Blastoise ex Guide (Deck, Strategy, Counter)

Pokemon TCG Pocket’s PvP has become predictable lately, with Pikachu ex and Mewtwo ex dominating the metagame. However, one Water-Type Pokemon stands out as a META-outsider while still delivering solid results: Blastoise ex.

Building a reliable Blastoise ex deck is challenging, as it demands a lot of Energy to unleash its full potential. On top of that, Pikachu ex’s dominance in the metagame works against Blastoise ex, since it’s weak to Lightning-Type Pokemon. Despite these obstacles, we’ve crafted a META-maverick Blastoise ex lineup that can secure some unique wins—perfect for when you’re tired of facing the same old decks of Pokemon Pocket.

Blastoise ex Card Overview

• HP: 180
• ATK (Basic): 40 with two Water Energies
• ATK (Buffed): 100 with three Water Energies,160 with five
• Weakness: Lightning

Blastoise ex is one of the tankiest cards in Pokemon Pocket, boasting a hefty 180 HP that can withstand most other META ex Pokemon’s attacks. Additionally, it can deal up to 160 DMG, a near-unblockable amount, since most metagame cards have an average HP below that.

However, Blastoise ex’s power comes at a cost: it’s slow to build and must be the focus of your strategy. And this leaves little room for other Evolution lineups in your deck.

The Best Deck for Blastoise ex

Since Blastoise ex needs to be the focal point of your lineup, it works best in a dedicated ramp deck featuring Misty and Snorlax. Of course, you’ll need the Blastoise Evolution line (Squirtle and Wartortle) to complete the setup. To round it out, include cards like Fossil Item Cards, X Speed, Professor’s Research, Poke Ball, and Sabrina.

Blastoise ex Deck Synergies

• Snorlax and Fossil cards are tank cards. You drop them to keep the opponent busy while building up Blastoise ex on the Bench.
• Misty helps ramp up Energy. You want her to hit Blastoise ex and give it as much Energy as possible.
• Sabrina buys you some time. If the opponent’s running a fast-build setup, you can Sabrina them to keep building Blastoise ex in the back.
• X Speed gets your Blastoise ex on the battlefield. You drop this Item Card as soon as your Blastoise is ready to hit the Active Spot. (It’ll discount the Retreat Cost.)
• Poke Ball and Professor’s Research accelerate Evolution. You’ll use these cards to draw your key Basic and Stage 1 Pokemon—Squirtle and Wartortle—allowing you to evolve them into Blastoise ex quickly.

How to Play Blastoise ex Effectively

Here’s a perfect play line for a Blastoise ex deck, assuming RNG is on your side:

1. Start by playing Snorlax in the Active Spot to absorb damage.
2. Play a Fossil Item Card to the Bench to protect Snorlax from Sabrina.
3. Evolve Squirtle and Wartortle on the Bench. Drop both Squirtle cards, but only attach Energy to one.
4. Once Wartortle evolves into Blastoise ex, play Misty to add five Water Energy to Blastoise ex before sending it to the Active Spot.
5. When Hydro Bazooka is ready, swap the Pokemon in the Active Spot with Blastoise ex and start blasting the enemy.

How to Counter Blastoise ex

Despite its immense power, Blastoise ex isn’t too hard to counter in the current metagame. A fast-build Lightning deck can easily devastate any Blastoise ex player. In fact, the current META is centered around such a deck: Pikachu ex with Raichu and Zapdos ex. Here’s how to build a Blastoise ex counter deck:

• Pikachu (x2)
• Raichu (x2)
• Pikachu ex (x2)
• Zapdos ex (x2)
• Pincurchin (x2)
• Giovanni (x2)
• Professor’s Research (x2)
• X Speed (x2)
• Poke Ball (x2)
• Lt. Surge (x1)
• Sabrina (x1)

How Good Is a Blastoise ex Deck?

Pokemon Pocket’s PvP is currently dominated by two archetypes, Pikachu ex and Mewtwo ex. With these two decks ruling the scene, there’s little room for other lineups to rise and gain traction, as most are bound to lose to them. Blastoise ex is no exception—it’s a solid deck, but not quite on par with the top two or three metagame lineups.

You could argue that Blastoise ex is one of the few decks in Pokemon Pocket that can still perform well in PvP despite being a META outsider. However, three factors hold this lineup back from gaining popularity: 1) It’s a Stage 2 deck, requiring two Evolutions. 2) It’s slow to build. Blastoise ex reaches its full potential with five Energy points, which takes time. 3) It’s RNG-reliant. For Blastoise ex to thrive, Misty needs to play in your favor; otherwise, you’ll likely lose the match.