Out of all the Pokémon cards that were introduced into Pokémon TCG Pocket with the Space-Time Smackdown expansion set, one of the most impactful was undoubtedly Dialga ex.
This heavy-hitting Legendary has a unique combination of attacks that make it one of the best Metal-type cards in the game. Below, you’ll find the best Dialga ex Pocket deck build list, including a breakdown of the main strengths and weaknesses, how it works, and a full card list.
Best Dialga ex Pocket deck list
Before Space-Time Smackdown, Metal-type decks were in short supply in the competitive Pocket scene. Now, fans of this type have a variety of different builds and card lists to choose from, with Dialga ex standing out as one of the most viable options.
Other than its bulk and decent HP stat, the main selling point of Dialga ex is its Metallic Turbo attack. It deals 30 damage a pop, but it also allows you to pick up two Metal Energy Tokens and attach them to a Benched ‘mon.
It’s an exceptional early-game move, and, importantly, it doesn’t specify that the target Benched ‘mon has to be a Metal-type. This opens up the field to various critters, most notably Colorless Pokemon like Lickilicky ex.
Alongside Metallic Turbo, the other attack Dialga ex has in its arsenal is Heavy Impact. While it is expensive, requiring four Energy Tokens to use, it is also a powerful attack that deals 100 damage. In the early-to-mid-game, this can be lethal.
We’ve included two copies of Skarmory in this list as an additional source of damage, pairing beautifully with the Giant Cape Pokémon Tool. Skarmory’s Metal Arms attack costs one Energy token and deals 20 base damage, adding an extra 30 if it has a Pokémon Tool attached, making it Energy efficient.
Out of all the deck lists that we’ve covered for Space-Time Smackdown so far, Dialga ex has the most viable counterparts and pairings. It’s an exceptionally versatile card thanks to Metallic Turbo, meaning it slots into a number of lists with ease.
While we found the pairing with Lickilicky ex to be the most logical—energizing the Colorless ‘mon so it can stack up obscene levels of damage with Licking Fury—there are several other list variants that are worth diving into.
The most popular variants on a Dialga ex deck list include:
- Meltan and Melmetal for easy Energizing in the early game and a secondary source of late-game damage with Heavy Impact
- Mew ex thanks to Genome Hacking, opening up the deck to include a variety of new attacks
- The Porygon-Z line for additional disruption and control
- The Bastiodon line for disruption, tankiness, and additional damage
- Yanmega ex for a new source of Colorless damage
- The Magnezone line for an extra hit of damage and tankiness
Dialga ex is currently climbing the ranks in terms of popularity and strength, and it will come as no surprise to see it topping the charts in community tournaments shortly. With the right list, it can be unstoppable in a match.
How the Dialga ex deck works
Dialga ex is surprisingly not the primary damage dealer in this list. It can deal 100 damage easily with Heavy Impact, but its main source of value is the double Metal Energy Tokens it can provide a Benched ‘mon with via Metallic Turbo.
Lickilicky ex puts Dialga ex to shame with Licking Fury. This attack has 100 base damage, but it also allows the user to begin flipping coins. For every heads in a row, an additional 40 damage is stacked on top of the base 100, meaning this attack can stack to ridiculous heights if you’re lucky.
Skarmory’s ability to quickly hit for 50 damage with just one Energy Token can’t be overlooked, either. It’s an exceptional card to find in your initial hand, allowing you to hit the ground running with Giant Cape and Knock Out early game critters.
Giant Cape helps to take Skarmory from 80 HP to 100 HP, meaning it can take a few hits from Basic Pokémon and Stage Ones in the earlier stages of a match. If you’ve not managed to pull Dialga ex or Lickilicky ex from your deck yet, you can rely on this critter to stall somewhat.
In terms of support, the main draw power in this deck comes from the dynamic duo of Poké Ball and Professor’s Research. Some decks may suggest including Pokémon Communication here, but we found this item to be too unreliable.
Dawn provides solid support for Dialga ex by helping to move Energy off of the Bench to the Active ‘mon. If you decide to use Heavy Impact with Dialga ex, Dawn can help to make this happen.
The other key pieces of support in the list are Leaf and Cyrus. Leaf helps to move Pokémon around quickly by cutting Retreat Costs in two, while Cyrus adds disruption into the mix and lets you prey upon injured opponents, dragging them out onto the field.
Strengths and weaknesses
The sheer damage potential of this deck list is staggering. Lickilicky ex can comfortably Knock Out most opponents with Licking Fury and Dialga ex can still contribute meaningfully with 100 damage a pop. It’s an aggressive deck that provides several routes to victory.
There aren’t too many evolutions to tick off the list with this deck either, with both Dialga ex and Skarmory being Basic ‘mons. Lickitung only needs to evolve once to get Lickilicky ex onto the field, and it has 80 HP, so it’ll be able to survive Bench sniping for a few turns.
The wide array of Supporters, Items, and Pokémon Tool options in this list means you’ve got plenty of utility and freedom as a player, too. Unlike other meta-defining decks on the scene right now, if you misplay Dialga ex in the early stages of a match, it is possible to bounce back.
In terms of type matchups, this deck is currently middle-of-the-road. Crucial cards in the current meta, like Mamoswine and Togekiss, are weak to Metal-type attacks, but Metal-types are weak to Fire-types, which are on the rise with the popularity of Infernape ex increasing.
Despite not being too evolution-heavy, this deck does still require setup and it can struggle with going first in a match. Facing off against quick decks like Pikachu ex or Celebi ex can feel like an uphill battle.
It’s still worth playing. This deck feels unique in the current competitive scene, with a rewarding play style that suits Pocket fans who enjoy setup decks and meaningful board control. If you manage to pull Dialga ex from Space-Time Smackdown packs, you may end up finding your new favorite deck.
Read the full article here