Starmie ex is a Fast Offense Deck Archetype featuring Starmie ex and Articuno ex from the Genetic Apex Set in Pokemon Trading Card Game Pocket (PTCG Pocket). Read on for the complete list of cards in this deck, basic information on the deck, how to play the deck, and optimal matchups for it!

Related Decks

Starmie ex Deck Guide

Deck Evaluation

Ace Pokemon						Tier Ranking
Starmie ex Genetic Apex (A1)			Articuno ex Genetic Apex (A1)
						Energy Type(s)
						F2P Friendly?
						❌
						Deck Difficulty
						★
Deck Strengths
Starmie has an inexpensive and strong Attack and has free Retreat Articuno is also a great sweeper especially if set up quickly Articuno ex is a strong offensive Basic Pokemon
Deck Weaknesses
Cards are difficult to acquire Weak to Lightning-type Pokemon.

Best Meta Decks Tier List

List of Cards

Starmie and Articuno Deck List
Pokemon Cards
Staryu ×2				Starmie ex ×2				Articuno ex ×2				Farfetch'd ×1
Trainer Cards
Misty ×2				Giovanni ×1				Sabrina ×2				Potion ×2
X Speed ×1				Poke Ball ×2				Red Card ×1				Professor's Research ×2

Deck Building Guide

Packs Required for Starmie and Articuno Deck

Pack	Featured Card

How to Play Starmie ex Deck

How to Play Starmie and Articuno Deck
Core Combos and Interactions Starting Hand Deck Strategies Game Phases

Starmie ex Core Combos and Interactions

Main Attacker	Secondary Attacker	Description
Starmie ex	Articuno ex	・Starmie ex is the main attacker of the deck. It is the deck's main objective to set up Starmie ex quickly. ・Articuno ex can sweep after a successful Misty

Best Starting Hand

Best Starting Hand

This starting hand is good whether you're going first or second, as it allows Staryu or Articuno to load up on Energy using Misty and attack as soon as possible. Professor's Research the following turn allows you to dig two cards deeper for an evolution, while Red Card can put a foil to your opponent's gameplan.

Other Good Starting Cards

Recommended Starting Hand

Articuno ex is the ideal starting Pokemon for the deck. Try your luck out with Misty, as one heads flip will allow you to T1 Ice Wing and T2 Blizzard.

Having Staryu benched early is always a good thing, as they can evolve the following turn should you draw into their evolutions.

A well placed Sabrina can also get you good damage on an opposing Benched Pokemon that's still setting up. Potion can keep your Pokemon out of KO range.

Best Cards Tier List

Starmie and Articuno Deck Strategies

Starmie and Articuno Deck Strategies
Articuno Offense Starmie Offense

Strategy 1: Articuno ex Offense

Articuno Offense

You would ideally want your Basic Pokemon out of the deck as early as possible, with Staryu ready to evolve early. Articuno is your ideal start, loading it up with Energy with a successful Misty.

Farfetch'd can also start games where it can immediately put offensive pressure, putting your opponent's Pokemon in KO range for Starmie ex and Articuno ex using its 40 damage Leek Slap.
Articuno ex Deck Strategy Guide and Card List

Strategy 2: Starmie ex Offense

Starmie is an excellent attacker, being able to do 90 with only two Energy attachments. The deck can use Starmie's Hydro Splash when Articuno's 80 damage Blizzard is not enough.

Game Phases

Early Game

Key Card(s) Required
Step	Description
1	Have Articuno ex active and attempt to ramp with Misty.

Mid-Game

Key Card(s) Required
Step	Description
1	Evolve a benched Pokemon and attempt to ramp with Misty if you have your second one onhand.

Late Game

Key Card(s) Required
1	Score a cheeky KO with a well placed Sabrina, or switch Articuno ex out for a fresher attacker.

Starmie ex Deck Best and Worst Matchups

Best Matchups

Deck	Commentary
Fire Decks	Type: ・Water Decks naturally match up favorably against Fire decks. ・+20 damage is meaningful, even if it's just from Staryu's Smack hitting for 40

Worst Matchups

Deck	Commentary
Pikachu ex Decks	Type: ・ Pokemon in the deck are all weak to Lightning. ・ Difficult counterplay to disadvantageous damage trades.

Overall Consistency

This deck is able to set up attackers efficiently and with minimal effort. Although it sometimes relies on luck when it comes to playing Misty, it is not too heavily dependent on it and can function without it.

Starmie ex and Golduck pack a solid one-two and can 2HKO most Pokemon, while Articuno ex can also be a menace by itself once set up.

Pokemon TCG Pocket Meta Guide

Starmie ex Deck F2P & Substitutes

Starmie ex Deck Card Substitutes

Card	Explanation
Golduck	・ Golduck can work as a substitute for Starmie ex if you don't have access to it. ・ Can deal a very respectable 70 damage with Aqua Edge.
Lapras	・ Lapras can be substituted for Articuno and can be loaded up with lots of Energy to deal more damage. ・ Can deal good damage with Hydro Pump.

Starmie ex Deck Other Viable Options

Card	Possible Cuts
Helix Fossil	・ A Fossil can help you with point trades, making opponents have to KO it instead of your Pokemon exl.

F2P Starmie ex Deck List

F2P Starmie and Golduck Deck List
Pokemon Cards
Staryu x2	Starmie x1	Starmie ex x1	Psyduck x2
Golduck x2	Bruxish x2
Trainer Cards
Potion x2	X Speed x2	Professor's Research x2	Giovanni x2
Sabrina x2

This list makes use of lower rarity Water-type attackers in place of the rarer and more expensive Articuno ex.

It opts to not use Misty, but instead make use of Giovanni to boost damage output. Golduck and Starmie can be used to score 2HKOs on most Pokemon, with Bruxish ready to take out already damaged Pokemon.

Good damage management and switching will help you find success with this version of the deck!

Pokemon TCG Pocket Beginner's Guide

Pokemon TCG Pocket Related Guides

Deck Building Guide

All Deck Tier Lists

All Tier Lists
Best Cards Tier List	Best Meta Deck Tier List
Best Rental Deck Tier List	Best F2P Beginner Decks

Deck Articles

Deck Articles
How Rental Decks Work	Staple Cards for Decks
Aggro Decks Explained	Deck Matchup Statistics
Best 18 Trainers Decks	Best Misty Decks
Best Erika Decks	10 Match Tests vs Pikachu ex Deck - Statistics
List of Non-ex Decks

Meta Decks

Best Meta Decks
Mewtwo ex	Celebi ex and Serperior	Pikachu ex
Mew ex and Weezing	Vaporeon and Articuno ex	Volcarona and Arcanine ex
Scolipede and Weezing	Starmie ex	Venusaur ex
Charizard ex	Articuno ex	Raichu and Pikachu ex
Dragonite	Dragonite and Weezing	Lapras ex
Greninja	Mewtwo ex and Weezing	Gyarados ex and Vaporeon
Pidgeot ex	Arcanine ex	Blaine
Aerodactyl ex and Primeape	Exeggutor ex	Marowak ex
Primeape	Venusaur and Weezing	Greninja and Weezing

Off Meta Decks

Arbok Lock	Zapdos ex	Blastoise ex
Gengar ex	Machamp ex	Wigglytuff ex
Alakazam and Jynx	Melmetal	Koga
Omastar and Articuno ex	Kingler and Articuno ex	Frosmoth
Lapras ex and Butterfree	Poliwrath	Tentacruel and Greninja
Victreebel and Exeggutor ex	Gengar ex and Golbat	Persian and Mawile
Lickitung and Primeape	Exeggutor ex and Alakazam	Frosmoth and Articuno ex
Gyarados	Centiskorch and Moltres ex	Lt. Surge
Grapploct	Cinccino and Weezing	Brock
Kabutops	Aerodactyl and Dragonite	Eeveelutions and Ditto
Lickitung	Articuno	Zapdos
Moltres	Venusaur	Charizard
Blastoise

Rental Decks

All Rental Decks
Venusaur ex Rental Deck	Charizard ex Rental Deck	Blastoise ex Rental Deck
Pikachu ex Rental Deck	Mewtwo ex Rental Deck	Machamp ex Rental Deck
Nidoking and Nidoqueen Rental Deck	Kanto Fossils Rental Deck	Koga Rental Deck
Brock Rental Deck	Blaine Rental Deck	Lt. Surge Rental Deck

Starter Decks

All Starter Decks
Pinsir Starter Deck	Rapidash Starter Deck	Sandslash Starter Deck