The Sandslash Starter Deck is a Fighting-type Starter Deck featuring Sandslash and Onix 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!

Sandslash Starter Deck Guide

Deck Evaluation

Ace Pokemon						Tier Ranking
Sandslash Genetic Apex (A1)			Onix Genetic Apex (A1)
						Energy Type(s)
						F2P Friendly?
						✔️
						Deck Difficulty
						★
Deck Strengths
Sandslash can deal a good 70 damage at the cost of 2 Energy. Use Onix to inflict damage when Sandslash is not available.
Deck Weaknesses
Weak to Psychic, which is a common threat. Needs additional cards to improve the deck's performance.

Best Meta Decks Tier List

List of Cards

Sandslash Starter Deck List
Pokemon Cards
Sandshrew ×2				Sandslash ×1				Onix ×1				Cubone ×2
Hitmonchan ×1				Mienfoo ×2				Mienshao ×1				Pidgey ×1
Rattata ×2				Raticate ×1				Jigglypuff ×1				Farfetch'd ×1
Trainer Cards
Poke Ball ×2				Professor's Research ×2

Deck Building Guide

How to Play Sandslash Starter Deck

How to Play Sandslash Starter Deck
Core Combos and Interactions Starting Hand Deck Strategies Game Phases

Sandslash Starter Deck Core Combos and Interactions

Primary Attacker	Secondary Attacker	Description
Sandslash	Onix	・Sandslash can deal 70 damage and is a bit tanky with 100 HP. ・Onix can attack with Land Crush to deal 70 damage at the cost of 3 energies.

Alternative Combo for Custom Deck

Combo Card 1	Combo Card 2	Description
Brock	Onix	・ Brock will be a big help in ramping energy for Onix to attack. ・Have Onix tank damage with its high HP and once provided enough energy with the help of Brock, it will deal lethal damage.

This Alternative Combo requires customization to the Deck

Best Starting Hand

Best Starting Hand

A good hand would be to initially have an Onix or a Sandslash in your hand, in order for you to set up your board early.

Other Good Starting Cards

Recommended Starting Hand

If in case you have drawn a bad hand but at least have many drawing cards such as Professor's Research or Poke Ball in your hand, this can still be an advantage.

Use your Poke Ball trainer card first to hopefully draw a Sandslash or an Onix, then with the other Trainer card, you should eventually draw another Pokemon you can use.

Best Cards Tier List

Sandslash Starter Deck Strategies

Sandslash Starter Deck Strategies
Sandslash and Onix Brock Lends a Hand

Strategy 1: Sandslash and Onix

Sandslash and Onix

The strategy is basically to have either Sandslash or Onix take on the active Pokemon role to dish out damage.

Use a Poke ball Trainer card to search for either Sandshrew or Onix, then have Professor's Research land you a Sandslash.

Strategy 2: Brock Lends a Hand

Brock

This Alternative Strategy requires customization to the Deck

This alternative strategy uses the Trainer card, Brock to feed Onix enough energy to perform its 70 damager attack, completely taking over the Active Pokemon role.

Game Phases

Strategy 1: Early Game to End Game Strategy

Key Card(s) Required
Step	Description
1	Initially, you want to set up a board with either a Sandshrew or an Onix in your hand. You can have whichever Pokemon you have in hand to put in the Active zone.
2	Use trainer cards to eventually draw the essential cards you need for this combo.

Strategy 2: Early Game to End Game Strategy

Key Card(s) Required
Step	Description
1	Have Onix as your Active Pokemon while you build up its energy using Brock.
2	Use trainer cards to eventually draw the essential cards you need for this combo.

Sandslash Starter Deck Best and Worst Matchups

Best Matchups

Deck	Commentary
Pikachu ex Decks	Type: ・Sandslash and Onix are both strong against Lightning types, making them gain additional 20 damage during battle.

Worst Matchups

Deck	Commentary
Mewtwo ex Decks	Type: ・Mewtwo ex and other Psychic-Type Pokemon are strong against Metal type and this deck will be in a disadvantage during matchup. ・Mewtwo ex has an HP of 150 and cannot be taken down in one turn by either Sandslash or Onix

Overall Consistency

This starter deck is the least competitive compared to the Pinsir Starter Deck and the Rapidash Starter Deck.

It contains Pokemon that require a lot of energy to attack and without any assist from other cards, like Brock, this deck is not very competitive at all.

Best Pokemon Substitutes

Card	Possible Cuts
Brock	・Brock is a good addition to this deck as it will help supply energy to Onix, which requires 3 energy to attack. ・Adding another Brock can fortify your energy supply to your Onix Pokemon, so it's best to have two of these.
Onix	・Having another Onix will help the deck's consistency.

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