The Pikachu ex Deck is a Lightning Aggro Deck Archetype featuring Pikachu 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

Pikachu ex Deck Guide

Deck Evaluation

Ace Pokemon						Tier Ranking
Pikachu ex Genetic Apex (A1)			Zapdos ex Genetic Apex (A1)
						Energy Type(s)
						F2P Friendly?
						❌
						Deck Difficulty
						★
Deck Strengths
Easy to set up and attack with. Efficient attack and retreat costs. Positive matchup against Starmie ex and Articuno ex decks.
Deck Weaknesses
Weak to Fighting-type decks. May lack the necessary damage output against high-HP Pokemon.

Best Meta Decks Tier List

List of Cards

Pikachu ex Deck List
Pokemon Cards
Pikachu ex ×2				Zapdos ex ×2				Blitzle ×2				Zebstrika ×2
Electabuzz ×1
Trainer Cards
Giovanni ×1				Sabrina ×2				Blue ×1				Potion ×1
X Speed ×2				Poke Ball ×2				Professor's Research ×2

Deck Building Guide

Packs Required for Pikachu ex Deck

Pack	Featured Card
Any Pack

Mythical Island Updates

New Mythical Island Cards
Electabuzz	・Gives the deck a quick early game attacker. ・Another snipe option, that also has a decent 70 HP and 1 Retreat Cost..
Blue	・Blue can give the Pokemon in the deck added survivability on crucial turns.

Mythical Island gives this deck a new Pokemon that can improve it even further. Above are the new cards that Pikachu ex can use.

Mythical Island Card List

Pikachu ex and Raichu Comparison

Pikachu ex vs Raichu
Raichu	Pikachu ex
Single-point attacker	ex attacker
Needs 3 Energy to attack	Needs 2 Energy to attack
Maxes out at 150 damage with Giovanni	Maxes out at 100 damage with Giovanni
Discards all Energy when attacking	Does not need to discard Energy

Pikachu ex with other Basics like Zapdos ex have more deck slots for Trainer cards and other Pokemon lines, whereas Raichu needs space for Pikachu, Raichu itself, as well as Lt. Surge and Magneton. Its advantage over Pikachu ex is its ability to deal 140 damage, whereas Pikachu ex can only consistently deal 90.

Pikachu ex and Raichu Deck Strategy Guide and Card List

How to Play Pikachu ex Deck

How to Play Pikachu ex Deck
Core Combos and Interactions Starting Hand Deck Strategies Game Phases

Pikachu ex Deck Core Combos and Interactions

Primary Attacker	Secondary Attacker	Description
Pikachu ex	Zapdos ex	・Pikachu ex is the deck's primary attacker, able to do 90 damage easily with Circle Circuit. ・The deck has lots of effective secondary attackers like Zapdos ex, Zebstrika, and Electabuzz, all of which have useful attacks for different points in the game..

Best Starting Hand

Best Starting Hand

Either Pikachu ex or Zapdos ex are great starters for the deck. Against Water decks, it is good to start with Zapdos ex, as it can immediately apply pressure with super-effective Peck.

Using Peck + Giovanni can OHKO Staryu, if they're unlucky enough to start with it.

Other Good Starting Cards

Recommended Starting Hand

Blitzle is a good starter if you are going first, because you can snipe with Zebstrika the following turn..
Best Cards Tier List

Pikachu ex Deck Strategies

Pikachu ex Deck Strategies
Pikachu ex Start Secondary Attackers

Strategy 1: Pikachu ex Start

Pikachu ex Start

This deck would usually want to start with either Zapdos ex or Pikachu ex. Starting with Pikachu ex would usually mean that it would take damage from a one-Energy attacker from the opponent's side. Use Potion to keep Pikachu ex healthy, and swing with Circle Circuit as soon as it's ready!

Strategy 2: Secondary Attackers

The deck has plenty of secondary attackers to choose from that are all useful for different points in the game.

Zebstrika and Electabuzz are great options for sniping around Druddigon decks, while Zapdos can work as a last-ditch effort to get a big KO.

Game Phases

Early Game

Key Card(s) Required
Step	Description
1	Start with any of the deck's effective starters.
2	Use Poke Ball and Professor's Research to find Pokemon to bench.

Mid-Game

Key Card(s) Required
Step	Description
1	Load up your Pokemon with Energy and be sure to switch out if any of your Pokemon are in danger of getting 2HKOd.

Late Game

Key Card(s) Required
1	Finish the game with your choice of attacker.
2	Make use of Giovanni if you need an extra damage boost, or Blue to make an opponent miss an important KO.

Pikachu ex Deck Best and Worst Matchups

Best Matchups

Deck	Commentary
Gyarados ex Decks	Type: ・Positive type matchup against Water decks. ・Zebstrika and snipe their Magikarp.

Worst Matchups

Deck	Commentary
Fighting Decks	Type: ・Pokemon like Mythical Island Primeape can consistently deal sizeable damage to our Lightning-types.
Blaine Decks	Type: ・Pokemon like Rapidash and Ninetales from Blaine decks can be used in tandem with each other to score 2HKOs or OHKOs on our Pokemon. ・A well-placed Blue is important in this matchup, allowing Pikachu to survive a Flamethrower from Ninetales boosted by Blaine, so that you can get a revenge KO.

10 Match Tests vs Pikachu ex Deck - Matchup Statistics

Overall Consistency

Pikachu ex is quick and easy to set up. All the Pokemon in the deck are similar, with inexpensive Attack and retreat costs. This deck is always a good pick as it is consistent and efficient and matches up favorably against top Water decks.

Pikachu ex Deck F2P & Substitutes

Pikachu ex Deck Card Substitutes

Card	Explanation
Dedenne	・Gives the deck an option to paralyze and disrupt opponents..

Pokemon TCG Pocket Meta Guide

Pikachu ex Deck Other Viable Options

Card	Possible Cuts
Raichu	・ A Raichu line can work in place of the Zebstrika line, however this would also necessitate the use of Lt. Surge and Magneton.

F2P Pikachu ex Deck List

F2P Pikachu ex Deck List
Pokemon Cards
Pikachu ex x1	Voltorb x2	Electrode x2	Blitzle x2
Zebstrika x2
Trainer Cards
Potion x2	X Speed x2	Poke Ball x2	Professor's Research x2
Giovanni x1	Sabrina x1	Blue x1

Zebstrika is an Energy-efficient Attacker that can finish off damaged Pokemon on the Bench should they survive Pikachu ex's Circle Circuit.

Electrode also fulfills a bigger role in the F2P build, as it is even more necessary for the deck's offense with the lack of a second Pikachu ex and two Zapdos ex.

Pokemon TCG Pocket Beginner's Guide

Pikachu ex Rental Deck

Pikachu ex Rental Deck Evaluation

Ace Pokemon						Tier Ranking
Pikachu ex Genetic Apex (A1)
						Energy Type(s)
						F2P Friendly?
						✔️
						Deck Difficulty
						★★
Deck Strengths
Pokemon have Energy-efficient Attacks Pikachu ex's Circle Circuit can deal good damage
Deck Weaknesses
Lacks damage output Needs to start attacking right away or else it will lose tempo

Pikachu ex Rental Deck List

Pikachu ex Rental Deck List
Pokemon Cards
Pikachu ex ×1				Voltorb ×2				Electrode ×1				Blitzle ×2
Zebstrika ×1				Tynamo ×2				Eelektrik ×2				Eelektross ×1
Helioptile ×2				Heliolisk ×1
Trainer Cards
X Speed ×1				Poke Ball ×2				Professor's Research ×2

The Pikachu ex Rental Deck is a pre-made theme deck recipe featuring similar cards to the Meta Deck.

How to Unlock Pikachu ex Rental Deck

Mission	Reward
Collect the highlight card for Pikachu ex Deck (Genetic Apex)	Pikachu ex Rental Deck (10x Uses)
Collect the cards for Pikachu ex Deck (Genetic Apex)	Pikachu ex Rental Deck

The Pikachu ex Rental Deck can be unlocked by completing the Deck Missions related to this Rental Deck.

Collecting the Highlight Card, Pikachu, gives you 10 Uses of the Rental Deck, while collecting all the cards within the Deck gives you the Recipe, allowing you to use the Rental Deck at any time.

List of Deck Missions

Packs Required for Pikachu ex Rental Deck

Pack	Featured Card
Any Pack

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
Gyarados ex and Greninja	Vaporeon and Articuno ex	Volcarona and Arcanine ex
Scolipede and Weezing	Starmie ex and Articuno ex	Arcanine ex
Blaine	Pikachu ex and Raichu	Gyarados ex and Vaporeon
Pidgeot ex	Charizard ex	Aerodactyl ex and Primeape
Exeggutor ex	Lt. Surge	Dragonite
Alakazam and Jynx	Mew ex and Weezing	Golem

Off Meta Decks

Articuno ex	Venusaur ex	Dragonite and Weezing
Lapras ex	Greninja	Mewtwo ex and Weezing
Marowak ex	Primeape	Venusaur and Weezing
Arbok Lock	Zapdos ex	Blastoise ex
Gengar ex	Machamp ex	Wigglytuff ex
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	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