Following the launch of the Celestial Guardians set for the Pokemon TCG Pocket, a notable yellow chicken character named Oricorio garnered significant attention due to its potential to bring an end to the era of all previous Pokemon in the game. Meanwhile, another Pokemon, Solgaleo ex, subtly climbed up the competitive battle (PvP) scene. This little-known Pokemon from the sixth set of Pokemon TCG Pocket soon ousted DarkTina, the then-reigning champion, and ascended to become the leading deck in the game’s metagame. So, let’s explore how this transformation unfolded.
This discussion focuses on the study of Solgaleo ex’s ascension to prominence, supported by Skarmory. Our objective is to dissect their team dynamics and explain why they have become a highly preferred setup in the game. Let’s delve into how the partnership between Solgaleo ex and Skarmory operates effectively.
Solgaleo ex & Skarmory Deck Shell
- Energy: Steel
- Strategy: Stall and Burst Damage
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As a dedicated Pokémon TCG enthusiast, I’ve noticed that the combination of Solgaleo EX and Skarmory is quite prevalent in today’s competitive scene. The gameplay strategy revolves around using Skarmory as the primary defender, allowing my Solgaleo EX on the bench sufficient time to ready for an attack. Luckily, Solgaleo EX requires just two Energies, so Skarmory’s comparatively lower HP doesn’t hinder the overall strategy. I usually have enough turns to establish Solgaleo EX before my opponent manages to knock out Skarmory.
Instead of using Skarmory, some players opt for alternative tank choices. For instance, the Solgaleo EX & Snorlax strategy is a popular choice where Snorlax acts as an initial barrier while you develop Solgaleo EX on your bench. This duo performs well because Solgaleo EX’s ability eliminates Snorlax’s retreat cost, enabling players to switch it onto the Active Pokémon position when necessary.
How the Solgaleo ex & Skarmory Decks Work
The teamwork between Solgaleo and Skarmory is simple yet effective: Skarmory slows down the opponent while steadily reducing their health points. On the other hand, Solgaleo prepares a powerful 120-damage attack for the opposing bench. In an optimal scenario, this duo can deal up to 170 damage consecutively (50 from Skarmory and 120 from Solgaleo).
Solgaleo ex & Skarmory’s Ideal Playline
- Open with Skarmory.
- Attach a Pokemon Tool to it (preferably a Rocky Helmet).
- Add Cosmog to the Bench.
- If the enemy’s Active Pokemon is an attacker, build up Skarmory and start attacking. It might be a good idea to have a second Skarmory on the Bench by this point.
- Target Rare Candy to skip Cosmog’s next evolution and leap into its second stage, Solgaleo ex.
- Once Solgaleo ex is on the Bench, allocate two Energies to it.
- Use its Rising Road ability to switch into the Active Spot and deal damage.
- If the enemy plays a counter card like Pokemon TCG Pocket’s Oricorio, switch back to Skarmory. (This strategy might require rebuilding Solgaleo ex from scratch, but it’s often worth it since the Pokemon needs only two Energies.)
Solgaleo & Skarmory Meta Performance Report
- Win Rate: ~ 56%
- Meta Share: ~ 9%
- Tournament Appearances: ~ 400
As a dedicated Pokémon Trading Card Game player, I can’t help but notice the dominance of Solgaleo EX and Skarmory in the current PvP scene, holding the top spots on the Pokemon TCG Pocket’s ladder. The metagame is still adapting to the fresh cards from the Celestial Guardians set, but it’s evident that this Steel-type duo isn’t going anywhere soon, continuing to make a strong impact in the game for quite some time.
It’s often debated that the deck’s appeal may decrease over time due to the rise of more functional alternatives. Nevertheless, there are several indicators pointing towards the fact that Solgaleo ex pairing with Skarmory might prove hard to surpass.
1. One key point is that the duo’s approach is straightforward yet potent, with cards such as Rare Candy ensuring their consistency.
2. With DarkTina (Darkrai ex & Giratina ex decks) growing monotonous for many players, there’s a surge in demand for new combinations, and that’s where the Solgaleo ex & Skarmory team excels.
3. Crucially, Solgaleo ex & Skarmory decks are among the limited ex-focused setups capable of challenging the Oricorio meta, thereby maintaining their relevance as long as the overpowered “silly bird” from TCG Pocket persists in the game.
How to Counter the Solgaleo & Skarmory Meta
In light of recent Pokemon TCG Pocket tournament results, DarkTina (Darkrai ex and Giratina ex) continues to be an effective counter to Solgaleo ex and Skarmory decks. This Psychic-Darkness duo has a win rate of 69% against the popular Steel-type pair, even though their overall performance in PvP has decreased since the arrival of Celestial Guardians. Prior to the new set’s release, DarkTina decks constituted more than 20% of the metagame, but this percentage has now dropped to just 7%.
Charizard ex/Moltres ex (60%) and Beedrill ex/Meowscarada (59%) are strong alternatives to Solgaleo ex/Skarmory.
Why Solgaleo ex & Skarmory Has Dominated Pocket’s PvP
There are four reasons why this Steel-type duo has been successful:
- The deck is easy to play and consistent. Thanks to Rare Candy, Solgaleo ex is no longer an impractical Stage Two Pokemon; it’s a viable early-game attacker. Additionally, cards like Iono and Pokemon Communication provide deck manipulation, making evolving into Solgaleo ex even more consistent.
- It’s one of the fastest high-damage decks in the game. With just two Energies on Solgaleo ex, you can start dealing 120 damage by turn two—in an ideal scenario where you also go second. That’s a major advantage in the current meta.
- Solgaleo ex’s above-average HP creates perfect synergy with Lillie. Starting with 180 HP, Solgaleo ex can take a few hits before going down. TCG Pocket’s new Supporter, Lillie, can heal 60 damage from this Steel-type Pokemon, extending its board presence.
- It’s a practical budget deck. Most players can build a functional, meta-friendly version of this deck with just two Solgaleo ex cards, as the rest of the deck consists of fairly common cards.
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2025-05-05 13:06