Pokemon TCG Pocket’s metagame was shaken by the release of the Triumphant Light miniset, but one deck stood out as a surprise top contender: Rampardos & Lucario’s refined setup with Sudowoodo. This Fighting-type lineup is currently the only thing preventing the Dialga ex & Arceus ex deck from taking over the meta, earning it a reputation as the most effective anti-meta build in TCG Pocket’s short history.
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The Triumphant Light pack has a lot of great Pokemon cards for TCG Pocket players.
But what makes Rampardos & Lucario’s synergy with Sudowoodo so strong? How do these Pokemon complement each other? And what’s the best deck shell for players looking to try them out in PvP? Here’s a breakdown of the Sudowoodo & Rampardos meta in TCG Pocket.
The stats in this article are based on Sudowoodo and Rampardos’s recent PvP performance, sourced from LimitlessTCG’s database. Keep in mind that these numbers might change as the metagame continues to evolve.
Sudowoodo’s synergy with Rampardos and Lucario is simple but highly effective. Sudowoodo is an early-game damage dealer, acting as a tech card against the opponent’s ex starters. Rampardos is the primary attacker, staying on the Bench until Sudowoodo is knocked out, while Lucario provides buffs or stalls for time.
Step One: Starting with Sudowoodo
The ideal opener is Sudowoodo, allowing for up to 50 early-game damage. If Sudowoodo isn’t available, Riolu is a solid alternative. However, if both are in the starting hand, the best approach is to place Sudowoodo in the Active Spot and set Riolu on the Bench.
This is also the ideal time to play a Fossil Stone, allowing Cranidos to enter the game as quickly as possible.
Step Two: Placing the Primary Buff Provider(s)
Once the board is set for early damage, evolving into Lucario should be the next priority. With Lucario in play, Sudowoodo can dish out up to 90 damage using just one Energy. From here, any excess Energy should be allocated to Lucario or Cranidos, which will later evolve into Rampardos.
Step Three: Preparing Secondary Damage Dealers
With Sudowoodo active and Lucario providing support from the Bench, the focus should shift to building up Rampardos. If the deck includes Marshadow, now is the time to set it up as a backup attacker, ready to retaliate if Sudowoodo gets knocked out.
From here, the strategy is straightforward: either develop a second Lucario or evolve another Rampardos to maintain board presence and sustain damage output. Since none of these Pokemon are ex, one can also be strategically sacrificed to activate Marshadow’s ultimate damage when needed.
Sudowoodo & Rampardos Performance Analysis
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Currently, Sudowoodo’s alliance with Rampardos and Lucario is the second-most-popular PvP deck in TCG Pocket, with the trio’s metagame share surpassing 9.5%. This represents an impressive 691% growth, adding the Sudowoodo & Rampardos deck to the list of decks boosted by the Triumphant Light miniset.
One notable trend in this deck’s metagame performance is its relatively stable win rate since the previous expansion. In other words, while the addition of Sudowoodo to Rampardos and Lucario’s lineup has clearly increased its popularity, it hasn’t significantly improved its win rate. This is partly because the deck is mainly used as a counter to Arceus ex, but it has struggled against other meta decks, particularly those from earlier sets.
The Best Deck Shell for Sudowoodo & Rampardos
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Rampardos & Sudowoodo decks are quite rigid. Six slots are filled by Rampardos and Lucario evolutions, two slots are dedicated to Sudowoodo and Marshadow, and six to ten slots are reserved for essential Trainer Cards like Skull Fossil, Cyrus, Sabrina, Pokemon Communication, Pokemon Ball, and Professor’s Research.
However, the top-performing variants use only one Sudowoodo to free up space for Marshadow. This adjustment makes the deck more aggressive by providing a “revenge” option if Sudowoodo or Rampardos are knocked out.
The Best and Worst Matchups of Sudowoodo & Rampardos
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Recent Pokemon TCG Pocket tournament data shows that Sudowoodo & Rampardos decks have been highly effective against the current meta decks, including Dialga ex & Arceus ex. However, the duo has clearly struggled against Grass-type decks—particularly Exeggutor ex & Arceus ex—as well as the top-tier 18-Trainer lineups of Articuno ex and Palkia ex, which have gained prominence with the addition of Irida.
From Sudowoodo & Rampardos’s matchups, it’s evident that tanky Grass-type decks are their biggest counter. Exeggutor ex & Arceus ex is especially effective, as it features two high-HP starters that can withstand Sudowoodo’s and Rampardos’s damage while dealing enough back to take them out.
Pros and Cons of the Sudowoodo-Rampardos Duo
One of the best aspects of the Sudowoodo & Rampardos duo is its ability to deal high early damage with just one or two Energy. Sudowoodo’s ability allows it to hit an ex enemy for 50 damage, which can reach 120 against weaker Pokemon with Lucario and Giovanni buffs. Rampardos, on the other hand, can deal 130 damage with just one Energy, which can be boosted to 180 in an ideal scenario.
However, the downside is that the duo lacks endurance. Sudowoodo’s 60 HP makes it fragile in the Active Spot, while Rampardos’s self-damaging effect can reduce its lifespan. Additionally, the duo is heavily reliant on the evolutions of Lucario and Rampardos, increasing the risk of being knocked out before the setup is complete.
The Future of Sudowoodo and Rampardos in Pocket
Regardless of how the meta evolves with future expansions, Sudowoodo will remain one of the best tech cards against Fighting-weak Pokemon. This anti-ex card has all the qualities needed to stand the test of time in TCG Pocket: High damage, low Energy requirements, and effective abilities.
However, Sudowoodo’s success doesn’t necessarily guarantee a bright future for Rampardos. While Rampardos complements Sudowoodo with an Energy-efficient high-damage attack, its slow and risky build-up leaves it vulnerable to being replaced by stronger Fighting-type cards in the future.
For now, though, Sudowoodo & Rampardos decks are a dominant force in the Triumphant Light era, sitting as the second-most-popular setup behind the Dialga ex & Arceus ex lineups, which currently lead the metagame.
