Images courtesy of The Pokémon Company
Welcome to another Pokémon TCG Pocket deck tech! Triumphant Light just came out this past Friday and players have been steadily scrambling to make impactful decks in this newest, Arceus and Arceus ex-centered format. This deck tech will decidedly not be about a deck like that. Instead, we’re focusing on Garchomp ex, a remarkably vicious Stage 2 Pokémon ex card.
Let’s dig in!
Pokémon TCG Pocket Deck: Grisly Scales
Pokémon: 9
- Gible (Space-Time Smackdown) x2
- Gabite (Triumphant Light) x2
- Garchomp ex x2
- Druddigon x2
- Marshadow x1
Items: 4
- Poké Ball x2
- X Speed x1
- Pokémon Communication x1
Supporters: 5
- Professor’s Research x2
- Leaf x1
- Cyrus x1
- Sabrina x1
Pokémon Tools: 2
- Rocky Helmet x2
Warning: Ground Unstable
This deck utilizes the entire Garchomp ex line from Triumphant Light, except for Gible. This is because the iteration of Gible from Space-Time Smackdown is a Dragon-type, and therefore has no Weakness, whereas the Gible from Triumphant Light is a Fighting-type with a Weakness to Grass-type attacks. It so happens that Grass-type decks are among the highest tiers right now. Therefore, a Basic Pokémon that’s weak to them is a liability for now. It’s clear that sooner or later, more Pokémon with multiple different types will come out and be the subject of much debate. For now, though, this example is fairly easy to suss out.
Anyway, on to Garchomp ex. This Land Shark Pokémon is an excellent sniper for Benched opposing Pokémon with its Linear Attack. Its Dragon Claw attack is also potent for dealing with things in the Active Spot. As such, Garchomp ex is not something to be slept on.
Because Garchomp ex is a Stage 2 Pokémon, this deck also aims to stall. To that end, we’ve added two copies of Druddigon and one copy of Marshadow, both excellent Pokémon from Mythical Island. Druddigon in particular is fantastic at deterring opposing attacks without doing anything. Meanwhile, a Benched Marshadow can often threaten 100 damage with its Revenge attack.
Caution: Falling Rocks
This deck continues to further facilitate its stall strategy with the help of Rocky Helmet, a Pokémon Tool from Space-Time Smackdown. Damaging the opponent for between 20 and 40 damage depending on its holder is a great way to keep Basic Pokémon, and even some Stage 1 Pokémon, from attacking too often. If something Retreats, depending on the situation your opponent is in, you have the option of either using Sabrina or Cyrus to drag something back into the Active Spot for additional punishment.
In addition to the usual staples, we’re running one copy of Pokémon Communication. There’ll often come situations where we don’t like the progression of cards in our hand while trying to attain Garchomp ex. This is often true with Stage 2 Pokémon in Pokémon TCG Pocket, and it’s also true here. As such, Pokémon Communication will ideally assist us in getting that necessary Garchomp ex or Gabite for the path to victory.
Expensive Contractors (Grisly Scales In-Game Deck Costs)
Here’s the full breakdown of costs in the in-game currency for the Grisly Scales deck listed above.
- Shop Tickets: 10
- Pack Points: 1,780
- Genetic Apex: 70
- Charizard: 70
- Mythical Island: 290
- Space-Time Smackdown: 350
- Dialga: 70
- Palkia: 280
- Triumphant Light: 1,070
- Genetic Apex: 70
As always, the choke point for this deck is the Pokémon ex we’re using in the build – in this case Garchomp ex. The base version of every Pokémon ex in PTCGP costs 500 Pack Points. The reality is that they’re necessary for most decks to perform competitively. Unfortunately, besides Garchomp ex, the only other cards you need from Triumphant Light are two copies of Gabite, a common card. Hopefully there are other cards you need from the set; if not, this acquisition might be a bit of a pain for you.
Chomp Chomp Chomp!
Much like our deck tech for Abyssal Claw, Grisly Scales has a bit of a problem with Grass-type decks in Pokémon TCG Pocket. With Exeggutor ex and Celebi ex still solidly on the top of the ladders, many decks, including this one, have a long way to go. However, against decks that aren’t “Eggs & Celery,” as that deck is often also referred to by, this deck will do just fine.
If you like this deck tech and the ideas behind it, consider checking out any of our other guides on Pokémon TCG Pocket decks. For example, Spatial Splash, our deck tech on Palkia ex. Or, you can also check out the one before it, a dark-horse entry based around Cresselia ex and Mismagius ex!
