In the competitive world of Pokémon TCG Pocket, the Space-Time Smackdown expansion has brought several powerful cards to the forefront. Among these, Dialga EX has emerged as one of the most influential cards in the game, particularly due to its unique abilities and versatile attacks.
This Legendary Pokémon’s combination of power and utility makes it a formidable force in Metal-type decks. Let’s take a closer look at the best Dialga EX deck list, how it works, and the strategies you can use to maximize its potential.
Best Dialga EX Deck List
Before the release of Space-Time Smackdown, Metal-type decks were not very prominent in the competitive Pokémon TCG Pocket scene. However, with the introduction of Dialga EX, Metal-type fans now have a variety of powerful decks to experiment with.
The standout feature of Dialga EX is its Metallic Turbo attack, which allows players to attach two Metal Energy Tokens to a Benched Pokémon. This makes it an incredibly effective card for early-game energy acceleration, especially when paired with other versatile Pokémon like Lickilicky EX.
Here’s a breakdown of the cards that form the foundation of the best Dialga EX deck:
Main Deck Cards:
- Dialga EX (2 copies)
- Lickitung (2 copies)
- Lickilicky EX (2 copies)
- Skarmory (2 copies)
- Dawn (2 copies)
- Professor’s Research (2 copies)
- Leaf (2 copies)
- Poké Ball (2 copies)
- Giant Cape (2 copies)
- Cyrus (2 copies)
Key Strategies and Combos:
- Dialga EX’s Metallic Turbo: This attack is pivotal for getting Metal Energy onto your Benched Pokémon, which helps set up your attackers for later turns. Since this attack doesn’t require the Benched Pokémon to be Metal-type, you can include Pokémon like Lickilicky EX, a Colorless-type, which can deal massive damage with Licking Fury.
- Lickilicky EX’s Licking Fury: With the right setup, Lickilicky EX can deal up to 200 damage (or even more) per attack, thanks to the coin flips involved in Licking Fury. This makes it a fearsome late-game sweeper, especially when powered up by Dialga EX’s Metallic Turbo.
- Skarmory and Giant Cape: Skarmory is a great early-game attacker with its Metal Arms attack. Paired with the Giant Cape, Skarmory becomes even harder to knock out, allowing it to stay in the game longer and deal consistent damage.
- Dawn for Energy Acceleration: Dawn’s ability to move Energy from your Bench to your Active Pokémon can help you power up Dialga EX for Heavy Impact, which deals 100 damage.
How the Deck Works
The Dialga EX deck is designed to be a versatile and aggressive build, focusing on both early-game setup and mid-game damage potential. The primary strategy revolves around Metallic Turbo, which allows you to quickly energize Pokémon like Lickilicky EX and Skarmory.
While Dialga EX can certainly deal 100 damage with Heavy Impact, its primary role is to fuel other Pokémon with energy. Lickilicky EX can be powered up with Metallic Turbo and quickly start stacking damage with Licking Fury, making it a powerful late-game finisher.
Skarmory plays a crucial role in early-game damage, especially when paired with Giant Cape, which boosts its survivability. As a Basic Pokémon, it can be quickly set up and ready to attack while your main threats, like Dialga EX and Lickilicky EX, are being powered up.
Additionally, cards like Poké Ball and Professor’s Research help you draw through your deck faster and increase the likelihood of pulling the cards you need. Dawn helps accelerate energy to your active Pokémon, ensuring that your attackers can hit hard as early as possible.
Strengths and Weaknesses
Strengths:
- High Damage Output: With Lickilicky EX, you have the potential to deal enormous damage with Licking Fury. Dialga EX’s Heavy Impact also deals a solid 100 damage.
- Flexible Energy Acceleration: Metallic Turbo provides great flexibility, as you can accelerate energy to any Benched Pokémon, not just Metal-types.
- Good Early-Game Setup: With cards like Skarmory and Giant Cape, you can establish a solid early-game presence and chip away at opponents’ HP while setting up your late-game threats.
- Versatile Pairings: Dialga EX can be paired with a variety of other cards, including Meltan and Melmetal, Mew EX, and Porygon-Z, depending on your preferred playstyle.
Weaknesses:
- Vulnerable to Fast Decks: Quick decks, such as those utilizing Pikachu EX or Celebi EX, can be difficult to deal with, as they apply pressure early on and may prevent you from setting up properly.
- Fire Weakness: The deck’s reliance on Metal-type Pokémon makes it vulnerable to strong Fire-type decks, particularly with the rise in popularity of Infernape EX.
- Requires Setup: While this deck can deal a lot of damage once set up, it does require a bit of setup in the early game, which can be tough against faster opponents.
Conclusion
The Dialga EX deck in Pokémon TCG Pocket offers a unique combination of versatility, energy acceleration, and high damage potential. With Metallic Turbo and Heavy Impact, Dialga EX fuels your other Pokémon while dealing damage in its own right.
Cards like Lickilicky EX and Skarmory provide additional layers of attack power and defense, making this deck a well-rounded option for competitive play.
While it has some weaknesses, particularly to fast decks and Fire-type opponents, its versatility and strength make it a solid contender in the current meta. If you’re looking for a new deck to try in Pokémon TCG Pocket, Dialga EX might just become your new favorite choice.
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