX decks are quite strong, perhaps stronger, than some EX decks. Also, they are fun to play with!

So rock these powerful decks and teach your EX-card-wielding opponent a lesson as you grab the victory from their hands.

Happy collecting and battling, TCG Pocket-ers!

The post Best non-EX Decks from TCG Pocket Space-Time Smackdown Expansions appeared first on Pokémon GO Hub.

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